From this day forward the TV set would be a vital piece of living room furniture. A family may wait even a year or two to get one—but they eventually got it.

The facility called the Armory-Auditorium in those days was Charlotte's main venue for indoor events. It is now called the Grady Cole Center.

History | WBTV's First Color Show

The Charlotte Observer, July 15, 1949

WBTV Plans First Color Show in Area

The first network television program in color for this area will be carried by WBTV on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 25, at 2 o'clock.

Officials of the Jefferson Standard Broadcasting Co. said yesterday that it has scheduled from CBS "The Big Payoff" for its color debut. The afternoon show will last a half-hour.

The first evening network television show will be presented Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 9 pm on WVTV.This will be the elaborate "The Best of Broaway" show, which will replace the Blue Ribbon bouts once a month on Wednesday nights. Featured in the opening "Best of Broadway" performance will be Helen Hayes, Federick March, Charles Coburn in the noted stage play, "The Royal Family."

It was noted that the two programs also will be received on conventional black-and-white sets. A survey indicated that there are few sets in this area now installed in homes for color reception. The current price for most receivers is approximately $1000.

Delivery of the sets in Charlotte dealers has been slow to date because of delays from manufactures, a spokesman said.

WBTV began its color test pattern about two months ago.