It was also a common practice for 12 channel systems in some of the smaller communities to share a channel between 2 different stations. In Longview, TX, late 70's, when our local ABC affiliate KLTV Tyler signed off nightly, they would put on the overnight feed of ABC WFAA Dallas. This was also done with WTBS Atlanta, which came on after one of the other local affiliates signed off (KTBS Shreveport, IIRC).
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How many channels did cable TV have in the 1970s?
- Thread starter BMR
- Start date
Not 1970s, but here's a couple of 1988 Seattle cable lineups, taken from the Seattle Times.
VIACOM
2-CBUT Vancouver [CBC]
3-Nickelodeon
4-KOMO Seattle [ABC]
5-KING Seattle [NBC]
6-ESPN
7-KIRO Seattle [CBS]
8-USA Network
9-KCTS Seattle [PBS]
10-CNN
11-KSTW Tacoma [IND]
12-KVOS Bellingham [IND]
13-KCPQ Tacoma [Fox]
14-MTV
15-VH1
16-Lifetime
17-TBS
18-Playboy [probably scrambled, but only channel on 18-no sharing]
19-HBO [and NO sign of Cinemax!]
20-Disney Channel
21-Showtime
22-The Movie Channel
23-A&E
24-TNN
25-KTZZ Seattle [IND, ch. 22]
26-CVN [Cable Value Network, no QVC until early 90s in Seattle]
27-Cablearn [UWTV predecessor?]
28-Government Access
29-Public Access/Weather Channel [Snohomish County only, why couldn't Viacom offer it to Seattle?]
30-FNN/KTPS Tacoma [PBS, ch. 28]
31-C-SPAN
32-Discovery Channel
33-KTBW Seattle [TBN, ch. 20]
TCI
2-HBO
3-CNN
4-KOMO Seattle [ABC]
5-KING Seattle [NBC]
6-AMC
7-KIRO Seattle [CBS]
8-Lifetime
9-KCTS Seattle [PBS]
10-ESPN
11-KSTW Tacoma [IND]
12-Disney Channel
13-KCPQ Tacoma [FOX]
14-Weather Channel
15-CVN
16-Showtime
17-TBS
18-VH1
19-A&E
20-KTBW Tacoma [TBN]
21-Cinemax [why did Viacom omit Cinemax? Weird...]
22-KTZZ Seattle [IND]
23-USA
24-SIN [Spanish International Network]
25-CBN Cable Network
26-MTV
27-Cablearn
28-Government Access
29-Public Access
30-KTPS Tacoma [PBS]
31-CBUT Vancouver, BC [CBC]
32-KVOS Bellingham [IND]
33-Discovery Channel
34-FNN/BET
35-TNN
36-C-SPAN
-crainbebo
VIACOM
2-CBUT Vancouver [CBC]
3-Nickelodeon
4-KOMO Seattle [ABC]
5-KING Seattle [NBC]
6-ESPN
7-KIRO Seattle [CBS]
8-USA Network
9-KCTS Seattle [PBS]
10-CNN
11-KSTW Tacoma [IND]
12-KVOS Bellingham [IND]
13-KCPQ Tacoma [Fox]
14-MTV
15-VH1
16-Lifetime
17-TBS
18-Playboy [probably scrambled, but only channel on 18-no sharing]
19-HBO [and NO sign of Cinemax!]
20-Disney Channel
21-Showtime
22-The Movie Channel
23-A&E
24-TNN
25-KTZZ Seattle [IND, ch. 22]
26-CVN [Cable Value Network, no QVC until early 90s in Seattle]
27-Cablearn [UWTV predecessor?]
28-Government Access
29-Public Access/Weather Channel [Snohomish County only, why couldn't Viacom offer it to Seattle?]
