Timeline of the introduction of color television in countries

Table columns:
Country
Year
Network or channel
Color system
Notes

Table rows:
cells: Afghanistan
1977/1983
RTA
PAL
First experimental color broadcasts in late 1977 and stalled in 1979 due to the Soviet War in Afghanistan. Returned by at least 1983 in full service.
cells: Albania
1981
RTSH
PAL
Color broadcasts had been available from Yugoslavia since 1971, and Italy since 1977, Frequencies have been occasionally jammed due to censorship of some programs in Albania in that time.
cells: Algeria
1973
RTA
PAL
RTA was transmitted in the older French 819-line standard System E, until 1973 when it started broadcasting in 625-line standard System B.[1]
cells: American Samoa
1969
KVZK-2
NTSC
KVZK-2 was a National Educational Television affiliate.
cells: Angola
1983
TPA
PAL
cells: Argentina
1978/1980
LS 82 Canal 7
PAL-N
Introduced for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Regular full color transmission began at midnight on Thursday 1 May 1980. In 1969, Canal 13 made experimental transmissions in NTSC, but did not receive government approval. Subsequently, the project was cancelled.
cells: Armenian SSR
1973/1978
Armenia 1
SECAM/PAL
First transmission was the May Day Parade in Yerevan. Full-time color transmissions since Christmas Eve 1978.
cells: Australia
1967/1975
ATV-0 (now ATV-10).
PAL
Full-time color transmissions since Saturday, March 1, 1975. First closed-circuit color test broadcast on Thursday, June 15, 1967 with live coverage of the Pakenham races.[2] Many television shows were produced and broadcast in color between 1972–1974, with limited color transmissions from mid-1974 on.
cells: Austria
1969/1975
ORF
PAL
First transmission was the Eurovision broadcast of New Year Concert from Vienna on Wednesday, January 1, 1969. Full-time color transmissions since January 15, 1975.
cells: Azerbaijan SSR
1973
AzTV
SECAM/PAL
First color broadcasts in Azerbaijan started in 1973 using the SECAM standard.
cells: Bahamas
1983
ZNS-TV
NTSC
Color transmissions had been available from Miami since 1954 (WTVJ) and West Palm Beach since the late-1950s[3]
cells: Bahrain
1972
Bahrain TV
PAL
cells: Bangladesh
1980
BTV
PAL
cells: Barbados
1971
CBC
NTSC
cells: Belize
1984
Channel 7
NTSC
Color broadcasts have been available from Mexico since 1967.
cells: Benin
1982
OTRB
PAL
cells: Byelorussian SSR
1961
Belteleradio
SECAM
The first Soviet Bloc country and first country in Eastern Europe to introduce color television in 1961. Full color service came around 1979.
cells: Belgium
1967/1971
RTB/BRT
PAL
Color broadcasts from France (SECAM), Germany and Netherlands (PAL) were available since 1967. Early receivers were very costly owing to multiple standards: PAL/SECAM/625 lines and monochrome/819 lines
cells: Bermuda
1968
ZBM-TV
NTSC
ZBM was an affiliate of the U.S. network CBS. Color broadcasts have been available from the United States since 1958.
cells: Bolivia
1977/1980
TV Boliviana
NTSC
Experimental color broadcasts began in 1977. Full-time color arrived in 1980. Color broadcasts have been available from Brazil since 1970, but were PAL.
cells: Bosnia and Herzegovina
1971/1972/1973–1978
Televizija Sarajevo
PAL
First color transmission came from Belgrade in 1971, local service began in 1972 and in 1973.
cells: Brazil
1970/1972/1973–1978
Bandeirantes/Globo
PAL-M
First transmissions (unofficial and just for specific programs) were made between 1962 and 1963 in the city of São Paulo by Rede Tupi and also by Rede Excelsior, both using NTSC. Tests for the regular transmissions began in 1970 with the Mexico's FIFA World Cup, and the first official transmission was the coverage of the 12th Caxias do Sul Grape Festival in February 19, 1972. Limited color transmissions from 1973 to 1978. Full-time color transmissions since 1978.
