• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Retro; New York City, Thursday, July 30, 1959

B

Bob1370

Guest
Source; NY Times

Stations;
2-WCBS-TV (CBS)
4-WRCA-TV (NBC)
5-WNEW-TV (Ind)
7-WABC-TV (ABC)
9-WOR-TV (Ind)
11-WPIX (Ind)
13-WNTA-TV (Ind)

MORNING

7:00
(2) News and Weather Reports (to 8:15)
(4) Today
7:30
(7) Cartoons
8:00
(5) Sandy's Cartoons with Sandy Becker
(7) Little Rascals
8:15-
(2) Captain Kangaroo
8:30
(5) Sandy Becker Show
(7) Beulah (R)
9:00
(2) Topper (R)
(4) HI Mom
(7) Film: Paper Orchid (1950) (R)
9:30(
2) My Little Margie (R)
10:00
(2) On the Go
(4) Do-Re-MI; Gene Rayburn
(5)Film: Saraband (1949) With Stewart Granger (R)
(7) Joe Franklin
10:30
(2) Sam Levenson Show
(4) Treasure Hunt; Jan Murray
(7) Star Playhouse (R)
11:00
(2) I Love Lucy (R)
(4) Price is Right; Bill Cullen
(7) Time for Fun
11:15
(13) Gumby Little Theatre
11:30
(2) Top Dollar
(4) Concentration; Hugh Downs
(5) Romper Room
(7) I Married Joan (R)
(13) Jack Lalanne

AFTERNOON

12:00
(2) Love of Life
(4) Tic Tac Dough
(7) Across the Board
(13) Mister McGarrity
12:15
(13) Junior Town
12:30
(2) Search for Tomorrow
(4) It Could Be You; Bill Leyden
(5) Cartoon Playtime
(7) Pantomime Quiz
12:45
(2) The Guiding Light
1:00
(2) News Reports
(4) Dr. Joyce Brothers
(7) Music Bingo
(13) Gunslingers
1:05
(2) Our Miss Brooks (R)
1:25
(4) News Commentary
1:30
(2) As the World Turns
2:00
(2) For Better or Worse
(4) Queen for a Day
(7) Day in Court
(13) Film: Lost Honeymoon (1947) (R).
2:30-
(2) Art Linkletter's House Party
(4) Court of Human Relations
(7) Gale Storm (RI
3:00
(2) The Big Pay-Off
(4) Young Doctor Malone
(5) Paul Coates
(7) Beat the Clock
(9) Love Story
(11)Forecast : Science Film
3:30
(2) Verdict Is Yours
(4) From These Roots
(5) Playhouse (R)
(7) Who Do You Trust?
(9) Film: Not Wanted (R)
(11) Film: Promoter (1952), with Alec Guinness CR)
(13) Richard Willis Show
4:00-
(2) The Brighter Day
(4) Truth or Consequences; Bob Barker
(5) Douglas Fairbanks Theatre (R)
(7) American Bandstand
(13) Curtain Time (R)
4:15
(2) Secret Storm
4:30
(2) Edge of Night
(4) County Fair; Bert Parks
(5) Mr. District Attorney (R)
(13) Junior Town
5:00
(2) Life of Riley (R)
(4) Movie Four: Hidden Guns (1955), with Bruce Bennett (R)
(7) Alan Freed
(9) Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
(11) Abbott & Costello (R)
5:30
*(2) Early Show (R)
(7) Walt Disney Time
(9) Film: Seven Were Saved (R)
(11: Three Stooges
(13) Sherwood Forest (R)

