C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb

Five from 25
C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb recalls his five favorite moments from the network's quarter century on cable television.

March 19, 1979 ''The first moment we were on the air, when the House of Representatives popped on the screen and we went live.'' First to speak: Al Gore (left). Oct. 7, 1980 ''The first call-in show. We were live from the back halls of the National Press Club and I had four journalists at the table. What [the panel] couldn't get over was how detailed the questions were, how knowledgeable the audience was about telecommunications. ... That's when we knew that people were interested in more than just the first paragraph of a story.'' Home of first caller: Yankton, S.D. Feb. 25, 1983 ''Ronald Reagan (left) called our call-in show, unbeknownst to me. I actually kept him on hold for a while. My screen said it was a caller from Washington, D.C., and because it was local [not long distance]. I took my time. And finally they typed on the screen, 'Take it now!' So I punched the button and the White House operator said, 'Mr. Lamb, one moment for the president.' '' Feb. 20, 1984 ''We showed the nation the first-ever-live caucus from Iowa. Everyone talked about the Iowa caucuses, but no one had ever seen one except the people in Iowa. ... It was a magical moment.'' May 11, 1984 The day after House Speaker ''Tip O'Neill turned the cameras on the chamber during the special order period [when representatives could take the floor and speak without other members present]. Congress controlled the cameras, and up until then, it was the first time that viewers could see for themselves that the chamber was empty.'' At the podium: Robert Walker, Republican of Pennsylvania (left).