| Keyword |
Description |
| Trichromatic |
Using three colors to make images |
| Legacy |
Something passed down over time |
| Sequential |
Following an order in time or steps |
In Mexico, TV is still a big deal even though things like YouTube and streaming are popular. About 91% of Mexican homes have at least one TV. For over 70 years, television has been a main part of life. The story of TV in Mexico is tied to a smart young guy named Guillermo González Camarena.
Back in the 1940s, Mexico was just starting to modernize with electricity and new machines like refrigerators and radios becoming popular. But TVs were still a rare and fancy item. Camarena, born in 1917, was super curious about electronics from a young age. By 17, he built his own TV camera from old parts he found in markets. He even started making TV shows for almost no audience.
Camarena got support from the government to improve TV. At that time, TVs showed only black and white images. But he wanted to bring color TV to the world. In 1939, he invented a trichromatic system that showed colors using sequential spinning discs to mix red, green, and blue fields quickly enough for our eyes to blend into full-color pictures. This invention was affordable and worked with existing TVs.
He patented this color TV system first in Mexico and then in the U.S. when he was just 23 years old. Though American companies wanted to buy his invention, Camarena refused. He wanted Mexico to be a leader in technology, not just a buyer.
His system wasn’t used much in the U.S. because other big companies wanted to protect their black-and-white TV sales. But in Mexico, things were different. Camarena helped start TV channels and made the first color broadcast in Mexico in 1963. This made Mexico the fourth country in the world with regular color TV.
Sadly, Camarena died in a car accident in 1965 at age 48, just as he was working on important new projects. But his invention didn’t just change Mexican TV — it helped NASA send color pictures of Jupiter back to Earth.
Every time you watch TV, Netflix, or video call a friend, you benefit from Camarena’s legacy. His story shows how a curious teenager from Mexico can change the world through invention, pride, and determination.
Time to discuss
- Why do you think Guillermo Camarena refused to sell his invention to foreign companies?
- How did color TV change people’s lives in Mexico?
- What qualities do you think made Camarena successful as an inventor?