EVENING

6:00
(5) Nuts and Bugs, Comedy
(7) Little Rascals
(11) Popeye the Sailor
(13) Ask the Camera
6:30-
(4) News Reports
(5) Sandy Becker Presents
(7) Yesterday's Newsreel
(11) Huckleberry Hound
(13) Mike Wallace Newsbeat
6:40
(4) Weather Report
6:45
(4) News and Comments
(7) News Report
7:00
(2) News; Weather
(4) Warning
(5) Sheriff of Cochise (R)
(7) Tugboat Annie (R)
(9) Terrytoon Circus
(11) News and Weather
(13) Cartoons
7:15
(2) News Reports
7:30
(2) The Playhouse (R)
(4) The Californians (R)
(5) White Hunter
(7) Oh, Boy!
*(9) Million Dollar Movie (R)
*(11) Victory at Sea (R)
(13) Danger Is My Business (R)
8:00-
(2) Deceniber Bride (R)
(4) Who Pays?
(5) Byline (R)
*(7) Zorro (R)
(11) Fast Guns of the
West
(13) Rate the Records
8:30
*(2) Yancy Derringer (R)
*4) Lawless Years
(5) Douglas Fairbanks Theatre (R)
*(7) The Real McCoys (R)
(11) Frontier Doctor (R)
9:00*
(2) Zane Grey Theatre (R)
(4) Bachelor Father (R)
(5) Wrestling
*(7) Leave It to Beaver
(9) Science Fiction;(R)
(11) Steve Donoian,:
Western Marshal
(13) Secret Files
9:30
*(2) Playhouse 90
(4) 21 Beacon Street
*(7) Rough Riders:
(9) Sign of Danger (R)
(11) 26 Men(R)
(13) I Spy
10:00
*(4) Groucho Marx
(7) Man Called X" (R),
(9) Strange Stories (R)
(11) Boots and Saddles
(13) Mike Wallace Interviews
10:30
*(4) Masquerade Parly (C)
(7) Harbor Command (R)
(9) Million Dollar Movie
(11) Soldiers of Fortiine (R) .
(13) Barry Gray Show
11:00
(2) News; Weather; Sports
(4) News; Sports; Weather
(5) Five Star Movie (R)
(7) News and Weather.:
(11) News Reports
(13) Dance Party,
11:15
(2) Late Show: Panama Hattie (1942), With Red Skelton (R)
*(4) Jack Paar Show.
(7) Night Show: One Way to Love (1946) (R)
(11) Film: Daisy Kenyon (1947) (R)
12:00
(9) Mystery Film: Boston Blackie Goes to Hollywood (1942), Chester Morris (R)
(13) Midnight Movie: Yes Sir, Mr. Bones (1951) (R)
12:45
(2) Late, Late Show: Gorgeous Hussy (1936) Joan Crawford (R)

(R)=Rerun, rebroadcast
(C)=Color
Asterisk represented Times TV critic's picks for viewing
 
Wasn't American Bandstand 90 minutes at the time? It's only scheduled between 4p-5p. I have a December 1960 TV Guide that lists AB as 90 minutes yet all 3 New England affiliates carrying it (WHDH Boston, WNHC New Haven and WMTW Poland Springs/Portland) went to local programming at 5p. Was this common?
 
"Wasn't American Bandstand 90 minutes at the time? It's only scheduled between 4p-5p. I have a December 1960 TV Guide that lists AB as 90 minutes "

A lot of network shows fed longer versions to affiliates than even some of the O&Os took...ABC was well known for allowing its O&Os a lot of autonomy in how they handled network shows, right from the beginning of network operation in 1948. There were some network shows during the 50s that WJZ/WABC never carried for the NYC market, and later on, stations like KABC and WPVI became well known for pre-empting network material if they thought a local show could make more money.
 
Nevertheless, the answer is yes. At the time "AB" aired on
ABC from 4-5:30 PM (Sept. 29, 1958-Sept. 29, 1961); it
would be cut to 50 minutes (4-4:50 PM) on Oct. 2, 1961.
Wesley Hyatt, however, makes a mistake; he says that "AB"
aired from 4-4:55 PM from Oct. 1, 1962-Aug. 30, 1963; in
truth, "Discovery" aired in the 4:30-4:55 slot in the 1962-63
season.
 
Wasn't Record Wagon/Clay Cole on Ch.13 by July of 1959?
 
If I recall, channel 13 WNTA was then owned by the syndicator NTA, and had not yet become the public TV station WNET. Apparently they didn't run all NTA-syndicated shows; "Sheriff of Cochise" ran on channel 5. (Despite its Western-sounding title, "Sheriff of Cochise" was a modern-day cop show.)

I was in a second hand shop the other day and they actually had the "Jan Murray's Treasure Hunt" board game.
 
MCarney said:
Wasn't American Bandstand 90 minutes at the time? It's only scheduled between 4p-5p. I have a December 1960 TV Guide that lists AB as 90 minutes yet all 3 New England affiliates carrying it (WHDH Boston, WNHC New Haven and WMTW Poland Springs/Portland) went to local programming at 5p. Was this common?
Click to expand...

