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Found tape of the 1995 WCAU affiliate swap!

pab

pab

Going through some old, unlabeled tapes in my storage unit, I discovered something I didn't know I had.

Apparently, I was running tape on the night of the "great affiliate swap," when WCAU passed from CBS to NBC and KYW did the reverse. I got the Channel 10 side of the switchover, with their "Newscast" about the switch and plugging how great it was going to be to be NBC.

Then, an NBC fall preview for the 1995-1996 season. (Only two of their new shows made it through the year, "The Single Guy" and "Caroline In The City" and they both died quickly after that! Unintentionally hilarious stuff.)

Anyone who'd like a copy of this for their collection, I'm going to be encoding and burning it for the guys at TV-ARK in the next week or so, and would be happy to ship out some DVD-R's for collectors. Especially if you can trade me the KYW side of the swap in return! :)
<P ID="signature">______________
The Pab Sungenis Project - http://www.lowbudgetradio.com</P>
 
> Going through some old, unlabeled tapes in my storage unit,
> I discovered something I didn't know I had.
>
> Apparently, I was running tape on the night of the "great
> affiliate swap," when WCAU passed from CBS to NBC and KYW
> did the reverse. I got the Channel 10 side of the
> switchover, with their "Newscast" about the switch and
> plugging how great it was going to be to be NBC.
>
> Then, an NBC fall preview for the 1995-1996 season. (Only
> two of their new shows made it through the year, "The Single
> Guy" and "Caroline In The City" and they both died quickly
> after that! Unintentionally hilarious stuff.)
>
> Anyone who'd like a copy of this for their collection, I'm
> going to be encoding and burning it for the guys at TV-ARK
> in the next week or so, and would be happy to ship out some
> DVD-R's for collectors. Especially if you can trade me the
> KYW side of the swap in return! :)
>

Let's hope TV-Ark even posts that because they took the WCAU section off the site a year ago and the guy who runs the US Videos Section won't bring it back for some reason. But that would be great to have on the site. You might even try taking to someone at tvnewstalk.net or The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia (www.broadcastpioneers.com).
 
> Going through some old, unlabeled tapes in my storage unit,
> I discovered something I didn't know I had.
>
> Apparently, I was running tape on the night of the "great
> affiliate swap," when WCAU passed from CBS to NBC and KYW
> did the reverse. I got the Channel 10 side of the
> switchover, with their "Newscast" about the switch and
> plugging how great it was going to be to be NBC.
[...]
> Anyone who'd like a copy of this for their collection, I'm
> going to be encoding and burning it for the guys at TV-ARK
> in the next week or so, and would be happy to ship out some
> DVD-R's for collectors. Especially if you can trade me the
> KYW side of the swap in return! :)

I do have the KYW side somewhere. IIRC, it wasn't much. "Saturday Night Live" ended (for the last time on Channel 3), then following a couple commercials a short video ID touting that KYW is now CBS. That's it. No overblown live "newscast", no changing-of-the-flag-outside-the-building, just a short graphic blurb. Then KYW began life as a CBS O&O.

---Perf2K, who will look for that video...
 
> Let's hope TV-Ark even posts that because they took the WCAU
> section off the site a year ago and the guy who runs the US
> Videos Section won't bring it back for some reason.
>

I e-mailed them about their lack of a WCAU section and they said that WCAU made them take it down
 
re: WCAU

There should be a special hall of infamy for people like whatever idiot CBS lawyer or suit allowed the historic WCAU call letters to get away from 1210 AM, where they belong. "WCAU" means nothing to "NBC 10" (except some fine print at the bottom of the screen for legal IDs).

FTR: KYW-TV was an NBC AFFILIATE owned by Westinghouse, which had acquired CBS. WCAU-TV was a CBS owned and operated station, not an affiliate. Now, neither are affiliates. The only network affiliated station in town is WPHL 17, a WB affiliate owned by Tribune Broadcasting.
 
Re: re: WCAU

> FTR: KYW-TV was an NBC AFFILIATE owned by Westinghouse,
> which had acquired CBS. WCAU-TV was a CBS owned and
> operated station, not an affiliate. Now, neither are
> affiliates. The only network affiliated station in town is
> WPHL 17, a WB affiliate owned by Tribune Broadcasting.

Trib being a part owner of the WB network.

Making stations like 'PHL, WPIX, and WGN the closest to O&O's the WB's got. (And with one exception, Grand Rapids, Trib owns the WB station in every market it has a presence in, so it's pretty much the WB's stations group anyway.)<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Re: re: WCAU

> There should be a special hall of infamy for people like
> whatever idiot CBS lawyer or suit allowed the historic WCAU
> call letters to get away from 1210 AM, where they belong.
> "WCAU" means nothing to "NBC 10" (except some fine print at
> the bottom of the screen for legal IDs).

