AMERICA'S BEST INDEPENDENT STATIONS IN THE 1970s, 1980s and 1990s?

[KML0224]

I am also from New Britain, CT. I only received then-WHLL-TV maybe twice ever here in the 1980s. I also used to get faint signals of channel 55 from Riverhead, NY (analog no longer on the air) and channel 67 from Smithtown, NY (music videos and then HSC ad nauseum). The dial was less crowded but more fun!

 

[vibe]

I beieve Ch 27 Worc was WSMW back in the late 60's. early 70's.

 

[jojo_collins]

WFLD Chicago, before they became a Fox station really was a sitcom game show heaven. After the demise of WSNS channel 44 it seemed that WFLD channel 32 picked up where WSNS left off. They were quickly picked up by many cable operators to replace WSNS. I remember thier prime time line up included several game shows and the Honeymooners and PM Magizine which was a local production. They had a slick image and many sitcoms all day and night. Dont remember any infomercials they did run some religous shows in the morning.

Actually WFLD was already a big deal by the time WSNS headed down the subscription/eventual Spanish road. Thanks to the sitcoms and game shows they acquired, they were actually running neck and neck with WGN by the late 70's, even beating them on occasion ratings-wise. Also don't forget Rich Koz's "Svengoolie" and Three Stooges reruns.

WFLD's peak as an indy was certainly just before Fox signed on the air, with all this stuff plus the rights to White Sox and Bulls games (watching Michael Jordan in his first few seasons on otherwise mediocre teams was great).

I remember my mom actually getting that WSNs/ONTV subscription (I think we STILL have the box, lol). WFLD I remember showing game shows like "Make Me Laugh", "Tic Tac Dough", "The Joker's Wild" (all on primetime before they became a FOX O&O), plus Svengoolie, Comedy Classics (which featured both The Three Stooges and the Our Gang/Little Rascals), plus old skool cartoons like Speed Racer, Magilla Gorilla, Underdog. As I recall, Kaiser used to own WFLD in the '70s and their studios were at Marina City, then sold the stations back to Field Enterprises. For all you Chicago heads: Remember Cartoon Town with BJ (Bill Jackson) and the Dirty Dragon weekdays from Noon to 1 on Channel 32 (Now Fox Chicago)? Damn, we're old!!!!!

 

[newsmark]

I think any discussion of best independents in the 70s-90s must include KTVT in Fort Worth/Dallas.// They had a decent news operation that was limited to a noon show in the 70s and early 80s. It was cut back to news briefs in the mid 80s.

I'll agree that KTVT was a great independent on many fronts. News was not one of them. Through the 70s, the station ran a movie at 9:00, and interrupted the movie at 10:00 for a 15 minute newscast. It didn't begin to compete with the 10:00 newscasts on the big 3 affiliates.

On the other hand, in addition to Slam Bang Theater, KTVT also carried Main Event Wrestling from the Dallas sportatorium on Saturday nights. I grew up watching Popeye in the afternoon and Cartoon Carnival with Looney Tunes each day at 12:30.

Dallas had another good indy in the early 70s. KDTV Channel 39, at least from a kid's standpoint. They ran Speed Racer, lots of Hanna-Barbera cartoons and occasionally American Bandstand (which WFAA did not carry).

 

[larnov]

WTCG Channel 17 atlanta became WTBS (17) Atlanta then just TBS. I remember a morning show with a Bill Tush and i believe Tina seldon.
It was a very funny show! They also would repeat Braves Games overnight!

Back in 1977, when i first got cable television, there was a independent
television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, then owned by Ted Turner,
the same one who created a "Superstation" in late 1976 called "WTCG",
based in Atlanta, that also was a great independent until they tweaked
with Channel 17; WRET-TV, Channel 36 carried shows like "Father Knows
Best", "The Three Stooges", and much more, i enjoyed watching them
until the cable system where i lived replaced it with WTCG in October
1977, this was a period of television history that is sorely missed today.