On October 18, 1979, various Peruvian media published that authorization was given to import color TV sets, a resounding change in the country’s history that allowed viewers to get a little closer to what was happening in other parts of the world. A day before the government had already made the announcement to the excitement of many. Let us remember that there was a meeting of ministers in 1973, in Colombia, but a good consensus was not reached and it had to be postponed.
Having a color television was a luxury few could access due to the high price of these devices. What’s more, in some neighborhoods, the house that had this novelty was a place of great agglomerations by all the neighbors. For example, the fans of the Peruvian team They had the opportunity to see the World Cup in Argentina 78 with the details of the shirts and the whole scene. For this reason, too, Teófilo Cubillas’ goals are memorable.
The channel that was in charge of transmitting a color program was 7, which belonged to the Peruvian state, as it is until now. A show was seen live and direct for the twentieth anniversary of the founding of this means of communication.
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Now, despite not yet having authorization to sell the televisions, there were already offers to obtain this product in mid-1979. It was made clear that it was going to be very expensive to have one and for this reason, the commercial stores offered credit to the clients.
Finally, through Supreme Decree No. 145-79-EF, the dissolution of the measure that prohibited color televisions from entering the country was announced on October 17, 1979, during the military government of Francisco Morales Bermúdez. Just a few days later, approximately 100 color televisions were in the Customs of the Jorge Chavez International Airport and with the sale of these the government was going to get the sum of about 15 million soles.
“Now yes! All Peruvians will be able to have the first color television in their home. At last it is a reality. Now all Peruvians will be able to freely enjoy the beauty of the color image in their own home”, this is how Carsa announced the sale of its “Sony Trinitron” brand color televisions. Other brands offered offers for the first purchases, while some invited to give technical insurance to the equipment.
Already on October 21, 1979 Carsa announced through the newspapers the first sale of color televisions. In this first batch, it offered 12, 15 and 19-inch screens. In addition, it indicated hours and places of sale. On the other hand, Philco, a pioneer in the radio and television industry, also announced the sale with the following words: “Now the best. Philco color-plus, no more, no less the precise color”.
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With the new sales, the channels that got their act together the most were 4 and 5, which competed to have color programs and gain a larger audience. First America did a special by Lucía Méndez and then Panamericana announced a full color program. For example, “Risas y Salsas” went from black and white to color very quickly in 1980.
“The slow takeoff that television has experienced since 1980 has a dual factor in color: on the one hand, its introduction raised costs and technically complicated takeoff; on the other hand, it positively marked the new stage”, writes Fernando Vivas in his book “En vivo y en directo. A history of Peruvian television” (2008), referring to the change of channels. Little by little, the color television invaded the houses of Peru until what we know today.
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