I was surprised that NBC would even want a call so closely identified with CBS. It wouldn't have been a shock if they had changed it to something like WNBX (NBc-10) or WNBP (NBc-Philly). (Or something with "GE" in the call.)
 
> > Let's hope TV-Ark even posts that because they took the
> WCAU
> > section off the site a year ago and the guy who runs the
> US
> > Videos Section won't bring it back for some reason.
> >
>
> I e-mailed them about their lack of a WCAU section and they
> said that WCAU made them take it down
>

Well if they guy would've told me that a year ago I wouldn't be checking their stupid site praying for it to come back.

NBC 10 has done this sort of thing with someone about 3 years ago who had a fansite devoted to the station. I don't know why they do this thing when their sister NBC O&Os probibly love the extra attention, kind of like an advertisement. So I guess your best bet would be the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia site because they are affiliated with many retired and/or current WCAU employees.
 
Re: re: WCAU

O&O's are affiliates also. I think you meant WB17 is the only non-network owned affiliate in Philadelphia.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by trolleyk on 09/29/05 03:46 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: re: WCAU

> O&O's are affiliates also. I think you meant WB17 is the
> only non-network owned affiliate in Philadelphia.

Though it wasn't me making that differentiation, I offer this:

O&Os are not affiliates inasmuch that no affiliation dues are passed between the station and the network; the network already owns the station, making that station an extension of the network and guaranteeing that network's programming will be shown on that station to that market.

Besides that, O&Os generally are operated differently and have less control over local programming than non-O&Os. It would be like the Associated Press owning and producing a newspaper in New York in addition to having its “affiliate” newspapers around the country, or the McDonald’s Corporation owning a McDonald’s restaurant in Chicago (it wouldn’t be a franchise since it’s owned by the company).

Of course, opinions vary, but my meager thought is that O&Os and affiliates are indeed two different animals.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Re: re: WCAU

> > O&O's are affiliates also. I think you meant WB17 is the
> > only non-network owned affiliate in Philadelphia.
>
> Though it wasn't me making that differentiation, I offer
> this:
>
> O&Os are not affiliates inasmuch that no affiliation dues
> are passed between the station and the network; the network
> already owns the station, making that station an extension
> of the network and guaranteeing that network's programming
> will be shown on that station to that market.

In some cases, such as WCAU and WRC they are actually subsidiaries of NBC, as can be seen in their copyrights.
<P ID="signature">______________
WCBS = We're Crazy Buffoons and Schmucks
<a href=http://chuck.spotteddogs.org/tv/>Spotted Dog TV Talk - for all your non-news TV Talk</a></P>
 
Re: re: WCAU

> There should be a special hall of infamy for people like
> whatever idiot CBS lawyer or suit allowed the historic WCAU
> call letters to get away from 1210 AM, where they belong.
> "WCAU" means nothing to "NBC 10" (except some fine print at
> the bottom of the screen for legal IDs).
>
> FTR: KYW-TV was an NBC AFFILIATE owned by Westinghouse,
> which had acquired CBS. WCAU-TV was a CBS owned and
> operated station, not an affiliate. Now, neither are
> affiliates. The only network affiliated station in town is
> WPHL 17, a WB affiliate owned by Tribune Broadcasting.
>

Not exactly Tribune Broadcasting has a 50% stake in the WB Network and ownes most of the WB's Major Market station.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Danfm on 10/03/05 11:28 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Going through some old, unlabeled tapes in my storage unit,
> I discovered something I didn't know I had.
>
> Apparently, I was running tape on the night of the "great
> affiliate swap," when WCAU passed from CBS to NBC and KYW
> did the reverse. I got the Channel 10 side of the
> switchover, with their "Newscast" about the switch and
> plugging how great it was going to be to be NBC.
>
> Then, an NBC fall preview for the 1995-1996 season. (Only
> two of their new shows made it through the year, "The Single
> Guy" and "Caroline In The City" and they both died quickly
> after that! Unintentionally hilarious stuff.)
>
> Anyone who'd like a copy of this for their collection, I'm
> going to be encoding and burning it for the guys at TV-ARK
> in the next week or so, and would be happy to ship out some
> DVD-R's for collectors. Especially if you can trade me the
> KYW side of the swap in return! :)

I recorded it my self hard to believe it's been 10 years allready. I also have the 11 oclock WCAU Newscenter 10 anchored by the late Siani Lee hours before the flip. Ironically The most successfully show promoted it that NBC preview show that night was Jag. Though it was quickly canceled by NBC after 1 season. It was picked up by CBS thereby spending the 9 years of it 10 year run on KYW 3 the station that used to be NBC.
 
