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How did UHF's make it (if they did) before...
- Thread starter ixnay
- Start date
K
KML0224
Guest
Same could be said here for channel 30 of New Britain/Hartford. They signed on in 1953, 4 years before channel 3 of Hartford did. They didn't have the signal reach then like they do now.
Being of that age (in my 50s) I can remember when UHF stations first came on the air in Los Angeles in the early 60s. Like most people, our 1956 era RCA Victor TV did not have a UHF tuner, so I knew these stations only as listings in the TV Guide. Compared to today, televisions were very expensive, and you didn't just throw them away to get new features like UHF, or even Color. You waited until your TV repairman told you there was no hope for your old busted TV and twisted your arm into making you buy a new one...a major investment for most middle class families. There were at least 2 independent UHF stations in the HUGE L.A. market that went out of business within a couple of years of going on the air. The 2 early stations that DID survive were Channel 36 - L.A.s first Spanish language station which filled a HUGE need in the market, and KCET 28 (then NET, now PBS) that was supported by government funds, and didn't sell commercial time. As soon as cable TV came along (mid 1960s), these 2 stations were placed on the dial in un-used VHF positions for cable viewers, which gave them a big boost in viewership until more people were able to buy sets with UHF tuners. My parents finally bit the bullet in 1969 and bought our first color TV for about $800 - probably $3,000 in today's dollars.
ixnay said:
They survived in markets with either zero (Fresno, Yakima, Peoria, South Bend, Youngstown, & Salisbury, for example), or one (Rockford, Madison, Champaign/Urbana) commercial VHF stations to compete with. Big markets with lots of VHFs made it difficult for a UHF station to survive unless it was the "educational" (pre-PBS) channel.
Not only was the lack of UHF tuners in most sets a problem, but the tuners in sets that did have them were absolutely brain-dead. Unstable, no sensitivity (just a diode mixer & one-transistor local oscillator in many cases) and hard to tune. The set-top converters were even worse. The technology to make efficient, economical UHF tuners just didn't exist until the '70s.
F
fred flintstone
Guest
There were some all UHF markets. Others in which two of the three networks were on UHF. In these markets (mostly smaller markets, left out of the first two waves of TV allocations), people often did get converters. The alternative was an external antenna with a very tall mast. This is what happened in DelMarVa, where people put up antennas to receive network stations in Baltimore (2-11-13) and Philly (3-6-10).
In the mid 60s, after the requirement for "all channel" receivers, independent UHF stations started popping up. Even so, many people still had sets without converters, or antennas not designed for UHF, so audiences were limited until people started getting cable.
Sometimes, UHF stations did some very innovative things. Detroit's WKBD became an "all sports" station almost two decades before ESPN. The same station pioneered talk TV. More often, stations emphasized local programming. In many cases, they picked up local personalities that had been squeezed off older VHF stations as network schedules expanded (especially daytime schedules). UHF became a new home to kid's show hosts, movie hosts and local cooking shows. In markets like Philadelphia with two network affiliates NOT owned and operated by their networks, UHF stations often were able to pick up network shows that the primary affiliate did not clear.
And, like today, paid religion and infomercials (although not called that yet) were mainstays of many struggling UHF stations. Early UHF stations also sometimes took low-budget direct-to-syndication shows (never shown on the networks) like Highway Patrol and Sea Hunt. And they had the less in-demand off-network syndicated shows, as well (the network affiliates usually out-bid UHFs for the more popular and in-demand shows).
Many early UHF stations failed. Others were able to hang on long enough for UHF to become a force in television.
In the mid 60s, after the requirement for "all channel" receivers, independent UHF stations started popping up. Even so, many people still had sets without converters, or antennas not designed for UHF, so audiences were limited until people started getting cable.
Sometimes, UHF stations did some very innovative things. Detroit's WKBD became an "all sports" station almost two decades before ESPN. The same station pioneered talk TV. More often, stations emphasized local programming. In many cases, they picked up local personalities that had been squeezed off older VHF stations as network schedules expanded (especially daytime schedules). UHF became a new home to kid's show hosts, movie hosts and local cooking shows. In markets like Philadelphia with two network affiliates NOT owned and operated by their networks, UHF stations often were able to pick up network shows that the primary affiliate did not clear.
