Retro: Iowa Sun, June 10, 1956

[Bluenoser]

from TV Guide-Iowa edition
All Times CST

WMT 2-CBS Cedar Rapids
8:00 Lamp Unto My Feet "Thing of Evil"
8:30 Look Up & Live "The Flume"
9:00 Eye on New York
9:30 Camera Three "What Price Nonsense?"
10:00 Let's Take a Trip (Sonny Fox takes his friends Pud and Ginger to New Jersey's Palisades amusement park)
10:30 Christophers
11:00 Big Picture
11:30 Wild Bill Hickok "Chain of Events"
noon Movie "No Minor Vices"
2:00 The Way
2:30 Adventure (from NYC's Museum of Natural History, Charles Collingwood and the museum's Dr. Edwin H. Colbert talk about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals)
3:00 Face the Nation (guest: naval operations chief Adm. Arleigh Burke)
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Search of Himself" (story on Henry Bergh, founder of the ASPCA)
4:30 You are There "The Hatfield-McCoy Feud"
5:00 TBA
5:30 Badge 714 (Dragnet)
6:00 Life of Riley
6:30 Private Secretary "Elusive"
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 What's My Line?
9:00 Ed Sullivan (guests Nat King Cole, Carol Haney, Jack Carter, Ricky Layne & Velvel, Edith Adams (imitating Marilyn Monroe), Joey Clay, and the Half Brothers...also a film segment with Bob Hope, and by popular demand, a rerun of the film A Short Vision, which shows the effects of the H-bomb)
10:00 Dr. Hudson's Journal
10:30 News (Cole Martin)
10:45 Movie "Spitfire"

KTVO 3-CBS/NBC Ottumwa
1pm Film Short
1:15 Christian Science
1:30 Oral Roberts
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Search of Himself"
4:30 Roy Rogers "The Kid from Silver City"
5:00 Christophers
5:30 This is the Life
6:00 You Asked for It
6:30 Jack Benny
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 What's My Line?
9:00 Ed Sullivan
10:00 News
10:15 Movie: TBA
11:15 Movie: TBA

KGLO 3-CBS Mason City
1:55pm This I Believe
2:00 Industry on Parade
2:15 Man to Man
2:30 Adventure
3:00 Face the Nation
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Spite in Himself"
4:30 You are There "The Hatfield-McCoy Feud"
5:00 The Way
5:30 Reporters' Roundup
6:00 This is the Life
6:30 Private Secretary "Elusive"
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 Dr. Hudson's Journal
9:00 Ed Sullivan
10:00 News
10:15 Cavalcade Theater
10:45 Movie "Leave It to Henry"

WHBF 4-CBS/ABC Rock Island
11:00 This is the Life
11:30 Wild Bill Hickok "Chain of Events"
noon Understanding Our World
12:30 Christophers
1:00 Your Senator Speaks
1:15 Christian Science "How to Pray Effectively"
1:30 Faith for Today
2:00 We Believe "Divine Worship"
2:30 Adventure
3:00 Face the Nation
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Search in Himself"
4:30 You are There "The Hatfield-McCoy Feud"
5:00 Movie "Outlaws of Sonora"
6:00 Lassie "The Runt"
6:30 Private Secretary "Elusive"
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 What's My Line?
9:00 Ed Sullivan
10:00 Falcon "The $4.98 Buddha"
10:30 Quad Cities on Camera
10:45 Baseball Scoreboard

WOI 5-Edu/ABC Ames
2:30pm College Press Conference
3:00 Christophers
3:30 Man to Man
4:00 Going Places
5:00 The Way
5:30 This is the Life
6:00 You Asked for It
6:30 Mr. & Mrs. North
7:00 Ted Mack's Amateur Hour (Ted salutes Gary, IN; performers: the Tony Grant Starlets (Atlantic City/tap dancers), William Kelly (Philadelphia/Irish tenor), Robert Pavlick (Passaic NJ/singer), the Four Jubilees (Philly/combo band), Martin Klein (Flushing NY/harmonica player), Linda Sue Benedict (White Plains NY/singer), Anita & Buddy Yoder (Glenolden PA/acrobats), Rosemary O'Reilly (Long Island City NY/tap dancer), the Hockley Octet (Tarrytown NY/vocal group), and Marimba Symphonette (New Providence PA/instrumental group))
8:00 Cavalcade Theater
8:30 Famous Film Festival "Island Rescue"
10:00 News
10:15 Movie: TBA

