Television history began in the early 20th century with experiments in transmitting images. The first successful demonstration of a working television system was conducted by John Logie Baird in 1926. By the late 1930s, television broadcasts began in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, leading to the establishment of regular programming. The post-World War II era saw a rapid expansion of television technology and viewership. The introduction of color television in the 1950s, along with the rise of cable and satellite services in the 1980s, transformed how audiences consumed content, paving the way for the diverse programming available today.