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Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
- Thread starter dgendvil
- Start date
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
In the Albany, NY area (Newchannels cable, later merged into Time Warner) in the late 70s, WPIX, (W)WOR and WSBK were carried on the local systems, as earlier stated -- but so was WSMW 27 Worcester MA (now WUNI), which was then a low-budget local independent. Why? No idea. Perhaps just because it was free and available. (Also, the station apparently had Celtics basketball in the early 70s, before I arrived in this neck of the woods.)
Of course, the cable box was tethered to the TV and had plastic pushbuttons at the time, too...
P.S. TBS was added substantially later; this area has never had any version of WGN on cable.
In the Albany, NY area (Newchannels cable, later merged into Time Warner) in the late 70s, WPIX, (W)WOR and WSBK were carried on the local systems, as earlier stated -- but so was WSMW 27 Worcester MA (now WUNI), which was then a low-budget local independent. Why? No idea. Perhaps just because it was free and available. (Also, the station apparently had Celtics basketball in the early 70s, before I arrived in this neck of the woods.)
Of course, the cable box was tethered to the TV and had plastic pushbuttons at the time, too...
P.S. TBS was added substantially later; this area has never had any version of WGN on cable.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Altoona, PA in Central Pennsylvania got WPIX and WOR through Warner Cable throughout the 1980s. Maybe as early as the late 1970s, I'm not sure.
The market got WGN later in the 1980s (maybe around 1987 or '88, as I recall)
Altoona, PA in Central Pennsylvania got WPIX and WOR through Warner Cable throughout the 1980s. Maybe as early as the late 1970s, I'm not sure.
The market got WGN later in the 1980s (maybe around 1987 or '88, as I recall)
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
If you're thinking about this box at this link: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...cable_box.jpg/800px-Push_button_cable_box.jpg
I remember my Aunt Dawn having this cable box when she got cable in 1980 in Griffith Indiana with US Cable (later, TCI, AT&T, and now Comcast). She got cable when she moved in a 1950 ranch home, and used that cable box until 1983, when the channel lineup expanded to 50 channels, and required a new box. The original box required the TV to be shut off at the TV, and not the box. She got another Jerrold brand descrambling box (not sure of model) that went from 2-69, and the box itself had just 3 buttons on top (+ for channel up, - for channel down, & power on/off button). That box also allowed you to plug in the TV to the box. For TV's with mechanical TV dials & the power/volume knob, it allowed you to turn off the TV & cable box at the box itself. For TV's that used a remote, that method would wipe out any memory in the TV, and would have to reset those TV's. Remember, that a number of Goldstar & Emerson TV's with remotes weren't cable ready in the early & mid-80's. I had a couple of neighbors (one with an Emerson & one with a Goldstar), and those TV's had a remote, but weren't cable ready. They had 12 buttons, and each button had its own tuner & switch for VHF Lo (2-6), VHF Hi (7-13), & UHF (14-83).
So to have cable with those TV's, the TV wasn't plugged into the cable box in order to keep the TV set to channel 3. It meant both the TV & the box had to be turned on & off separately.
DougBroda said:
If you're thinking about this box at this link: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...cable_box.jpg/800px-Push_button_cable_box.jpg
I remember my Aunt Dawn having this cable box when she got cable in 1980 in Griffith Indiana with US Cable (later, TCI, AT&T, and now Comcast). She got cable when she moved in a 1950 ranch home, and used that cable box until 1983, when the channel lineup expanded to 50 channels, and required a new box. The original box required the TV to be shut off at the TV, and not the box. She got another Jerrold brand descrambling box (not sure of model) that went from 2-69, and the box itself had just 3 buttons on top (+ for channel up, - for channel down, & power on/off button). That box also allowed you to plug in the TV to the box. For TV's with mechanical TV dials & the power/volume knob, it allowed you to turn off the TV & cable box at the box itself. For TV's that used a remote, that method would wipe out any memory in the TV, and would have to reset those TV's. Remember, that a number of Goldstar & Emerson TV's with remotes weren't cable ready in the early & mid-80's. I had a couple of neighbors (one with an Emerson & one with a Goldstar), and those TV's had a remote, but weren't cable ready. They had 12 buttons, and each button had its own tuner & switch for VHF Lo (2-6), VHF Hi (7-13), & UHF (14-83).
