More about the Overmyer Network

[bpatrick]

Some more stations that carried "The Las Vegas Show":

WFMY (CBS Greensboro, NC) 11:30 PM (WGHP carried Bishop; WSJS (WXII), Carson)
WNCT (CBS Greenville/New Bern/Washington, NC) 11:30 PM (WITN carried Carson; WNBE (WCTI), Bishop)
And I believe WAGA also did, at 11:30 (WSB carried Carson; WAII (WXIA), Bishop)
And one ABC affiliate I can think of: WLCY (WTSP) Tampa/St. Petersburg carried Bill Dana's show, and, even though it was an ABC
affiliate, handed off Bishop's show to then-CBS affiliate WTVT. It did pick up Bishop, although I don't know the exact date.

And I had my memory jarred: I do seem to recall WTMJ wanting to delay Carson by 30 minutes (and apparently they did); I did
not know they wanted to delay him to 11:30 (CT) and dropped him when NBC refused, moving him to WVTV. I do remember
WTMJ dropping Johnny in 1983 for "Thicke of the Night," and Johnny again airing on WVTV. WVTM in Birmingham and KARE
Minneapolis/St. Paul are, of course, the only other stations NBC allowed to delay Johnny; in fact, there was a time when WVTM
didn't even carry him on Friday nights. Seems they had a movie from 10-11:45, followed by a 15-minute newscast, then into
"The Midnight Special" at 12.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overmyer_Network

Interestingly some of the stations that were supposed to get Overmyer affiliations like KEMO-TV 20 San Francisco and WATL-TV 36 Atlanta were waiting for FCC approvals when "The Las Vegas Show" was released.

 

[installLSC]

For all you wanted to know about the Overmyer Network (and more), here's an article by longtime member KM Richards.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

The old WHDH-5 in Boston (then a CBS affiliate) carried "The Las Vegas Show" as well. Then-NBC affiliate WBZ-4 carried Johnny and then ABC affiliate WNAC-7 carried Joey Bishop.

Interestingly enough, WBZ only began clearing Carson in September of 1966. Prior to that, "The Tonight Show" (first with Jack Paar and then Johnny) ran on the old WHDH-5 from the station's initial sign-on in November of 1957 until September of 1966.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

By the time it finally went in the air, the Overmyer Network had become the United Network.

Had it's pockets been deeper and had it launched in 1984 instead of 1967, the network might have succeeded as by that time, most TV markets had at least four commercial TV stations and the United Network would have had a fulltime primary affiliate in many more markets.

In 1967, when the United Network had it's brief run, most TV markets had three or fewer commercial TV stations, which would have made it difficult for United to clear programming outside of late-night hours.

 

[KeithE4]

By the time it finally went in the air, the Overmyer Network had become the United Network.

Had it's pockets been deeper and had it launched in 1984 instead of 1967, the network might have succeeded as by that time, most TV markets had at least four commercial TV stations and the United Network would have had a fulltime primary affiliate in many more markets.

Rupert Murdoch was starting his purchase of Metromedia around that time. Overmeyer/United never would have survived the Fox network, even in its early part-time phase.