And, like today, paid religion and infomercials (although not called that yet) were mainstays of many struggling UHF stations. Early UHF stations also sometimes took low-budget direct-to-syndication shows (never shown on the networks) like Highway Patrol and Sea Hunt. And they had the less in-demand off-network syndicated shows, as well (the network affiliates usually out-bid UHFs for the more popular and in-demand shows).
Many early UHF stations failed. Others were able to hang on long enough for UHF to become a force in television.
One that didnt make it early on was Channel 45 in Youngstown, Ohio..On the air as WKST-45 New Castle, Pa. in 1957, It had the distiction as the only full-time ABC affiliate in Western Pennsylvania till WTAE-4 in Pittsburgh in 1958..Channel 45 moved down to 33 in 1959..and is now WYTV..WXTV-45 came on the air in 1960 in Youngstown as an independent..Only lasted till 1962. At that time there were 4 stations in Youngstown (21, 27, 33, 45)..Channel 45 remained dark till relicensed to Alliance, Ohio as PBS WNEO-TV.
"Sometimes, UHF stations did some very innovative things. Detroit's WKBD became an "all sports" station almost two decades before ESPN. The same station pioneered talk TV. More often, stations emphasized local programming. In many cases, they picked up local personalities that had been squeezed off older VHF stations as network schedules expanded (especially daytime schedules)."
The LA market may have been unique - with 4 independent VHF stations as early as the 1954 all competing for then limited libraries of former network sitcom re-runs, syndicated talk shows, cartoons and kid-show hosts, and old (sometimes VERY old) movies. 3 of the 4 stations ran prime-time (10 PM) news. So independent UHF stations didn't stand a chance.
The LA market may have been unique - with 4 independent VHF stations as early as the 1954 all competing for then limited libraries of former network sitcom re-runs, syndicated talk shows, cartoons and kid-show hosts, and old (sometimes VERY old) movies. 3 of the 4 stations ran prime-time (10 PM) news. So independent UHF stations didn't stand a chance.
It was about the time that the All-Channel Legislation took effect in 1964 did UHF really have a fighting chance to succeed. One company that "Fred Flintstone" alluded to was Kaiser Broadcasting Company (parent of WKBD/50 in Detroit). Kaiser saw the future in television by buying either brand new or silent UHF TV stations in 1965. These were to be the "state of the art" operations of the time, with full-color live, film and videotape facilities. By 1966/67, they had some great properties on the air, such as WKBG-TV/56 Cambridge (Boston), MA, WKBD-TV/50 Detroit, MI, WKBF-TV/61 Cleveland, WKBS-TV/48, Philadelphia, PA, KBHK-TV/44 San Francisco, KBSC-TV/52 Los Angeles and also had a portion of WFLD-TV 32 Chicago.
Kaiser was also a great producer of some great local shows (shown on all of their stations around the country) such as "The Hy Lit Show" produced at WKBS and the VERY controversial and late-lamented "The Lou Gordon Program" from WKBD. (Lou was the man!). I welcome anyone who loves a good UHF story to visit The RadioDXer webpage (http://www.geocities.com/radiojunkie1). Just look for the UHF Morgue after clicking the Armstrong front page. It's not high tech but it has a lot of good reading.
73,
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Editor: The UHF Morgue
Kaiser was also a great producer of some great local shows (shown on all of their stations around the country) such as "The Hy Lit Show" produced at WKBS and the VERY controversial and late-lamented "The Lou Gordon Program" from WKBD. (Lou was the man!). I welcome anyone who loves a good UHF story to visit The RadioDXer webpage (http://www.geocities.com/radiojunkie1). Just look for the UHF Morgue after clicking the Armstrong front page. It's not high tech but it has a lot of good reading.
73,
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Editor: The UHF Morgue
KeithE4 said:
On some models, you could optionally order a UHF tuner. Some sets had channel strips in the tuner, and you could remove unused VHF channels and replace them with UHF channels. Finally, you could get UHF converters which would put out UHF signals on a VHF channel (often, channel 3) which you could pick up on your VHF-only set. (sometimes you can still find UHF converters at hamfests...)
