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Retro: Maine (Wednesday, October 12, 1983)

Source: The Bangor Daily News via Google News Archive
WGN listings are included as a bonus; that station would be added to the paper during the 1983-84 TV season.
Chicago and Canadian listings listed ET.

WLBZ Channel 2 Bangor (NBC)
6:30: Local News
7:00: The Today Show
9:00: Donahue: “War in Outer Space: Pro and Con”: Guests: Lt. Gen. Daniel Graham will argue in favor of creating an anti-ballistic missile defense system in outer space; Rear Admiral Gene La Rocque will argue against this proposal.
10:00: Diff’rent Strokes
10:30: Sale of the Century
11:00: Wheel of Fortune (daytime version; the nighttime version had just launched a few weeks prior but wasn’t seen anywhere in Maine yet)
11:30: Dream House (Bob Eubanks)
12:00: Local News
12:30: Search for Tomorrow
1:00: Days of Our Lives
2:00: Another World
3:00: The Muppet Show
3:30: I Dream of Jeannie
4:00: Movie: “I’d Rather be Rich” (1964; Sandra Dee, Robert Goulet)
6:00: Local News
6:30: NBC Nightly News (likely Tom Brokaw)
7:00: M*A*S*H
7:30: WKRP in Cincinnati
8:00: Real People
9:00: The Facts of Life
9:30: Family Ties
10:00: Candid Camera: Now and Then
11:00: Local News
11:30: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Charles Grodin, Roberta Flack, Peabo Bryson are the guests.
12:30: Late Night with David Letterman: Columnist Art Buchwald is the guest.
Sign-off at 1:30.

CHSJ (CBAT) Channel 4 Saint John (Fredericton) (CBC)
7:00: 100 Huntley Street
8:00: Sesame Street
9:00: Kids and Things
9:15: The Friendly Giant
9:30: Mr. Dressup
10:00: Wok With Yan
10:30: Let’s Shape Up
11:00: Midday
12:00: The Price is Right
1:00: All My Children
2:00: Take 30
2:30: Do It For Yourself
3:00: Rocket Robin Hood
3:30: Popeye
4:00: Laverne and Shirley and Company
4:30: CBC News
5:00: CBC News
5:30: Three’s Company
6:00: Diff’rent Strokes
6:30: News
7:00: The Nature of Things
8:00: Marketplace
8:30: Front Page Challenge
9:00: The National/The Journal
10:00: Manimal (reruns)
11:00: CBC News
11:30: Hawaii Five-O
Sign-off at 12:30.

WABI Channel 5 Bangor (CBS)
6:00: Health Field
6:30: CBS Early Morning News
7:00: CBS Morning News
9:00: Merv Griffin
10:00: The New $25,000 Pyramid
10:30: Press Your Luck
11:00: The Price is Right
12:00: Bewitched
12:30: The Young and the Restless
1:30: As the World Turns
2:30: Capitol
3:00: The Guiding Light
4:00: Tattletales
4:30: Charlie’s Angels
5:30: The Jeffersons
6:00: Local News
6:30: CBS Evening News with Dan Rather
7:00: Little House on the Prairie
8:00: Whiz Kids
9:00: CBS Wednesday Movie: “Sunset Limousine” (Premiere; John Ritter, Susan Dey)
11:00: Local News
11:30: Police Story: A rookie cop (Clifton Davis) goes undercover to investigate a major drug ring.
12:40: CBS Late Night Movie: “The Solitary Man” (1979; Earl Holliman, Carrie Snodgress)
Sign-off at 2:00.

WCSH Channel 6 Portland (NBC)
6:30: Local News
7:00: The Today Show
9:00: Days of Our Lives (likely day-behind from 1:00 pm)
10:00: Card Sharks (syndicated reruns of the NBC version)
10:30: Sale of the Century
11:00: Wheel of Fortune
11:30: Dream House
12:00: Local News
12:30: Donahue: “Dr. Penny Wise Budoff: No More Hot Flashes”: Dr. Penny Wise Budoff discusses developments in women’s health, including hormone-replacement therapy during menopause.
1:30: Search for Tomorrow (delayed from 12:30 pm)
2:00: Another World
3:00: The Flintstones
3:30: Scooby Doo
4:00: I Dream of Jeannie
4:30: Eight is Enough
5:30: Entertainment Tonight
6:00: Local News
6:30: NBC Nightly News
7:00: Three’s Company
7:30: WKRP in Cincinnati
8:00: Real People
9:00: The Facts of Life
9:30: Family Ties
10:00: Candid Camera: Now and Then
11:00: Local News
11:30: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
12:30: Late Night with David Letterman
1:30: Entertainment Tonight
Sign-off at 2:00.