cells: Bulgaria
1970/1977
BNT
SECAM
Full color transmissions achieved by 1977.
cells: Burma
1984
MRTV
NTSC
The last country in Southeast Asia to introduce color television.
cells: Burundi
1983
RTNB
SECAM
cells: Kampuchea
1981/1985
National Television of Kampuchea
SECAM/ PAL
Full-time color transmissions started in 1985, switched to PAL from 1991.
cells: Canada
1966
(CBC, SRC), CTV
NTSC
Officially launched in both English and French at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 1966, at the beginning of Canada's 100th year as a nation. Color broadcasts from the United States had been available since the mid-1950s. A mandatory transition to color for all transmitters took place between 1969 and 1976 on all English and French channels. CBC began Full-time color broadcasts in 1974. Full-time color officially achieved between 1976–1977.
cells: Central African Republic
1982
RTC
SECAM
cells: Chad
1982
Télé Tchad
SECAM
cells: Chile
1978
TVN, Canal 13
NTSC
First transmission in color was in the 13th Viña del Mar Festival, but only for export until the 18th edition. First nationwide color show transmitted was Esta noche fiesta of Canal 13 on Monday, April 10, 1978.[4] First news report in color was shown at Teletrece on April 12, 1978.[5] Full-time color transmissions since mid 1979.
cells: China
1973
CCTV
PAL
Full-time color transmissions since 1984.
cells: Colombia
1979[6]/1982
Inravisión
NTSC
Test broadcasts in SECAM were held in 1966.[7] Test for the regular transmissions began in 1971 with the coverage of that year's Pan American Games held in Cali. In 1974, the inauguration of West Germany's FIFA World Cup was aired in color in closed circuit at two colosseums in Bogota and Cali.[8] Regular color transmissions since Saturday, December 1, 1979.[6] Full-time color transmissions since 1982.
cells: Congo (Brazzaville)
1975
TeleCongo
SECAM
cells: Costa Rica
1973
TICA-TV
NTSC
cells: Croatia
1972
Televizija Zagreb
PAL
cells: Cuba
1958/1975
Tele-Color, S.A. Tele Rebelde (1975)
NTSC
Ended in 1959 as a result of the Cuban Revolution; returned in 1975.
cells: Cyprus
1976
CyBC
SECAM
cells: Czechoslovakia/ Czech Republic
1973
ČST
SECAM PAL
Regular colour broadcasts started in May 9, 1973 on second channel and in May 9, 1975 on first channel. Full color transition in late 1970's, switched to PAL broadcasting in 1993. ČST started color experiments in late 60's in PAL. After Russian invasion in 1968 SECAM was chosen for broadcasting, but not for production. TV studios worked in PAL and than it was transcoded for SECAM broadcasting till 1993.
cells: Denmark
1968/1970[9]
Danmarks Radio
PAL
First introduced for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.[9] The national broadcaster's programming transitioned to color throughout 1969 and "color tests" were officially ended on Wednesday, April 1, 1970.[9] Color broadcasts had been available from Germany since 1967.
cells: Djibouti
1974
RTD
SECAM
cells: Dominican Republic
1969
Color Visión
NTSC
cells: Ecuador
1974
Ecuavisa Teleamazonas
NTSC
cells: Egypt
1973
ETV
PAL
cells: Equatorial Guinea
1976
RNGE
SECAM
cells: El Salvador
1973
YSU-TV
NTSC
cells: Estonian SSR
1967/1972
ETV
SECAM/ PAL
First color broadcasts came from Moscow; first local color program was transmitted on Saturday, December 30, 1972. Transitioned from SECAM to PAL 1992–1999.
cells: Ethiopia
1979
ETV
PAL
cells: Finland
1970/1977
YLE/MTV
PAL
First test broadcast in color was the President Urho Kekkonen's New Year speech in 1969. First experimental color broadcast in 1970. Full-time color broadcasts since 1977. Color Broadcasts have been available from the Åland Islands since 1969 where there is a Sveriges Television AB (Sweden Television) transmitter on the islands, and the Soviet Union since 1967 but transmissions were in SECAM.
