New station sign-on question

[spb]

In 1986, Omaha’s first independent TV station, KPTM 42, signed on for the first time. During its first few weeks, commercial breaks were filled with nothing but program promos and public service commercials from the Ad Council. Was this common for a new station signing on during this era?

 

[EricStein]

Since the station was new, had no network affiliation, and didn't have any ratings and viewership information yet (what is needed to sell to agencies, even in 1986), there might have been a lot of direct-response and PSA's to be ssen. I know this was the case when KASW-61 in Phoenix signed on in 1995; they aired a number of PSA's and per-inquiry ads for ITT Technical Institute and the like.

 

[Mr Tony]

yup I remember being in Duluth, MN when KQDS (FOX) finally signed on in 1999 thats pretty much all they showed for commercials (public domain, PSA's, etc) unless it was network programming...then they would show some of the network commercials

 

[radiorob2.0]

Commercial time is sold on the amount of viewers they attract. A new station starts from scratch so they don't have any data indicating viewership; hopefully that builds. Many TV stations, or businesses in general, have crashed and burned because they don't anticipate three years of possibly losing money.

 

[easttxtv]

I remember when KETK/56 debuted in 1987, much of the first few months the station was on, the commercial breaks were mostly program promos and PSAs until the station could build up a local stable of ads and advertisers.

 

[KML0224]

I think WPXT-TV channel 51 of Portland, ME was like that when they signed on in September of 1986. They were independent for their first month and then became a charter FOX affiliate. (They would become a WB affiliate in the fall of 2001 and are now a CW affiliate.)

 

[Markd]

Chances are when new independent stations signed on they ran mostly PI Ads, PSAs, and promos with one exception. Barter shows had national ads inserted already. By 1986 most cartoons were straight barter and cost the station no money. But the station ran several minutes of national ads inserted in these shows. I am sure these sign on stations ran tons of ads during cartoons. Other times they had to build an ad base.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Ever go out and try and sell time on a station that does not exist yet? ???

There's your answer.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Ever go out and try and sell time on a station that does not exist yet?

Even if a new station had programming that would interest advertisers, don't forget that a station's scheduled sign-on date could slip and the advertiser may have to provide "make goods" for spots that could not air because the station missed it's scheduled launch date.

Here in Boston, the scheduled launch of WKBG-56 (now WLVI) in December, 1966 slipped by a few days, so it's possible that the station may have had to issue "make goods" to advertisers whose spots didn't air because the station's sign-on had been delayed.

 

[retrosmart]

What is the first thing you saw when a Houston station sign-on?

 

[FreddyE1977]

I guess my point is the station doesn't have a book, doesn't have any penetration numbers, doesn't
even have many people on the street or are dimly aware of it and may not even have a schedule.
A little hard to walk in and convince a potential advertiser why he should plunk down his money
for ad time under such circumstances. Hence they probably run a lot of PSA's during their
startup period until some of that stuff gets established.

 

[trusty]

Besides PSA's and PI's, another way a new station gets started is by trade-outs ... but you can't live on trade-outs alone. For example:

Way back in '68, being young and naive, I had the chance to move up to a Director position by helping start a new station in Ft. Lauderdale - WSMS/TV51. We had a couple of TK-42's two VTR's and one (count 'em) ONE film chain (with most evening shows and spots (PSA's) on film). The place used to be an old furniture store with a small storeroom in the back that was our studio.

And there was a reason we had sets on hinges that could easily fold out into other sets; we would sign on in the afternoon with Romper Room (live), then an old film while we set up for an afternoon talk show (live), then cartoons while we set up for another kids show (live), then another film while we set up for news (live). The schedule changed for a couple of months, resulting in back-to-back live programs. It was a challenge, and it was fun.

There was this one spot for a nightclub that ran almost every other break. They seemed to be the only business in town that was really supporting us, and I made a comment to one of the engineers about it. He burst out laughing.

"Supporting us? Ha Ha ... Man, they're a trade out. Where do you think the guys in the front spend most of their time when they leave here? We're just payin' their tab, and I hope you have your resume up to date."

A few months later, I accepted another job with another station (established network affiliate) in another city, and WSMS lasted about a year.

I hated leaving Ft. Lauderdale, that station, the beaches, and especially my apartment that was located across the street from the girl's dorm of a finishing school. I never needed no stinkin' night club for trade outs ... BUT, that's another story for another thread. ;D

 

[Bob1370]

The going was a little rough for even major network affiliates in the beginning. I remember when our city's third station (a full power VHF and an ABC affiliate) signed on in the fall of 1962. It had a lot of promos and spots for small retail businesses you never saw advertising on the more established NBC and CBS ststions. Then the November 1962 and February 1963 sweeps came in, showed that it was drawing a substantial audience, and the major retail accounts and national spot business started coming.

All a station with real potential has ever needed, is the capital to see it through the first lean six months to a year, and then when viewers start coming, the dollars follow close behind.

 

[retrosmart]

In 1986, Omaha’s first independent TV station, KPTM 42, signed on for the first time. During its first few weeks, commercial breaks were filled with nothing but program promos and public service commercials from the Ad Council. Was this common for a new station signing on during this era?

Same thing did with KHLM 43.



KUGB airs Ad Council PSA's locally through out the years for 2 minutes on the top hour. Why does my Country Network affiliate airs Ad Council PSA's. My TBN station doesn't do Ad Councils, they had Marines on the TBN affiliate. I think all these channels had Marines, usually the 1 were the Discount Tire Company lady making a sword, with all the broken glass you see on the bottom of the fire.