What's more, most UHF stations were rather low-powered. As recently as 1966, there was only one station running more than 1000kw ERP, and many UHFs were well under 100kw - essentially, LPTVs. I want to say the first 5000kw station went on the air in the early 1970s and they were still rare until the mid-1980s.
Between the low power of the stations and the poor sensitivity of receivers, it's surprising any UHF stations survived the 1950s at all.
C
chuckydoll
Guest
Fresno wasn't always a UHF market
KFRE-TV signed on in 1956 on Channel 12. When the FCC made Fresno an all-UHF market in 1961 KFRE-TV moved to Channel 30. It became KFSN in 1971 and an ABC O&O in 1985.
Several other commercial stations began life in the UHF band and moved to VHF. They're in Albany NY (35 to 13), Charleston/Huntington (23 to 11), Hampton Roads (15 to 13), Knoxville (26 to 8), Reno (21 to 11) and Salt Lake (20 to 13).
KFRE-TV signed on in 1956 on Channel 12. When the FCC made Fresno an all-UHF market in 1961 KFRE-TV moved to Channel 30. It became KFSN in 1971 and an ABC O&O in 1985.
Several other commercial stations began life in the UHF band and moved to VHF. They're in Albany NY (35 to 13), Charleston/Huntington (23 to 11), Hampton Roads (15 to 13), Knoxville (26 to 8), Reno (21 to 11) and Salt Lake (20 to 13).
Evansville, Indiana was an oddball UHF market. WFIE Ch. 62 (later Ch 14) and WEHT Ch. 50 (later Ch 25 and first licensed to Henderson, Kentucky) signed on in the early 50's. A few years later WTVW Ch 7 signed on and WNIN Ch. 9 signed on in the early 70's as a non-com.
The story goes an Indiana Senator pulled some strings for a VHF to be assigned to Evansville. The non-com allocation for Louisville was moved to Evansville and Channel 7 signed on. A few years later, the FCC asked WTVW to relocate to Channel 31. WTVW told the FCC to stick the re-allocation “where the sun don’t shine” and WTVW remained on Channel 7.
The allocation for Channel 9 was originally commercial. The Steele Family in Owensboro (owner of WVJS/WSTO) was ready to sign on WVJS-TV in the early 50's as an ABC/DuMont affiliate when the FCC changed things around and Channel 9 was made a non-com. The Steele family fought the FCC for years to change it back, but the efforts failed. Finally, after IU and Purdue showed no interest in the allocation, The Evansville-Vandenberg County School Corporation signed on WNIN in the early 70's and was later sold to another party.
The story goes an Indiana Senator pulled some strings for a VHF to be assigned to Evansville. The non-com allocation for Louisville was moved to Evansville and Channel 7 signed on. A few years later, the FCC asked WTVW to relocate to Channel 31. WTVW told the FCC to stick the re-allocation “where the sun don’t shine” and WTVW remained on Channel 7.
The allocation for Channel 9 was originally commercial. The Steele Family in Owensboro (owner of WVJS/WSTO) was ready to sign on WVJS-TV in the early 50's as an ABC/DuMont affiliate when the FCC changed things around and Channel 9 was made a non-com. The Steele family fought the FCC for years to change it back, but the efforts failed. Finally, after IU and Purdue showed no interest in the allocation, The Evansville-Vandenberg County School Corporation signed on WNIN in the early 70's and was later sold to another party.
Two Alabama markets were rather quirky in regard to UHFs. Montgomery's first station was a U -- WCOV-TV 20, signing on in 1953. They COULD'VE had the one V allottment (channel 12), but a transmitter wasn't available and they were ready to get rolling, so they changed their app to channel 20, for which a tx could be procured. Channel 12 would go to WSFA-TV on Christmas day 1954.
WCOV-TV was a rare example of a U surviving against a dominant VHF; WSFA was the sister station of WIS-10 in Columbia, S.C., and much of its operation, including its strong news department, was patterned after WIS'. Channel 20, though, held its own through a combination of distinctive local programs, solid personalities, and technical innovations, such as being the first in Alabama to convert to full-color.
