RCA introduced the television to the American public in anticipation of the fair's opening, publishing a brochure to explain its features. The introduction of the television was inextricably linked to the fair itself. When the fair opened on April 30, 1939 it was accompanied by the first U.S. television broadcast, featuring President Roosevelt's inaugural remarks for the fair as he welcomed the nearly 200,000 visitors that filled the fair grounds on that first day. The opening ceremonies were broadcast by NBC who then went on to provide regularly scheduled programming.
As RCA was the primary provider of the television, their pavilion exhibited the television set with its many intricacies. RCA had TRK-12 television sets on display to expose the public to television, which had a brighter display than sets that were mass produced for the consumer, such as the 630-TS (pictured on the right). Visitors could see themselves on television and Radiograms, which could be sent to friends and family, documented the experience.
Visitors were understandably skeptical of the new technology and many thought it was a trick. To thwart suspicions RCA made and displayed a television set with a transparent case so that its mechanisms could be observed in action.
RCA was not the only television manufacturer featured at the fair. Sets by General Electric and DuMont were also used. Television demonstrations were popular not just in these manufacturer pavilions but also in the pavilions of Westinghouse, General Motors, and Crosley.