30-FNN/KTPS Tacoma [PBS, ch. 28]
31-C-SPAN
32-Discovery Channel
33-KTBW Seattle [TBN, ch. 20]
TCI
2-HBO
3-CNN
4-KOMO Seattle [ABC]
5-KING Seattle [NBC]
6-AMC
7-KIRO Seattle [CBS]
8-Lifetime
9-KCTS Seattle [PBS]
10-ESPN
11-KSTW Tacoma [IND]
12-Disney Channel
13-KCPQ Tacoma [FOX]
14-Weather Channel
15-CVN
16-Showtime
17-TBS
18-VH1
19-A&E
20-KTBW Tacoma [TBN]
21-Cinemax [why did Viacom omit Cinemax? Weird...]
22-KTZZ Seattle [IND]
23-USA
24-SIN [Spanish International Network]
25-CBN Cable Network
26-MTV
27-Cablearn
28-Government Access
29-Public Access
30-KTPS Tacoma [PBS]
31-CBUT Vancouver, BC [CBC]
32-KVOS Bellingham [IND]
33-Discovery Channel
34-FNN/BET
35-TNN
36-C-SPAN
-crainbebo
Cox Cable in Ocala FL, July 1970:
2 WESH 2-NBC Daytona Beach
3 WEDU 3-NET Tampa
4 WJXT 4-CBS Jacksonviille
5 WUFT 5-NET Gainesville
6 WDBO 6-CBS Orlando
7 Weather/Music
8 WFLA 8-NBC Tampa
9 WFTV 9-ABC Orlando
10 WLCY 10-ABC St. Petersburg
11 WTOG 44-Ind St. Petersburg
12 WFGA 12-NBC Jacksonville
13 WTVT 13-CBS Tampa
2 WESH 2-NBC Daytona Beach
3 WEDU 3-NET Tampa
4 WJXT 4-CBS Jacksonviille
5 WUFT 5-NET Gainesville
6 WDBO 6-CBS Orlando
7 Weather/Music
8 WFLA 8-NBC Tampa
9 WFTV 9-ABC Orlando
10 WLCY 10-ABC St. Petersburg
11 WTOG 44-Ind St. Petersburg
12 WFGA 12-NBC Jacksonville
13 WTVT 13-CBS Tampa
Before the 80s there were a lot of regional superstations. Most know of WOR, WGN, KTVU, WPIX, WSKB but there were smaller powerhouses locally
WTCN (Channel 11 Minneapolis, when it was independent) was all over Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Wisconsin. KPLR (St Louis) held Missouri and points south around there. WCIX Miami was the "superstation" for Florida. KWGN was the independent superstation for the Rockies.
I'm sure there were other regional superstations carried into areas with only the big three and no independents.
I remember my grandmother's cable in Hibbing (NW of Duluth) had a Canadian channel from Winnipeg. Of course it had that CLOCK on not one but TWO channels.
WTCN (Channel 11 Minneapolis, when it was independent) was all over Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Wisconsin. KPLR (St Louis) held Missouri and points south around there. WCIX Miami was the "superstation" for Florida. KWGN was the independent superstation for the Rockies.
I'm sure there were other regional superstations carried into areas with only the big three and no independents.
I remember my grandmother's cable in Hibbing (NW of Duluth) had a Canadian channel from Winnipeg. Of course it had that CLOCK on not one but TWO channels.
WTTV, Bloomington IN and WXIX, Cincinnati were seen regionally via microwave
Greg Branch said:
There were a couple of cases of this in Canada. One of the cable operators in Ottawa carried Global on Cable 12 when that network first signed on in 1974. Global only programmed for a few hours per day, so whenever Global was off the air, CFCF Montreal was carried in its place.
In London, Ontario, one of the cable companies carried three NBC affiliates: WKYC/3 Cleveland, WWJ/4 Detroit, and WICU/12 Erie, all on the same cable positions as their OTA positions. At one point, they were using Cable 12 for local origination, so that position was split between WICU and the local cable channel. This would've been back around 1970. Eventually Global replaced WKYC, WSEE Erie moved from Cable 6 to Cable 4 while WWJ (WDIV) moved to a position above 13, CKCO Kitchener moved from 13 to 6, and local origination moved from 12 to 13, allowing WICU to be carried full-time.
London's position close to multiple U.S. cities, and the introduction of new Canadian services in the 1970s, allowed that city to have cable beyond Channels 2-13 earlier than many places.