WCOV was CBS until 1987 (when a VHF move-in from Selma took it over), then became one of the charter Fox affils.
And then there's Huntsville. Said to have been one of a handful of 'experimental' all-U markets, but the reality is that when the channel assignments were being made in the early '50s, Huntsville was barely 15,000 in population -- Werner Von Braun and his rocket scientists hadn't yet come to town (today, HSV's metro area is easily 250,000+). It didn't merit a single V. The first station in that area was in nearby Decatur (at that time considered the 'hub' city of north Ala.) -- WMSL-TV channel 23 (NBC/CBS) in 1954. Huntsville's first station was WAFG channel 31 (ABC) in 1959 and for several years the only primary ABC in the state.
WAFG was owned by "Sweet Sue", the canned poultry outfit in nearby Athens. Struggling and low-budget would just about cover it. Saw the writing on the wall in 1963 when, after all the explosive growth when the space program came to HSV, two Us were given CPs. WAAY-TV on channel 25 and WHNT on 19. WAFG approached WAAY about buying 'em out, and they did. WAFG became WAAY-TV 31, keeping ABC. At about the same time, WHNT bowed as a CBS affil. WMSL-TV 23 kept NBC, and in 1968 would pull up and move into Huntsville, changing to channel 48. (Side note: WAAY-31 was NBC from 1968-1977, and WMSL - later WYUR and now WAFF - was ABC).
Channel 25, meanwhile, would be redesignated non-comm and sign on in 1965 as WHIQ-TV.
What's positively amazing is that Huntsville managed to incubate three (3) relatively successful UHFs in an area which, with any decent outdoor rig, could receive stations from Birmingham (6, 13) and Nashville (2, 4, 5, 8). Plus, HSV had a cable system in place as early as 1962, offering clear pictures of all the VHFs in Nashville, Birmingham and Chattanooga.
Anyone curious about channel 31's colorful history should go to www.31alumni.com; it's operated by M. D. Smith IV, whose family owned WAAY-TV from 1963-1999. There a little bit on WAFG there, too, including an old logo slide.
--Russell
WCOV-TV was a rare example of a U surviving against a dominant VHF; WSFA was the sister station of WIS-10 in Columbia, S.C., and much of its operation, including its strong news department, was patterned after WIS'. Channel 20, though, held its own through a combination of distinctive local programs, solid personalities, and technical innovations, such as being the first in Alabama to convert to full-color.
WCOV was CBS until 1987 (when a VHF move-in from Selma took it over), then became one of the charter Fox affils.
And then there's Huntsville. Said to have been one of a handful of 'experimental' all-U markets, but the reality is that when the channel assignments were being made in the early '50s, Huntsville was barely 15,000 in population -- Werner Von Braun and his rocket scientists hadn't yet come to town (today, HSV's metro area is easily 250,000+). It didn't merit a single V. The first station in that area was in nearby Decatur (at that time considered the 'hub' city of north Ala.) -- WMSL-TV channel 23 (NBC/CBS) in 1954. Huntsville's first station was WAFG channel 31 (ABC) in 1959 and for several years the only primary ABC in the state.
WAFG was owned by "Sweet Sue", the canned poultry outfit in nearby Athens. Struggling and low-budget would just about cover it. Saw the writing on the wall in 1963 when, after all the explosive growth when the space program came to HSV, two Us were given CPs. WAAY-TV on channel 25 and WHNT on 19. WAFG approached WAAY about buying 'em out, and they did. WAFG became WAAY-TV 31, keeping ABC. At about the same time, WHNT bowed as a CBS affil. WMSL-TV 23 kept NBC, and in 1968 would pull up and move into Huntsville, changing to channel 48. (Side note: WAAY-31 was NBC from 1968-1977, and WMSL - later WYUR and now WAFF - was ABC).
Channel 25, meanwhile, would be redesignated non-comm and sign on in 1965 as WHIQ-TV.