WVII Channel 7 Bangor (ABC)
6:00: Jim Bakker
7:00: Good Morning America: First Lady Nancy Reagan co-hosts a special program concerning drug abuse in America.
9:00: 20-Minute Workout
9:30: The Edge of Night (day-behind from 4:00 pm)
10:00: Hour Magazine: Enjoying old age, a visit with Julia Child, Victoria Principal (part 3)
11:00: Benson
11:30: Loving
12:00: Family Feud
12:30: Ryan’s Hope
1:00: All My Children
2:00: One Life to Live
3:00: General Hospital
4:00: CHiPs Patrol (reruns of CHiPs)
5:00: Eight is Enough
6:00: Local News
6:30: ABC World News Tonight (likely Peter Jennings)
7:00: Barney Miller
7:30: Family Feud (the nighttime version)
8:00: World Series Game 2: Philadelphia @ Baltimore (Orioles defeated the Phillies 4-1 to tie the series at 1 game each; Orioles would win the series 4-1)
11:15: Local News (time approximate)
11:45: Nightline
12:45: Lie Detector
Sign-off after the last entry.

WAGM Channel 8 Presque Isle (CBS/ABC/NBC)
6:30: ABC News This Morning
7:00: Good Morning America
9:00: Donahue (no details given)
10:00: The New $25,000 Pyramid
10:30: Press Your Luck
11:00: The Price is Right
12:00: Family Feud (likely the daytime version)
12:30: The Young and the Restless
1:30: As the World Turns
2:30: Capitol
3:00: The Guiding Light
4:00: Gilligan’s Island
4:30: Merv Griffin
5:30: M*A*S*H
6:00: Local News
6:30: CBS Evening News
7:00: Three’s Company
7:30: Lorne Greene’s New Wilderness
8:00: World Series Game 2 (see Channel 7)
11:15: Local News (time approximate)
11:30: Police Story
12:40: CBS Late Night Movie (see Channel 5)
Sign-off at 2:00.

WMTW Channel 8 Poland Spring (transmits to Portland) (ABC)
6:30: ABC News This Morning
7:00: Good Morning America
9:00: Movie: “The Outsider” (1962; Tony Curtis, James Franciscus)
10:30: The Edge of Night (day-behind from 4:00 pm)
11:00: Benson
11:30: Loving
12:00: Here’s Lucy
12:30: Ryan’s Hope
1:00: All My Children
2:00: One Life to Live
3:00: General Hospital
4:00: Charlie’s Angels
5:00: Starsky and Hutch
6:00: Local News
6:30: ABC World News Tonight
7:00: Family Feud (likely the nighttime version)
7:30: World Series Unsung Heroes: Exciting action highlights of five of the greatest World Series, and interviews with the unsung heroes and others who played a part in baseball history.
8:00: World Series Game 2 (see Channel 7)
11:15: Local News (time approximate)
11:45: Nightline
12:45: Thicke of the Night
Sign-off after the last entry.

CKLT Channel 9 Saint John (relayed from CKCW Channel 2 Moncton) (CTV)
6:00: The Mighty Hercules (which recently began a rerun period on Teletoon Retro here in Canada)
6:30: Canada A.M.
9:00: Romper Room
9:30: What’s Cooking
10:00: Guess What
10:30: 20-Minute Workout
11:00: The Flintstones
11:30: The Smurfs
12:00: Definition
12:30: City Lights
1:00: Don Harron
2:00: Another World
3:00: General Hospital
4:00: Live at Five
5:00: ATV News
5:30: M*A*S*H
6:00: The Jeffersons
6:30: Atlantic Lottery
7:00: Live and In Person
8:00: World Series Game 2 (see Channel 7)
11:15: CTV National News (time approximate)
11:35: ATV News
12:15: The Bionic Woman
Sign-off at 1:15.

