Fifty years ago, New Zealanders saw color television for the first time during the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. Color TV officially started
Fifty years ago, New Zealanders saw color television for the first time during the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. Color TV officially started in October 1973, about 13 years after TV began in New Zealand. A family in Wellington bought the first color TV in August 1973.
Color TV made shows more enjoyable, especially during the ’74 games, when Dick Tayler won a gold medal. The 1975 Telethon was another big TV event in the ’70s.
Back then, there weren’t many color TVs, and it took years to meet the demand. Color TV also influenced local media, like the TV show “Westside.”
Although color TV didn’t change how cameras worked, it made watching TV better. By 1975, many shows and ads were in color, even though the first All Blacks test in color showed them not wearing their usual black due to the weather.
Now, 50 years later, color TV may not be as special, but it’s a crucial part of New Zealand’s TV history. The Christchurch City Council is thinking about hosting a future Commonwealth Games to relive those times.