What's positively amazing is that Huntsville managed to incubate three (3) relatively successful UHFs in an area which, with any decent outdoor rig, could receive stations from Birmingham (6, 13) and Nashville (2, 4, 5, 8). Plus, HSV had a cable system in place as early as 1962, offering clear pictures of all the VHFs in Nashville, Birmingham and Chattanooga.
Anyone curious about channel 31's colorful history should go to www.31alumni.com; it's operated by M. D. Smith IV, whose family owned WAAY-TV from 1963-1999. There a little bit on WAFG there, too, including an old logo slide.
--Russell
"I can recall when KCET Channel 28, the Los Angeles PBS affiliate came on the air in September 1964, my parents paid $50.00 to a TV repairman to install a UHF tuner/channel selector on our television set.'
We lived in Tujunga - a fringe reception area, so we probably couldn't have gotten KCET without cable in any case. "Seven Hills Cable" - a small local company was started because a new subdivision of homes in town called Seven Hills Ranch could not get ANY reception without cable. They put the new Spanish station at the unused channel 3, and KCET on channel 6. I was 11 or 12, and my mother thought I watched too much TV, and would often come into the den yelling at me to "watch some educational TV" - then she would change the channel to KCET. I hated that...
We lived in Tujunga - a fringe reception area, so we probably couldn't have gotten KCET without cable in any case. "Seven Hills Cable" - a small local company was started because a new subdivision of homes in town called Seven Hills Ranch could not get ANY reception without cable. They put the new Spanish station at the unused channel 3, and KCET on channel 6. I was 11 or 12, and my mother thought I watched too much TV, and would often come into the den yelling at me to "watch some educational TV" - then she would change the channel to KCET. I hated that...
F
fred flintstone
Guest
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
Sooner or later, any two people on this board agree on something.
I worked with Lou Gordon. A heckuva reporter of the old school (and he only did broadcasting as a part-time gig).
I bet now that Mitt Romney is getting ready to run for the GOP presidential nomination, he is glad nobody like Lou is around asking questions as Lou did with Mitt's old man.
Another much missed WKBD program (which originated on CKLW-TV channel 9) was Bill Kennedy Showtime. The show ran two and a half or three hours. The pre-48 movie ran 90 or 100 minutes. The rest was commercials (mostly local sponsors) and Bill Kennedy talking about movies. He'd started as a staff announcer at WWJ, The Detroit News and became a Warner Brothers contract player in the late 30's (about the same time as an announcer from WHO, Des Moines named Dutch Reagan), and stayed in Hollywood into the mid 50s. He worked steadily and never made it big (although Jack Warner at one point pushed him for the role Victor Laszlo in Casablanca). He knew the people. He knew the dish. And he talked about both during the movie breaks (which, as a result, were often more interesting than the movie). I still see him from time to time on cable in an old movie or early TV show and say a silent "thank you." He taught me to love old movies. And you can still hear his magnificent voice doing the opening narration to The Adventures of Superman.
Kaiser sold out to Field Communications (Chicago Sun-Times) in 1978. Tough times forced Field eventually to unload all the station portfolio. CBS Viacom now owns WKBD, a CW affiliate. WKBS, Burlington-Philadelphia surrendered its license and went dark for a time. Another licensee took the allocation and does brokered religion.
WSEE/35 in Erie, PA was a very early UHF station, signing on in 1954. And it had to compete with an already-established VHF there, WICU/12, plus the Cleveland VHFs and a couple Canadian stations for those who could get them. As far as I know, it never went dark in the early years. It was 1966 before another UHF station signed on there.
In many cases, the only UHF station in a market for many years was educational. In Rochester, WXXI/21 was the only UHF until WUHF/31 came on in 1980. And in Watertown, WNPE/16 was the only UHF until what is now WWTI/50 signed on in 1986. In Detroit, before there was WKBD, WTVS/56 was there. Buffalo was an interesting case, where WBUF, a commercial station owned by NBC was operated on Channel 17 for a time in the 1950s. It had to shut down due to low viewership, and the license was donated to the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, who started WNED a couple years later. Channel 17 continued to be a commercial allocation until 2001, as a result. It was only once the WNYPBA sold off non-commercial WNEQ/23 that the allocations were switched, allowing WNED to continue on as non-commercial.