WOC 6-NBC/ABC Davenport
10:15 What's Your Trouble?
10:30 This is the Life
11:00 American Forum
11:30 Frontiers of Faith (Rev. Dana F. Kennedy leads a discussion about the practice of Christianity and how it helps people in everyday life)
noon Princeton '56
12:30 The Way
1:00 Dr. Spock "Baby's Time vs Mother's Time"
1:30 Labor Program (the UAW celebrates their 20th anniversary)
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup (two stories: a look at the Alberta town of Drayton Valley (whose population shot up from 25 to 2500 in 2 years), and drama critic/author Louis Kronenberger suggests an unusual commencement address)
4:00 Meet the Press (guest: NY Gov. Averell Harriman)
4:30 Ozzie & Harriet "Redressing Ricky"
5:00 You Asked for It
5:30 Frontier "Georgia Gold"
6:00 Comedy Hour (series finale with host Gloria DeHaven and guests Jonathan Winters, the Marquis Chimps, Dennis O'Keefe, Marilyn Erskine, Don Tannen, and Hank Penny)
7:00 Alcoa Hour "The Magic Horn"
8:00 Loretta Young "The Bronte Story"
8:30 Science Fiction Theater
9:00 Ted Mack's Amateur Hour (saluting Providence; guests Alan Rose (the Bronx/violinist), the Roanoke Valley Boys (NYC/hillbilly musicians), Frances & John Duffy (Brooklyn NY/Highland dancers), the Steppin' Tones (Archbishop Stepinac HS, White Plains NY/dance combo band), Harriet Husted (Bridgeton NJ/baton twirler), Barbara Baker (Yonkers NY/novelty accordionist), and Tyrone Breuninger (Red Hill PA/baritone horn player))
10:00 Weather/News/Sports
10:15 Eddie Fisher
10:30 Break the Bank
11:00 Les Paul & Mary Ford
11:05 Movie "Change of Heart"

KWWL 7-NBC Waterloo
noon This is the Life
12:30 Youth Wants to Know (guest: assistant Secretary of Defense Reuben B. Robertson Jr.)
1:00 The Answer is XP (Jesus, not Windows ;D)
1:30 Labor Program
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Northeast Iowa on Parade (featuring Cedar Rapids)
4:30 Roy Rogers "The Kid from Silver City"
5:00 Topper (series return)
5:30 Dollars for Scholars
6:00 Comedy Hour
7:00 Alcoa Hour "The Magic Horn"
8:00 Movie: TBA
10:00 Weather/News/Sports
10:30 Movie: TBA

KRNT 8-CBS Des Moines
8:00 Lamp Unto My Feet "Thing of Evil"
8:30 Look Up & Live "The Flume"
9:00 Eye on New York
9:30 Camera Three "What Prince Nonsense?"
10:00 Let's Take a Trip
10:30 Nation's Religions
11:00 Film Short
11:30 Wild Bill Hickok "Chain of Events"
noon Hopalong Cassidy
12:30 News (Russ Van Dyke)
12:45 Movie "Michael O'Halloran"
2:00 TV Teen Time
2:30 Adventure
3:00 Face the Nation
3:30 Big Idea
3:45 World Through Stamps
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Search of Himself"
4:30 You are There "The Hatfield-McCoy Feud"
5:00 Life of Riley
5:30 Long John Silver
6:00 Lassie "The Runt"
6:30 Private Secretary "Elusive"
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 What's My Line?
9:00 Ed Sullivan
10:00 News/Weather
10:20 Gordon Gammack
10:45 Newsreel of the Air
10:50 Movie "Twin Beds"

KCRG 9-ABC Cedar Rapids
noon Medical Diary
12:30 Oral Roberts
1:00 This is the Life
1:30 Movie "Queen for a Day" (presenting 3 stories, based on the series)
3:00 Movie: TBA (listed as Western)
4:00 Going Places
5:00 Superman
5:30 Count of Monte Cristo
6:00 You Asked for It
6:30 Pendulum
7:00 Ted Mack's Amateur Hour (same program as ch 5)
8:00 Star Showcase
8:30 Famous Film Festival "Island Rescue"
10:00 Movie "The Sword of Monte Cristo"
11:00 What's Your Trouble?