So to have cable with those TV's, the TV wasn't plugged into the cable box in order to keep the TV set to channel 3. It meant both the TV & the box had to be turned on & off separately.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Here in London, Ontario, WUAB from Cleveland has been available on cable since 1976. It was apparently available in much of Ohio, West Virginia, and parts of Pennsylvania for a long time, including after UPN launched as some areas did not have their own UPN affiliate including Erie. A couple of cable systems north of here carry WWOR, WPIX and KTLA on basic cable. WPIX and KTLA have been available here since 1996, while WGN (America) and WSBK have been available since the early 90s. KWGN is also approved for carriage in Canada but I'm not aware of any systems that have ever carried it.
Much of Canada has also long received WTBS, and consequently continues to receive WPCH and not TBS Superstation. WTBS/WPCH, along with the other U.S. superstations, originally was offered as a premium pay service but since 1997 has been available with extended basic.
WKBD/50 from Detroit was carried throughout most of Michigan, as well as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for many years.
CBFT and CBMT being on cable in Burlington, VT is not a surprise since those should be available over-the-air there. CBMT is available on some cable systems in other parts of the United States however, including part of Michigan.
Heading into Mexico, XHG/4 from Guadalajara is available as a superstation on cable in Mexico City and in other areas of the country. I think there is also a station from Monterrey on cable there. Would anyone here happen to know how long those stations have been available as superstations?
Here in London, Ontario, WUAB from Cleveland has been available on cable since 1976. It was apparently available in much of Ohio, West Virginia, and parts of Pennsylvania for a long time, including after UPN launched as some areas did not have their own UPN affiliate including Erie. A couple of cable systems north of here carry WWOR, WPIX and KTLA on basic cable. WPIX and KTLA have been available here since 1996, while WGN (America) and WSBK have been available since the early 90s. KWGN is also approved for carriage in Canada but I'm not aware of any systems that have ever carried it.
Much of Canada has also long received WTBS, and consequently continues to receive WPCH and not TBS Superstation. WTBS/WPCH, along with the other U.S. superstations, originally was offered as a premium pay service but since 1997 has been available with extended basic.
WKBD/50 from Detroit was carried throughout most of Michigan, as well as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for many years.
CBFT and CBMT being on cable in Burlington, VT is not a surprise since those should be available over-the-air there. CBMT is available on some cable systems in other parts of the United States however, including part of Michigan.
Heading into Mexico, XHG/4 from Guadalajara is available as a superstation on cable in Mexico City and in other areas of the country. I think there is also a station from Monterrey on cable there. Would anyone here happen to know how long those stations have been available as superstations?
1
1st of 5
Guest
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Here in San Antonio, Texas, back in the late 70s, when cable first came to town we had WTBS, WGN and WOR. Our first cable TV monopoly was Rogers, which became Paragon which then becamete Time Warner. WOR was dropped a little while after it became WWOR. We still have TBS (WTBS) and WGN. I have no idea why TWC still carries WGN when it is no longer much of a "superstation". WGN has carried the same exact programming as our local channel 35, which had been WB in the past and is now MY Tv something or the other(?). I guess the only reason WGN is still included in TWC's "superstation" package was because of the baseball games. Way back in the late 70s and 80s, all 3 could be classified as true "superstations" because they were completely independent and aired better programming that wasn't shown on our local TV stations. That was a blessing, because it made our local TV stations wake up and provide us with much better programming and movies than the slop that they were used to showing. But not anymore. I haven't really watched much cable TV for the past 5 years, but when I do, I have noticed the degredation. TBS is nothing of what it used to be and has mutated into some sort of sitcom rerun channel. WGN is just another local Chicago TV station minus the local evening news. I don't know about WWOR (the old WOR) from Seacaucus, NJ, since it was removed from the cable lineup years ago, but right before TWC pulled the plug, the channel's quailty deteriorated significantly. If I chose to waste $$$ on cable TV, I wouldn't bother with the "superstation" package.
