Big Brother and Let's Make a Deal to Finally Take the Plunge...

[jjman920]

...into High Definition.

I'm not surprised that it took them three years to make all the changes to go in HD. Glad to hear that they planned on doing it a while ago though.

As for LMAD, I wonder if the change in format will mean a change in studio or have they just converted the studio to HD. I also wonder if the set will see any major changes to accommodate the change.

Now that television has reached this point in its history, it made me think about something that I thought I knew the answer to but can't remember. What was the last network show to make the switch to color?

[aaron sica]

Some have said "American Bandstand" was the last....I know that "Dark Shadows" didn't make the transition until 1967 (had to check on the date..was August 11 of that year).

[Bryce L.]

The Secret Storm went to color in March 1968

[pacdude]

According to Wikipedia: "Also in 1972, the last holdout among daytime network programs converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season." Granted, grain of salt and all that, but that's a lot later than I thought it would be.

[snowpeck]

The Secret Storm went to color in March 1968

There are TV Guide listings from 1967 that show Secret Storm as being in color, so I don't think that is accurate (even though the claim is pervasive on Wikipedia.)

[aaron sica]

According to Wikipedia: "Also in 1972, the last holdout among daytime network programs converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season." Granted, grain of salt and all that, but that's a lot later than I thought it would be.

That late? Wow....I wonder what that "last holdout" was...

[Bryce L.]

The Secret Storm went to color in March 1968

There are TV Guide listings from 1967 that show Secret Storm as being in color, so I don't think that is accurate (even though the claim is pervasive on Wikipedia.)

Would the overall claim of Secret Storm being the last to go to color be correct, regardless of date?

[BrandonFG]

Had no idea Big Brother (or any primetime shows for that matter) was not in HD. Is that the last primetime show to do so?

[Thunder]

That would be a lot of cameras to swap out. I wonder how many are filming the "house" at all times?

[knagl]

Had no idea Big Brother (or any primetime shows for that matter) was not in HD.

I suspect it's as Thunder was implying, getting all of those surveillance-type cameras upgraded to HD was probably cost prohibitive, hence them being a holdout.  I suppose they could have done a hybrid broadcast with HD main cameras (for the games and group interviews and whatnot) and then pillarbox the non-HD stuff, but it would have been disjointed.

[brianhenke]

 The BBC switched to color in 1969.  (That's why the Hartnell and Troughton Doctor Who was in B&W.)

  Brian

[ChrisLambert!]

Probably best to leave this discussion to U.S. shows only. Australia was B&W into the 1970s and who knows how late some other countries may have gone.

[weaklink75]

Wasn't Concentration the last NBC show to make the switch to color in '66 or thereabouts?

[Jimmy Owen]

According to Wikipedia: "Also in 1972, the last holdout among daytime network programs converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season." Granted, grain of salt and all that, but that's a lot later than I thought it would be.

Of course, on Wikipedia, hosts are "presenters" and announcers are "narrators."

[clemon79]

According to Wikipedia: "Also in 1972, the last holdout among daytime network programs converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season." Granted, grain of salt and all that, but that's a lot later than I thought it would be.

Of course, on Wikipedia, hosts are "presenters" and announcers are "narrators."

Which has what to do with the quoted statement?