AB aired 90 minutes, but quite a few markets had their local "Bandstand" dance show with their local DJ that carved out the first or last half-hour of AB. More $$$ for the TV station and more promotion for the DJ/radio station. In NY, you just can't say "no" to Alan Freed, "The Father of Rock and Roll". IIRC, he had a show ("The Big Beat") which was on the air earlier than AB (Fri. nights / ABC).
 
trusty said:
AB aired 90 minutes, but quite a few markets had their local "Bandstand" dance show with their local DJ that carved out the first or last half-hour of AB. More $$$ for the TV station and more promotion for the DJ/radio station. In NY, you just can't say "no" to Alan Freed, "The Father of Rock and Roll". IIRC, he had a show ("The Big Beat") which was on the air earlier than AB (Fri. nights / ABC).
Click to expand...

Freed did have a show on ABC during the summer of 1957. It was supposed to be a 13 week run, but was cancelled after 4 weeks because of controversy when Frankie Lyman (who was black) danced with a white woman. 55 years later we think nothing of it but advertisers and Southern stations had an absolute fit.
 
MCarney said:
trusty said:
AB aired 90 minutes, but quite a few markets had their local "Bandstand" dance show with their local DJ that carved out the first or last half-hour of AB. More $$$ for the TV station and more promotion for the DJ/radio station. In NY, you just can't say "no" to Alan Freed, "The Father of Rock and Roll". IIRC, he had a show ("The Big Beat") which was on the air earlier than AB (Fri. nights / ABC).
Click to expand...

Freed did have a show on ABC during the summer of 1957. It was supposed to be a 13 week run, but was cancelled after 4 weeks because of controversy when Frankie Lyman (who was black) danced with a white woman. 55 years later we think nothing of it but advertisers and Southern stations had an absolute fit.
Click to expand...

True. Freed pushed the envelope in many ways. I just used the example to point out that if you were a NYC station in 1959, and you had a choice between Freed and the last half hour of AB, whaddyagonnadoo?
 
Freed considered black artists to be "the real thing" in
early rock 'n' roll and used them liberally in his stage shows.
But I suppose the reaction to Frankie Lymon dancing with
a white woman on national television in 1957 was to be expected,
especially in the South (after all, this was the same era when WLBT
Jackson, MS, was putting up "technical difficulties" signs whenever
a civil-rights story appeared on "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" and
somebody cut WSFA Montgomery, AL, off the air for the duration of
an NBC interview with Martin Luther King, Jr.).

Ironically, on one show he and Buddy Holly talked about a helicopter
ride they'd taken, one that was so bumpy that both of them thought
they were going to go through the top. This was a little over a year
before Holly's fatal plane crash.
 
WABC-TV had Alan freed on the schedule for more than just his past radio popularity. The ABC cluster of stations in NYC had him under contract and were getting maximum mileage out of him. He had an early evening show on WABC-AM 770 as that station was gradually transitioning from old-line MOR and network fare, to the local personality=driven top 40 format that it would embrace full-time starting at the end of 1960. Freed was supposed to be part of that transition. He had to leave both WABC and WABC-TV before the end of 1959 because he was caught up in the payola scandal and became radio-active (no pun intended) with advertisers.

He fled to the West Coast, to the LA market, and never worked in NYC again, although there was a rumble that he was going to return either to WMCA or WWRL early in 1965. He didn't make it--he passed away about a month before he was scheduled to return.

It's interesting to think of how things might have turned out if he hadn't gotten taken down in the payola mess (or had been cagier and less candid in working his way through it, like Dick Clark was when he testified before Congress). A lineup of Herb Oscar Anderson, CFharlie Greer, Dan Ingram, Alan Freed, Bruce Morrow and Bob "Bob-a-Loo" Lewis on WABC would have been interesting to listen to back in 1961, to say the least.
 
Bandstand was available for 90 minutes a day via the ABC Network. However, WABC-TV (Channel 7) did have some autonomy with the network and as you can see they decided to only run 60 minutes at the time. WFIL-TV (Channel 6) in Philadelphia ran it the entire 90 minutes and the affiliates had the option to either run 60 or 90 minutes a day. Many of them chose to do the 60 minute version and dump the last half hour for local availability.

Channel 13 WNTA-TV did not go non-commercial until 1962. The station started non-commercial operation as WNDT in September, 1962. However, to this day, WNET-TV Channel *13 still holds a commercial license and could in essence send a quick note to the FCC to say "we want to switch to commercial operation". Channel 13 still holds a commercial allocation to Newark.
 