cells: France
1967/1976/1983
ORTF
SECAM
Introduced on La Deuxième Chaîne at 2:15pm (14:15) on Sunday, October 1, 1967. The first channel TF1 remained B&W for years due to being transmitted in the older 819-line standard: its transition to color 625-line began on Thursday, January 1, 1976 and the full nationwide color coverage was only achieved in 1983.[10]
cells: French Polynesia
1971
RFO (Télé Tahiti, now Polynésie la Première)
SECAM
cells: French Guiana
1974
RFO (Guyane RFO TV)
SECAM
cells: Gabon
1973
RTG
SECAM
cells: Georgian SSR
1975–1976/1984
Georgian Public Broadcaster
SECAM
Early color broadcasts came from Moscow since at least 1975 and 1976 during certain events.
cells: East Germany
1969
DFF
SECAM
Introduced on Friday, October 3, 1969 on the new second television channel launched for that purpose with a symbolic launch button pressed by Walter Ulbricht on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the GDR on Tuesday, October 7. The television tower in East Berlin was also opened that day.
cells: West Germany
1967
ARD/ZDF
PAL
Introduced on both channels simultaneously at 9:30am on Friday, August 25, 1967 with a symbolic launch button pressed by Willy Brandt on the International Radio and Television Fair in West Berlin.
cells: Ghana
1980
GTV
PAL
cells: Gibraltar
1969
GBC
PAL
cells: Greece
1976/1977–1979
ERT
SECAM
Test color broadcasts began in 1976. Full color broadcasts started on 1977 to 1979. ERT switched to PAL in 1992.
cells: Greenland
1984/1987/1990
KNR
PAL
Color broadcasts from Canada had been available since 1972, but were NTSC. Private transmitters were built to receive TV signals from Canada long before Greenland had their native TV service which came into broadcast in 1982. Full-time color service came in 1984, remote areas continued to broadcast in black and white until c. 1987–1990.
cells: Guadeloupe
1972
RFO (Guadeloupe 1ère)
SECAM
cells: Guinea
1971
RTG
PAL
Color broadcasts from the Ivory Coast had been available since 1970, but were SECAM.
cells: Guinea-Bissau
1981
RTGB
PAL
cells: Guatemala
1970
RTG
NTSC
First Central American country to introduce color television; color broadcasts available from Mexico since 1967.
cells: Guam
1970
KUAM-TV
NTSC
KUAM was a primary NBC affiliate that also carried some programming from ABC and CBS.
cells: Haiti
1971
Télé Haïti[11]
NTSC
cells: Honduras
1973
Canal 3 Honduras
NTSC
cells: Hong Kong
1969/1975
TVB
PAL
Introduced for the Festival of Hong Kong in December 1969. Full-time color broadcasts since 1975.
cells: Hungary
1971/1975
Magyar Televízió
SECAM
Full color broadcasts introduced in 1975.
cells: Iceland
1974–1976
RÚV (Sjónvarpið)
PAL
Full-time color broadcasts since 1974 to 1976.
cells: India
1978/1979–1981/1982
Doordarshan
PAL
Experimental color broadcasts began in 1978. Color broadcasts from Pakistan had been available since 1977. Full color broadcasts were introduced in 1979 and 1981 to 1982.
cells: Indonesia
1977
TVRI
PAL
Full-time color broadcasts began on Tuesday 24 August 1982.
cells: Iran
1973
NIRT
SECAM
cells: Iraq
1968
RTI
SECAM
First Muslim country to introduce color television.
cells: Ireland
1971
RTÉ
PAL
Introduced for the Eurovision Song Contest 1971 in Dublin on Saturday, April 3, 1971; color broadcasts from United Kingdom available since 1967–69. Full-time color broadcasts began in 1976.
cells: Israel
1977/1983
IBA/IETV
PAL
Introduced for the coverage of the Egyptian president's visit to Israel in November 1977, then reintroduced for the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 in Jerusalem on Saturday, March 31, 1979. Gradual transition to full-time color transmissions from 1980 to 1983. Full-time color transmissions since February 1983. Color broadcasts from Jordan and Egypt had been available since 1974 and Lebanon since 1975. Since color TVs were considered more expensive, the government ordered removing the color signals, in the name of public equality. Engineers have managed to produce a device that extrapolates the colors from programs that were originally shot in color, and such devices were sold to the thousands. Major television networks in Israel have been filming programs in color for foreign audiences since at least 1974.
