The broadcast of "Premiere" on June 25, 1951, was a bold declaration by CBS in the race for a U.S. color television standard. While the program itself garnered generally positive reactions for its vibrant product displays, the underlying challenges of CBS's field-sequential system quickly became apparent. The lack of compatible receivers, coupled with persistent industry resistance and the ongoing development of rival technologies, ultimately led to
CBS's withdrawal from the color television market. This retreat paved the way for the eventual dominance of compatible color systems, fundamentally reshaping the trajectory of television broadcasting in the United States.
Initial Reactions and Unresolved Issues
Despite the arduous conditions in the studio, "Premiere" aired as planned, and initial reactions were largely positive, though not without reservations. Many observers were impressed by the colorful appearance of objects and commercial products, with some even suggesting the color quality surpassed that of movies. The broadcast highlighted color TV's potential as a compelling advertising medium. However, a nearly universal observation was that human performers did not fare as well. Their facial coloring often varied, or even washed out, when they moved their heads. Reports also noted the sometimes peculiar appearance of people's hair and clothes, issues that were hoped to be resolved with improvements in lighting techniques.
Crucially, the broadcast underscored the severe problem of the scarcity of color receivers. Many interviewed expressed a desire to purchase a color set, yet none were readily available. This led to numerous reports emphasizing that this historic television event had very few witnesses, with CBS estimating the total number of viewers from all sources at only 40,000. This limited reach was a major impediment to CBS's goal of widespread public acceptance for its system.
The Challenge of Compatibility and Consumer Options
For the millions of existing black-and-white television owners, watching CBS color broadcasts presented a significant dilemma. To view these programs, they would need to acquire one of three newly emerging devices. An external "adapter" could be installed to receive the color broadcast in a smaller, monochrome picture, using 405 lines instead of a standard set's 525. For those desiring color, a "converter" combined the adapter with a spinning tricolor disk that slid in front of the screen, often including a magnifying lens. However, converters were limited to television screens up to about 12 inches. Owners of larger black-and-white sets who wanted color would need a "companion set" or "slave-unit" – a separate unit with an enclosed picture tube and color disk, which plugged into their existing black-and-white TV's circuitry. These options were perceived as complicated or expensive by many of the ten to twelve million existing set owners, especially with the looming possibility that a compatible color system could render CBS's method redundant or obsolete. The FCC's allowance for continued work on compatible color systems further fueled this uncertainty.
The Shift Towards Compatible Color and CBS's Exit
The industry's push for a compatible color system intensified even as "Premiere" aired. The Friday before the broadcast, Allen B. DuMont, founder of DuMont Laboratories and the DuMont Television Network, requested the FCC postpone CBS's commercial color programming, citing recent improvements to RCA's compatible tricolor picture tube. Although his request was denied, DuMont invited the press to his laboratories to demonstrate the improved RCA tube, displaying closed-circuit color still images that appeared comparable in quality to the CBS broadcast. NBC also announced plans to begin experimental broadcasts of RCA's compatible color in New York City starting July 9, 1951, with public demonstrations on RCA color receivers. Furthermore, the National Television System Committee (NTSC), which had established the original monochrome standards, reorganized to develop a new "composite" compatible color system, pooling knowledge from NTSC, RCA, General Electric, and others. This concerted industry effort, combined with the practical difficulties and consumer resistance faced by CBS's incompatible system, ultimately led to CBS rescinding its color system in March 1953. The FCC subsequently approved the NTSC color standard in December 1953, which retained backward compatibility with existing black-and-white sets, marking a definitive turning point in U.S. color television history.
