The June 25, 1951, broadcast of "Premiere" marked a significant milestone in television history as CBS aired its first color television program. This event was not just a technical achievement but also a strategic move by CBS to promote its color broadcasting method. Despite the limited availability of color receivers, this broadcast set the stage for future developments in television technology.
The Birth of Color Television
The broadcast of "Premiere" was a landmark event as it
was the first commercially sponsored television program to be broadcast in color. This variety show was aired as a special presentation on a five-city network hook-up of CBS television stations. The program was part of CBS's campaign to gain public acceptance of its field-sequential method of color broadcasting, which had recently been approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as the first commercial color television broadcasting standard in the United States.
CBS's color system was an electro-mechanical system that transmitted monochrome images electronically, with color added mechanically using a rapidly spinning tricolor disk. This system, however, was not compatible with existing monochrome television sets, which posed a significant challenge for CBS in gaining widespread acceptance.
The Challenges and Innovations
Despite the technical challenges, CBS was determined to proceed with the broadcast. The network planned to colorcast "Premiere" live on a five-city network hook-up of East Coast CBS stations, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. However, the availability of color receivers was extremely limited, with only thirty prototype color receivers available in New York.
To address the lack of color sets on the market, CBS acquired the television manufacturer Air King to produce a dual color/black-and-white television set. The network also lined up several of its best-known stars, including Arthur Godfrey and Ed Sullivan, to participate in the broadcast, and signed up sixteen advertisers to sponsor the one-hour show.
The Legacy of 'Premiere'
The broadcast of "Premiere" was a significant step in the evolution of television technology. Although the CBS color system was eventually replaced by a more compatible system developed by RCA, the broadcast demonstrated the potential of color television as a compelling advertising medium. The colorful appearance of the objects displayed on the program was eye-catching, and the broadcast proved that color TV could be a powerful tool for advertisers.
While the CBS color system did not achieve long-term success, the broadcast of "Premiere" paved the way for future developments in color television technology. It highlighted the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from black-and-white to color broadcasting, setting the stage for the widespread adoption of color television in the years to come.