cells: Italy
1972/1977
RAI
PAL
Introduction temporarily stalled by political turmoil. Color broadcasts from France (SECAM) had been available since 1967, and from Austria (PAL) since 1969. Privately operated transmitter chains made these signals available as far as Rome. First color test was in 1972 Summer Olympic Games. The Sanremo Music Festival began to be broadcast in color in 1973, as well as, in the same year, the Jeux Sans Frontières. Full-time color transmissions started on Tuesday, February 1, 1977.
cells: Ivory Coast
1970
RTI
SECAM
cells: Jamaica
1975
JBC
NTSC
Color broadcasts have been available from Haiti since 1971.
cells: Japan
1960
NHK/NTV TBS YTV ABC
NTSC-J
The first Asian country to introduce color television, on Saturday, September 10, 1960.
cells: Jordan
1974
JTV
PAL
cells: Kazakh SSR
1977
Kazakhstan
SECAM/ PAL
Full color transmissions introduced in the 1980s.
cells: Kenya
1978
KBC
PAL
cells: North Korea
1977–1980
KCTV
PAL
Full color broadcasts were introduced by 1977 to 1980.
cells: South Korea
1975/1981
KBS/MBC
NTSC
Test color broadcasts began in 1975. Full-time color broadcasts since 1981. Color broadcasts have been available from North Korea since 1974.
cells: Kuwait
1974
KTV
PAL
cells: Kirghiz SSR
1981
Kyrgyz Television
SECAM
Experimental color broadcast for the 1980 Summer Olympics.
cells: Latvian SSR
1968/1974
LTV
SECAM/ PAL
First color broadcasts came from Moscow. First local color program was transmitted on Monday, January 28, 1974. Switched from SECAM to PAL on February 2, 1998.
cells: Lebanon
1967/1975
CLT/Télé Liban
SECAM
In 1967, CLT became the third television station in the world after the Soviet Union and France to broadcast in color, utilizing the French SECAM technology. [12]
cells: Liberia
1975
LBS
PAL
cells: Libya
1976
Al-Libyah TV
PAL
cells: Lithuanian SSR
1968
LRT
SECAM/ PAL
Used SECAM as part of the USSR 1968–1990, and 1990–1997. PAL has been in use since 1997.
cells: Luxembourg
1972
Compangnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion
PAL SECAM
The then only channel for audiences in Luxembourg, France and Belgium originally used the French/Belgian 819-line B&W standard. After Belgium and France opted for different color systems, Luxembourg broadcast two versions of the same channel. All later RTL channels aimed at French-, German- and Dutch-speaking audiences in Europe adopted the standards of their target markets.
cells: Macedonia
1974
Televizija Skopje
PAL
cells: Madagascar
1977
MBS
SECAM
cells: Malaysia
1978/1979–1981/1982
RTM
PAL
Introduced in Peninsular Malaysia on Thursday 28 December 1978 and in Sabah and Sarawak on Sunday 31 August 1980. Color had been available from Southern Thailand since 1972 and Singapore since 1974. Full-time color broadcasts began on 1979 to 1981 to Friday 1 January 1982.
cells: Maldives
1984
TVM
PAL
Color had been available from India since 1982.
cells: Mali
1984
ORTM
SECAM
cells: Malta
1981
TVM
PAL
Color broadcasts from Italy had been available since 1977, full color service began in 1981
cells: Martinique
1969
RFO (Martinique 1ère)
SECAM
cells: Mauritania
1984
TV de Mauritanie
PAL
cells: Mauritius
1978
MBC
SECAM
Color television arrived on a full-time schedule in 1978.
cells: Mexico
1963
Canal 5 Telesistema Mexicano (now Televisa)
NTSC
Launched Friday, February 8, 1963 with the program Paraiso Infantil. Color had been available previously in a few border cities from the United States, on a limited basis. Full-time color transmissions started with the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. Curiously, Mexico had its own system of color television, invented by Guillermo González, prior to NTSC adoption, which would be used in the 1964 Olympic Games.
