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Actual TV Stations Depitcted in Movies or TV Shows

S

Stanislav

Like the ubiquitous "555-" prefix for telephone numbers(***), TV and radio station depicted in movies and TV shows are usually fictitious, with fake call letters and a channel not assigned to the city in question.

There ARE exceptions, usually in docudramas and the like that depict real events. The one that comes to mind is the movie "Apollo 13." One scene, depicting the media crush on the Lovell family's front lawn, includes a really nice-looking mock-up of a mid-1960's mobile unit from, I believe, KHOU-11 (Houston). (And knowing Ron Howard's fetish for authenticity, I'm sure he researched it well, probably right down to the model of the van and the color of the paint!) There is also a scene in which a local news report is seen playing on a TV set, and I think it is identified as coming from KPRC-2. (I may have those mixed up and, if so, forgive and correct me -- I don't have a copy of the movie and am going on memory here).

So, can you think of any other movies or shows that depict an actual existing broadcast TV station? (I'm thinking of local stations, and not some recent movies in which CNN or Fox News or other cable outlet has a "product placement" agteement! And deliberately created/recreated footage, not actual documentary footage that happens to show call letters or whatnot).

***(The 555- convention was memorably lampooned in an episode of "The Simpsons" in which the police are trying to trace Homer's phone number. Chief Wiggums watches the computer readout: "Hmmm.....here it comes....5-5-5.....ah, geez, that's gotta be phony!")
 
(Dang....sorry for the typo....)

That's what I get for proofreading the message and not the title! Trust me, I did go to school, and know how to spell "depicted!" (Grin)
 
> Like the ubiquitous "555-" prefix for telephone
> numbers(***), TV and radio station depicted in movies and TV
> shows are usually fictitious, with fake call letters and a
> channel not assigned to the city in question.
>
> There ARE exceptions, usually in docudramas and the like
> that depict real events. The one that comes to mind is the
> movie "Apollo 13." One scene, depicting the media crush on
> the Lovell family's front lawn, includes a really
> nice-looking mock-up of a mid-1960's mobile unit from, I
> believe, KHOU-11 (Houston). (And knowing Ron Howard's
> fetish for authenticity, I'm sure he researched it well,
> probably right down to the model of the van and the color of
> the paint!) There is also a scene in which a local news
> report is seen playing on a TV set, and I think it is
> identified as coming from KPRC-2. (I may have those mixed
> up and, if so, forgive and correct me -- I don't have a copy
> of the movie and am going on memory here).
>
> The ones that I can think of would be "Bruce Almighty" with Jim Carrey who was the "weekend anchor" at WKBW Channel 7 in Buffalo. They used the actual calls and "Circle 7" logo. Also Rocky III in the opening credits where they are rushing Rocky and Apollo to the Hospital, the news van chasing the ambulance was from WCAU-TV Philadelphia, if memory serves, as it usually does. How about real life news anchors appearing in movies as themselves, Bill Bonds WXYZ-TV in "Planet of The Apes" Diana Lewis WXYZ-TV in "Rocky" Also Gary England (sp) from KWTV-TV in Oklahoma City in Twister as the meteorologist on TV when Helen Hunt was a little Girl. My only question about the authenticity of that scene was they showed a weather radar screen in that first scene set in 1969, and I don't think that most TV stations would have had access to radar until the mid 70's. I don't think i saw my first weather radar on TV until at least 1978. Oh, just to clarify, I've seen "apollo 13" a zillion times and in the scene in question it was KTRK-TV 13 Houston.
 
> Oh, just to clarify, I've seen "Apollo 13" a
> zillion times and in the scene in question it was KTRK-TV 13
> Houston.


Thanks for the correction. The one thing that bugs me about that scene is that on the mobile unit there appears to be a small satellite dish aimed towards the sky. Obviously, local stations did not have access to the satellites of the time (Syncom, etc.), so this is a bit of a blooper. To be fair, it COULD be a microwave dish, but given the upward angle/tilt of the thing, I think they'd have to be parked practically underneath the receiving tower to be effective!

