• 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

What year did Y'all first get Cable TV?

We first got cable TV in 1980 in Mechanicsburg, PA (a suburb of Harrisburg). The cable at the time was Sammons Communications; it was bought out by Suburban Cable in 1996, then in turn by Comcast in 1998 or 1999.

The memories of the lineup are kinda hazy, some over the years have not changed.

2-WHP (CBS, Harrisburg)
3-WGAL (NBC, Lancaster)
4-WHTM (ABC, Harrisburg), now ShopNBC
5-WGCB (Ind., Red Lion) now WPMT (FOX, York)
6-WITF (PBS, Hershey (now Harrisburg))
7-not sure
8-not sure
9-WOR (Ind., NYC)
10-WTAF (Ind., Phila)
11-WPIX (Ind., NYC)
12-not sure
13-WKBS (Ind., Phila) now WLYH (CW, Lebanon)

Those were the first 13 at least; HBO and PRISM were also on the cable. In the early years, they offered KYW-3, WPVI-6, and WCAU-10 as well; WPHL-17 was (and still is) on the cable as well. WMAR-2, WBAL-11, and WJZ-13 were also offered. I remember WJZ-13 being replaced by either CNN or ESPN very early on, as well as MTV replacing KYW-3..
 
I grew up in Malone, NY (on the NY/QC border). We had newchannels (became Time Warner in 1995) My earlierst cable memories date back to probably 1983 or 84. This was our first cable line up to the best of my knowledge...
2 CBMT (CBC Montreal)
3 WCAX (CBS Burlington)
4 WVNY (ABC Burlington)
5 WPTZ (NBC Plattsburgh)
6 HBO
7 CJOH (CTV Ottawa)
8 WCFE (PBS Plattsburgh)
9 WIXT (ABC Syracuse) (Now WSYR no longer available)
10 WNPE (PBS Watertown)
11 WPIX (IND New York) (No longer available)
12 CFCF (CTV Montreal) (No longer on cable)
13 WWOR (IND New York) (No longer available)
14 TNN (now spike tv)
15 USA
16 MTV
17 TBS
18 Headline News
19 CNN
20 ESPN
21 Disney
22 Cinemax
23 Cspan
 
What about WWNY-TV channel 7 (CBS) of Carthage/Watertown, NY? I'm pretty certain you would've had that station. As for WWTI-TV (ABC) channel 50 of Watertown, I think they signed on in 1988.
 
Malone is in Franklin County, part of the Burlington / Plattsburgh market. And considering that it's closer to those two cities than it is to Watertown, I think it's very likely that WWNY and WWTI was not offered on cable in Malone.
 
My parents first got cable TV in 1966.
Winchester, Virginia TV Cable line-up in 1966 ( I remember seeing an ad for this a few years back ).

channel 2: WMAR ( CBS ) Baltimore
channel 3: WSVA ( ABC/NBC ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington DC
channel 5: WTTG ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 6: WTVR ( CBS ) Richmond..gone by 1968 replaced by WINC radio's communtiy channel
channel 7: WMAL ( ABC ) Washington DC
channel 8: nothing in 1966 but WBFF out of Baltimore was here in the early 70s
channel 9: WTOP ( CBS ) Washington DC
channel 10: WDCA ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 11: WBAL (NBC ) Baltimore
channel 12: WINC radio's community channel ( moved to channel 6 when NET/PBS's WVPT arrived in 68 )
channel 13: WJZ ( ABC ) Baltimore

Today 2008...its Comcast
channel 2: TV Guide channel
channel 3: WHSV ( ABC ) Winchester...not Harrisonburg
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington
channel 5: WTTG ( FOX ) Washington
channel 6: WINC radio's Community channel
channel 7: WJLA ( ABC ) Washington ( odds are they may be leaving cable sometime this year in Winchester )
channel 8: WDCA ( MY TV ) Washington ( WBFF was removed in 1996 due to FOX )
channel 9: WUSA ( CBS ) Washington
channel 10: WHAG ( NBC ) Hagerstown, MD ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )
channel 11: WBAL ( NBC ) Baltimore ( leaving cable by Summer 2008 )
channel 12: WVPT ( PBS ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 13: WJZ ( CBS ) Baltimore ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )

I have NO idea what Comcast plans on replacing WJLA, WHAG, WBAL and WJZ with once these channels are gone. My guess either WHAG or WBAL will be replaced by Charlottesville's WVIR NBC 29 but that is a guess.
 