cells: Moldavian SSR
1978
TeleRadio-Moldova
SECAM/ PAL
cells: Monaco
1973
TMC
PAL / SECAM
Color broadcasts from France had been available since 1967.
cells: Mongolia
1975
MNB
SECAM
cells: Montenegro
1974
JRT/Televizija Titograd (now TV CG 1)
PAL
cells: Morocco
1973
RTM
SECAM
First test transmission was in 1972.
cells: Mozambique
1984
TVM
PAL
cells: Netherlands
1967
NPO
PAL
Introduced on both national channels on Thursday, September 21, 1967.
cells: Netherlands Antilles
1973
TeleCuraçao
NTSC
cells: New Caledonia
1972
RFO (France Ô - New Caledonia)
SECAM
New Caledonia first broadcast in color for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and a Chinese program in 1973, full color broadcasts became official in 1978.[citation needed]
cells: New Zealand
1973/1975
NZBC
PAL
Introduced in November 1973, as part of preparations for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch in February 1974.[13] Full-time color was achieved by December 1975.[14] Color broadcasts have been available from Australia in parts of New Zealand since the early 1970s.
cells: Nicaragua
1973
Televicentro Canal 2
NTSC
cells: Niger
1979
Télé Sahel
SECAM
Color broadcasts had been available from Nigeria from 1974, but were PAL.
cells: Nigeria
1974
WNTV (now called the NTA)
PAL
cells: Norway
1972/1975
NRK
PAL
Experimental color broadcasts introduced for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. Regular test transmissions from Saturday, January 1, 1972. Full-time color broadcasts since Wednesday, January 1, 1975. Color broadcasts had been available from Sweden since 1970, in parts of Norway and Finland since 1969.
cells: Oman
1984
Oman TV
PAL
cells: Pakistan
1977
PTV
PAL
Full-time color transmissions since 1982.
cells: Panama
1972
NTP
NTSC
cells: Paraguay
1979
TV Cerro Corá
PAL-N
cells: Peru
1978
TV Perú América Televisión Panamericana Televisión
NTSC
First color test transmission was done in 1967 by Panamericana Televisión for a soap opera but for economic and political reasons the project was canceled. Channel 7 made test broadcasts with their own content since 1977 that became official on January 17, 1978 when color standard adopted and official broadcasts were authorised. The first color broadcast was the coverage of the 1978 election. América Televisión and Panamericana Televisión began their regular color broadcasting with the broadcast of the 1978 Argentina's FIFA World Cup. Transition completed on October 1, 1980.
cells: Philippines
1966
ABS-CBN
NTSC
First color test transmission was in 1963. Commercial launch in June 1966 using RCA color; and full-time color transmissions began in 1971 when color sets became more widespread in the Manila area and suburbs.
cells: Poland
1971
TVP
SECAM
First time color program was broadcast on March 16, 1971 & regular broadcasting began on December 6, 1971 for 6th PUWP congress. The 1972 Munich Olympic Games Use Color in SECAM. Transitioned to PAL on January 1, 1994 for all TVP channels except for TVP1 which transitioned on January 1, 1995.
cells: Portugal
1976/1980
RTP
PAL
First experimental broadcasts for the coverage of the 1976 election and The 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Introduced for the Portuguese version of Jeux Sans Frontières on Wednesday, September 5, 1979; color broadcasts from Spain available since 1972. Full-color transmissions started March 7, 1980[15].
cells: Puerto Rico
1979
All
PAL
Introduced for the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 in Jerusalem on March 31, 1979. Full-time color transmissions since 1985.
cells: Qatar
1974
QBS
PAL
Color broadcasts from Bahrain had been available since 1973.
cells: Réunion
1972
RFO (1ère Réunion)
SECAM
Introduced for the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics.
cells: Romania
1983–1990
TVR
PAL
Despite being in the Eastern Bloc, Romania used PAL and chose not to adopt SECAM, unlike the other Warsaw Pact countries, and was introduced in time for the 39th anniversary of King Michael's Coup. Full-time color broadcasts since 1984 and 1985 to 1990. Romania became the last country to introduce color television.