WREX 13-CBS/ABC Rockford
8:15 Sacred Heart
8:30 Faith for Today
9:00 What's Your Trouble?
9:15 Christophers
9:30 Camera Three "What Price Nonsense?"
10:00 Let's Take a Trip
10:30 Building America
10:45 Plumb, Level & Square
11:00 Talent Parade
noon The Way
12:30 Sports Album
12:45 Movie: TBA
2:30 Adventure
3:00 Face the Nation
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Telephone Time "Harry in Search of Himself"
4:30 You are There "The Hatfield-McCoy Feud"
5:00 Kit Carson
5:30 Private Secretary "Elusive"
6:00 Ed Sullivan (same line-up as the other Eye stations)
7:00 GE Theater "Exits and Entrances"
7:30 Ford Theater
8:00 $64,000 Challenge
8:30 What's My Line?
9:00 Weather/News/Sports
9:30 Alfred Hitchcock "The Decoy"
10:00 Movie "The Countess of Monte Cristo"

WHO 13-NBC Des Moines
11:00 American Forum
11:30 Frontiers of Faith
noon Christophers
12:30 Youth Wants to Know
1:00 Dr. Spock "Baby's Time vs Mother's Time"
1:30 Labor Program
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Meet the Press
4:30 Roy Rogers "The Kid from Silver City"
5:00 Cisco Kid
5:30 Frontier "Georgia Gold"
6:00 Comedy Hour
7:00 Alcoa Hour "The Magic Horn"
8:00 Loretta Young "The Bronte Story"
8:30 Bowling (from Chicago's Faetz & Niesen lanes, ABC Masters champ Dick Hoover (Akron OH) takes on the winner of last week's match between St. Louis' Don Carter and NYC's Tony Sparando)
9:00 Mobil Theater
9:30 TBA
10:00 News
10:15 Movie "The Teckman Mystery"

KQTV 21-NBC Fort Dodge
12:30pm What's Your Trouble?
12:45 Christian Science
1:00 Oral Roberts
1:30 Labor Program
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Meet the Press
4:30 Roy Rogers "The Kid from Silver City"
5:00 Christophers
5:30 This is the Life
6:00 Comedy Hour
7:00 Pathway to Fame
7:30 Showtime
8:00 Ruggles
8:30 Movie: TBA

WTVO 39-NBC Rockford
11:00 American Forum
11:30 Frontiers of Faith
noon Oral Roberts
12:30 Youth Wants to Know
1:00 Dr. Spock "Baby's Time vs Mother's Time"
1:30 Labor Program
2:00 Palm Beach Golf
3:30 News Roundup
4:00 Meet the Press
4:30 Roy Rogers "The Kid from Silver City"
5:00 Topper (series return)
5:30 Uncommon Valor
6:00 Comedy Hour
7:00 Alcoa Hour "The Magic Horn"
8:00 Loretta Young "The Bronte Story"
8:30 Bowling: Hoover vs winner of Carter-Sporando
9:00 Movie: TBA


In those days, TVG used 3 kinds of bullets, so here's how the Iowa edition listed the channels:
[xx] black bullet/white numbers
"xx" white bullet/black numbers
(xx) grey bullet/black numbers

[2] WMT
[3] KTVO
(3) KGLO
[4] WHBF
[5] WOI
[6] WOC
[7] KWWL
[8] KRNT
[9] KCRG
[13] WREX
(13) WHO
"21" KQTV
"39" WTVO

 

[Ultimajock]

In those days, TVG used 3 kinds of bullets, so here's how the Iowa edition listed the channels:
[xx] black bullet/white numbers
"xx" white bullet/black numbers
(xx) grey bullet/black numbers


[13] WREX
(13) WHO

...seeing as this was the Iowa edition, and WHO was an Iowa station (and WREX an Illinois station), did TVG actually give WREX the black bullet and WHO the grey bullet? Or was this a typo?...

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

In those days, TVG used 3 kinds of bullets, so here's how the Iowa edition listed the channels:
[xx] black bullet/white numbers
"xx" white bullet/black numbers
(xx) grey bullet/black numbers


[13] WREX
(13) WHO

...seeing as this was the Iowa edition, and WHO was an Iowa station (and WREX an Illinois station), did TVG actually give WREX the black bullet and WHO the grey bullet? Or was this a typo?...

Do you know how much longer the Rockford stations (then WREX-13 and WTVO-39 now 17) were even listed in the Iowa edition? Was the Iowa edition actually even distributed in far northwestern Illinois at that time (e.g. Sterling/Rock Falls, Savanna, Galena, perhaps even Freeport and Dixon)--those areas too far away to reliably receive Chicago stations regularly as well as the then pea-shooting power of the Peoria UHF's on the air by 1956 (WEEK-43 now 25, and WTVH-19 now WHOI)?