Sussex County NJ Cable system

In Northwest New jersey Cable bacame available in the late 1960's. Here are some lineups I can recall

1975
2 - 2 WCBS-TV (CBS) New York City
3 - 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia
4 - 4 WNBC-TV (NBC) New York
5 - 5 WNEW-TV (Ind.) New York City
6 - 6 WPVI (ABC) Philadelphia
7 - 7 WABC-TV (ABC) New York City
8 - 17 WPHL (Ind.) Philadelphia 11 AM-4 AM - Weather Clocks with audio from WRFM New York playing Easy Listening Instrumentals and a couple vocalists an hour before 11 AM
9 - 9 WOR-TV (Ind.) New York City
10 - 10 WCAU-TV (CBS) Philadelphia
11 - 11 WPIX (Ind.) New York City
12 - 48 WKBS (Ind.) Philadelphia after 12 Noon until 3 AM - Weather Clocks before Noon
13 - 13 WNET (PBS) Newark, NJ/New York City
18 - Home Box Office

1976
2 - 2 WCBS-TV (CBS) New York City
3 - 52 WNJT (PBS) Trenton, NJ / 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia (during hours when channel 52 was not broadcasting)
4 - 4 WNBC-TV (NBC) New York
5 - 5 WNEW-TV (Ind.) New York City
6 - 6 WPVI (ABC) Philadelphia
7 - 7 WABC-TV (ABC) New York City
8 - 17 WPHL (Ind.) Philadelphia 11 AM-4 AM - Weather Clocks with audio from WRFM New York playing Easy Listening Instrumentals and a couple vocalists an hour before 11 AM
9 - 9 WOR-TV (Ind.) New York City
10 - 10 WCAU-TV (CBS) Philadelphia
11 - 11 WPIX (Ind.) New York City
12 - 48 WKBS (Ind.) Philadelphia after 12 Noon until 3 AM - Weather Clocks before Noon
13 - 13 WNET (PBS) Newark, NJ/New York City
18 - Home Box Office


1977
2 - 2 WCBS-TV (CBS) New York City
3 - 52 WNJT (PBS) Trenton, NJ / 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia (during hours when channel 52 was not broadcasting)
4 - 4 WNBC-TV (NBC) New York
5 - 5 WNEW-TV (Ind.) New York City
6 - 6 WPVI (ABC) Philadelphia
7 - 7 WABC-TV (ABC) New York City
8 - 17 WPHL (Ind.) Philadelphia 11 AM-4 AM - Weather Clocks with audio from WRFM New York playing Easy Listening Instrumentals and a couple vocalists an hour before 11 AM
9 - 9 WOR-TV (Ind.) New York City
10 - 29 WTAF (Ind.) Philadelphia/10 WCAU-TV (CBS) when Channel 29 was not broadcasting
11 - 11 WPIX (Ind.) New York City
12 - 48 WKBS (Ind.) Philadelphia after 12 Noon until 3 AM - Weather Clocks before Noon
13 - 13 WNET (PBS) Newark, NJ/New York City
18 - Home Box Office
19 - Reuters News Service with WRFM on audio
20 - Weather Clocks
21 - 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia
22 - 10 WCAU-TV (CBS) Philadelphia
23 - 48 WKBS (Ind) Philadelphia (full-time)
24 - 17 WPHL (Ind) Philadelphia (full-time)

