Early color articles in Chicago Tribune

[old_tv_nut]

Chicago Tribune Jan 2, 1954 (Pasadena, Jan 1) - "A few thousand around the country saw the parade on color television..." - "first west coast origination"

Chicago Tribune Jan 2, 1954, Larry Wolters (TV critic): Rose parade showings played to overflow audiences; police called to handle crowds; Associated Press: 750 color sets in public, audience 350,000. Tribune watched showings arranged by Zenith at Drake Hotel and RCA at Knickerbocker (latter had 3000 viewers, mostly gate crashers). "Colors were no match for...studios"; "lacked fidelity" "Reds shifted to burgundy or violet and pavement sometimes appeared green." "Reception on Zenith superior to RCA."
Carl J. Meyers, Director of Engineering at WGN...on a Zenith receiver in the WGN building...said set performed excellently, but added of the pickup that "'a lot is yet to be done before color telecasting is satisfactory.'" - Reception good at Sentinel plant in Evanston. 4000 viewers of two GE sets at Oak Park Federal Savings.

In Chicago Tribune column Jan 16, 1954, (New York Jan 15), Ed Sullivan says tremendous lighting for color TV hides wrinkles and bags under eyes. Makeup men report that it's best to avoid uniform makeup color. Frank Folsom (NBC) and Frank Stanton(CBS) believe color will be commercially practical in 18 months to two years. Biggest breakthrough will be color tape, expected in two years, which will reduce costs 80 to 95 percent.

Chicago Tribune April 3, 1954 says Westinghouse will put its $1100 color TV on the market the following Monday; immediate delivery and installation available from 23 retail stores.

The Chicago Tribune on Jun 1, 1954 reported that Stromberg-Carlson had produced the first one of a production run of 50 color sets, retail price $995.

Jun 4, 1954 - Larry Wolters, Chicago Tribune TV critic, writes column calling out color variations, says they are worse in downtown high rise than at location a few miles out.




I get access to Tribune archives as part of my digital subscription; would love to post early color articles, but they are still copyrighted, so I will paraphrase a few from time to time.