Aside from WVIZ/25, Cleveland tried to support two UHF stations in the late 1960s. WKBF/61 was first, followed by WUAB/43. The two stations merged in 1974 as WUAB on Channel 43, as both had low viewership. WUAB went on to be successful, and Channel 61 stayed dark until 1980. As far as I know though, WUAB didn't have much local programming. I don't know what pre-emptions were like on WKYC and WJW, but if WEWS pre-empted something from ABC one could still watch WAKR/23. I know the second hour of GMA was seen on Channel 23 while Channel 5 had Morning Exchange.
There were no UHF stations in Canada prior to 1970, although a couple repeaters were licensed in Quebec in the late 1950s that apparently never went on the air. CICA/19 in Toronto, now known as TVO, was the first. It got cable carriage first on cable 13, and later on cable 2. CITY/79 (now 57) signed on in 1972, and to get viewers they were located on cable 7, and they aired soft pornography late at night. In Vancouver, the first UHF station didn't come until 1976, when CKVU/21 signed on with cable carriage on channel 13. The OTA signal moved to Channel 10 in 1985. UHF continued to be non-existant in many parts of Canada before the 1990s. My grandparents had a VHF-only TV, and there was no need to get a UHF tuner - there were only three channels where they lived, all VHF.
In many cases, the only UHF station in a market for many years was educational. In Rochester, WXXI/21 was the only UHF until WUHF/31 came on in 1980. And in Watertown, WNPE/16 was the only UHF until what is now WWTI/50 signed on in 1986. In Detroit, before there was WKBD, WTVS/56 was there. Buffalo was an interesting case, where WBUF, a commercial station owned by NBC was operated on Channel 17 for a time in the 1950s. It had to shut down due to low viewership, and the license was donated to the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, who started WNED a couple years later. Channel 17 continued to be a commercial allocation until 2001, as a result. It was only once the WNYPBA sold off non-commercial WNEQ/23 that the allocations were switched, allowing WNED to continue on as non-commercial.
Aside from WVIZ/25, Cleveland tried to support two UHF stations in the late 1960s. WKBF/61 was first, followed by WUAB/43. The two stations merged in 1974 as WUAB on Channel 43, as both had low viewership. WUAB went on to be successful, and Channel 61 stayed dark until 1980. As far as I know though, WUAB didn't have much local programming. I don't know what pre-emptions were like on WKYC and WJW, but if WEWS pre-empted something from ABC one could still watch WAKR/23. I know the second hour of GMA was seen on Channel 23 while Channel 5 had Morning Exchange.
There were no UHF stations in Canada prior to 1970, although a couple repeaters were licensed in Quebec in the late 1950s that apparently never went on the air. CICA/19 in Toronto, now known as TVO, was the first. It got cable carriage first on cable 13, and later on cable 2. CITY/79 (now 57) signed on in 1972, and to get viewers they were located on cable 7, and they aired soft pornography late at night. In Vancouver, the first UHF station didn't come until 1976, when CKVU/21 signed on with cable carriage on channel 13. The OTA signal moved to Channel 10 in 1985. UHF continued to be non-existant in many parts of Canada before the 1990s. My grandparents had a VHF-only TV, and there was no need to get a UHF tuner - there were only three channels where they lived, all VHF.
Re: Fresno wasn't always a UHF market
A few others:
Portland OR: KPTV Ch. 27 to 12
Albany NY: WROW-TV Ch. 41 to 10 (later WCDA, now WTEN)
Neenah/Green Bay WI: WNAM Ch. 42 to WFRV Ch. 5
St. Louis MO: WTVI Ch. 54 to 36 to 2 (now KTVI)
One station went from UHF to VHF and back: WKAR-TV E. Lansing MI went from Channel 60 to 10 (as WMSB, shared with NBC affiliate WILX Jackson MI) to 23 (as WKAR again).