Here in San Antonio, Texas, back in the late 70s, when cable first came to town we had WTBS, WGN and WOR. Our first cable TV monopoly was Rogers, which became Paragon which then becamete Time Warner. WOR was dropped a little while after it became WWOR. We still have TBS (WTBS) and WGN. I have no idea why TWC still carries WGN when it is no longer much of a "superstation". WGN has carried the same exact programming as our local channel 35, which had been WB in the past and is now MY Tv something or the other(?). I guess the only reason WGN is still included in TWC's "superstation" package was because of the baseball games. Way back in the late 70s and 80s, all 3 could be classified as true "superstations" because they were completely independent and aired better programming that wasn't shown on our local TV stations. That was a blessing, because it made our local TV stations wake up and provide us with much better programming and movies than the slop that they were used to showing. But not anymore. I haven't really watched much cable TV for the past 5 years, but when I do, I have noticed the degredation. TBS is nothing of what it used to be and has mutated into some sort of sitcom rerun channel. WGN is just another local Chicago TV station minus the local evening news. I don't know about WWOR (the old WOR) from Seacaucus, NJ, since it was removed from the cable lineup years ago, but right before TWC pulled the plug, the channel's quailty deteriorated significantly. If I chose to waste $$$ on cable TV, I wouldn't bother with the "superstation" package.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Had no idea KWGN was approved for carriage in Canada, maybe with KWGN's recent somewhat format change to become "The Deuce" they could pick up some outlets in Canada. After all "the Deuce", their local Denver 7pm newscast had became ultra-liberal since the change complete with rock bands, an internet cafe where viewers can twitter to KWGN, an anchor who admits to smoking marijuana on a regular basis plus "The Deuce" recently did a story on the growing so-called gay-bear community complete with a live report from Denver's "OctoBEARfest"...sounds like a channel that would be more accepted in Canada than it would be in most states.
M.J. said:
Had no idea KWGN was approved for carriage in Canada, maybe with KWGN's recent somewhat format change to become "The Deuce" they could pick up some outlets in Canada. After all "the Deuce", their local Denver 7pm newscast had became ultra-liberal since the change complete with rock bands, an internet cafe where viewers can twitter to KWGN, an anchor who admits to smoking marijuana on a regular basis plus "The Deuce" recently did a story on the growing so-called gay-bear community complete with a live report from Denver's "OctoBEARfest"...sounds like a channel that would be more accepted in Canada than it would be in most states.
B
Bob1370
Guest
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Through the 70s and 80s Time-Life and its successor Time-Warner Cable in Rochester and Ithaca, NY carried WNEW-TV, WOR-TV and WPIX from New York. In Rochester you also got Canadian CTV o&o CJOH-TV from Ottawa and CBC o&os CBLT (English language) and CBLFT (French language) from Toronto...as well as Buffalo's full power signals, WGR (NBC), WIVB (CBS), WKBW (ABC) and WUTV (indie, then Fox). Except for CJOH, which was carried on channel 6 because we have a local ABC affiliate broadcasting on channel 13, each station was carried on the same cable channel number as its home-market broadcast channel. They also carried WTBS on the same channel as its traditional Atlanta market broadcast signal (channel 17), but didn't pick up WGN until more recently. By that time all the New York City, Buffalo and Canadian stations had been dropped in favor of US-based cable-only channels.
Through the 70s and 80s Time-Life and its successor Time-Warner Cable in Rochester and Ithaca, NY carried WNEW-TV, WOR-TV and WPIX from New York. In Rochester you also got Canadian CTV o&o CJOH-TV from Ottawa and CBC o&os CBLT (English language) and CBLFT (French language) from Toronto...as well as Buffalo's full power signals, WGR (NBC), WIVB (CBS), WKBW (ABC) and WUTV (indie, then Fox). Except for CJOH, which was carried on channel 6 because we have a local ABC affiliate broadcasting on channel 13, each station was carried on the same cable channel number as its home-market broadcast channel. They also carried WTBS on the same channel as its traditional Atlanta market broadcast signal (channel 17), but didn't pick up WGN until more recently. By that time all the New York City, Buffalo and Canadian stations had been dropped in favor of US-based cable-only channels.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
OK I also found out that Eugene, Oregon's Group W cable system in the early/late 80's carried WGN, WTBS, along with KSTW (Seattle), CHEK (Victoria), & KTVU (San Francisco). Now that was pretty interesting. I think they dropped those channels when TCI bought Group W in the late 80's & also KLSR channel 25 (now at channel 34) signed on as a Fox station.