Also, DYN that all or most of the actual network TV footage used in the film comes from ABC? This is probably historically accurate as ABC science reporter Jules Bergman was a particular favorite of the astronauts, so it would make sense that the Lovell household was tuned to ABC during the crisis. (Or, more practically, maybe CBS and NBC either refused the rights to use their own footage from that event, if indeed they even saved it.)
 
> So, can you think of any other movies or shows that depict
> an actual existing broadcast TV station? (I'm thinking of
> local stations, and not some recent movies in which CNN or
> Fox News or other cable outlet has a "product placement"
> agteement! And deliberately created/recreated footage, not
> actual documentary footage that happens to show call letters
> or whatnot).

In "Welcome To Mooseport" two Maine TV stations were featured. Fox's outlet in Bangor WFVX and Portland's ABC outlet WMTW were shown. Although the calls were used and the logos shown on the screen, the "on-air" personnel were Hollywood types.

Although you didn't ask and this probably isn't the right forum, I also have a couple of radio instances.

Stephen King has had his rock and roll station(s) used in some feature flicks also. Back in the 80's his then AM rocker WZON (it may have had the calls WABZ at the time) was used in "The Stand". And his current FM rocker WKIT has been featured in something .... just can't remember the name right now.

Also in a feature called "Signs of Life", little coastal Ellsworth AM station WDEA AM 1370 and then morning man Donnie Saunders had a significant role in the film. The only reason I'm recalling this at the moment is the diner that was featured in the film was torn down this week.
 
> > Oh, just to clarify, I've seen "Apollo 13" a
> > zillion times and in the scene in question it was KTRK-TV
> 13
> > Houston.
>
>
> Thanks for the correction. The one thing that bugs me about
> that scene is that on the mobile unit there appears to be a
> small satellite dish aimed towards the sky. Obviously,
> local stations did not have access to the satellites of the
> time (Syncom, etc.), so this is a bit of a blooper. To be
> fair, it COULD be a microwave dish, but given the upward
> angle/tilt of the thing, I think they'd have to be parked
> practically underneath the receiving tower to be effective!
>
> Also, DYN that all or most of the actual network TV footage
> used in the film comes from ABC? This is probably
> historically accurate as ABC science reporter Jules Bergman
> was a particular favorite of the astronauts, so it would
> make sense that the Lovell household was tuned to ABC during
> the crisis. (Or, more practically, maybe CBS and NBC either
> refused the rights to use their own footage from that event,
> if indeed they even saved it.)
> I think the reasoning behind the ABC footage was because, "Apollo 13" was distributed by Touchstone Pictures, Touchstone Pictures is a subsidiary of Disney. Disney owns ABC. Ergo, I think you know where I'm headed here. but just in case, It wouldn't look good for a "Disney" production to show footage from a competing network in one of their movies. At least you do get to see "Uncle Walter" at the beginning during the "party" at "lovell's" house for the lunar landing. You even hear one of the "guests" yell "turn on walter" I would hope the "BIG 3" if you will would have enough sense to save historical footage like the lunar landing and the Apollo 13 "almost" disaster. If not, then television really truly sucks! I am sure that Cronkite and Huntley were both perfectly accurate. and yes, there is a "brief" shot of Huntley with a bulletin so all 3 nets do get screen time.
 
This is probably
> > historically accurate as ABC science reporter Jules
> Bergman
> > was a particular favorite of the astronauts, so it would
> > make sense that the Lovell household was tuned to ABC
> during
> > the crisis.

In the book "Lost Moon," which inspired the movie, the author says that Bergman was noted for being the most skeptical and the more likely to report "unvarnished" bad news.
 
The movie Mrs. Doubtfire showed real life TV Station KTVU/2.
 
"The Day After Tomorrow" had both KTTV and WNYW depicted. There was plenty of shots of FOX 11 and FOX 5 footage of the disasters taking place.