Spring 1980
2 - 2 WCBS-TV (CBS) New York City
3 - 52 WNJT (PBS) Trenton, NJ / Reuter's News with WRFM on audio when Channel 52 was not on the air
4 - 4 WNBC-TV (NBC) New York
5 - 5 WNEW-TV (Ind.) New York City
6 - 6 WPVI (ABC) Philadelphia - Weekdays 5 AM-11 AM / C-Span Weekdays 11 AM-6 PM / ESPN 6 PM to 5 AM Weekdays and 24 hours on weekends
7 - 7 WABC-TV (ABC) New York City
8 - 17 WPHL (Ind.) Philadelphia 11 AM-4 AM - Weather Clocks with audio from WRFM New York playing Easy Listening Instrumentals and a couple vocalists an hour before 11 AM
9 - 9 WOR-TV (Ind.) New York City
10 - 29 WTAF (Ind.) Philadelphia/10 WCAU-TV (CBS) when Channel 29 was not broadcasting
11 - 11 WPIX (Ind.) New York City
12 - 48 WKBS (Ind.) Philadelphia after 12 Noon until 3 AM - Weather Clocks before Noon
13 - 13 WNET (PBS) Newark, NJ/New York City
18 - Home Box Office
19 - Reuters News Service with WRFM on audio
20 - Weather Clocks
21 - 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia
22 - 10 WCAU-TV (CBS) Philadelphia
23 - 48 WKBS (Ind) Philadelphia (full-time)
24 - 17 WPHL (Ind) Philadelphia (full-time)

Fall 1980
2 - 2 WCBS-TV (CBS) New York City
3 - 52 WNJT (PBS) Trenton, NJ / Reuter's News with WRFM on audio when Channel 52 was not on the air
4 - 4 WNBC-TV (NBC) New York
5 - 5 WNEW-TV (Ind.) New York City
6 - ESPN - Sports - 24 hours a day
7 - 7 WABC-TV (ABC) New York City
8 - 17 WPHL (Ind.) Philadelphia 10 AM-4 AM - Weather Clocks with audio from WRFM New York playing Easy Listening Instrumentals and a couple vocalists an hour before 11 AM
9 - 9 WOR-TV (Ind.) New York City
10 - 29 WTAF (Ind.) Philadelphia
11 - 11 WPIX (Ind.) New York City
12 - 48 WKBS (Ind.) Philadelphia after 12 Noon until 3 AM - Weather Clocks before Noon
13 - 13 WNET (PBS) Newark, NJ/New York City
16 - 48 WKBS (Ind) Philadelphia until Noon - Weather Clocks from Noon On
17 - 6 WPVI (ABC) Philadelphia
18 - Home Box Office
19 - C Span
20 - 17 WPHL (Ind) Philadelphia before 10 AM - Reuters News Service with WRFM on audio after 10 AM
21 - 3 KYW-TV (NBC) Philadelphia
22 - 10 WCAU-TV (CBS) Philadelphia
 
mleach said:
My parents first got cable TV in 1966.
Winchester, Virginia TV Cable line-up in 1966 ( I remember seeing an ad for this a few years back ).

channel 2: WMAR ( CBS ) Baltimore
channel 3: WSVA ( ABC/NBC ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington DC
channel 5: WTTG ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 6: WTVR ( CBS ) Richmond..gone by 1968 replaced by WINC radio's communtiy channel
channel 7: WMAL ( ABC ) Washington DC
channel 8: nothing in 1966 but WBFF out of Baltimore was here in the early 70s
channel 9: WTOP ( CBS ) Washington DC
channel 10: WDCA ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 11: WBAL (NBC ) Baltimore
channel 12: WINC radio's community channel ( moved to channel 6 when NET/PBS's WVPT arrived in 68 )
channel 13: WJZ ( ABC ) Baltimore

Today 2008...its Comcast
channel 2: TV Guide channel
channel 3: WHSV ( ABC ) Winchester...not Harrisonburg
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington
channel 5: WTTG ( FOX ) Washington
channel 6: WINC radio's Community channel
channel 7: WJLA ( ABC ) Washington ( odds are they may be leaving cable sometime this year in Winchester )
channel 8: WDCA ( MY TV ) Washington ( WBFF was removed in 1996 due to FOX )
channel 9: WUSA ( CBS ) Washington
channel 10: WHAG ( NBC ) Hagerstown, MD ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )
channel 11: WBAL ( NBC ) Baltimore ( leaving cable by Summer 2008 )
channel 12: WVPT ( PBS ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 13: WJZ ( CBS ) Baltimore ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )

I have NO idea what Comcast plans on replacing WJLA, WHAG, WBAL and WJZ with once these channels are gone. My guess either WHAG or WBAL will be replaced by Charlottesville's WVIR NBC 29 but that is a guess.
Click to expand...
WJLA-TV/7/ABC WILL NOT be dropped from Winchester area cable systems, including Comcast. Winchester/Frederick County is well within the Washington DC DMA and is recieved OTA there. Thusly, it is a "must carry" station. WJLA has exclusive rights to ABC and syndicated programming there as well. You can be sure Allbritton Broadcasting will not forfeit this rapidly growing suburban area of several hundred thousand to an out of market DT which is further from Winchester than DC. I also seriously doubt WHAG would be dropped in Winchester. I'm sure they are also "must carry" and they are a in-market station. Considering what Comcast has done on nearby systems, it is possible WBAL and WJZ will be placed on a digital tier. Also, I'm sure you realize you did not list several DC channels which Comcast caries in Winchester, such as WDCW/50 and WETA/26.
 
fortmill said:
WJLA-TV/7/ABC WILL NOT be dropped from Winchester area cable systems, including Comcast. Winchester/Frederick County is well within the Washington DC DMA and is recieved OTA there. Thusly, it is a "must carry" station. WJLA has exclusive rights to ABC and syndicated programming there as well. You can be sure Allbritton Broadcasting will not forfeit this rapidly growing suburban area of several hundred thousand to an out of market DT which is further from Winchester than DC. I also seriously doubt WHAG would be dropped in Winchester. I'm sure they are also "must carry" and they are a in-market station. Considering what Comcast has done on nearby systems, it is possible WBAL and WJZ will be placed on a digital tier. Also, I'm sure you realize you did not list several DC channels which Comcast caries in Winchester, such as WDCW/50 and WETA/26.
Click to expand...

Ah...you need to contact WHSV and Winchester's Shenandoah University about WJLA having exclusive rights to ABC in Winchester, VA.

www.tv3winchester.com

If WJLA has such rights, then Gray Television and the University have wasted quite a bit of money on putting together the local Winchester ABC affiliate. And a lot of their syndication such as Oprah also airs on WJLA too. Either WJLA doesn't care about the area or they don't know. I would imagine they ( WJLA ) know about TV 3 Winchester. Kinda hard to keep a tv station a community's secret.

True about the DTV signal in itself ( though actually some parts of Frederick County the distance between them and Harrisonburg is the same as DC though ), but this ABC channel actually has a studio, sales offices and a news department right in Winchester. I would think that makes a difference. Had WHSV did all this in Harrisonburg well that would be a different story.

Hagerstown's WHAG NBC 25.....many Hagerstown area businesses for years look at their area as a "tri-state" market. Maryland, West Virginia an Pennsylvania...not Virginia. Many Hagerstown businesses over the years have pressured the local media there to stop serving Winchester such as the local Harald-Mail newspaper and their local radio stations too.
I believe Hagerstown's WAYZ radio ( number one station in that market ) no longer takes ads from Winchester businesses.
Now that I could be wrong but I'm not with the Harald-Mail. The paper for years have question why WHAG would want to serve Winchester when clearly their advertisers don't want nothing to do with that area. Besides Winchester cable awhile back actually dropped Hagerstown's WJAL for a few years and moved WHAG off the 2-13 area to an upper channel and neither station could have cared less. WJAL themselves told me so.

True about WETA and DC's CW 50, but with so many changes to the line-up in recent years I didn't include them.
Winchester Comcast also carries Woodstock's LPTV WAZT but they are so far up the dial ( channel 98 ? ) they might as well not bother.
 
The three local stations on Charter in Jackson, TN are handled differently, probably according to what the stations request. WLJT PBS 11 doesn't request that anything be blocked from WKNO 10 in Memphis. WJKT Fox 16 only requests that Fox programming be blocked. I can live with that since WHBQ 13 in Memphis is only blocked when WJKT is carrying the same thing.

Unfortunately WBBJ ABC 7 has requested that Charter carry no other ABC station, even when the programming is different. I know that this is probably legal according to FCC rules, but it shouldn't be. Ths most they should be able to do is what WJKT is doing in only blocking shows that are on from the network at the same time.
 
