Colour TV Day 2025: When Was Colour TV Invented? Know How And When The Black And White Era Ended

History of Colour TV: The invention of television in 1925 revolutionised entertainment and communication. However, everything was shown in black and white before the world began to enjoy bright and colourful television shows. Early television sets could only display different shades of grey, including cartoons, family dramas and news broadcasts. In honour of the incredible invention that introduced colour to our screens and permanently altered the way we consume entertainment, Colour TV Day is observed on 25 June every year. The journey from black-and-white images to full-colour pictures took many years of hard work and experiments by scientists.

Though Television was introduced in 1925 but colour televisions weren't formally introduced to the public until the 1950s. In 1951, the United States saw its first colour broadcast, but because colour TV sets were so expensive, only a small number of people were able to watch it. A new era in home entertainment began as colour television gradually became more widely available and more reasonably priced over time. In addition to revolutionising television viewing, colour television brought excitement, passion and life into millions of homes across the globe.

In this article, let’s take a look at every detail about Colour television, from who and when the colour television was invented to when colour TV came to India and more.

How Was The World Before Colour TV?

History of Television(Image: Canva)

Before colour television, people could only watch black-and-white television. Families would gather around in front of their televisions watching movies, news and shows in shades of grey. Although it was thrilling for its time, viewers were unable to fully appreciate the beauty of the scenery, including the fireworks, nature and colourful clothing. Only light and dark hues were used to depict everything. Nevertheless, it was a huge deal in its early years and brought information and entertainment into homes.

When Was Colour TV invented?

Colour television was invented in early in the early 20th century. Although the first successful colour transmission occurred in the 1920s, colour television did not become widely accessible until the 1950s. Because it was difficult to send colour signals to the screens correctly, the technology took time to develop.

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Who Invented Colour TV?

Who Invented Black & white and Colour Television(Image: National Portrait gallery Uk)

Although many scientists worked on the development of colour television, Scottish engineer John Logie Baird is frequently given credit for the first public display of a functional system in 192. He is a significant figure in television history because he also contributed significantly to the early development of black-and-white television.

Key Milestones:

First TV Demonstration (1925): John Logie Baird showcases the first working TV system with black-and-white images.

First Colour TV Demonstration (1928): Baird demonstrates the world's first colour TV transmission.

Development of All-Electronic Colour TV (1950s): RCA develops an all-electronic colour TV system, making colour TVs more practical and widely available.

When Was Colour TV First Broadcast, And What Was The First TV Show?

Colour TV FAQs (Image: Canva)

On June 27, 1951, CBS broadcast the first colour television program in the United States. "The World Is Yours!" was the first colour television show ever to be scheduled regularly. Ivan T. Sanderson hosted this program. According to Thought Go, "The World Is Yours!" was the first to be regularly scheduled, but "Premiere," a musical variety show, was the first commercial colour broadcast on June 21, 1951.

What Were The Early Challenges Of The Colour TV Invention?

Creating the colour television was full of difficulties. The technology was so costly and difficult to develop at that time. It was more challenging because the colour signal had to function with black-and-white televisions as well. Additionally, there weren't many programs available in colour on early colour TVs, and the picture quality was subpar. It took years for colour television to become widely available in average homes due to the high cost of both the production and the TVs.

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When And How Did Colour TV Come To India?

On April 25, 1982, Doordarshan launched the first colour broadcast in India, marking the arrival of colour television. India hosted the Asian Games in 1982, and this was done to improve the viewing experience. A new chapter in Indian television history began when the Union Ministry approved the importation of 50,000 colour television sets. In the beginning, colour televisions were seen as a status symbol and a luxury good.

How Did Colour TV Change Society?

Colour TV changed the way people saw the world. Watching sports, movies, and nature shows became more exciting and realistic. It helped spread cultural and fashion trends more easily. News coverage became more engaging and dramatic with real-life colours. It also transformed the advertising industry, making commercials more eye-catching. Overall, colour TV made home entertainment more enjoyable and connected people emotionally to what they were watching.