I once saw a video at school about teen violence that included the open to BCTV's NewsHour circa 1996, complete with Tony Parsons talking about teen violence as the top story of the night. BCTV was displayed on a bank of TV sets outside a store that a kid and his father were walking by. It wasn't clear if this bit with Tony Parsons came from an existing NewsHour, or if this was taped especially for the video. Actually, it very well might have been special, as Tony Parsons had something to say from his anchor desk later in the video directly to teens about violence, as if it was part of the newscast.

The Littlest Hobo had some occasional references to CFTO, including the Channel 9 logo and the CFTO building at Agincourt, but they were poorly covered up.

I believe I have seen a Channel 4 mic flag on Law & Order a few times, but it was nothing resembling WNBC.<P ID="signature">______________
From WNBC-TV New York this is Liiiiive at Fiiiiive!</P>
 
It's Interesting That.....

Most of the movies mentioned are of fairly recent vintage (last 10-12 years or so). I personally haven't watched too many of these (I prefer the classics), but I don't recall any instances of such scenes in older movies or shows -- it wasn't previously a common practice. Is this part of the whole "product placement" phenomenon of recent years? Do these stations just get compensation in the form of free publicity, or do they actually pay for the plug the way Coca-Cola and a host of corporations do?
 
Re: It's Interesting That.....

> Most of the movies mentioned are of fairly recent vintage
> (last 10-12 years or so).

IIRC, the 1958 movie "War of the Colossal Beast", which had KTLA newsman Stan Chambers playing (what else) a newsman doing a remote, also showed the KTLA call letters on the side of the camera.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
My only question about the authenticity of
> that scene was they showed a weather radar screen in that
> first scene set in 1969, and I don't think that most TV
> stations would have had access to radar until the mid 70's.
> I don't think i saw my first weather radar on TV until at
> least 1978. Oh, just to clarify, I've seen "apollo 13" a
> zillion times and in the scene in question it was KTRK-TV 13
> Houston.
>

While I was living in Baton Rouge LA in 1960, WBRZ (channel 2) had their own weather radar (confirmed by a meteorologist at the airport weather office). Since they didn't have a local newscast on weekends at 10 pm they did at least have a five minute weather forecast which included looking at the radar.

On another note - and close to the forum topic - On the New Dick Van Dyke Show Dick Preston worked at KXIV-TV. In reality, KXIV was the call letters for the radio station Van Dyke owned in Phoenix AZ.

---
Also, many of KTLA-TV's news people have played news people in various movies. Look up "KTLA Morning News" and "News @ 10" on IMDB.com and you'll see where these people have made appearances.<P ID="signature">______________
Mike
MOR Memories
http://www.mormemories.com
































</P>
 
The news vans in "Apollo 13" were from KTRK, and, oddly enough, KHTV-39 (now KHWB), which in the late 60s, was an independent station in its infancy, and to my knowledge did not have news.

I don't recall any local news footage being used, although there did appear to be actual broadcast footage from an Astros game (featuring Jimmy Wynn at bat).

Speaking of the Astros, KTRK was also depicted in the forgettable 70s TV movie "Murder at the World Series", most remembered for the then-laughable idea of the Astros being in a World Series.
 
Re: It's Interesting That.....

> Is this part of the
> whole "product placement" phenomenon of recent years? Do
> these stations just get compensation in the form of free
> publicity, or do they actually pay for the plug the way
> Coca-Cola and a host of corporations do?
>
IIRC, for Bruce Almighty, WKBW had a deal with producers for exclusive interviews with the film's stars for its AM Buffalo program and news programs to use the calls. I'm not sure if any money changed hands though.
 
> > Oh, just to clarify, I've seen "Apollo 13" a
> > zillion times and in the scene in question it was KTRK-TV
> 13
> > Houston.
>
>
> Thanks for the correction. The one thing that bugs me about
> that scene is that on the mobile unit there appears to be a
> small satellite dish aimed towards the sky. Obviously,
> local stations did not have access to the satellites of the
> time (Syncom, etc.), so this is a bit of a blooper. To be
> fair, it COULD be a microwave dish, but given the upward
> angle/tilt of the thing, I think they'd have to be parked
> practically underneath the receiving tower to be effective!
>
> Also, DYN that all or most of the actual network TV footage
> used in the film comes from ABC? This is probably
> historically accurate as ABC science reporter Jules Bergman
> was a particular favorite of the astronauts, so it would
> make sense that the Lovell household was tuned to ABC during
> the crisis. (Or, more practically, maybe CBS and NBC either
> refused the rights to use their own footage from that event,
> if indeed they even saved it.)


