NBC's Cleveland Election Hub in 1948

Niles Trammell had a vision—a vision of “the formation of a television network radiating outward from Chicago that would include Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Des Moines, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cleveland,” as Larry Wolters of the Chicago Tribune put it.

Trammell was the president of NBC. His vision of a Midwestern network became a reality in fall 1948. Not too many days after that, NBC had its station in Cleveland.

On February 25, 1944, NBC applied for commercial TV stations in Cleveland, Channel 1; Chicago, Channel 1; Los Angeles, Channel 3; San Francisco, Channel 4 and Denver, Channel 2. Channel 1 was taken out of the TV band in an FCC reallocation on Nov. 21, 1945. At the same time, Cleveland was allotted Channels 2, 4, 5, 7 and 9.

The FCC acted on May 17, 1946, handing out a number of station construction permits. This story ran in the Cleveland Press the following day.

WTAM Gets Television Rights; Will Operate in Nine Months
By STANLEY ANDERSON
Cleveland may have an operating television station within nine months to one year. The Federal Communications Commission yesterday [17] granted the National Broadcasting Co., which owns and operates WTAM in this city, a license to erect a commercial television station here.
On the basis of its application to the FCC, WTAM would operate its television broadcasts in the 66 to 72- megacycle channel. Eddie Leonard, WTAM's chief engineer, said the proposed station would function with a 19-kilowatt effective radiated power which would be derived from five visual kilowatts and five oral kilowatts.
WTAM proposed in its application that its transmitter tower be constructed on the roof of its present standard radio studio quarters, the NBC Building on Superior Ave.
According to plans worked out by the WTAM engineering department the projected station would have a 30 to 43-mile coverage in this area. It would, for instance, reach Vermilion to the west (39 miles), North Perry to the east (43 miles), an area near Burton (33) miles and three towns to the south (Granger, Medina and Bath—34 miles). Canadian shores are too distant for average television coverage.
Asked last night when he thought the NBC station might telecast, Vernon Pribble, WTAM manager, said "It is all dependent upon the availability of materials and equipment, but we hope to be prepared within nine months to a year. Conditions may shorten or lengthen this time. For instance, we do not know what military equipment may be released for such purposes in the immediate future."
Network shows from New York will be available in this city only when a Philadelphia-Pittsburgh-Cleveland chain is established, according to present plans in the industry. This will involve the expensive and slow procedure of laying coaxial cables or erecting relay stations.
The NBC license is the first in this region to be granted.

“A year” was incredibly optimistic. There were the usual requests to the FCC for delays in the deadline to complete construction of the station.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer of March 19, 1947 reported on the quest to find physical home for the station.

WTAM TELEVISION MAY GO TO ARENA
Option on Studio Space Is Taken by Station
ROBERT S. STEPHAN
Radio Editor
Vernon H. Pribble, general manager of WTAM, now attending a meeting of National Broadcasting Co. executives in Atlanta, announced yesterday [18] that the Cleveland station had taken an option on space at the Cleveland Arena for its proposed television studios and for developments in the television field.
At the same time Pribble verified the report that N. B. C. had filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission in Washington for authority to change WTAM's proposed television transmitter site from the top of the N. B C. Building here to WTAM's current transmitter site on Snowvine Road, Brecksville.
The Brecksville site, with its high elevation, half way between Cleveland and Akron, lends itself to the erection of an antenna which can broadcast to both cities.
The present WTAM 435-foot antenna mast will be rebuilt, if FCC permission for the change in site is granted, so that it will accommodate not only WTAM but also a frequency-modulation antenna and the television antenna. It would thus carry both vision and sound signals.
The design of the new antenna will in no way detract from the efficiency of the present WTAM 1,100-kilocycle broadcasting.
The television station will be known as WNBK. If the proposed site is approved, the station is expected to serve an area extending roughly from the Sheffield Lake on the west to North Perry on the east and as far south as Canton, Medina, Wooster, Ravenna and Alliance.
The WTAM transmitter building at Brecksville will house all transmitter equipment, including both FM and television. Special large-size transmission lines will be uses to carry the power from the transmitter equipment to the antenna. The maximum power from the television antenna will be over 40 kilowatts on the visual signal and over 20 kilowatts on the aural signal.
The WTAM move to house its television studios in Cleveland Arena may be a bid to televise sports and other top events which play in the Arena annually.

It took over a year for the Plain Dealer to offer a progress report. This went to press on May 20, 1948.

