The Color War

While the public wondered how long it would be before it actually gets color TV, the industry went on with its brisk little backstage civil war. Last week the uproar over the Federal Communications Commission decision approving CBS's field sequential system of color television (TIME, Oct. 23) grew louder. Items:

P: Big RCA and little Pilot Radio Corp. filed suits asking that the FCC order be set aside as "contrary to the public interest." Pilot soon dropped its complaint, to make way for a clear-cut battle between RCA-NBC and the FCC.

P: The FCC warned that it would "vigorously oppose . . . any injunctive relief to . . . RCA-NBC," canceled NBC's authorization to continue experimental compatible color telecasts during regular broadcasting hours.

P: Defending FCC, Chairman Edwin C. Johnson of the Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee charged that RCA and its friendly setmakers were on a "sit down strike." Said he: The FCC's order "makes it possible for [people] to have color television if they want it. What is so wrong about that?"

P: The Radio-Television Manufacturers Association held a closed-door meeting at Manhattan's Hotel Roosevelt, decided on a nationwide publicity campaign against CBS color. R.T.M.A. President Robert C. Sprague led off by advising the public that "if they are interested in good reception of the better television programs, they can buy black & white sets now, with confidence that they will continue to receive these programs for many years to come."

P: Four more manufacturers (Belmont, Webster, Muntz and the Television Equipment Corp.) broke ranks, joined Emerson, Celomat and Tele-tone in promising to make CBS color equipment. Tele-tone, with sets already in the works, said it would have quantity production by Jan. 1. Crowed CBS President Frank Stanton in full-page newspaper ads: "CBS welcomes Tele-tone--the first set manufacturer to bring you color television."

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