It's also interesting to note that many of the small-market UHFs that did survive started on much higher channel numbers, such as:
WATR-TV Waterbury CT - 53 to 20 (now WTXX)
WSJV Elkhart IN - 52 to 28
WFIE-TV Evansville IN - 62 to 14
WEHT Evansville IN - 50 to 25
WNDU-TV South Bend IN - 46 to 16
WFAM-TV Lafayette IN - 59 to 18 (now WLFI)
WMGT-TV Adams MA - 74 to 19 (now WCDC)
WWLP Springfield MA - 61 to 22
WHYN-TV Springfield MA - 55 to 40 (now WGGB)
WAKR-TV Akron OH - 49 to 23 (now WVPX)
WBGU-TV Bowling Green OH - 70 to 57 to 27 (Non-commercial PBS)
WLOK-TV Lima OH - 73 to 35 (later WIMA-TV, now WLIO)
WFMJ-TV Youngstown OH - 73 to 21
WHIZ-TV Zanesville OH - 50 to 18
WARD-TV Johnstown PA - 56 to 19 (now WPCW Jeanette/Pittsburgh)
And probably quite a few others I can't think of right now.
chuckydoll said:
A few others:
Portland OR: KPTV Ch. 27 to 12
Albany NY: WROW-TV Ch. 41 to 10 (later WCDA, now WTEN)
Neenah/Green Bay WI: WNAM Ch. 42 to WFRV Ch. 5
St. Louis MO: WTVI Ch. 54 to 36 to 2 (now KTVI)
One station went from UHF to VHF and back: WKAR-TV E. Lansing MI went from Channel 60 to 10 (as WMSB, shared with NBC affiliate WILX Jackson MI) to 23 (as WKAR again).
It's also interesting to note that many of the small-market UHFs that did survive started on much higher channel numbers, such as:
WATR-TV Waterbury CT - 53 to 20 (now WTXX)
WSJV Elkhart IN - 52 to 28
WFIE-TV Evansville IN - 62 to 14
WEHT Evansville IN - 50 to 25
WNDU-TV South Bend IN - 46 to 16
WFAM-TV Lafayette IN - 59 to 18 (now WLFI)
WMGT-TV Adams MA - 74 to 19 (now WCDC)
WWLP Springfield MA - 61 to 22
WHYN-TV Springfield MA - 55 to 40 (now WGGB)
WAKR-TV Akron OH - 49 to 23 (now WVPX)
WBGU-TV Bowling Green OH - 70 to 57 to 27 (Non-commercial PBS)
WLOK-TV Lima OH - 73 to 35 (later WIMA-TV, now WLIO)
WFMJ-TV Youngstown OH - 73 to 21
WHIZ-TV Zanesville OH - 50 to 18
WARD-TV Johnstown PA - 56 to 19 (now WPCW Jeanette/Pittsburgh)
And probably quite a few others I can't think of right now.
WTVQ (first WBLG) Lexington-First on 62 then to 36 in June 1980
Re: Fresno wasn't always a UHF market
...and, for the most part, WOSH-TV/48 Oshkosh to WMBV/11 Marinette (now WLUK/11 Green Bay). Different licensees, but both started out as NBC affiliates, and when the Oshkosh station (at one end of the Green Bay market) folded (due to crappy maintenance of the transmitter and tower as much as the UHF channel itself), most of the physical equipment was used to put the Marinette station (at the other end of the Green Bay market) on the air...
KeithE4 said:
...and, for the most part, WOSH-TV/48 Oshkosh to WMBV/11 Marinette (now WLUK/11 Green Bay). Different licensees, but both started out as NBC affiliates, and when the Oshkosh station (at one end of the Green Bay market) folded (due to crappy maintenance of the transmitter and tower as much as the UHF channel itself), most of the physical equipment was used to put the Marinette station (at the other end of the Green Bay market) on the air...
K
KML0224
Guest
To quote from KeithE4's list, channel 53 here in Hartford/New Haven is now WEDN-TV (PBS) of Norwich, the Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) affiliate for east and southeastern Connecticut. Channel 20 of Waterbury was secondary NBC affiliate WATR-TV until the spring of 1982. The station then switched to WTXX-TV and was known as "Television 20". Channel 20 is now the CW affiliate for our market.
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