cells: Rwanda
1982
ORINFOR
SECAM
cells: Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
1982
ZIZ-TV
NTSC
Color broadcasts have been available from Guadeloupe since 1972, but were SECAM.
cells: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
1971
RFO (1eré SPM TV; Previously known as ORTF)
SECAM
Color transmissions had been available from Newfoundland and Labrador since 1967, but were NTSC. There are transmitters in SPM that can carry a signal from Newfoundland and Labrador which converts it to SECAM from NTSC and in some cases, In Fortune, Newfoundland, 1eré is converted to NTSC by a transmitter that is placed there.
cells: Saudi Arabia
1973
SAGTS
SECAM
cells: Senegal
1975
RTS
SECAM
cells: Sierra Leone
1978[16]
SLBS
PAL
cells: Singapore
1974–1975
Radio Television Singapore (RTS)
PAL
Test transmissions began for the 1974 Tehran Asian Games and officially introduced on 8 July for the 1974 World Cup Final. Full-time color broadcasts began on 1 November 1975 and from 1976 to 1977.
cells: Slovakia
1970/1973
ČST
SECAM PAL
First color transmission in 1970 during World Ski Championship which was broadcast in PAL. Adopted SECAM in 1973 with full color transition in late 1970s. Switched to PAL in 1993.
cells: Slovenia
1976/1976
Televizija Ljubljana
PAL
First Testing The 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, Full Tine Color Transition in 1977
cells: Spain
1973
RTVE
PAL
Color broadcasts had been available from France since 1967, but were SECAM. First color test was in 1972. Full-time color broadcasts since 1977, although monochrome commercials continued to be made until 1978. The Eurovision Song Contest 1969 in Madrid was a color production, but it was televised in black-and-white to the local audience.
cells: Sudan
1976
Sudan TV
PAL
cells: Suriname
1977
STVS
NTSC
cells: Sweden
1970
Sveriges Radio TV
PAL
Test transmissions started on Wednesday, December 14, 1966. Regular color service and color license fee introduced Wednesday, April 1, 1970.
cells: Switzerland
1968
SBC
PAL
Switzerland used PAL to broadcast the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, color transmissions had been available from France and Germany since 1967.
cells: Syria
1980
STV
PAL
cells: Taiwan
1975
CTV
NTSC
Full-time color transmissions since 1975.
cells: Tajik SSR
1982
TVT
SECAM
Experimental color broadcast for the 1980 Summer Olympics.
cells: Thailand
1969
Channel 7
PAL
Although television in Thailand originally employed a 525-line screen (System M, US standard at the time), the country opted for PAL color, which necessitated a conversion to system B (625 lines), starting with Channel 7 in November 1967. Regional stations converted between 1972 and 1975.
cells: Togo
1979
TVT
SECAM
cells: Trinidad and Tobago
1969
TTT
NTSC
cells: Tunisia
1976
RTT
PAL
Color broadcasts have been available from Italy since 1972.
cells: Turkey
1984[17]
TRT
PAL
Test transmissions started with the New Year's Eve celebrations on Thursday, December 31, 1981 and 1 January 1982; full color television did not start until Sunday, July 1, 1984. Color broadcasts from Greece had been available since 1976 and Bulgaria since at least 1971.
cells: Turkmen SSR
1970
Turkmen Television
SECAM
First Central Asian country to introduce color television. Introduced on Saturday, October 31, 1970 in preparation for the start of Ramadan.
cells: Uganda
1975
UTV
PAL
cells: Ukrainian SSR
1967/1975
UT-1
SECAM/ PAL
First transmission came from Moscow in 1967, Ukraine uses SECAM in for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Local color broadcasts began in 1968 and 1969 to 1975.