Bloomington IN, 1972 (I hope I remember this right):
2 - WTWO Terre Haute (NBC/ABC)
3 - Local Origination
4 - WTTV Bloomington/Indianapolis (Ind.)
5 - WTIU Bloomington (PBS Ch. 30)
6 - WRTV Indianapolis (NBC)
7 - Local Weather/Public Access
8 - WISH-TV Indianapolis (CBS)
9 - WGN-TV Chicago (Ind.)
10 - WTHI-TV Terre Haute (CBS/ABC)
11 - WDRB-TV Louisville (Ind. Ch. 41)
12 - WXIX-TV Cincinnati (Ind. Ch. 19)
13 - WLWI Indianapolis (ABC)
2 - WTWO Terre Haute (NBC/ABC)
3 - Local Origination
4 - WTTV Bloomington/Indianapolis (Ind.)
5 - WTIU Bloomington (PBS Ch. 30)
6 - WRTV Indianapolis (NBC)
7 - Local Weather/Public Access
8 - WISH-TV Indianapolis (CBS)
9 - WGN-TV Chicago (Ind.)
10 - WTHI-TV Terre Haute (CBS/ABC)
11 - WDRB-TV Louisville (Ind. Ch. 41)
12 - WXIX-TV Cincinnati (Ind. Ch. 19)
13 - WLWI Indianapolis (ABC)
Cablecom-General of Denison (I think Sherman had the same lineup) circa 1971.
2- WFAA-TV 8 (ABC) Dallas
3- KXII 12 (NBC/CBS) Ardmore, Oklahoma/Sherman-Denison, Texas
4- KRLD-TV 4 (CBS) Dallas
5- WBAP-TV 5 (NBC) Fort Worth
6- KTVT 11 (Ind.) Fort Worth
I don't remember exactly when we upgraded to 12 channels, but it was around 1972.
2- Denison Schools ETV Primary (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
3- KXII 12 (NBC/CBS) Ardmore, Oklahoma/Sherman-Denison, Texas
4- KRLD-TV 4 (CBS) Dallas
5- WBAP-TV 5 (NBC) Fort Worth
6- Weather Dials (KOAX-FM from Dallas, Easy Listening)
7- (black)
8- WFAA-TV 8 (ABC) Dallas
9- KDTV 39 (Ind.) Dallas
10- Denison Schools ETV (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
11- KTVT 11 (Ind.) Fort Worth
12- Denison Schools ETV (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
13- KERA 13 (PBS) Dallas
2- WFAA-TV 8 (ABC) Dallas
3- KXII 12 (NBC/CBS) Ardmore, Oklahoma/Sherman-Denison, Texas
4- KRLD-TV 4 (CBS) Dallas
5- WBAP-TV 5 (NBC) Fort Worth
6- KTVT 11 (Ind.) Fort Worth
I don't remember exactly when we upgraded to 12 channels, but it was around 1972.
2- Denison Schools ETV Primary (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
3- KXII 12 (NBC/CBS) Ardmore, Oklahoma/Sherman-Denison, Texas
4- KRLD-TV 4 (CBS) Dallas
5- WBAP-TV 5 (NBC) Fort Worth
6- Weather Dials (KOAX-FM from Dallas, Easy Listening)
7- (black)
8- WFAA-TV 8 (ABC) Dallas
9- KDTV 39 (Ind.) Dallas
10- Denison Schools ETV (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
11- KTVT 11 (Ind.) Fort Worth
12- Denison Schools ETV (for in-class use. was black most of the day.)
13- KERA 13 (PBS) Dallas
Re: How many channels did cable TV have in the 1970s? "Z" TV, anyone?
I remember my grandparents had something called "Z" channel back then, it was only available in a small radius in Los Angeles (Hollywood Hills) and from what I recall, it was the first and only real "pay tv" product available- that is, it offered channels specific to to paid subscribers only- not a re-transmission of fringe or hard to get stations. They used a beige colored box with push buttons to select specific channels, the box was connected to the TV somehow. I remember as a kid counting the buttons. It's been 30 years, but I think I counted 17 total channels, and that included the locals. I find NOTHING online regarding the "Z" channel box.
