A method for enhancing the contrast of video pictures that includes the steps of receiving an input video signal; extracting a picture from said input video signal; determining an active window for said picture; calculating a histogram for luminance values of pixels in said active window of said picture; determining characteristics of said histogram; selecting one suitable mapping function from a plurality of mapping functions based on the determined characteristics of said histogram; and mapping the luminance value of each pixel in said picture in accordance with said selected mapping function.