1926    The U.S. National Broadcasting Company is formed.

1926    The NBC radio network opens with 24 stations.

1948    With a Musicians Union ban lifted, the first telecasts of classical music in the United States, under Eugene Ormandy and Arturo Toscanini, are given on CBS and NBC.

1949    The first Television Western, ''Hopalong Cassidy'', is aired on NBC starring William Boyd.

1951    The first live sporting event seen coast-to-coast in the United States, a college football game between Duke and the University of Pittsburgh, is televised on NBC.

1954    NBC makes the first coast-to-coast NTSC color broadcast when it telecast the Tournament of Roses Parade , with public demonstrations given across the United States on prototype color receivers.

1954    The nationwide debut of ''Tonight!'' ''(The Tonight Show)'' hosted by Steve Allen on NBC.

1966    The first ''Star Trek'' series premieres on NBC.

1975    The NBC sketch comedy/variety show ''Saturday Night Live'' debuts with George Carlin as the host and Andy Kaufman, Janis Ian and Billy Preston as guests.

1993    General Motors sues NBC after ''Dateline NBC'' allegedly rigs two crashes intended to demonstrate that some GM pickups can easily catch fire if hit in certain places. NBC settles the lawsuit the next day.