Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

FCC Approval of Compatible Color Standards Launches RCA and NBC "Introductory Year" Comprehensive Programming, Production, Training Schedules Are Announced; Network Broadcast January 1 Highhghts First Series of Programs The opening of the color television era, launched on December 17 by approval of the Federal Communi- cations Commission of standards for the compatible system pioneered and developed by RCA, put into practice the widespread programming, production and training plans prepared and rehearsed during 1953 by RCA and the National Broadcasting Company. For NBC, the FCC decision opened the "Introduc- tory Year" plan under which each of the network's major programs will be done at least once in color and a number of special events will be covered by color cameras for the nationwide audience. For RCA Victor Division, it gave impetus to production of both broad- casting and home receiving color equipment, and to extensive plans for training television manufacturing and service personnel of RCA, its licensees and its dealers in the techniques of color. Within minutes of the FCC action on December 17, NBC went on the air with a network color signal — a multi-color slide reading "Color News Bulletin," and an announcer said: "Attention, please! Color television is here. You are looking at the first color picture tele- cast since compatible standards for color television were approved." Assembly of RCA color TV cameras at Camden, N. J. A short time later, NBC presented a special color broadcast featuring a statement by Brig. General David Sarnoflf, Chairman of the Board of RCA, who was intro- duced by Sylvester L. Weaver, Jr., President of NBC. From the stage of the Colonial Theatre, the world's first fully equipped color television studio, Mr. Weaver ap- peared before the RCA color cameras and took the audience on a brief tour of the theatre's facilities. First Sponsored Color Program From the same stage three days later, on Decem- ber 20, came the first sponsored color broadcast follow- ing the FCC decision — NBC's famed presentation of the Gian-Carlo Menotti Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors." This was the second operatic pro- duction to be telecast in color from the Colonial Thea- tre; Bizet's "Carmen," the first major opera presented in the new medium, was broadcast in a one-hour ver- sion in color on October 31 under temporary experi- mental authorization from the FCC. Thanks to the compatibility of the RCA color system, both produc- tions were seen in high quality black-and-white on the nation's millions of monochrome receivers. Following the Menotti opera broadcast, "Season's Greetings," a variety show featuring leading NBC stars, was presented in color on December 22. And on New Year's Day, NBC color cameras, operating from a two- truck custom-built color mobile unit, covered the Tour- nament of Roses parade in Pasadena in the first West Coast origination of a color program and the first trans- continental West-to-East transmission. The first coast- to-coast color broadcast in either direction was trans- mitted by RCA and NBC on November 3 over a closed circuit from New York to Burbank, California. Color film also was transmitted for the first time by television on this occasion. The Pasadena broadcast also was the first network color program handled by a coast-to-coast series of sta- tions using special equipment for broadcasting a true color signal — and behind this fact lies the story of a remarkable production and delivery program carried out by the RCA Victor Division to equip stations in major