Also Kingman, AZ had KTLA 5, along with KHJ 9, KTTV 11, & KCOP 13 (I think) from LA in late 70's before Warner Amex bulit their own cable system, & that was according to the Kingman Daily Miner, which had started publishing a weekly TV section back in 1975.
OK I also found out that Eugene, Oregon's Group W cable system in the early/late 80's carried WGN, WTBS, along with KSTW (Seattle), CHEK (Victoria), & KTVU (San Francisco). Now that was pretty interesting. I think they dropped those channels when TCI bought Group W in the late 80's & also KLSR channel 25 (now at channel 34) signed on as a Fox station.
Also Kingman, AZ had KTLA 5, along with KHJ 9, KTTV 11, & KCOP 13 (I think) from LA in late 70's before Warner Amex bulit their own cable system, & that was according to the Kingman Daily Miner, which had started publishing a weekly TV section back in 1975.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
The Petersburg cable system NEVER carried WWOR and did not carry WGN until later years. Sammons Cable carried WTTG and WDCA for years, until the early 1990s, when the Richmond FOX and indie stations (and blackout regulations) made that almost impossible. Telemedia acquired the Petersburg/Colonial Heights system and did a rebuild in the 90s, at which time WTTG/WDCA were dropped and WGN added--then Adelphia acquired the systems which subsequently was acquired by Comcast. The system in the tiny village of Dinwiddie, about 15 miles south of Petersburg was owned by Adelphia long before they owned the Petersburg system, so they may have carried WGN/WWOR.notalkallstatic said:
D
desertv
Guest
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Flagstaff in the 80s had KTLA and KTTV on their system (was also Warner Cable at that time)-KTLA is still on cable there today (KTTV disapearred with the Fox affiliation)
dgendvil said:
Flagstaff in the 80s had KTLA and KTTV on their system (was also Warner Cable at that time)-KTLA is still on cable there today (KTTV disapearred with the Fox affiliation)
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Well, it might not have been Petersburg (the city,) but I know it was Northern/North Eastern Dinwiddie County, as I remember watching WGN and WWOR on Adelphia cable. Even though, I lived in North Eastern Dinwiddie, my address was Petersburg.
fortmill said:
Well, it might not have been Petersburg (the city,) but I know it was Northern/North Eastern Dinwiddie County, as I remember watching WGN and WWOR on Adelphia cable. Even though, I lived in North Eastern Dinwiddie, my address was Petersburg.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for ye
When I had Cox Cable which was then bought out by Jones Cable, we used to get both KTVU and WOR. We lost KTVU in 1984 and WOR was lost when it became WWOR.
It was good 'cause I liked the local news and KTVU was two hours behind the Chicago Suburb where I lived.
WTCN Channel 11 was carreid all over Minnesota. Our relatives lived in Northern Minnesota and North Dakota, and I never saw a cable system (this was in the 70s) where they didn't carry WTCN. Then later when WTCN became NBC, the cable companies swtiched to KMSP Channel 9, which went from ABC to Independent
When I had Cox Cable which was then bought out by Jones Cable, we used to get both KTVU and WOR. We lost KTVU in 1984 and WOR was lost when it became WWOR.
It was good 'cause I liked the local news and KTVU was two hours behind the Chicago Suburb where I lived.