> I do have the KYW side somewhere. IIRC, it wasn't much.
> "Saturday Night Live" ended (for the last time on Channel
> 3), then following a couple commercials a short video ID
> touting that KYW is now CBS. That's it. No overblown live
> "newscast", no changing-of-the-flag-outside-the-building,
> just a short graphic blurb. Then KYW began life as a CBS
> O&O.
>
> ---Perf2K, who will look for that video...
>

The Last CBS Program on WCAU was a rerun of Walker Texas Ranger with Guest Star Haley Joel Osment (the Sixth Sense) as a little boy with AIDS who Walker was helping.

I tried tor record KYW but it since it is not on my cable (Thanks WNBC who had it removed in 1993) I could not get a good over the air signal that night and was only able to record WCAU which is fortunately on my Cable system even now.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Danfm on 10/04/05 04:22 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Just a question that may not have been asked

Why didn't CBS-Westinghouse just sell KYW to NBC?
 
Re: Just a question that may not have been asked

> Why didn't CBS-Westinghouse just sell KYW to NBC?

At the time (1994-1995) KYW was the more respected name in Philadelphia broadcasting. "Eyewitness News" was a very well respected brand in Philly for ages, and KYW was still seen as a better news outlet than WCAU.

I think KYW was also billing more than WCAU at tje time. Plus, Westinghouse had owned KYW for ages upon ages.
<P ID="signature">______________
The Pab Sungenis Project - http://www.lowbudgetradio.com</P>
 
Re: Just a question that may not have been asked

> > Why didn't CBS-Westinghouse just sell KYW to NBC?
>
> At the time (1994-1995) KYW was the more respected name in
> Philadelphia broadcasting. "Eyewitness News" was a very
> well respected brand in Philly for ages, and KYW was still
> seen as a better news outlet than WCAU.
>
> I think KYW was also billing more than WCAU at tje time.
> Plus, Westinghouse had owned KYW for ages upon ages.

It was also a leverage thing. Westinghouse had made an agreement with CBS guaranteeing CBS programming on all Group W stations. Cost wise and business wise, it made sense for CBS to sell 'CAU knowing that its programming would still be guaranteed a prime VHF location in the number 4 market.

Not only that, but for the same reason that KCAL isn't LA's UPN outlet. Should Viacom take UPN off of 13, watch Fox take it off of WWOR, etc.
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Re: Just a question that may not have been asked

Stations in the lower VHF band (like channel 3) tend to have a somewhat better signal range than stations in the upper band (like channel 10). The result is somewhat better reception in fringe areas. A minor point now when most people receive broadcast TV via cable or satellite but still a consideration.

What was really DUMB! was CBS/Westinghouse giving up the historic WCAU call letters; especially since "NBC 10" does not use them (except in the legal ID super). NBC would have done just as well to reactivate WRCV-TV (the call letters used when NBC DID own channel 3).

Ironically, Westinghouse was one of the founding companies of RCA (and therefore, NBC) along with GE (NBC's current owner), AT&T and United Fruit (Chiquita Banana). Prior to 1954, all Westinghouse stations were NBC affiliates (and operated by NBC at one point).

>
> It was also a leverage thing. Westinghouse had made an
> agreement with CBS guaranteeing CBS programming on all Group
> W stations. Cost wise and business wise, it made sense for
> CBS to sell 'CAU knowing that its programming would still be
> guaranteed a prime VHF location in the number 4 market.
>
> Not only that, but for the same reason that KCAL isn't LA's
> UPN outlet. Should Viacom take UPN off of 13, watch Fox
> take it off of WWOR, etc.
>
 
Re: Just a question that may not have been asked

> What was really DUMB! was CBS/Westinghouse giving up the
> historic WCAU call letters; especially since "NBC 10" does
> not use them (except in the legal ID super). NBC would have
> done just as well to reactivate WRCV-TV (the call letters
> used when NBC DID own channel 3).

Makes sense but wouldn't call letters that start with "K" in an otherwise all "W" market make it a more unique identifier? As in Pittsburgh. Or vice versa as in Omaha, Des Moines and San Antonio<P ID="signature">______________
Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.</P>
 
Re: Just a question that may not have been asked

Yes, it would but that is no longer an option. KYW and KDKA are "grandfathered" and were assigned the calls before the W/K assignment rule went into effect - even though KYW was in Chicago originally. Before moving to Philly, KYW shared-time on its frequency (1030 and then 1020) with a daytimer in Philly, WRAX.

>
> Makes sense but wouldn't call letters that start with "K" in
> an otherwise all "W" market make it a more unique
> identifier? As in Pittsburgh. Or vice versa as in Omaha, Des
> Moines and San Antonio
>
 
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