I remember my grandparents had something called "Z" channel back then, it was only available in a small radius in Los Angeles (Hollywood Hills) and from what I recall, it was the first and only real "pay tv" product available- that is, it offered channels specific to to paid subscribers only- not a re-transmission of fringe or hard to get stations. They used a beige colored box with push buttons to select specific channels, the box was connected to the TV somehow. I remember as a kid counting the buttons. It's been 30 years, but I think I counted 17 total channels, and that included the locals. I find NOTHING online regarding the "Z" channel box.
Wow.. boy had I only done a google search before i posted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_Channel
When I lived in Eastern Kentucky in the 1960's we often had towns with "community Antennas" usually at the top of the highest hill. Reception was terrible, but it sure beat nothing. When I went back to visit in the later 1980's every little house had a gigantic dish sitting in front of it, oftentimes bigger than the house, but the reception was so much better and the folks down there loved it. I'm sure they still have the dish, but the dishes themselves are so much smaller.
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
In Pittsburgh the early systems had 12 (channels 2-13 tuned thru the set without a converter).
I remember in the late 70's the Pittsburgh Penguins moved their games to WPTT-22.
They were the newest kid on the block, and hence cable systems had consigned them to Channel 13,
which experienced significant interference from over-the-air WQED. People blasted the team with
angry letters and they moved the games back to WPGH-53 the following season.
Generally the selection was locals 2, 4, 11, 13 (on 12 for some reason), 53, 22, WTBS, WOR, WUAB (Cleveland),
ESPN and HBO. And generally some local bulletin board channel.
I remember in the late 70's the Pittsburgh Penguins moved their games to WPTT-22.
They were the newest kid on the block, and hence cable systems had consigned them to Channel 13,
which experienced significant interference from over-the-air WQED. People blasted the team with
angry letters and they moved the games back to WPGH-53 the following season.
Generally the selection was locals 2, 4, 11, 13 (on 12 for some reason), 53, 22, WTBS, WOR, WUAB (Cleveland),
ESPN and HBO. And generally some local bulletin board channel.
H
harrisburgpatv
Guest
dhett said:
Wow...Even as far back as 1970, 16 was on dial position 6....Guess it would be awhile before 22 settled on 2, 28 on 3, and 44 on 4 (and later 38 on 5)...
Here, have a few lineups. My pleasure. Really.
Tupelo, Miss. - 1974 (Tupelo Community Antenna, the beginning of what we all know and hate today as Comcast)
2 = WKNO 10 (PBS - Memphis)
3 = WREG 3 (CBS - Memphis)
4 = WHBQ 13 (ABC - Memphis)
5 = WMC 5 (NBC - Memphis) ... gray screen when duplicating local NBC
6 = WTWV 9 (NBC, ABC - Tupelo) ... WTVA since 1979
7 = WCBI 4 (CBS, ABC - Columbus)
8 = blank
9 = blank
10 = Local weather, the typical camera-on-a-motor panning a set of analog gauges. Audio was then-B/EZ WELO-FM 98.5
11 = blank
12 = WMAE 12 (PBS - Booneville) ... signed on in 1974, first Miss. ETV repeater in that area
13 = blank
Wasn't much to it. Then again, consider what it became. :-/
# # #
Alabama TV Cable, serving the Homewood suburb (among others) in metro Birmingham ... circa 1975:
2 = WBIQ 10 (PBS - Birmingham)
3 = News ticker
4 = WBRC 6 (ABC - Birmingham)
5 = WAPI 13 (NBC - Birmingham) ... of course now WVTM.
6 = blank
7 = WTCG 17 (Atlanta) ... picked up via microwave, offered several years prior to it becoming a real "superstation."
8 = WHAE 46 (Atlanta) ... back when it was owned by Pat Robertson. Pretty decent indie, actually.
9 = Weather ticker
10 = blank
11 = WCFT 33 (CBS - Tuscaloosa) ... go figure!