WGN Channel 9 Chicago (Independent)
6:00: Morning Stretch
6:30: Faith 20
7:00: Top O’ The Morning
7:30: Rocky and Bullwinkle
8:00: Bozo’s Big Top
9:30: The Beverly Hillbillies
10:00: The Morning Movie: “Dark Victory” (1939; Bette Davis, George Brent)
12:00: Family
1:00: Newscope
1:30: Independent Network News
2:00: Dick Van Dyke
2:30: Andy Griffith
3:00: I Dream of Jeannie
3:30: Bugs Bunny
4:00: Superfriends
4:30: Scooby Doo
5:00: The Pink Panther
5:30: Laverne and Shirley and Company
6:00: One Day at a Time
6:30: WKRP in Cincinnati
7:00: Barney Miller
7:30: The Jeffersons
8:00: Movie: “Cabaret” (1972; Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey)
10:30: WGN News
11:30: The Love Boat
12:30: Late Night Movie: “The Seven-Ups” (1974; Roy Schieder, Tony Lo Bianco)
3:00: Independent Network News
3:30: Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In
4:00: Late Night Movie: “Johnny Apollo” (1940; Tyrone Power, Dorothy Lamour)

WCBB Channel 10 Lewiston (Augusta) (PBS)
6:45: A.M. Weather
7:00: Business Report
7:30: Latenight America
8:30: Aeobic (sic) Dancing (a typo; should say “Aerobic” instead)
9:00: Sesame Street
10:00: Educational Programming
11:30: Y.E.S. Inc.
12:00: Sesame Street
1:00: Educational Programming
2:30: European Journal
3:00: Motorweek
3:30: Lilias, Yoga, and You
4:00: Sesame Street
5:00: Mister Rogers
5:30: The Electric Company
6:00: Y.E.S. Inc.
6:30: Business Report
7:00: MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour
8:00: Charlie Muffin: British Agent Charlie Muffin attempts to persuade a KGB head to defect.
10:00: New Voices in American Theatre
11:00: Dick Cavett
11:30: Latenight America
Sign-off at 12:30.

WMEB Channel 12 Orono/Channel 10 Presque Isle/Channel 13 Calais/Channel 26 Biddeford (PBS)
8:15: A.M. Weather
8:30: Mister Rogers
9:00: College Preview
9:30: Oceanus
10:00: Educational Programming
12:00: Sesame Street
1:00: Educational Programming
2:30: Hooked on Aerobics
3:00: Focus on Society
3:30: It’s Everybody’s Business
4:00: Sesame Street
5:00: Mister Rogers
5:30: The Electric Company
6:00: American Story
6:30: Oceanus
7:00: MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour
8:00: Charlie Muffin
10:00: New Voices in American Theatre
11:00: National High School Cheerleading Championships
11:30: Latenight America
Sign-off at 12:30.

WGAN (WGME) Channel 13 Portland (CBS)
6:00: 20-Minute Workout
6:30: CBS Early Morning News
7:00: CBS Morning News
9:00: Breakaway
10:00: The New $25,000 Pyramid
10:30: Press Your Luck
11:00: The Price is Right
12:00: Newscope
12:30: The Young and the Restless
1:30: As the World Turns
2:30: Capitol
3:00: The Guiding Light
4:00: CHiPs Patrol
5:00: Merv Griffin
6:00: Local News
6:30: CBS Evening News
7:00: M*A*S*H
7:30: The People’s Court
8:00: Whiz Kids
9:00: CBS Wednesday Movie (see Channel 5)
11:00: Local News
11:30: Police Story
12:40: CBS Late Night Movie (see Channel 5)
2:00: CBS News Nightwatch

