Can magnets permanently damage CRTs?

Magnets are one of a crt tv's worst enemy. They gererally take weeks to do this damage. Then it is permanet. This is dependant on how powerful the magnet is. Newer sets automatically de magnitize the set each time the set is turned on and off. I'm sure you could bring the set in and have a service shop use their demag ring. If that don't do it---It's toast. As you probably know a set from '78 must have weak color;maybe it's time to "put it down". (The humain thing to do.)

I would suggest pulling the power on the TV for a day or so. This "might" discharge any residual magnetism within the circuit. Other than that, you'll probably have to take it in and have the unit serviced. If you like the TV enough to do this, you might want to have them perform an alignment at the same time. Sean
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When my CRT computer monitor was on during a power surge related to a thunder storm the picture became distorted and the colors (colours for you Sean) all messed up. I was sure it was destroyed. But, low and behold, turning it off and back on fixed everything. That demag at turnon really works.

Thank you guys for your advice. I did "the google" on CRTs and magnets and I will try to degauss the picture tube. I tried a tape head demagnitizer and it changed the color distortion. I think I'll just grab the next discarded TV I find on the street and open it up and see if it has a degaussing circuit I can cannibalize, and make a degausser.
Howell