KML-224 said:
What about WWNY-TV channel 7 (CBS) of Carthage/Watertown, NY? I'm pretty certain you would've had that station. As for WWTI-TV (ABC) channel 50 of Watertown, I think they signed on in 1988.
Click to expand...

The other poster was right, Malone NY (and the rest of Franklin County) is in the Burlington Market. So those tv stations would get preference for cable carriage. WNPE (now WPBS) I believe is still on cable tv in that town today. If I remember I think they have a full powered second station near Norwood NY, which is about 45 miles to the west. I am assuming that it is easy to recieve OTA, that is the only reason why I would think time warner would have that station on as opposed to the other burlington PBS station (channel 33 I think).
 
fortmill said:
mleach said:
My parents first got cable TV in 1966.
Winchester, Virginia TV Cable line-up in 1966 ( I remember seeing an ad for this a few years back ).

channel 2: WMAR ( CBS ) Baltimore
channel 3: WSVA ( ABC/NBC ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington DC
channel 5: WTTG ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 6: WTVR ( CBS ) Richmond..gone by 1968 replaced by WINC radio's communtiy channel
channel 7: WMAL ( ABC ) Washington DC
channel 8: nothing in 1966 but WBFF out of Baltimore was here in the early 70s
channel 9: WTOP ( CBS ) Washington DC
channel 10: WDCA ( IND ) Washington DC
channel 11: WBAL (NBC ) Baltimore
channel 12: WINC radio's community channel ( moved to channel 6 when NET/PBS's WVPT arrived in 68 )
channel 13: WJZ ( ABC ) Baltimore

Today 2008...its Comcast
channel 2: TV Guide channel
channel 3: WHSV ( ABC ) Winchester...not Harrisonburg
channel 4: WRC ( NBC ) Washington
channel 5: WTTG ( FOX ) Washington
channel 6: WINC radio's Community channel
channel 7: WJLA ( ABC ) Washington ( odds are they may be leaving cable sometime this year in Winchester )
channel 8: WDCA ( MY TV ) Washington ( WBFF was removed in 1996 due to FOX )
channel 9: WUSA ( CBS ) Washington
channel 10: WHAG ( NBC ) Hagerstown, MD ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )
channel 11: WBAL ( NBC ) Baltimore ( leaving cable by Summer 2008 )
channel 12: WVPT ( PBS ) Harrisonburg, VA
channel 13: WJZ ( CBS ) Baltimore ( leaving cable I heard by Summer 2008 )

I have NO idea what Comcast plans on replacing WJLA, WHAG, WBAL and WJZ with once these channels are gone. My guess either WHAG or WBAL will be replaced by Charlottesville's WVIR NBC 29 but that is a guess.
Click to expand...
WJLA-TV/7/ABC WILL NOT be dropped from Winchester area cable systems, including Comcast. Winchester/Frederick County is well within the Washington DC DMA and is recieved OTA there. Thusly, it is a "must carry" station. WJLA has exclusive rights to ABC and syndicated programming there as well. You can be sure Allbritton Broadcasting will not forfeit this rapidly growing suburban area of several hundred thousand to an out of market DT which is further from Winchester than DC. I also seriously doubt WHAG would be dropped in Winchester. I'm sure they are also "must carry" and they are a in-market station. Considering what Comcast has done on nearby systems, it is possible WBAL and WJZ will be placed on a digital tier. Also, I'm sure you realize you did not list several DC channels which Comcast caries in Winchester, such as WDCW/50 and WETA/26.
Click to expand...

The "Frederick County" you are describing to me sounds more like Frederick County, MARYLAND than Frederick County, VA.
The population of Frederick County, MD is well into that "several hundred thousand" range while Frederick County ,VA if you include Winchester City is only at 100,000 plus Frederick County, VA is hardly "suburban" while pretty much all of Frederick County, Maryland is. Frederick, MD has grown so much within the last 20 years that they are now the 2nd largest city in Maryland. Winchester doesn't even make the top 20 in Virginia.

