Top Television Shows
Many who grew up in Athens in the 1950s saw television for the first time through a showcase window in Parker Brothers Store. Curiosity and interest 
was accelerated when WDBJ-TV, Channel 7 in Roanoke Virginia, signed on the air in 1955. With a strong signal in Athens, Fred and Frank Parker tuned a set they had for sale to the station for passersby to see in the evening. It was quite the attraction! Many of the first sets in Athens were sold by the Parkers and E. H. Jennings. Blaine Jennings started repairing sets and made home visits with his tube tester and various replacement parts.
Television was a family medium during our years. Families and friends watched television together, often with popcorn, Pepsi, and other snacks. As children and teenagers we often scheduled activity around favorite television shows. Occasionally friends were plan television parties. We weren't very interested in news, but we remember the afternoon of Friday, November 22, 1963 when President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. We left Athens High School to watch events unfold on television sets in Jennings Store. Click a link below for a list of programs ranked by Nielsen Media Research.
| Our Programs | Our Programs | Our Programs | Our Programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows of 1951 | Shows of 1956 | Shows of 1961 | Shows of 1966 |
| Shows of 1952 | Shows of 1957 | Shows of 1962 | Shows of 1967 |
| Shows of 1953 | Shows of 1958 | Shows of 1963 | Shows of 1968 |
| Shows of 1954 | Shows of 1959 | Shows of 1964 | Shows of 1969 |
| Shows of 1955 | Shows of 1960 | Shows of 1965 |