cells: United Arab Emirates
1974
UAE-TV
PAL
cells: United Kingdom
1967/1969/1976
BBC 2 (1967) BBC 1 (1969) ITV (1969)
PAL
Introduced on BBC 2 for Wimbledon coverage on Saturday, July 1, 1967. The launch of the BBC 2 "full" color service took place on December 2, 1967. Some British TV programs, however, had been produced in color even before the introduction of color television in 1967, for the purpose of sales to American, Canadian, and Filipino networks. Full-time color broadcasts since 1969.[18] Full nationwide color broadcasting achieved in 1976, when BBC East (Norwich) became the last region to adopt colour for regional broadcasts and locally-produced programmes.
cells: United States
1950
CBS
CBS
Field-sequential color system; experimental; ended 1951.[19] The first country with black and white transmission to introduce color television.
cells: United States
1953
NBC CBS
NTSC
Dot sequential system.[20] The US began a gradual transition to color in late 1953. The first color TV sets were very expensive and the audience for color was accordingly very small, so only specials and a handful of regularly scheduled shows aired in color during the 1950s. Market penetration slowly increased as more affordable sets and more color programming became available. A tipping point came in 1965, when the commercial networks first aired the majority of their prime-time shows in color. By the end of 1966, prime-time was all-color, but an ever-dwindling number of daytime, local and educational programs continued in black-and-white for a few more years.
cells: United States - Alaska
1966
KENI-TV (now KTUU)
NTSC
First program in color, on Monday, September 19, 1966, was the premiere episode of That Girl, an ABC show. KENI was a primary affiliate of both NBC and ABC. Transitioned to full color service by 1972. Color broadcasts have been available from the USSR since 1967 but were SECAM.
cells: United States - Hawaii
1965
KONA-TV, now KHON-TV; KHVH-TV, now KITV; KGMB
NTSC
KHVH was an ABC affiliate, KGMB was CBS, and KONA was NBC. Transitioned to full color service around 1969.
cells: Soviet Union  Russia
1967/1975
Soviet Central Television (Now Channel One (Russia))
SECAM
Introduced specifically for the 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the October Revolution. Full-time colorcasts began with the Revolution's 58th anniversary, in 1975. Some parts of the USSR received color from Alaska since 1966 in some circumstances when signals were not jammed in some parts and was received by contraband receivers to pick up signals.
cells: Upper Volta
1976
Volta Vision
SECAM
This country is now known as Burkina Faso.
cells: Uruguay
1981
CXB-10
PAL-N
Introduced for the 1980 Mundialito but locally broadcast in B&W. Local color broadcasting started in 1981.
cells: Uzbek SSR
1984
MTRK
SECAM
Experimental color broadcast for the 1980 Summer Olympics. The last Central Asian country to introduce color television.
cells: Venezuela
1974–1980
RCTV Venevision
NTSC
Color tests were made during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany. Color television arrived on a full-time schedule on Monday 1 January 1973 and 1974 to Saturday 1 December 1979 by TVN5. Transition completed on Sunday 1 June 1980. Color broadcasts have been available from Trinidad and Tobago since 1969.
cells: Vietnam
1977
VTV
SECAM/ PAL
The first color television program aired on Tết.[21] Color televisions were available only in big cities until the late 1980s. Switched to PAL from 1990.
cells: U.S. Virgin Islands
1968
WBNB-TV
NTSC
WBNB was a CBS affiliate whose first color broadcasts took place during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico. This station was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
cells: North Yemen
1979
NYRTC
PAL
cells: South Yemen
1981
SYRTC
PAL
Color broadcasts had been available from North Yemen since 1979.
cells: Yugoslavia  Serbia
1971
JRT/Televizija Beograd (now RTS1)
PAL
Introduced on the launch of the second TVB channel (TVB 2), as it was the first Yugoslav channel to start in color. From the late 1970s, TVB 1 switches to color, thus making all channels broadcast in color. (both TVB 1 and TVB 2, as they were only the channels available in that time) Full-time color broadcasts in SR Serbia began on May 25, 1979.
cells: Zaire
1980
OZRT
SECAM
cells: Zambia
1977
ZNBC
PAL
cells: Zimbabwe
1984[22]
ZBC
PAL
The last country in Africa to introduce color television. Color broadcasts have been available from Zambia since 1977 and South Africa since 1976.

Questions about this table:
originalText: when did colour tv start in the uk
answer: answerTexts: 1967