I'm curious as to when New England's TV stations aquired the capability to begin local color broadcasting. The only one I know for sure is Boston's WHDH-TV channel 5, which was color-casting from the day it went on the air in November of 1957. Anyone know when some of the other stations began color programming?
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When did New England TV stations begin broadcasting locally in color?
- Thread starter davalvideo
- Start date
davalvideo said:
WHDH-TV/5 - Signed on with color, November 26, 1957
WKBG-TV/56 (now WLVI) - returned to the air with color in December, 1966 (was silent as WTAO/WXHR-TV)
WSBK-TV/38 - September, 1966 (went with color when Storer bought WIHS-TV)
WGBX-TV/44 - September, 1967 (Signed on with color)
WGBH-TV/2 - September, 1967
WMUR-TV/9 - local color began in 1973, network (ABC) 1965
WBZ-TV/4 - had sporadic local color since 1954. Went full-color in 1967.
WNAC-TV/7 - Had sporadic local color since the early 60's. Went full color in early 1967. (now WHDH)
WENH-TV/11 - Summer, 1969
WJZB-TV/14 (Worcester) - Never operated in color
WXPO-TV/50 - Signed on with color in 1969. Only lasted for about 6 months in 1970.
WSMW-TV/27 (now WUNI, Worcester) - Signed on with color in January, 1970.
Did I miss anything?
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:Right on Brother, now I know that there is someone else out there that was there and remembers, did WBOS 13 ever make it to the airways back in the 50?davalvideo said:
WHDH-TV/5 - Signed on with color, November 26, 1957
WKBG-TV/56 (now WLVI) - returned to the air with color in December, 1966 (was silent as WTAO/WXHR-TV)
WSBK-TV/38 - September, 1966 (went with color when Storer bought WIHS-TV)
WGBX-TV/44 - September, 1967 (Signed on with color)
WGBH-TV/2 - September, 1967
WMUR-TV/9 - local color began in 1973, network (ABC) 1965
WBZ-TV/4 - had sporadic local color since 1954. Went full-color in 1967.
WNAC-TV/7 - Had sporadic local color since the early 60's. Went full color in early 1967. (now WHDH)
WENH-TV/11 - Summer, 1969
WJZB-TV/14 (Worcester) - Never operated in color
WXPO-TV/50 - Signed on with color in 1969. Only lasted for about 6 months in 1970.
WSMW-TV/27 (now WUNI, Worcester) - Signed on with color in January, 1970.
Did I miss anything?
Wow!! Thanks a million for the great information. Where did you find all this out? Is there a publication that has all this history? Again, thanks so much. ;D
FRM-Yankey said:Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:Right on Brother, now I know that there is someone else out there that was there and remembers, did WBOS 13 ever make it to the airways back in the 50?davalvideo said:
WHDH-TV/5 - Signed on with color, November 26, 1957
WKBG-TV/56 (now WLVI) - returned to the air with color in December, 1966 (was silent as WTAO/WXHR-TV)
WSBK-TV/38 - September, 1966 (went with color when Storer bought WIHS-TV)
WGBX-TV/44 - September, 1967 (Signed on with color)
WGBH-TV/2 - September, 1967
WMUR-TV/9 - local color began in 1973, network (ABC) 1965
WBZ-TV/4 - had sporadic local color since 1954. Went full-color in 1967.
WNAC-TV/7 - Had sporadic local color since the early 60's. Went full color in early 1967. (now WHDH)
WENH-TV/11 - Summer, 1969
WJZB-TV/14 (Worcester) - Never operated in color
WXPO-TV/50 - Signed on with color in 1969. Only lasted for about 6 months in 1970.
WSMW-TV/27 (now WUNI, Worcester) - Signed on with color in January, 1970.
Did I miss anything?
I'm not sure about WBOS-TV, but you never know! However, before WHDH-TV got their construction permit for Channel 5 in 1956, they originally applied for Channel 13. Channel 5 was originally allocated to Worcester (WTAG-TV). WTAG-TV never made it to the air. WPRO-TV in Providence was originally to be assigned on Channel 13. Since WTAG never was activated, WHDH switched to Channel 5, thus allowing WPRO-TV to apply for Channel 13 (though never operated on 13). Confusing? You bet! WJAR moved from 11 to 10 due to overlap with WPIX/11 in New York. With WPRO-TV to move to 12, 13 was reassigned to Portland (WGAN-TV). *11 was reassigned to Durham, NH (WENH).
Boston was originally assigned Channels 4, 5, 7, 9 and 13. Channel 9 was reassigned for Manchester, NH. Channels 11 (WJAR) and 13 (WPRO) were moved down one notch to 10 and 12. Oh, Channel 2 was originally allocated to commercial operation in Waltham, MA (WRTB-TV, owned by Raytheon). The CP was given as a gift to WGBH, thus turning Channel *2 to non-commercial status in Boston. Channel 44 was originally assigned for commercial operation (as WJDW-TV). Channel *68 was originally the non-commercial allocation. However, the WJDW CP (which never made it to the air) was given as a gift to WGBH (WGBX). Channel *44 was reassigned to non-commercial status. Channel 68 converted to a commercial allocation. So, there you have it.
Fascinating stuff...thanks again.
I remember the 1967 color games. Channel 5 broadcast color games before that as well, as far back as 1962, but only on a very limited basis.
Channel 3, WCAX-TV, Burlington, Vermont signed-on September 11, 1954. According to their website, full-color conversion occured in 1969.
Some years ago, before he died, I asked former Red Sox announcer Ken Coleman about the color broadcasting of games. He told me it began on a regular basis locally in 1967...but only for the home games, as WHDH-TV had color cameras. If an away game was being telecast in color (far fewer were in those days by the local stations), then we'd see it in color here.
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