The following is the1951–52 network television schedule for the four major English language commercialbroadcast networks in the United States. The schedule coversprimetime hours from September 1951 through March 1952. The schedule is followed by alist per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the1950–51 season. This was the first television season of national network interconnection by coaxial cable and microwave, meaning programming could be transmitted live coast-to-coast (or in the case of filmed programs, distributed simultaneously across the country) if needed.

On Sunday nights,NBC experimented with airing its new comedy-variety programChesterfield Sound-off Time (featuringBob Hope,Fred Allen andJerry Lester as rotating hosts) in an early evening timeslot, 7:00–7:30. Previously, network TV variety programs had only been aired during late evening hours; NBC had experimented with a late-night show,Broadway Open House, with Lester as host the previous season, but that show was not considered a success (it was replaced by the more genericMary Kay's Nightcap this season). According to television historians Castleman and Podrazik (1982), the experiment was designed to "duplicate the early-evening radio success of Jack Benny".^[1] (Benny himself would appear on rival networkCBS'sThe Jack Benny Program immediately followingChesterfield Sound-off Time).Red Skelton also made his network television debut on NBC's Sunday night schedule this season, but long-term success eluded him until after he moved toCBS in the fall of 1953.

Although most TV programming was live, both CBS and NBC also experimented in filmed series; Castleman and Podrazik highlight early filmed hitsI Love Lucy on CBS andDragnet on NBC.Dragnet was "one of NBC's first major experiments in filmed TV series"; the series was added to NBC's regular network schedule in January 1952, after a "preview" onChesterfield Sound-off Time in December 1951.^[1]I Love Lucy was given what historians have called a "choice time slot": Monday night immediately following the number one program on television:Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. The series "proved the strength and acceptability of TV sitcoms, giving [CBS] a strong weapon against NBC's flashy comedy-variety hours".^[1]

DuMont, too, avoided flashy comedy series when in February 1952, in desperation the network added BishopFulton Sheen's program,Life Is Worth Living, to its Tuesday night schedule. The religious series was pitted against NBC's hit programTexaco Star Theater, and became the surprise hit of the year, holding its own againstTexaco host "Uncle Miltie", and attracting a sponsor, an Emmy, and 10 million viewers.^[2] TheABC and CBS programs which aired in the same time slot,Charlie Wild, Private Detective, andThe Frank Sinatra Show (respectively), attracted relatively few viewers.^[2]

New fall series are highlighted inbold.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined byNielsen Media Research.^[3]

  Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season.

  Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season.

  Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season.

• On CBS,The Jack Benny Show (9/42.8) aired as occasional specials once every six to eight weeks at 7:30-8:00 pm.
• On NBC,Hopalong Cassidy (28/32.2) aired 6–7 p.m. until December, when it was partly replaced byThe Roy Rogers Show (27/32.7), airing 6:30–7 p.m.

Notes: On NBC,Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, andBob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m.Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, whileKukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952. In January 1952,The Speidel Show was renamed for its star,Paul Winchell, becomingThe Paul Winchell Show.

Note: On NBC,Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, andBob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m.Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, whileKukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Notes: On NBC,Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, andBob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m.Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, whileKukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

(*) From December 1951 to June 1952, these shows were 30 minutes, 10pm to 10:30pm ET

Notes:Wayne King was seen only on NBC's Midwest Network. On NBC,Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, andBob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m.Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, whileKukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Notes:Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt replacedVersatile Varieties on January 26, 1951.

On NBC,Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, andBob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m.Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, whileKukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

* also known asTrouble With Father

Notes: On NBC,All-Star Revue formerly was known asFour Star Revue.Bob and Ray, broadcast earlier in the season as a 15-minute weeknight program, expanded to 30 minutes and ran from July to August at 7:30 p.m.Eastern Time.

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

• McNeil, Alex.Total Television. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books.ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
• Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1964).The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine.ISBN 0-345-31864-1.

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• United States primetime network television schedules
• 1951 in American television
• 1952 in American television

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