WNBK, Television Station, Is Being Built in Brecksville
BY ROBERT S. STEPHAN
Radio Editor
CONSTRUCTION OF WNBK, the Cleveland N. B. C. television station, is well under way at WTAM's transmitter site at Brecksville. Primarily, WNBK will serve both Cleveland and Akron. A special single antenna will serve four transmitters, WTAM's current AM radio signal, the signal for WTAM's coming FM station, WTAM-FM, the television video signal and the special sound signal for the tele-pictures.
Television transmitter equipment is already at Brecksville. The antenna has been designed and ordered. F. C. Everett, back in 1937 an engineer on the WTAM staff, is supervising construction. He built the N. B. C. tele-transmitters in New York and Washington and will supervise the N. B. C. tele-construction in Chicago. When Cecil S. Bidlach and Ross J. Plaisted, WTAM engineers now in New York, complete their studies, WTAM will have six of its own engineers ready to take over television operation here.
WNBK's studios will be with those of WTAM in the N. B. C. Building, 815 Superior Avenue N. E. With a 480-foot tower in a natural geographic position in Brecksville, WNBK will have the highest television tower in Ohio.
The current time table calls for WNBK and WTAM-FM, WTAM'S FM station, to go on the air simultaneously in the fall. By Christmas, WNBK is expected to be a part of N. B. C.'s rapidly growing television network.

Six days later, the Plain Dealer’s Stephan mentioned:

A MOVE is under way which might hold up construction on WNBK, N. B. C.'s television station here, according to a report from Washington. A petition signed by WGAB, WJW and the Cleveland Broadcasting Co. (which is building WERE-FM here), the report says, has been presented to the Federal Communications Commission asking that the FCC set aside an order of April 29, granting an application by N. B. C.-WTAM for an extension of time in which to complete construction on WNBK.
The argument advanced is that WTAM-N. B. C. has not proceeded with construction with "due diligence." No official comment was forthcoming yesterday from WTAM or the petitioning groups, but I understand construction on WNBK at the WTAM transmitter site in Brecksville is continuing.

Continue it did, objections being ignored. The Plain Dealer of June 14, 1948 reported:

Sidney N. Strotz, N. B. C. vice-president in charge of television, reports that N. B. C.’s station WNBK here will be added to the N. B. C. television network by the middle of October. A Plain Dealer Bureau dispatch out of Akron report that coaxial cable laying trains next month will be operating between Cuyahoga Falls and New Castle, Pa., along the Pittsburgh-Cleveland route which will eventually join the N. B. C. Midwest and eastern tele-chains out of Chicago and Philadelphia.

Strotz was band in town about a month later. He told the Plain Dealer the station would “open as a strictly local station” until the network affiliation was ready. Two days earlier, Anderson of the Press wrote the hope was the station would be operating by Oct. 16. There seems to have been some urgency as reports from NBC talked about WNBK being the headquarters for the Midwest network’s election coverage on Nov. 2.

The station was able to begin testing, but there was a setback reported on Oct. 14 by Anderson of the Press.

WNBK, the local NBC video station, has been running test patterns periodically during the past 10 days. The resolution in these patterns was satisfactory and everybody in the outfit was pleased. According to a report early yesterday, WNBK hoped to run test programs, film and live, Saturday [16] or Monday [18]. But late yesterday a vital part of WNBK’s transmitter blew in a thousand different directions. Now the launching of test programs has been delayed for another week. The part destroyed by the gremlins (nobody knows how to spell it) is hard to get. But WNBK is that near its opening, at least.

Stephan of the Plain Dealer told readers the next day “WNBK, the city’s second telestation (N. B. C.), tentatively plans to be on the air Nov. 1 on Channel 4. You may catch some experimental programs before that date.”

Things looked to be organised on October 26, 1948. A sidebar on Stephan’s Plain Dealer column noted:

WNBK PREVIEW
As a “preview” to its opening Monday [1], WNBK, the new N. B. C. television station here operating on Channel 4, presents the first of a Sunday night series this Sunday evening at 9 called “Television Playhouse,” sponsored by Philco. These hour dramas are created especially for television. Paul Muni makes his television debut in Elmer Rice’s “Counselor at Law.” Pat Harrington, once at WTAM here, is a member of the cast. Bert Lytell is a host.

Anderson’s space in the Press the same day remarked:

Maybe you are one who likes Paul Muni, one of the best character actors in the business. Maybe, too, you are one who likes Elmer Rice, who, off and on, has been one of the best playwrights in the country. Sunday night over WNBK at 9, you will see and hear Muni in Rice's "Counsellor-at-Law."
This television drama will be the first in a series to be carried by the NBC video outlet in Cleveland. The series is called Television Playhouse and is sponsored by Philco. The producing troupe is made up of members of the Actor's Equity television group, with Bert Lytell as production supervisor.
Television Playhouse plays will be telecast here from kinescopic film. So far this type of transcription has not been too successful. If NBC does not come up with a superior method, Television Playhouse, along with other kinescopic shows, might just as well be relegated to the dusty shelves.
This dramatic series opens the day before WNBK opens officially—Nov. 1. There will be other test programs Sunday night. The station ran test programs last night, including a children’s show involving Bob Reed and Ralph Eckhart. The pictures were clear. Apparently WNBK has licked transmitter problems so often encountered in preliminary skirmishes.
I look forward to Sunday night's production of the Rice play. If the film affords a good reproduction, WNBK is off to a good start. It will be wonderful to hear and see Muni in my own living room.