The Washington and Baltimore stations break their backs to serve Frederick County, MD. Frederick County, VA..they don't even care and considering that WJLA and even ABC had the power to prevent WHSV from launching their Winchester,VA service but didn't is proof of that. Plus there are a number of mountains between Winchester and Washington DC. East of Winchester, the DC & Baltimore stations come in quite well OTA. West of Winchester..well good luck to you. Meanwhile in Frederick, MD simple rabbit ears can get you all of the DC, Baltimore and I believe even a few Pennsylvania stations too.

DCRTV awhile back reported that Winchester/Frederick County, VA is to break away from the Washington DMA to join Harrisonburg's. Haven't heard much about that lately so I doubt it will happen. But even if did, it would be the same as Franklin County, PA when they left Washington to join the Harrisburg-Lancaster, PA market. I doubt the Washington stations would shed a tear. They can more than make up the loss in viewers with other fast growing markets like Fredericksburg, VA and of course, Frederick County, Maryland.
 
1974, in Western Ohio. 12 channels.

2-WLWD (later WDTN) NBC, Dayton
3-Time and weather, a camera scaning past temp, humidity bp and wind guages).
4-WTTV, Indianapolis (microwaved in)
5-WANE-TV, CBS, Ft Wayne
6-WKJG, NBC, Ft Wayne
7-WHIO, CBS, Dayton
8-WIMA-TV/WLIO Lima (NBC some ABC)
9-WXIX, Cincy
10-WFFT, Ft WAyne when it premiered
11-WPTA. ABC, Ft Wayne
12-WBGU, PBS, Bowling Green OH
13- (i actually don't remember)
 
Johnson City, TN - 1970 - $4.25 per month according to my mom.

2 - WSJK - PBS - Sneedville, TN
3 - WBTV - CBS - Charlotte, NC
4 - WFBC - NBC - Greenville, SC
5 - WCYB - NBC - Bristol, VA / TN
6 - WJHL - CBS ( 11 ) - Johnson City, TN
7 - WCYB - NBC ( 5 ) - Bristol, VA / TN - Because Channel 5 displayed ingress interference in some areas from off-air Channel 5.
8 - WATE - NBC ( 6 )- Knoxville, TN - Also closed circuit local programming sometimes.
9 - WSOC - NBC - Charlotte, NC
10 - WBIR - CBS - Knoxville, TN
11 - Blank - Off Air ingress interference from local WJHL Ch. 11
12 - WKPT - ABC ( 19 ) - Kingsport, TN
13 - WLOS - ABC - Asheville, NC

Channels 3, 8 and 10 displayed weather "dials" during network duplication of local channels.
Channels 4 and 9 went "blank" ( raster - no audio ) during network duplication of local channels.
Channel 13 switched to local ABC - WKPT ( 19 ) during network duplication of local channel.
Channel 2 switched to WLOS - Asheville when WSJK was off of the air ( rule above for Ch. 13 applied to this channel as well ).

WRET - Ch. 36 replaced WCYB ( 5 ) on channel 7 in 1972. This also did away with the replacement for network duplication on Channels 4,5 and 9 as well because some subscribers could not get WCYB on Ch.5 to clearly due to the off-air ingress interference on this channel.

If anyone has the Bristol, VA / TN cable lineup for around this year, I would be intersted to see it.
 
Speaking of classic cable lineups and channels, something got me thinking while reading up on HBO's history tonight: How did Wilkes-Barre, PA end up being the area that HBO sent its first program to? (It was a Canucks vs Rangers NHL game from Madison Square Garden on November 8, 1972.) I've been to Public Square a couple of times, and didn't see anything which made W-B their choice.
 
Beats the heck outta me. In Nov 1972, W-B was still recovering from the devastating flood from Hurricane Agnes the previous June, when downtown was under 15' of water.
 
gr8oldies said:
1974, in Western Ohio. 12 channels.

2-WLWD (later WDTN) NBC, Dayton
3-Time and weather, a camera scaning past temp, humidity bp and wind guages).
4-WTTV, Indianapolis (microwaved in)
5-WANE-TV, CBS, Ft Wayne
6-WKJG, NBC, Ft Wayne
7-WHIO, CBS, Dayton
8-WIMA-TV/WLIO Lima (NBC some ABC)
9-WXIX, Cincy
10-WFFT, Ft WAyne when it premiered
11-WPTA. ABC, Ft Wayne
12-WBGU, PBS, Bowling Green OH
13- (i actually don't remember)
Click to expand...