12 = WBMG 42 (CBS - Birmingham)
13 = blank
# # #
Troy, Alabama (Troy Cablevision) ... 1977:
2 = WDIQ 2 (PBS - Dozier, Ala.)
3 = WRBL 3 (CBS - Columbus, Ga.)
4 = WTVY 4 (CBS - Dothan, Ala.)
5 = Troy State University TV (Now "TrojanVision", was then called simply "TV-5")
6 = Weather gauge, local access
7 = WTCG 17 (Indep. - Atlanta)
8 = WYEA 38 (NBC - Columbus, Ga.) ... now WLTZ
9 = WTVM 9 (ABC - Columbus, Ga.)
10 = WCOV 20 (CBS - Montgomery) ... now Fox
11 = WSFA 12 (NBC - Montgomery) ... transmitter was fairly close to Troy
12 = blank
13 = WKAB 32 (ABC - Montgomery) ... now WNCF
# # #
Cape Girardeau, Mo. (forget the name of the system) ... 1981 lineup:
2 = HBO **
3 = WSIL 3 (ABC - Harrisburg, Ill.)
4 = CBN **
5 = USA **
6 = WPSD 6 (NBC - Paducah, Ky.)
7 = KFVS 12 (CBS - Cape Girardeau)
8 = WSIU 8 (PBS - Carbondale, Ill.)
9 = KETC 9 (PBS - St. Louis)
10 = Local news/weather scroll ... KJAS-AM audio by day (AC/oldies) / KJAQ-FM by night (top-40/AOR)
11 = KPLR 11 (Indep. - St. Louis)
12 = blank
13 = WTBS 17 (Atlanta)
Of curious note was the lack of ESPN, even though it was still a "toddler" at the time (1979, right?).
** = Cape's provider was HQ'ed in nearby Jackson (smaller city, actually the county seat of Cape Girardeau County), and even as late as 1981, 2, 4 and 5 in Jackson were the STL network affils (KTVI 2-ABC, KMOX 4-CBS, KSD 5-NBC) ... while Cape didn't get them. Not sure how Jackson handled HBO.
The local CBS and the nearby ABC affils cleared most all shows in-pattern, and much as been said on this board about WPSD-6, and its preemption-happy ways. I would've loved having KSD(K) as an alternative on cable. Fortunately, our house was on a small hill, and we had a tall antenna (cable was slow to reach our neighborhood). From that I was able to pull in 5 out of St. Louis, although it was snowy. Small price to pay if I didn't feel like staying up another hour for SNL on 6. ;D ;D
# # #
Hot Springs, Arkansas (Resort TV Cable), 1982:
They had a weird "A/B" slide converter that in effect doubled the standard 12-channel offering. 2A, 2B, and so on....
When we first moved here, the "B" column was mostly the pay channels -- I was amazed, we had just HBO in Cape, but HS offered Cinemax, and The Movie Channel. I was very pleased with all the indies they had.
I'm a bit foggy on the lineup, but let me scrape the bowels of my mind. Offerings are accurate, if not all the slots:
2 = KETG 9 (PBS - Arkadelphia, Ark.)
3 = CBN
4 = KARK 4 (NBC - Little Rock)
5 = News & weather ticker
6 = CNN
7 = KATV 7 (ABC - Little Rock) ***
8 = KTVT 11 (then Indep. - Fort Worth) ... dropped in June 1983, when KLRT 16 (first indie in Little Rock) signed on.
9 = WGN 9 (Chicago)
10 = WTBS 17 (Atlanta)
11 = KTHV 11 (CBS - Little Rock)
12 = ESPN
13 = KXTX 39 (Indep. - Dallas) ... another Pat Robertson station. Like 46 in ATL, a good lineup.