WTBS (WPCH) Channel 17 Atlanta (Independent)
6:00: (CNN) News
7:00: Funtime
7:35: I Dream of Jeannie
8:05: Bewitched
8:35: I Love Lucy
9:05: Movie: “Born Yesterday” (1950; Judy Holliday, William Holden)
11:05: The Catlins (soap opera)
11:35: Texas (half-hour reruns)
12:05: Perry Mason
1:05: Movie: “The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish” (1977; Edward Asner, Diane Kagan)
3:05: Funtime
3:35: The Flintstones
4:05: The Munsters
4:35: The Brady Bunch
5:05: Starcade (Geoff Edwards was one of the show’s hosts)
5:35: The Beverly Hillbillies
6:05: Little House on the Prairie
7:05: Carol Burnett and Friends
7:35: Good News
8:05: Movie: “Goodbye, Columbus” (1969; Richard Benjamin, Ali MacGraw)
10:05: News
11:05: All in the Family
11:35: The Catlins (same-day replay)
12:05: Late Night Movie: “The Assassination Bureau” (1969; Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg)
2:20: Late Night Movie: “Each Dawn I Die” (1939; James Cagney, George Raft)

WSBK Channel 38 Boston (Independent)
6:00: 20-Minute Workout
6:30: Romper Room
7:00: Batman (live-action series)
7:30: Heckle and Jeckle
8:00: Porky Pig and Friends
8:30: Bewitched
9:00: 20-Minute Workout
9:30: Daytime: Featured: Arlie Hoschild, author of “The Managed Heart”
10:30: Dick Van Dyke
11:00: Andy Griffith
11:30: Independent Network News
12:00: Movie: “Malaga” (1960; Trevor Howard, Dorothy Dandridge)
2:00: What’s Happening!!
2:30: My Three Sons
3:00: Heckle and Jeckle
3:30: Porky Pig and Friends
4:00: Scooby Doo
4:30: Batman (live-action series most likely)
5:00: Charlie’s Angels
6:00: M*A*S*H
6:30: The Jeffersons
7:00: M*A*S*H
7:30: Barney Miller
8:00: Movie: “There Was a Crooked Man” (1970; Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda)
10:30: Independent Network News
11:00: The Twilight Zone
11:30: The Bob Newhart Show
12:00: Late Night Movie: “By The Light of the Silvery Moon” (1953; Doris Day, Gordon MacRae)
2:00: Our Miss Brooks
Sign-off at 2:30.

WLVI Channel 56 Boston (Independent)
6:30: Bozo
7:00: Tom and Jerry
7:30: Woody Woodpecker
8:00: The Flintstones
8:30: Popeye
9:00: Casper
9:30: The Banana Splits Show
10:00: People Power
10:30: New England Today: Featured: attorney Barbara Millbauer, author of “The Law Giveth...”, discusses legal aspects of the abortion controversy
11:00: Benson (pre-empted by WCVB)
11:30: Loving (pre-empted by WCVB)
12:00: I Love Lucy
12:30: Mary Tyler Moore
1:00: The Banana Splits Show
1:30: Casper
2:00: Mighty Mouse
2:30: Bugs Bunny and Friends
3:30: Inspector Gadget
4:00: Tom and Jerry
4:30: The Brady Bunch
5:00: The Brady Bunch
5:30: Happy Days Again
6:00: Three’s Company
6:30: Laverne and Shirley and Company
7:00: Three’s Company
7:30: Taxi
8:00: Movie: “Portrait of a Sniper” (1979; Lesley Ann Warren, Edward Hermann)
10:00: The 10:00 News
10:30: Big Money Game
11:00: Benny Hill (the British comedian)
11:30: Man About the House (the basis for “Three’s Company” in the U.S.)
12:00: The 10:00 News (replay)
Sign-off at 12:30.
 
WLVI 56 was sold by Field Communications to Gannett late spring/early summer of 1983. According to Broadcasting and Cable yearbooks, the station changed hands legally May 25, 1983. The format did not change AT ALL upon sale. Field already began a 10 PM newscast prior to putting the station up for sale. Gannett just had better resources and began to produce a better looking newscast. Other than that virtually all the programming previously airing continued to air. Whatever shows Field bought continued under Gannett. Field had children's programs from 6 AM to 10 AM and again 1 to 5 PM weekdays. They continued the tradition of a double Brady Bunch run 5-6 PM at most points and 430-530 PM at this particular point (which would move back to 5-6 later in the fall to make room for second Flintstones run at 430 at some point. Even the graphics remained the same for a while and the station looked almost exact to the way it looked under Field.

