On a 1974 visit to my grandparents in Prescott (pre-satellite distribution days) the cable system was running all the aforementioned Phoenix stations (NBC was KTAR-TV) as well as religious KPAZ. The system also carried KTLA and KTTV out of Los Angeles, which were then distributed by microwave across the western U.S. (both were pure independent stations at the time.) All this was on a 12 channel VHF system common at the time (no cable box.)
I recall my grandfather telling me that there had been some sort of dispute involving the cable company whether to run KOAI or not, due to “overlapping coverage” considerations. KOAI won out, resulting in two NBC stations being offered.
So in 1974 six Phoenix stations, one from Flagstaff, plus the two from LA. The remaining three were a scan of weather dials, classified ads, and city government.
Around 1983 the system had adopted cable boxes with expanded channel offerings.
