JFK IN COLOR

[davalvideo]

Yes...that is true about the WBAP feed to NBC. They were sending it to New York in color. It was Reuven Frank's decision at NBC to broadcast it to the nation in black and white because NBC's network cameras (those used for news) were all black and white and NBC execs were embarassed by this fact. If you were living in Dallas-Fort Worth at the time, you would have seen WBAP in color that weekend only if they interrupted the NBC network feed for their own local programming....NOT if you were watching the WBAP feed through the facilities of NBC. The color feed from WBAP ended on the network shortly after the announcement of the President's death.

 

[Gary Mack]

Yes...that is true about the WBAP feed to NBC. They were sending it to New York in color. It was Reuven Frank's decision at NBC to broadcast it to the nation in black and white because NBC's network cameras (those used for news) were all black and white and NBC execs were embarassed by this fact. If you were living in Dallas-Fort Worth at the time, you would have seen WBAP in color that weekend only if they interrupted the NBC network feed for their own local programming....NOT if you were watching the WBAP feed through the facilities of NBC. The color feed from WBAP ended on the network shortly after the announcement of the President's death.

That's exactly right. I worked for WBAP (then KXAS) through the 80s and early 90s and talked with the engineers and others on staff who worked the Kennedy assassination weekend. WBAP first went color in May 1954 and, unlike more than a few other NBC affiliates, the station kept their color studio cameras even though they'd often go out of whack within half an hour.

WBAP was quite angry that NBC killed the color for the network feed, but they kept it on anyway, especially for local cut-ins since their live studio broadcasts had been color for nearly 10 years.

The station kept only three video tapes of their coverage and none were of the studio color shots except for one brief scene: the 9am station ID (a b&w slide) and “courtesy” announcement by sports anchor Pete Talmadge saying that NBC’s “Say When” was being pre-empted for the live broadcast of JFK’s Chamber of Commerce speech at the Hotel Texas. It was poorly recorded and the color banding is so distracting that two recent shows that used it aired it in b&w. And the breakfast speech was pooled by indy KTVT, which had no color cameras at the time.

GM

 

[searadiofreak]

Very interesting, Gary. The video that I still retain shows NBC's "As It Happened" coverage. It definitely switches to color when it goes to Dallas. I think there were two segments where this occurred. (this was a 25-year anniversary broadcast on A&E so the importance of this had lessened.) Always thought this part of the NBC "As It Happened" coverage was odd, but now I am beginning to understand why it happened that way. But, I do have video evidence of NBC B&W, with color Dallas cut-ins. Fascinating document of B&W changing to color during this era!

If anyone has interest in obtaining this rare footage, please PM me. I would only ask for a minimal fee for my time and postage. Thanks.

 

[brithgob]

Here's the NBC coverage: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5A7AB25B97DEDAE9&playnext=1&v=lDCt7dRndDo
CBS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqhs_c696pk&feature=PlayList&p=7EC8F0FFCBA0E425&index=0&playnext=1
ABC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y36DbAmUKw4&feature=PlayList&p=877B49732EC6DAC8&index=0&playnext=1

Note as well that NBC was broadcasting from a cramped "bulletin studio", which explains why Bill Ryan is sitting up higher than the others. It may also explain some of the technical foul-ups.

Here's the ABC affiliate WFAA-TV's coverage, which includes an interview with Abraham Zapruder who shot the famous film of the shooting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twKRh2uKkPE&feature=PlayList&p=8E7982DCB5CF1C9F&index=0&playnext=1

And when you have a chance, check out this guy's other videos -- it's a real treasure trove.

 

[TheBigA]

This is one of those transitional periods in technology, with film and video being shot at the same time, depending on who did the shooting.

Don't forget that several of the old newsreel companies were still in business at the time. Universal, Fox Movietone, and a couple others, shot film (mostly B&W) on lots of locations, and continued into the mid 60s.

The live coverage, including the Oswald assassination, was videotape. But I think it was being recorded off air in NYC. The video recorders at the time were huge. Porta-packs, shooting 1 inch tape didn't come about until the late 60s. Most of the JFK press conference stuff, which I think was recorded either at State Department or maybe even GWU's auditorium, was usually B&W film. They didn't build a press room into the White House until after JFK.

David Wolper, who just died recently, has one of the best known documentaries on the JFK assassination called Four Days in November. I think it's mostly in color, but mostly film. It's been a while since I saw it.

The TV network situation at the time was case by case. CBS invested a lot of money in its own color system, but was seen by the FCC as not practical. Once the NBC system was approved, CBS moved slowly towards color. ABC was the company that was financially unable to make the full transition. In his biography, ABC chairman Leonard Goldenson says the transition nearly forced the network into bankruptcy. It wasn't until the success of prime time series like Happy Days when the network was able to pay off the transition. ABC's LA studio was built for color in 1967. The other issue was the local affiliates, who also had to make technical changes for color.

 

[searadiofreak]

Here's the NBC coverage: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5A7AB25B97DEDAE9&playnext=1&v=lDCt7dRndDo
CBS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqhs_c696pk&feature=PlayList&p=7EC8F0FFCBA0E425&index=0&playnext=1
ABC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y36DbAmUKw4&feature=PlayList&p=877B49732EC6DAC8&index=0&playnext=1

Note as well that NBC was broadcasting from a cramped "bulletin studio", which explains why Bill Ryan is sitting up higher than the others. It may also explain some of the technical foul-ups.

Here's the ABC affiliate WFAA-TV's coverage, which includes an interview with Abraham Zapruder who shot the famous film of the shooting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twKRh2uKkPE&feature=PlayList&p=8E7982DCB5CF1C9F&index=0&playnext=1

And when you have a chance, check out this guy's other videos -- it's a real treasure trove.

Thanks, good stuff there.. The ABC coverage if obviously inferior to CBS and NBC. However, I'm not sure the color Dallas cut-ins are anywhere to be found here. I may be wrong, but PM if you would like that coverage.

 

[davalvideo]

The JFK Press conferences were, in addition to being broadcast live, also recorded on 2-inch videotape...andf those tapes still exist in the CBS News Archives...in addition to other footage shot on black and white film. NET (National Educational Television...the pbilic television network before it became PBS) broadcast the JFK Press conferences on a tape delay on the day they occurred. The JFK Library has all the press conferences on tape. CBS gave them copies in 1967. The 1964 David Wolper production "Four Days in November" is entirely in black and white and not mostly color as had been earlier stated, and although mastered on 35mm film, it utilized both video and film source material in its production. BTW...Gary Mack mentioned two recent programs that used the WBAP intro to the JFK Chamber of Commerce speech in Fort Worth. Those programs, "JFK: 3 Shots That changed America and "The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination, are a treasure chest of rare viintage coverage from that weekend. I highly recommend them both.

 

[Gary Mack]

I've corrcted some of the erroneous information below.

GM

This is one of those transitional periods in technology, with film and video being shot at the same time, depending on who did the shooting.

Don't forget that several of the old newsreel companies were still in business at the time. Universal, Fox Movietone, and a couple others, shot film (mostly B&W) on lots of locations, and continued into the mid 60s.

The live coverage, including the Oswald assassination, was videotape. But I think it was being recorded off air in NYC.

GM: NBC recorded the live video direct, not off the air. So, too, did WBAP and at least one of the two remote trucks they used to feed the signal back to the studio. The CBS live feed from their own camera was also recorded direct and so did their Dallas affiliate, KRLD. The ABC affiliate did not have a live camera in the police basement when Oswald was shot.

The video recorders at the time were huge. Porta-packs, shooting 1 inch tape didn't come about until the late 60s. Most of the JFK press conference stuff, which I think was recorded either at State Department or maybe even GWU's auditorium, was usually B&W film. They didn't build a press room into the White House until after JFK.

GM: JFK's press conferences were all broadcast live; most were held in the afternoons, not at night like they're done now.

David Wolper, who just died recently, has one of the best known documentaries on the JFK assassination called Four Days in November. I think it's mostly in color, but mostly film. It's been a while since I saw it.

GM: It's all b&w film, including kinescopes of some live video.

The TV network situation at the time was case by case. CBS invested a lot of money in its own color system, but was seen by the FCC as not practical. Once the NBC system was approved, CBS moved slowly towards color. ABC was the company that was financially unable to make the full transition. In his biography, ABC chairman Leonard Goldenson says the transition nearly forced the network into bankruptcy. It wasn't until the success of prime time series like Happy Days when the network was able to pay off the transition. ABC's LA studio was built for color in 1967. The other issue was the local affiliates, who also had to make technical changes for color.

 

[searadiofreak]

After ingesting all this information, I am convinced that the JFK assassination coincided with the major tranformation not only from B&W to color, but from film to videotape. Both technologies, on both issues, were rapidly changing. However, I will assert that this event sped up the technology, especially, the video reproduction. Fascinating time for television. (And yes, if you view CBS's use of videotape on the Oswald shooting, you can see the transformation right in front of your eyes. Compare film of the actual assassination and this event at the Dallas jail. It had changed in less than 48 hours.

 

[TheBigA]

The 1964 David Wolper production "Four Days in November" is entirely in black and white and not mostly color as had been earlier stated,

Oh well...it's been a while since I saw it. I guess my memory is in color.

 

[davalvideo]

It was a time of transition, indeed. As far as the assassination itself was concerned, we were lucky that the network's Dallas television affiliates were as well equipped and well staffed as they were. They had an excellent pool arrangement to cover every aspect of his Dallas - Fort Worth visit, from touchdown to takeoff. Each station briought something to the coverage. KTVT brought us JFK's last speech from Fort Worth as well as some footage that wasn't shown nationally until the mid-1990's. WFAA-TV provided great coverage of his Love Field arrival and the interviews with eyewitnesses Bill and Gail Newman, plus Tom Alyea's exclusive footage inside the Book Depository and Ron Reilland's footage of Oswald's capture. KRLD-TV provided live pictures from the Trade Mart as the news was first breaking, as well as having a live camera during the Oswald shooting (though they weren't live when the shot as fired.) WBAP had dramatic filmed interviews with eyewitnesses, as well providing live coverage of Oswald's murder. Each station had live cameras at police headquarters and showed Oswald being moved through the third floor corridor while proclaiming his innocence. For the most part, the reporters on the scene did their jobs well, with the exception of one ABC reporter, Paul Good, who's presumption of Oswald's guilt was clearly evident in his on-air reports from police headquarters. This last statement is simply my humble opinion, but I believe the WFAA tapes of that weekend will bear me out. The great thing about all of the coverage is the fact that, thanks to The Sixth Floor Museum and its rich video archives, all of this material will be presevred for generations to come.

 

[pqgeorge]

It was a time of transition, indeed. As far as the assassination itself was concerned, we were lucky that the network's Dallas television affiliates were as well equipped and well staffed as they were. They had an excellent pool arrangement to cover every aspect of his Dallas - Fort Worth visit, from touchdown to takeoff. Each station briought something to the coverage. KTVT brought us JFK's last speech from Fort Worth as well as some footage that wasn't shown nationally until the mid-1990's. WFAA-TV provided great coverage of his Love Field arrival and the interviews with eyewitnesses Bill and Gail Newman, plus Tom Alyea's exclusive footage inside the Book Depository and Ron Reilland's footage of Oswald's capture. KRLD-TV provided live pictures from the Trade Mart as the news was first breaking, as well as having a live camera during the Oswald shooting (though they weren't live when the shot as fired.) WBAP had dramatic filmed interviews with eyewitnesses, as well providing live coverage of Oswald's murder. Each station had live cameras at police headquarters and showed Oswald being moved through the third floor corridor while proclaiming his innocence. For the most part, the reporters on the scene did their jobs well, with the exception of one ABC reporter, Paul Good, who's presumption of Oswald's guilt was clearly evident in his on-air reports from police headquarters. This last statement is simply my humble opinion, but I believe the WFAA tapes of that weekend will bear me out. The great thing about all of the coverage is the fact that, thanks to The Sixth Floor Museum and its rich video archives, all of this material will be presevred for generations to come.

Thanks in part to WFAA-TV's excellent local coverage, ABC News was in the midst of "coming of age" throughout the weekend of the JFK assassination coverage. As the coverage continued since the assassination, the quality of ABC's coverage improved as the day went on. Both WFAA-TV and ABC pooled their resources and provided some great reporting with some excellent reporters. I truly respect the late Jay Watson and Jerry Haines ("Mr. Peppermint") for what they were able to do in such short amount of time with such limited resources. It was especially amazing with the eyewitness interviews with the Newman family. I was only 4 years old at the time. I recall watching the funeral on Monday. But now that the WFAA/ABC coverage is now available on line, I actually now imagine the "feel" of the event. I watched all of the WFAA coverage on YouTube. I'll forget it.