2B = HBO
3B = Cinemax
4B = The Movie Channel
*** = After KATV signed off, channel switched over to WFAA 8 (Dallas), for its all-night movies.
Tupelo, Miss. - 1974 (Tupelo Community Antenna, the beginning of what we all know and hate today as Comcast)
2 = WKNO 10 (PBS - Memphis)
3 = WREG 3 (CBS - Memphis)
4 = WHBQ 13 (ABC - Memphis)
5 = WMC 5 (NBC - Memphis) ... gray screen when duplicating local NBC
6 = WTWV 9 (NBC, ABC - Tupelo) ... WTVA since 1979
7 = WCBI 4 (CBS, ABC - Columbus)
8 = blank
9 = blank
10 = Local weather, the typical camera-on-a-motor panning a set of analog gauges. Audio was then-B/EZ WELO-FM 98.5
11 = blank
12 = WMAE 12 (PBS - Booneville) ... signed on in 1974, first Miss. ETV repeater in that area
13 = blank
Wasn't much to it. Then again, consider what it became. :-/
# # #
Alabama TV Cable, serving the Homewood suburb (among others) in metro Birmingham ... circa 1975:
2 = WBIQ 10 (PBS - Birmingham)
3 = News ticker
4 = WBRC 6 (ABC - Birmingham)
5 = WAPI 13 (NBC - Birmingham) ... of course now WVTM.
6 = blank
7 = WTCG 17 (Atlanta) ... picked up via microwave, offered several years prior to it becoming a real "superstation."
8 = WHAE 46 (Atlanta) ... back when it was owned by Pat Robertson. Pretty decent indie, actually.
9 = Weather ticker
10 = blank
11 = WCFT 33 (CBS - Tuscaloosa) ... go figure!
12 = WBMG 42 (CBS - Birmingham)
13 = blank
# # #
Troy, Alabama (Troy Cablevision) ... 1977:
2 = WDIQ 2 (PBS - Dozier, Ala.)
3 = WRBL 3 (CBS - Columbus, Ga.)
4 = WTVY 4 (CBS - Dothan, Ala.)
5 = Troy State University TV (Now "TrojanVision", was then called simply "TV-5")
6 = Weather gauge, local access
7 = WTCG 17 (Indep. - Atlanta)
8 = WYEA 38 (NBC - Columbus, Ga.) ... now WLTZ
9 = WTVM 9 (ABC - Columbus, Ga.)
10 = WCOV 20 (CBS - Montgomery) ... now Fox
11 = WSFA 12 (NBC - Montgomery) ... transmitter was fairly close to Troy
12 = blank
13 = WKAB 32 (ABC - Montgomery) ... now WNCF
# # #
Cape Girardeau, Mo. (forget the name of the system) ... 1981 lineup:
2 = HBO **
3 = WSIL 3 (ABC - Harrisburg, Ill.)
4 = CBN **
5 = USA **
6 = WPSD 6 (NBC - Paducah, Ky.)
7 = KFVS 12 (CBS - Cape Girardeau)
8 = WSIU 8 (PBS - Carbondale, Ill.)
9 = KETC 9 (PBS - St. Louis)
10 = Local news/weather scroll ... KJAS-AM audio by day (AC/oldies) / KJAQ-FM by night (top-40/AOR)
11 = KPLR 11 (Indep. - St. Louis)
12 = blank
13 = WTBS 17 (Atlanta)
Of curious note was the lack of ESPN, even though it was still a "toddler" at the time (1979, right?).
** = Cape's provider was HQ'ed in nearby Jackson (smaller city, actually the county seat of Cape Girardeau County), and even as late as 1981, 2, 4 and 5 in Jackson were the STL network affils (KTVI 2-ABC, KMOX 4-CBS, KSD 5-NBC) ... while Cape didn't get them. Not sure how Jackson handled HBO.
The local CBS and the nearby ABC affils cleared most all shows in-pattern, and much as been said on this board about WPSD-6, and its preemption-happy ways. I would've loved having KSD(K) as an alternative on cable. Fortunately, our house was on a small hill, and we had a tall antenna (cable was slow to reach our neighborhood). From that I was able to pull in 5 out of St. Louis, although it was snowy. Small price to pay if I didn't feel like staying up another hour for SNL on 6. ;D ;D
# # #
Hot Springs, Arkansas (Resort TV Cable), 1982:
They had a weird "A/B" slide converter that in effect doubled the standard 12-channel offering. 2A, 2B, and so on....
