NEW CBS ‘SET’ GETS COLOR TELEVISION

December 11, 1946. The Columbia Broadcasting System had disclosed to the Federal Communications Commission the previous day the development of a television set capable of receiving both color and black-and-white transmissions, according to a report by The Associated Press that appeared in The Times. A primary concern was that the public already owned, and continued to rapidly purchase, black-and-white sets. The Radio Corporation of America, a competitor, had stated that a converter would be more practical, allowing users to receive either color or black-and-white transmissions. After a yearslong “color war” between the leading broadcasters, the F.C.C. determined that CBS had more advanced systems, and the first color TV sets were sold to consumers in 1951. They were pulled weeks later after a request by the National Production Authority to preserve scarce materials during the Korean War.