And one thing that I've always wondered about: What TV Guide edition would Lee County, Iowa (which includes Fort Madison and Keokuk) have received over the years--since that county has been the only one in Iowa that is part of the Quincy, IL/Hannibal, MO DMA (but not sure if the county would have been in 1956--even though Q/H's WGEM-10 and KHQA-7 both signed on in 1953)? Would they have still received the Iowa edition or would they actually have received the old Illinois edition and later Western Illinois starting in 1962, which would have included Quincy stations in addition to the Quad Cities and KTVO? The Quincy channels were traditionally listed as part of the Iowa statewide listings in the old-time Des Moines Register-Tribune TV listings--but why not the Iowa edition of TV Guide over the years [other than the "15% rule--although Quincy channels then and still are also viewable in other Iowa counties including Des Moines County (Burlington), Henry (Mt. Pleasant) and Van Buren (Keosauqua)].

 

[retrothoughts]

So Iowa must have been on Central Standard Time in the summer of '56, and got a prime time TV schedule that was two hours behind Eastern Daylight Time in New York, with Ed Sullivan on a 3-hr delay.

 

[Bluenoser]

In those days, TVG used 3 kinds of bullets, so here's how the Iowa edition listed the channels:
[xx] black bullet/white numbers
"xx" white bullet/black numbers
(xx) grey bullet/black numbers


[13] WREX
(13) WHO

...seeing as this was the Iowa edition, and WHO was an Iowa station (and WREX an Illinois station), did TVG actually give WREX the black bullet and WHO the grey bullet? Or was this a typo?...

Nope...for some reason, Rockford got the black bullet and Des Moines the grey one...

 

[Gregg]

I always wondered how WOI evolved from Educational to an ABC affiliate. WOI-AM-FM to this day are non-commercial and are affiliates of NPR. But WOI-TV is an ABC station. I guess the University of Iowa sold the TV station after the FCC changed its rule that two owners cannot share the same call letters.

I see from the listings here that at the time, WOI was mixing educational programming in the afternoon with ABC's Sunday night line-up.

Gregg
[email protected]

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

I always wondered how WOI evolved from Educational to an ABC affiliate. WOI-AM-FM to this day are non-commercial and are affiliates of NPR. But WOI-TV is an ABC station. I guess the University of Iowa sold the TV station after the FCC changed its rule that two owners cannot share the same call letters.

Gregg,

You meant to say "Iowa State University"--that's in Ames. The University of Iowa is in Iowa City (Cedar Rapids DMA).

 

[Ultimajock]

In those days, TVG used 3 kinds of bullets, so here's how the Iowa edition listed the channels:
[xx] black bullet/white numbers
"xx" white bullet/black numbers
(xx) grey bullet/black numbers


[13] WREX
(13) WHO

...seeing as this was the Iowa edition, and WHO was an Iowa station (and WREX an Illinois station), did TVG actually give WREX the black bullet and WHO the grey bullet? Or was this a typo?...

Nope...for some reason, Rockford got the black bullet and Des Moines the grey one...

...well, I just checked Wikipedia, and they say WREX went on the air in '53 and WHO-TV in '54. And I recall the Wisconsin edition of TVG starting up in early '54, so I'm suspecting the Iowa edition appeared around the same time, when WREX was already on the air but WHO-TV wasn't. Thus, WREX would have gotten the black bullet earlier, and WHO-TV assigned the grey bullet to maintain consistency...

 

[jh]

I always wondered how WOI evolved from Educational to an ABC affiliate.  WOI-AM-FM to this day are non-commercial and are affiliates of NPR.  But WOI-TV is an ABC station.  I guess the University of Iowa sold the TV station after the FCC changed its rule that two owners cannot share the same call letters. 

I see from the listings here that at the time, WOI was mixing educational programming in the afternoon with ABC's Sunday night line-up.

WOI-TV was commercial from the beginning.  They ran programs from CBS, NBC, and ABC initially.  Maybe DuMont, too.  WHO-AM was NBC so WHO-TV picked up the NBC affiliation.  Same with KRNT-TV, radio was CBS.  That left ABC for WOI.  I think most of the educational programming was dropped when channel 11 KDPS (now KDIN) was put on the air by the Des Moines school system. 

When I lived in the market in the mid-to-late 70s, there wasn't any "educational" programming left on WOI, but the University's extension service did a noon farm segment, and there was maybe a bit more public service programming than a typical station.  But WOI was really a poor ABC affiliate, terrible local news, their 10pm news came in 4th with lower ratings than "travel films" on channel 11. 

The Board of Regents didn't allow WOI-TV to actively solicit advertising as that was seen as competing with private businesses, they had to wait for advertisers to call to place an order.  And the TV station had to pick up some of the bill for housing the  non-commercial radio stations located in their building, so they didn't have all that much to work with.

The TV station was sold off in 1994.