Still watch black & white TV?

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Despite color television being the norm in the UK, 7,161 households still watch black and white TV. The cost of a black and white license is £50.50 compared to £150.50 for color, and some may enjoy the nostalgia or have them as collectibles. The BBC began regular color programming in 1967, and the number of black and white licenses has steadily decreased since 2000.

The BBC began broadcasting in color in July 1967, starting with BBC Two’s coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Color television has long since become the norm in the UK, but even now, 51 years after the historic Wimbledon broadcast, 7,161 British households still watch black and white television. That’s according to TV Licensing, the authority that collects an annual fee from any household that watches live television or catches up. A black and white TV license costs just £50.50 ($65 USD), compared to £150.50 ($195 USD) for a color licence, so the cost may be one of the reasons why some people are still watching shows on sets monochrome. Others may have them as collectibles or just enjoy the nostalgia of the black and white viewing experience.

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There were 212,000 black and white licenses issued in 2000, but that number has steadily decreased, falling below 10,000 in 2015.
The BBC was the first European broadcaster to have regular color programming. Broadcasters in West Germany, the Netherlands and France also began programming colors by the end of 1967.
In the United States, the first national broadcast in color was NBC’s coverage of the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1954. However, most American programming remained in black and white until the mid-1960s. As late as 1964, only 3.1% of American households had a color television.




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