See also: 1951 in television, other events of 1952, 1953 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• February 15 - The funeral of King George VI is televised in the UK.
• September 6 - Cable TV debuts in Canada as the CBC in Montreal, Quebec airs.
• September 8 - CBC Toronto debuts.
• September 20 – The first commercial UHF television station in the world, KPTV (today a Fox affiliate), begins broadcasting in Portland, Oregon on channel 27.
• December 15 - The Flowerpot Men on BBC Television.
• The first political advertisements appear on US television. Democrats buy a 30 minute slot for their candidate, Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson is bombarded with hate mail for interfering with a broadcast of I Love Lucy. Dwight Eisenhower buys 20 second commercial spots and wins the election.
• The first telecast of an atomic bomb detonation (KTLA).
• The FCC sets aside channels for non-commercial, public broadcasting.

Debuts

• January 14 - The Today Show premieres on NBC (1952-present).
• American Bandstand premieres (1952-1989).
• My Little Margie (1952-1955), starring Gale Storm.
• See It Now premieres, hosted by Edward R. Murrow.
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet on ABC (1952-1966).
• The Ernie Kovacs Show premieres. Kovacs pushes the limits of television technology with his use of camera tricks and special effects (1952-1953).
• The Guiding Light on CBS (1952-present).
• The Honeymooners premieres (1952-1970).
• This Is Your Life premieres in the US (1952-1961).

Television shows

• Tom and Jerry (1940-1958, 1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982)
• Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946-1960)
• Howdy Doody (1947-1960)
• Kraft Television Theater (1947-1958)
• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971)
• The Texaco Star Theater (1948-1953)
• Martin Kane, Private Eye (1949-1954)
• The Goldbergs (1949-1955)
• The Voice of Firestone (1949-1963)
• Cisco Kid (1950-1956)
• The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958)
• The Jack Benny Show (1950-1965)
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
• Your Hit Parade (1950-1959)
• Your Show of Shows (1950-1954)
• What's My Line (1950-1967)
• Amos & Andy (1951-1953)
• Dragnet (1951-1959)
• I Love Lucy (1951-1957)
• Love of Life (1951-1980)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
• The Roy Rogers Show (1951-1957)

Ending this year

• Picture Page (UK) (1936-1939; 1946-1952).

Births

• February 17 - Lisa Eichhorn , actress, All My Children
• March 2 - Laraine Newman, actress, comedian, Saturday Night Live
• March 22 - Bob Costas, sports announcer
• May 21 - Mr. T, American actor, is born Laurence Tureaud, in Chicago
• June 18 - Carol Kane, actress
• July 1 - Dan Aykroyd, actor, comedian, Saturday Night Live
• July 6 - Shelley Hack, actress
• September 7 - Susan Blakely, actress