How the Fox Network May Be a Resurrected TV Network from the 1950's

In another America, long ago and far away (and before Fox Network actually superseded the big three...or five...networks in the ratings), NBC, CBS and ABC were the only bastions of television programming. A lot of people who grew up in a three network universe sometimes wish we could go back to that so America can consolidate ourselves and all commune via more or less watching the same things together as a nation. However, in a world today where 200+ channels doesn't seem to be enough in some people's minds, it's very possible that TV could have had at least ten or more over-the-air networks by the 1960's if financial dealings had gone just right. Either fortunately or unfortunately, many of these other networks (which did go on the air briefly via limited affiliates) bit the dust due to various interesting business circumstances.

And then you have the most famous fourth network of the 1940's and 1950's that sounded like the name of a butler instead of a call-letter network: DuMont. It also might have been the crown jewel of all networks had it acquired more affiliates and not regulated to UHF hell. What might surprise you, though, is that the DuMont network was the very first American TV network on the air in 1946 and could have raced ahead of NBC, CBS and ABC in innovative programming had things worked out differently. Because history can easily be twisted due to urban legends, casual TV history buffs probably think that NBC was the first TV network to be licensed (well, even I thought that once due to NBC usually saying so)--and NBC and DuMont were almost tied in that department. NBC had some limited broadcasts as early as 1941 and then went as a national network right after DuMont went on the air.