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WBTV was a pioneer in color television in the Southeast. Network color and locally originated color film and slides were first broadcast in 1954.

In 1955 live color camera equipment was added and two RCA TP-4A color slide scanners were purchased and converted for color opaque scanning.

In September, 1958 WBTV became the first station in the country to install color television tape recording equipment. A second RCA Color TV Tape Recorder was installed in October, 1959.

Regularly scheduled local live color programs have been broadcast since 1956.

WBTV people like to describe their studio building, which was dedicated April 1955, as "the first built from the ground up for color operation."

The claim seems merited. Some stations have "made provisions for color" in their original planning. Other stations have adapted monochrome studios for color. Some have renovated their whole plants for "all-color."

But WBTV has gone further. In their original planning and building they have
(a) designed the whole building for all-color programming,
(b) provided all the cabling, switching and control circuits for all-color,
(c) installed color equipment for all types of color telecasting (TV tape, film, slides, opaques, live) and
(d) provided space for several additional live color studio camera chains - the only extra items needed for 100 per cent color programming.
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WBTV management is enthusiastic about color television and they are of the opinion that all television will be in color in the not too distant future. Until the present time they have proceeded at a deliberately moderate pace, without fanfare. They are, however, fully prepared for the impending transition to color.

FIG. 1. Installation of first Color TV Tape Recorder in the nation by station WBTV. Frank Bateman, Technical Operations Manager (right), points out the cue track recording head to WBTV executives - 1. to r.: Charles H. Crutchfield, Executive Vice-President, Jefferson Standard Broadcasting Company; Kenneth Tredwell, Vice-President and Managing Director WBTV; and Tom Howard, Vice-President, Engineering and General Services. Jefferson Standard Broadcasting Co.

FIG. 2. This is how the WBTV installation looks today. Here are two RCA Color TV Tape Recorders side-by side. These machines see daily use in the Jelferson Standard Broadcasting Company operation, which includes station WBTW at Florence, South Carolina (which is also equipped with an RCA TV Tape Recorder).