The thing about WLIO reminds me of something in the Northern Indiana TV Guide, which used to say that WLIO was NBC and ABC until some point in the late 1980s, I think. The only thing I can remember the station carrying from ABC were football games. Do you recall if that was the case?
 
...okeh, let's see what I can recall of the Warner Cable lineup in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in February '77. I moved between Oshkosh and Neenah somewhat frequently during that period, so channel placings may be erroneous:

2) WBAY/2 CBS Green Bay
3) WVTV/18 independent Milwaukee; WBBM-TV/2 CBS Chicago after WVTV's nightly sign-off
4) WTMJ-TV/4 NBC Milwaukee
5) WFRV/5 NBC Green Bay
6) WITI/6 CBS Milwaukee
7) Reuters news ticker
8) WPNE-TV/38 PBS Green Bay
9) WGN-TV/9 independent Chicago
10) WMVS/10 PBS Milwaukee
11) WLUK/11 ABC Green Bay
12) local public access
13) WISN-TV/12 ABC Milwaukee

...as I recall, WHA-TV was dropped fairly quickly afterwards, and the lineup was shuffled a bit the following year in order for Warner Amex to add StarChannel...as line-of-sight reception of WITI was complicated by hashing from both WRTV Indianapolis and WJIM-TV Lansing, WITI wasn't carried on the Neenah system, WMVS was replaced by WHA-TV/21 PBS Madison (WMVS also got hashing from WILX-TV Lansing), and one channel was used to switch between WTMJ and WISN depending on what the local engineer felt like doing. I got them to set that channel on WISN one weekend because I saw where Channel 12 was running the early Jack Nicholson/Warren Oates Western THE KILLING ;-) ...
 
Down at the Jersey shore, on Long Beach Island, we got cable from Island Cable around 1970 or 71-I remember watching the local access programming (a 5-10 minute weekly "newscast" and a film that was usually from some group like Ducks Unlimited). We did get both NYC and Philadelphia local channels, however.

I do have a funny story about cable TV on Long beach Island. My dad had a TV repair shop on the island and was approached by some men one day after the March 1962 Nor'Easter storm that devastated the Jersey shore. They told him all about their plans to build a community antenna system (as they were called then) and asked him to join them in the venture. My dad told me later he turned them down, saying "who'd ever want to pay to watch TV?" Ah, well...
 
gr8oldies said:
1974, in Western Ohio. 12 channels.

2-WLWD (later WDTN) NBC, Dayton
3-Time and weather, a camera scaning past temp, humidity bp and wind guages).
4-WTTV, Indianapolis (microwaved in)
5-WANE-TV, CBS, Ft Wayne
6-WKJG, NBC, Ft Wayne
7-WHIO, CBS, Dayton
8-WIMA-TV/WLIO Lima (NBC some ABC)
9-WXIX, Cincy
10-WFFT, Ft WAyne when it premiered
11-WPTA. ABC, Ft Wayne
12-WBGU, PBS, Bowling Green OH
13- (i actually don't remember)
Click to expand...

WXIX and all those "Cash's Big Bargain Barn" commercials were great in the mid 70's. "Take it away Mabel!"
 
KML-224 said:
Speaking of classic cable lineups and channels, something got me thinking while reading up on HBO's history tonight: How did Wilkes-Barre, PA end up being the area that HBO sent its first program to? (It was a Canucks vs Rangers NHL game from Madison Square Garden on November 8, 1972.) I've been to Public Square a couple of times, and didn't see anything which made W-B their choice.
Click to expand...

Out in Western Pennsylvania in the mid 70's, the area where I lived was not yet wired for cable, but a number of my neighbors had HBO. At that time it was being distributed to suburban cable systems via a network of microwave
relays. These relays were located on most of the larger radio towers in town. Some enterprising person out there
was selling home-brew receivers (attached to a dish fashioned from a metal garbage-can lid) with which you
could intercept the un-scrambled HBO feed. All you had to do is point it at your nearest radio tower and plug
it in. I think that lasted up until the time it became practical for every cable system to have it's own earth station.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom