June 3, 1949: Radio crime drama Dragnet debuted aired for the first time on NBC. Because Dragnet focused on police procedure, it became a wildly popular and ground-breaking show. Dragnet literally refers to methods used by police to catch criminals. After it's introduction to radio , it moved on to become a hit television series. The Dragnet phenomenon lasted for five decades. Fifty-two episodes aired, spanning two seasons, in 1989. The old time radio detective series remained a series off and on through 2003. Dragnet returned to television after NBC saw the made for television movie version.
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