WTCN Channel 11 was carreid all over Minnesota. Our relatives lived in Northern Minnesota and North Dakota, and I never saw a cable system (this was in the 70s) where they didn't carry WTCN. Then later when WTCN became NBC, the cable companies swtiched to KMSP Channel 9, which went from ABC to Independent
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
When we got Warner QUBE in my neighborhood in Pittsburgh in late 1982 (long delayed by political squabbles and
the very rugged terrain) we had two "full-time" distant signals, WTBS and WOR. We also had a third channel on which
WGN and WUAB in Cleveland shared time. (that went away soon afterwards, I believe due to a change in some FCC
rules). WOR soon became one of my after school favorites due to reruns of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I., as well
as Mets Baseball (they were very good in the mid 80's). I think it went away sometime in the 90's (moved away and
when I came back WWOR had been replaced by WGN)
When we got Warner QUBE in my neighborhood in Pittsburgh in late 1982 (long delayed by political squabbles and
the very rugged terrain) we had two "full-time" distant signals, WTBS and WOR. We also had a third channel on which
WGN and WUAB in Cleveland shared time. (that went away soon afterwards, I believe due to a change in some FCC
rules). WOR soon became one of my after school favorites due to reruns of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I., as well
as Mets Baseball (they were very good in the mid 80's). I think it went away sometime in the 90's (moved away and
when I came back WWOR had been replaced by WGN)
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
That's not a huge surprise - CJOH has a full-power rebroadcast just across the lake from Rochester at Deseronto, broadcasting on Channel 6. Some upstate New York locations have been known to carry CHEX/12 from Peterborough as well.
Bob1370 said:
That's not a huge surprise - CJOH has a full-power rebroadcast just across the lake from Rochester at Deseronto, broadcasting on Channel 6. Some upstate New York locations have been known to carry CHEX/12 from Peterborough as well.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
CHEX? Any idea when and in what towns?
I have no recollection of ever seeing CHEX on cable on this side of the border. Its sister station CKWS was once seen across a pretty wide swath of central New York including Syracuse, and it is still carried in Watertown and, via microwave, down into the Utica-Rome area.
M.J. said:
CHEX? Any idea when and in what towns?
I have no recollection of ever seeing CHEX on cable on this side of the border. Its sister station CKWS was once seen across a pretty wide swath of central New York including Syracuse, and it is still carried in Watertown and, via microwave, down into the Utica-Rome area.
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
Keystone Cable in Kutztown, PA had WOR and WPIX when I attended Kutztown U. in the early '80s. So did Group W Cable in Stone Harbor, NJ when I lived there briefely in '86 and '87. Neither had WGN or (W)TBS.
Speaking of which, when did WTBS drop the W for its national feed?
ixnay
Keystone Cable in Kutztown, PA had WOR and WPIX when I attended Kutztown U. in the early '80s. So did Group W Cable in Stone Harbor, NJ when I lived there briefely in '86 and '87. Neither had WGN or (W)TBS.
Speaking of which, when did WTBS drop the W for its national feed?
ixnay
G
got2bfunky
Guest
Re: Besides WGN & WTBS, which cable systems did carry WWOR, WPIX & others for years?
WOR/WWOR was carried on Sammons Cable in Harrisburg PA (later becoming Comcast) from at least the early 70's until the mid-to-late 90's. WPIX was carried from the early 70's until at least 2003. I know they were on until at least 9/11/2001 because they were off the air for the rest of the day after the event and ran at reduced power for several days afterwards which was also reflected in the weak signal passed over the cable system.
Sammons ran quite a few out-of-market stations during the 70's including WTTG/5 (Metromedia) Washington, all of the philly independent stations (WPHL/17, WIBF/WTAF/WTXF 29, WKBS/48), and an occasional feed of Baltimore network affiliates (WMAR/2 when they were CBS, WBAL/11 NBC, and WJZ/13 when they were ABC).
WOR/WWOR was carried on Sammons Cable in Harrisburg PA (later becoming Comcast) from at least the early 70's until the mid-to-late 90's. WPIX was carried from the early 70's until at least 2003. I know they were on until at least 9/11/2001 because they were off the air for the rest of the day after the event and ran at reduced power for several days afterwards which was also reflected in the weak signal passed over the cable system.
Sammons ran quite a few out-of-market stations during the 70's including WTTG/5 (Metromedia) Washington, all of the philly independent stations (WPHL/17, WIBF/WTAF/WTXF 29, WKBS/48), and an occasional feed of Baltimore network affiliates (WMAR/2 when they were CBS, WBAL/11 NBC, and WJZ/13 when they were ABC).
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