KPRC Houston mobile trucks were used in the movie Hell Fighters, for which location filming was done in the Houston-coastal oil producing area of Baytown and vicinity. A KPRC inquiring personality, Chris Chandler, had a bit part as a reporter who gets punched out by one of the well fire crew members. IIRC, the full KPRC call letters on the trucks were never shown, but the camera shots were framed so that there was no mistake as to whom they belonged.
 
> Baltimore's WBAL-TV was depicted in an older flick, probably
> "He Said, She Said" (1991).

...try DINER. In fact, one scene is set in their utility announcer's booth...<P ID="signature">______________
King Daevid MacKenzie
WLSU Wisconsin Public Radio, La Crosse
heard weekly on http://www.radio4all.net/
"Kill Ugly Radio." FRANK ZAPPA</P>
 
> I don't recall any local news footage being used...

I need to get a copy of the movie, but I recall a news report on a TV set with the KPRC logo in which someone is visualizing the narrow angle of re-entry using a sheet of paper and a baseketball. It looks like recreated footage rather than some old KPRC tape., although

> ...there did appear to be actual broadcast footage from an
> Astros game (featuring Jimmy Wynn at bat).

I seem to also recall a snatch of "I Dream of Jeannie" being seen, either on one of the monitors at NASA or at Lovell's mother's nursing home when the attendant is changing channels (and she blames the lack of coverage of the live broadcast from 13 by bellowing, "It's that damn TV Guide again!" -- one of the better lines in the film...)

It would be interesting (for someone with way more time on their hands than I) to see if what was depicted on those TVs actually corresponds with what was being broadcast at the time of the pre-empted 13 broadcast that preceded by minutes the tank explosion (which took place at approximately 9:08 pm CST on April 14, 1970). I've mentioned that Ron Howard is a real stickler for authenticity, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if both IDOJ and a ball game were actually on between 8 and 9 pm CST on that date.
 
> So, can you think of any other movies or shows that depict
> an actual existing broadcast TV station? (I'm thinking of
> local stations, and not some recent movies in which CNN or
> Fox News or other cable outlet has a "product placement"
> agteement! And deliberately created/recreated footage, not
> actual documentary footage that happens to show call letters
> or whatnot).

...these are what I recall:

THE CHINA SYNDROME: in the final scene, several mic flags for actual Los Angeles stations (KNBC/4, KTLA/5, KABC-TV/7, KHJ-TV/9, KTTV/11) are clearly visible, and KABC-TV's Val Clenard is heard voicing a stand-up report.

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE: there's a camera in an early scene clearly marked as belonging to WRC-TV/4, the NBC-owned station in Washington.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: utilised the set and personnel of WIIC/11 and the traffic helicopter of KQV Radio in Pittsburgh.

FADE TO BLACK (the 1980 Dennis Christopher one): shows a KHJ-TV/9 late-night newscast on a TV set.

MAJOR LEAGUE: despite being set in Cleveland, Milwaukee's County Stadium was used for filming, and as a result signs for WTMJ-TV/4 and WVTV/18 are clearly visible.

...and in the Sinatra original of OCEAN'S 11, there's a reporter doing a stand-up report on the theft from in front of one of the casinos. Anyone know if the TV station and/or reporter were actual?...<P ID="signature">______________
King Daevid MacKenzie
WLSU Wisconsin Public Radio, La Crosse
heard weekly on http://www.radio4all.net/
"Kill Ugly Radio." FRANK ZAPPA</P>
 
According to baseball-reference.com, the Astros were playing at home on 4/14/70, so the game wouldn't have been on local TV.

And "I Dream of Jeannie" would have been on Channel 2(NBC), not 13(ABC).
 
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