Bob1370 said:
WABC-TV had Alan freed on the schedule for more than just his past radio popularity. The ABC cluster of stations in NYC had him under contract and were getting maximum mileage out of him. He had an early evening show on WABC-AM 770 as that station was gradually transitioning from old-line MOR and network fare, to the local personality=driven top 40 format that it would embrace full-time starting at the end of 1960. Freed was supposed to be part of that transition. He had to leave both WABC and WABC-TV before the end of 1959 because he was caught up in the payola scandal and became radio-active (no pun intended) with advertisers.

He fled to the West Coast, to the LA market, and never worked in NYC again, although there was a rumble that he was going to return either to WMCA or WWRL early in 1965. He didn't make it--he passed away about a month before he was scheduled to return.
Click to expand...

Actually, at the time he was fired by WABC in 1959, he had a TV show on WNEW-TV which likewise dumped him in the wake of the payola charges.
 
I recall that Freed used to rook performers out of royalties by demanding co-writer credit on their songs, or he would not play them on his show. This was the case with Chuck Berry's "Maybelline." (In the whitewashed biopic "American Hot Wax" - wherein the short, wiry Freed was portrayed by a beefy actor who looked like a cross between Rush Limbaugh and Dan Blocker - Berry appeared as himself.)
 
Bob1370 said:
WABC-TV had Alan freed on the schedule for more than just his past radio popularity. The ABC cluster of stations in NYC had him under contract and were getting maximum mileage out of him. He had an early evening show on WABC-AM 770 as that station was gradually transitioning from old-line MOR and network fare, to the local personality=driven top 40 format that it would embrace full-time starting at the end of 1960. Freed was supposed to be part of that transition. He had to leave both WABC and WABC-TV before the end of 1959 because he was caught up in the payola scandal and became radio-active (no pun intended) with advertisers.

He fled to the West Coast, to the LA market, and never worked in NYC again, although there was a rumble that he was going to return either to WMCA or WWRL early in 1965. He didn't make it--he passed away about a month before he was scheduled to return.

It's interesting to think of how things might have turned out if he hadn't gotten taken down in the payola mess (or had been cagier and less candid in working his way through it, like Dick Clark was when he testified before Congress). A lineup of Herb Oscar Anderson, CFharlie Greer, Dan Ingram, Alan Freed, Bruce Morrow and Bob "Bob-a-Loo" Lewis on WABC would have been interesting to listen to back in 1961, to say the least.
Click to expand...

Please explain what you mean by "cagier and less candid...like Dick Clark." Clark had invested in several record-publishing companies and produced playlists from past "Bandstand" shows to indicate that the songs from those companies were not played disproportionately more often than other songs. Also, at Leonard Goldensen's urging (order?) he sold his interest in those companies and was thus allowed to continue hosting "Bandstand."
 
rnigma said:
I recall that Freed used to rook performers out of royalties by demanding co-writer credit on their songs, or he would not play them on his show. This was the case with Chuck Berry's "Maybelline."
Click to expand...
...this is not entirely true. Freed was a musician prior to his broadcasting career, and he legitimately composed songs as a hobby (Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows swore until the day he died that Freed actually co-wrote "Sincerely" with him, and Freed pointedly refused to play the McGuire Sisters version of that song, even though it was a better seller than the Moonglows original). While Freed apparently accepted royalties from his name being listed as a co-composer of "Maybellene" (the correct spelling, BTW - Maybelline is the cosmetics company, and Berry made a point of spelling the title in a manner that would avoid trademark infringement hassles), the idea of putting Freed's name on the song was actually Leonard and Phil Chess' doings as owners of Chess Records and Arc Music Publishing. They also gave a composer's credit to Russ Fratto, who owned the building Chess' offices and studios were in, as a way of paying back rent on the facilities. It was a corrupt practice, but one that had been fairly common a generation before, when Benny Goodman would put his name on musical compositions that he had no part in creating -- Charlie Christian's "A Smo-o-o-oth One" and Lionel Hampton's "Flying Home," for example -- simply because the composers were members of Goodman's band...
 
"Please explain what you mean by "cagier and less candid...like Dick Clark." Clark had invested in several record-publishing companies and produced playlists from past "Bandstand" shows to indicate that the songs from those companies were not played disproportionately more often than other songs."

I mean smart enough not to be obvious about potential conflicts of interest, or let them take over his musical judgment completely--and also less candid in the sense that he didn't do what Freed did, openly BRAG about what he was doing to the Congressional panels regardless of potential interpretation as conflicts of interest.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom