Broadcast Milestones in the House of Representatives
December 4, 1923 – First radio broadcast of the opening of a Congress (68th Congress).
December 6, 1923 – First radio broadcast of the President’s State of the Union Address (President Coolidge).
March 4, 1925 – First radio broadcast of a Presidential Inaugural Ceremony (President Coolidge).
April 20, 1939 – House of Representatives approves H Res 169, establishing the House Radio Correspondents’ Gallery.
May 20, 1939 – House Radio Correspondents’ Gallery opens for business.
May 20, 1939 – H.R. Baukhage broadcasts first live radio show news show from the Capitol.
January 6, 1947 – First live televised broadcast of the State of the Union Address (President Truman).
July 7, 1947 – First live televised House hearing (Special Subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor).
March 28, 1957 – First live broadcast from the Speaker’s Office (Speaker Rayburn).
June 5, 1958 – First live overseas broadcast of a Joint Meeting of Congress (West German President Heuss’ Address to Congress).
January 12, 1966 – First color television broadcast of the State of the Union Address (President Johnson).
January 12, 1966 – First televised opposition response to the State of the Union (Sen. Everett Dirksen (R-IL) and Rep. Gerald Ford (R-MI)).
March 19, 1979 – House of Representatives begins televising live gavel to gavel coverage of its proceedings.
April 11, 1994 – First Internet news organization granted admission into the Congressional Radio-TV Galleries (Internet Multicasting Service).
January 29, 2002 – First live Internet webcast of the State of the Union Address (President Bush).
January 20, 2004 – First live high-definition television broadcast of the State of the Union Address (President Bush).
September 8, 2009 –First live high-definition television broadcast of a daily House legislative session (non Joint Meeting or Joint Session).