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Soul Train TV Network

T

TVCOOL

How many TV Stations carried Soul Train from 1971 - 2006? I think it got the late-morning / early afternoon slot on many TV stations nationwide sandwiched between saturday morning cartoons and Pro Wrestling (another saturday / sunday staple) or sports programming.
 
I think at the show's peak, Soul Train was probably on at least 150 or so markets nationwide, plus national carriage by what's now WGN Anerica. We talked about this topic back around the time Don Cornelius passed away, but when he was launching the show into national syndication, he targeted 25 markets with sizeable Black populations to air the show, but only eight cities carried the original first airing in October 1971. The other 17 markets (including New York City) gradually started to air Soul Train by the end of season one. I believe by season two, the number of stations doubled, and probably had over a hundred stations on its roster by the end of the '70s.
 
That's surprising, since I don't think there were 150 markets with a large enough black population to support "Soul Train". From what I remember of its run on WGN in the 80s, the commercials were clearly aimed at a black audience.
 
installLSC said:
That's surprising, since I don't think there were 150 markets with a large enough black population to support "Soul Train".
Click to expand...

According to a newspaper article in 1973, Soul Train was carried by 70 stations and averaged 4 million viewers. Its greatest popularity was in New Orleans, Chicago, and Washington D.C. By 1984, the show was seen in 90 markets, that according to a newspaper article about Don Cornelius.

In Memphis, Soul Train was on our ABC affiliate WHBQ-TV in the 70s and about half of the 80s, but later moved to another station. I remember it being on Saturday nights at 10:30.
 
Maybe the "150" number was perhaps a little overstated, but given the show's carriage in local syndication and on WGN nationally, virtually every major city had access to Soul Train. Also, given that more and more stations were starting up in the '80s (and '90s)--much of those stations later aligning with Fox, The WB, and UPN--Soul Train's station base had to grow. Even with the quality of the show slipping starting in the mid-90s, coinciding with Don Cornelius' departure as host, plus the growth of MTV, BET, and VH1 (back when all three aired nonstop music videos), more stations started adding Soul Train as just filler programming.
 
installLSC said:
That's surprising, since I don't think there were 150 markets with a large enough black population to support "Soul Train". From what I remember of its run on WGN in the 80s, the commercials were clearly aimed at a black audience.
Click to expand...

"Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, and Ultra Sheen cosmetics!"
 
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