When we first moved here, the "B" column was mostly the pay channels -- I was amazed, we had just HBO in Cape, but HS offered Cinemax, and The Movie Channel. I was very pleased with all the indies they had.
I'm a bit foggy on the lineup, but let me scrape the bowels of my mind. Offerings are accurate, if not all the slots:
2 = KETG 9 (PBS - Arkadelphia, Ark.)
3 = CBN
4 = KARK 4 (NBC - Little Rock)
5 = News & weather ticker
6 = CNN
7 = KATV 7 (ABC - Little Rock) ***
8 = KTVT 11 (then Indep. - Fort Worth) ... dropped in June 1983, when KLRT 16 (first indie in Little Rock) signed on.
9 = WGN 9 (Chicago)
10 = WTBS 17 (Atlanta)
11 = KTHV 11 (CBS - Little Rock)
12 = ESPN
13 = KXTX 39 (Indep. - Dallas) ... another Pat Robertson station. Like 46 in ATL, a good lineup.
2B = HBO
3B = Cinemax
4B = The Movie Channel
*** = After KATV signed off, channel switched over to WFAA 8 (Dallas), for its all-night movies.
My grandmother had cable since the early 70's in Dyersburg, TN. They had:
WREG CBS 3 Memphis
WMC NBC 5 Memphis
WPSD NBC 6 Paducah, KY
WBBJ ABC 7 Jackson, TN
KAIT ABC 8 Jonesboro, AR (I think, but this was dropped later)
WKNO PBS 10 Memphis
WLJT PBS 11 Lexington/Jackson, TN
KFVS CBS 12 Cape Girardeau, MO
WHBQ (Then ABC) 13 in Memphis
They were all on the same cable channels as their OTA channels. There was also a channel with the weather gauges and a clock like was standard at that time I think on channel 2 and a local access channel on 4.
Although I can't remember exactly which channel I think that when HBO and Channel 17 in Atlanta came in they were on 8 and 9 and KAIT was possibly dropped at that time later in the 70's. When WPTY 24, Memphis's first independent station, started they were put on channel 2. Later on when the system started expanding into higher channels and HBO and TBS were moved WMKW 30 (Now WLMT), Memphis's second independent station, was put on channel 9.
At that time in the early 80's Dyersburg had 2 channels for each of the Big 3 networks and PBS, and 2 independents. Channel 4 was still public access and channel 8 became the Prevue channel. I thought that was a great basic lineup at the time. Channel 8 eventually became WDYR channel 33 in Dyersburg, and the local lineup stayed the same until 2009 when WPSD and KFVS were dropped before the digital conversion, supposedly because their signals would be too far away after the conversion.
For some reson I've never understood Cable One in Dyersburg has never carried WJKT 16 in Jackson, TN, although their tower is actually only 20 miles away. At one time WJKT would simulcast WLMT in Memphis, which Cable One carries, but they have been more local over the last 10 years. But Cable One carries WLMT and not WJKT.
WREG CBS 3 Memphis
WMC NBC 5 Memphis
WPSD NBC 6 Paducah, KY
WBBJ ABC 7 Jackson, TN
KAIT ABC 8 Jonesboro, AR (I think, but this was dropped later)
WKNO PBS 10 Memphis
WLJT PBS 11 Lexington/Jackson, TN
KFVS CBS 12 Cape Girardeau, MO
WHBQ (Then ABC) 13 in Memphis
They were all on the same cable channels as their OTA channels. There was also a channel with the weather gauges and a clock like was standard at that time I think on channel 2 and a local access channel on 4.
Although I can't remember exactly which channel I think that when HBO and Channel 17 in Atlanta came in they were on 8 and 9 and KAIT was possibly dropped at that time later in the 70's. When WPTY 24, Memphis's first independent station, started they were put on channel 2. Later on when the system started expanding into higher channels and HBO and TBS were moved WMKW 30 (Now WLMT), Memphis's second independent station, was put on channel 9.
