Middlesboro, KY (March 1, 1980)

[Bluenoser]

from Middlesboro Daily News via Google News Archive

2 WKSO-PBS/KET Somerset
4 WKPT-ABC Kingsport
5 WCYB-NBC Bristol
6 WATE-ABC Knoxville
7 WTVQ-ABC Lexington
8 WTVK-NBC Knoxville
9 WKYT-CBS Lexington
10 WBIR-NBC Knoxville
11 WJHL-CBS Johnson City
12 WLEX-NBC Lexington
13 WLOS-ABC Asheville

 

[KML0224]

I think WATE-TV of Knoxville was on channel 26 at that time. WVLT-TV (CBS) channel 8 today?

 

[ftballfan]

I think WATE-TV of Knoxville was on channel 26 at that time. WVLT-TV (CBS) channel 8 today?

WATE has always been on channel 6. WTVK was on channel 26 and became WKXT just before moving to channel 8. Also, WBIR was a CBS affiliate, swapping affiliations with WTVK/WKXT not long before the move from 26 to 8

 

[IM42A]

Back at one time, during the 1970s, Middlesboro cable carried WSPA-7 from Spartanburg SC, this per TV Factbook. Any idea why they would have carried WSPA instead of WLOS? WLOS at one time got deep into southeastern Kentucky, but AFAIK, not WSPA.

There were some bizarre cable carriages in that area back in those days. Again, per TV Factbook, Cumberland cable (Harlan County) carried WCPO-9 Cincinnati (1968 TVFB), and Harlan city cable carried WSOC-9 Charlotte (1972 TVFB). The TVFB for that year even showed WSOC having 5-24% viewership in Harlan County. Maybe the guys in Cumberland sold the guys in Harlan an antenna cut for channel 9, and they found a sweet spot to get WSOC? I have to think that in both cases, the picture would have been barely watchable. People in remote areas tended to be very forgiving of snowy reception in those days.