IN Chicago, though WFLD while keeping all their programming changed the graphics, announcers, and overall presentation of the station. They also added a couple hours of Metromedia produced barter shows syndicated nationally but not airing in Chicago at the time to WFLD. That station changed hands March of 1983.

The last station to be owned by Field was 50 WKBD Detroit. That station did not get sold till the Winter of 1984; after WKBS TV 48 Philadelphia went dark. Why Field held out in Detroit and not Philadelphia is a mystery to me. It could have been that WKBD was worth far more money. WHile Detroit had 2 other independents, those two were very low budget. One was all religious, public affairs, barter, and NBC/CBS preemptions. The other was very low budget cartoons and westerns during the day and Subscription TV at night. The second station did dump STV in 1983, but the shows were very low budget as well, cartoons not airing most places anywhere by then, some more popular cartoons, some very old sitcoms, very old movies, and westerns. Neither station would have money to buy WKBD's inventory to fill a hole WKBD would leave and the shows and assets were just too valueable to just dispose of. WKBS TV would have not gone dark if Channel 17 could not have bought most of WKBS's inventory...just too much of a loss.
 
Marckd said:
WLVI 56 was sold by Field Communications to Gannett late spring/early summer of 1983. According to Broadcasting and Cable yearbooks, the station changed hands legally May 25, 1983. The format did not change AT ALL upon sale... virtually all the programming previously airing continued to air....

For that reason, WLVI also kept the Field-era logo under Gannett, until 1992, a couple of years before selling the station to Tribune. I think all the other Field stations changed their logos after they were sold to other parties. I think KBHK (KBCW) held on to its Field logo a couple of years after Chris Craft bought that station.

Marckd said:
WKBS TV would have not gone dark if Channel 17 could not have bought most of WKBS's inventory...just too much of a loss.

As far as I know, WKBS was not losing money, unlike most stations that had gone dark -- the Fields were just anxious to pull the plug if no buyer was found.
 
NO WKBS TV was not losing money but was not making the huge amounts it used to make. WKBS TV, WTAF, and WPHL all went head to head till the mid 70's. WPHL 17 was behind WKBS TV and WTAF TV by 1976. WKBS TV emerged as the leading independent station by 1978 but in 1979, WTAF surpassed WKBS when they acquired MASH and Happy Days. Channel 48 still did quite well acquiring All In The Family. By 1980, Channel 29 got farther ahead. 1981 was a bad year for Channel 48. Channel 17 acquired a few stromng shows as did Channel 29. 48 acquired hardly anything new. In 1982, WKBS TV acquired an okay nothing great WKRP and the disasterous Mork & Mindy. They also got Alice and One Day at a Time but rested these to run the fall of 83 (which they never got a chance to run). By 1982, Channel 17 surpassed Channel 48 as the number 2 independent. Channel 48 also lost 76ers Basketball to Channel 17.

So all this happened at a bad time. This caused the station to not be able to be sold for the amount Field wanted for it. Originally Channel 17 was to be sold to a religious broadcaster, Providence Journal would then buy Channel 48 and combine assets of Channel 17 and make one strong station on 48 but this fell through as well. Channel 17 did have money to buy most of Channel 48's inventory which was most of what the staion was worth. So they sold that to Channel 17 for almost as much as the offers Field was getting for the entire station so they sold the programming to Providence Journal except for Viacom shows (which they returned to syndicator for a refund - Viacom had a policy of not selling shows from station to station). They sold equipment to several places and only lost a small amount of money turning the license to the FCC which they made up in taxes they did not have to pay.

Had Providence Journal not been willing to buy Channel 48's programming, they would have held on to teh station longer or bit the bullet and sold it for less than they wanted to sell it for. Shutting down would not have been a good option.

WFLD was the only station sold that dumped the logo and Field graphics immediately. WKBD Detroit kept the Field Graphics till 1985. KBHK San Francisco kept the Field Graphics till 1986 or 1987. Eventually though they all did drop the field graphics though. WFLD was most agressive in doing it though.
 
Marckd said:
WFLD was the only station sold that dumped the logo and Field graphics immediately... WFLD was most agressive in doing it though.

Mainly because new owners Metromedia was anxious in remolding WFLD into its "Metromedia 32" image, along the same lines as its new sister stations.
 
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