At that time in the early 80's Dyersburg had 2 channels for each of the Big 3 networks and PBS, and 2 independents. Channel 4 was still public access and channel 8 became the Prevue channel. I thought that was a great basic lineup at the time. Channel 8 eventually became WDYR channel 33 in Dyersburg, and the local lineup stayed the same until 2009 when WPSD and KFVS were dropped before the digital conversion, supposedly because their signals would be too far away after the conversion.
For some reson I've never understood Cable One in Dyersburg has never carried WJKT 16 in Jackson, TN, although their tower is actually only 20 miles away. At one time WJKT would simulcast WLMT in Memphis, which Cable One carries, but they have been more local over the last 10 years. But Cable One carries WLMT and not WJKT.
Mark said:
...the Milwaukee indie WVTV/18 claimed its microwaved cable carriage extended from Kenosha, WI, to some locales in North Dakota; the microwave service put WBBM-TV/2, the CBS O&O in Chicago, on the same feed after WVTV signed off for the night...
Little Sullivan, Indiana's 12 channel lineup, circa 1984:
02-Blank
03-WTWO (NBC) OTA 2/Terre Haute
04-WTTV (Ind.) OTA 4/Bloomington
05-HBO
06-SuperStation WTBS
07-WTVW (ABC) OTA 7/Evansville
08-USA Cable Network
09-WVUT (PBS) OTA 22/Vincennes
10-Blank
11-WTHI (CBS) OTA 10/Terre Haute
12-WBAK (ABC) OTA 38/Terre Haute
13-CNN
Once TCI came in a few years later with a choice between the wireless remote Scientific Atlanta set-top boxes or the Jarrold 2-37 channel push-button set-top box, offerings went up to channel 23. Can't recall the exact lineup, but it included WGN-TV, MTV, ESPN, CBN, The Nashville Network, Showtime, The Disney Channel, Cinemax, Lifetime, and American Movie Classics. Oddly, WVUT was replaced by WUSI-TV out of Olney, IL as the PBS offering for a few years, even though both were available over the air in Sullivan.
02-Blank
03-WTWO (NBC) OTA 2/Terre Haute
04-WTTV (Ind.) OTA 4/Bloomington
05-HBO
06-SuperStation WTBS
07-WTVW (ABC) OTA 7/Evansville
08-USA Cable Network
09-WVUT (PBS) OTA 22/Vincennes
10-Blank
11-WTHI (CBS) OTA 10/Terre Haute
12-WBAK (ABC) OTA 38/Terre Haute
13-CNN
Once TCI came in a few years later with a choice between the wireless remote Scientific Atlanta set-top boxes or the Jarrold 2-37 channel push-button set-top box, offerings went up to channel 23. Can't recall the exact lineup, but it included WGN-TV, MTV, ESPN, CBN, The Nashville Network, Showtime, The Disney Channel, Cinemax, Lifetime, and American Movie Classics. Oddly, WVUT was replaced by WUSI-TV out of Olney, IL as the PBS offering for a few years, even though both were available over the air in Sullivan.
I became a cable subscriber circa 1977 in Central New York. It was a 12-channel system, no set-top box. To the best of my memory:
02 - WKTV Utica - NBC
03 - WSYR Syracuse - NBC
04 - WCNY Syracuse - PBS
05 - WTVH Syracuse - CBS
06 - Home Box Office (extra cost)
07 - WOR New York - Independent
08 - WPIX New York - Independent
09 - WIXT Syracuse - ABC
10 - Local Access (remember the analog weather gauges?)
11 - CKWS Kingston, Ontario
12 - WUTR Utica - ABC
02 - WKTV Utica - NBC
03 - WSYR Syracuse - NBC
04 - WCNY Syracuse - PBS
05 - WTVH Syracuse - CBS
06 - Home Box Office (extra cost)
07 - WOR New York - Independent
08 - WPIX New York - Independent
09 - WIXT Syracuse - ABC
10 - Local Access (remember the analog weather gauges?)
11 - CKWS Kingston, Ontario
12 - WUTR Utica - ABC
- Status