Originally designated as channel 1, New York’s WNBT-TV was the United States’s first commercial television station. Being the first television station was not WNBT’s only accomplishment, as the station participated in many important moments in television history.  In 1941, WNBT aired the first commercial ever; and at the end of World War II, the station provided the most extensive coverage of post-war celebrations.  In the 1950s, the introduction of color television allowed WBNT to pioneer it’s use.

On this day, March 9th, in 1954, WNBT-TV, New York, broadcast the first local color television commercials.  WNBT was the first station to embrace color broadcasts, because color television technology had only recently emerged.   There were only a few color television owners to see the commercial, but WNBT’s  efforts had lasting importance.

Television would almost completely transition out of the black and white format in the 1960s.  From that point, all networks would follow WNBT’s color commercial format.  WNBT-TV eventually became WNBC  and operates as New York’s channel 4, the country’s longest running television network.