The station’s studios made at least one live test. Entertainment columnist Winson French in the Press reported, without specifics, it may not have been all that appropriate.

Proceeding to other matters, Dwight Fiske appeared on a WNBK television show the other evening and on the same night John McCormick, whose interests in video are more than casual [the TV station's G.M.], wandered into Borselino's with Janet Garfield and Mrs. Alec Brown to find out how the boy had fared. As you may or may not know, there is no censorship on television, but there is apt to be at any moment now.
Dwight, not to be stopped by anything, had elected to sing the sad story of Stella, the little white mouse who could have been much, much better than she was. So John McCormick, chewing his nails, nervously took his party out into the night. Straight to the Harbor Inn.
Ellen Duffy, the mad shopping bag artist of Lakewood, was also on the air that night—showing the public how to whip up something snappy in leather in no longer than 15 minutes. Reminding me she has finally snagged a telephone and is listed under information.

“Preview Day” contained more than the much-publicised Philco show. There were no live test shows, but NBC kinescopes played for two hours and ten minutes.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1948
8:00—Toscanini Film, Arturo Toscanini leads the NBC Symphony in Beethoven’s Ninth (NBC). 9:00—Philco Television Playhouse, “Counsellor at Law.” Cast: Paul Muni, Ann Thomas, Pat Harrington, Sam Bonnell, Neva Patterson, Alex Clark, Joan Wetmore, Annie Thomashefsky, Jack Hartley, Barrie Wanless, Elmer Brown. Host: Bert Lytell. Director: Fred Coe. (NBC). 10:00—NBC Newsreel (NBC).

The next day, Anderson reviewed the preview and some other programmes on the air in Cleveland that evening. Space prevents from transcribing all of it, but he expressed the belief that “your ballot can be a vote against injustice” and an NBC radio show “effectively attacked domestic dictatorships and reminded us that voters win only by political action.” We’ll stick to his portion about WNBK’s evening.

As I write this, two nights before one of the most important elections in American history, I sit within the security and the comfort of my home. The youngsters have just thrown their good-night kisses.
On the television screen a great man is conducting a great orchestra in a great composer's great music. (I know there are synonyms for "great," but I repeat it purposively.) Toscanini and the NBC Symphony are presenting Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on film. The film's sound drags much of the time, but I am concerned with the free spirit of Beethoven and Toscanini—the creator and the interpreter. Beethoven erased Napoleon Bonaparte's name from the title page of his "Eroica" symphony, when his sense of justice resented the Corsican's imperialistic motives.
Toscanini, who approaches Beethoven with moving reverence, once jeopardized his “security and comfort" by thumbing his nose at the Fascist leaders of his country. Even though the WNBK film did not quite come off technically last night, I felt that here was a meeting of artistic minds, even though Beethoven was born in 1770.
Beethoven and Toscanini represent something we must regard when we enter the voting booths tomorrow. They represent a resentment against boss-ism, when we think in local terms, and against jingoism, when we think in international terms.
"Justice" is the word which might best describe the thinking of a Beethoven or a Toscanini, or any free artistic soul. An artist has a free spirit when he is, first of all, a decent human being—and that means "Justice." . . .
Later in the evening WNBK produced Elmer Rice's "Counsellor-at-Law." Here, too, were traces of a social outlook, but Rice. . .did not write a play demanding that sheltered legislators institute reforms in an order. There is no justice if you and I do not vote.

As for the “official” first night of programming on November 1, 1948, the Plain Dealer’s Stephan, now dubbed “Radio-Television Editor,” gave his opinion.

WNBK was sending strong, clear picture signals over my screen Monday night. The sound introductions for the station's various features on its official opening night were smooth, too. The cameras should have placed more emphasis upon closeup shots in the presentation of Ed Wallace's "How to Vote" sequence. The "middle distance" technique is still too tough for the telecamera. The best closeup definition comes with head-and-shoulder takes giving such shots variety by shooting from several angles.
But telesignals were really getting out Monday night. With its antenna pointed in the opposite direction, my receiver was bringing in a hockey game out of Detroit so clearly the numbers on the players' uniforms could be seen. That's remarkable.
One of the film shorts WNBK was showing Monday night presented Verle Mills, former WTAM and Cleveland Orchestra harpist.

The station had an unenviable task on its second night of programming—being the headquarters of the NBC Midwest network’s Election Night broadcast. The Plain Dealer reported the day before on what both Cleveland stations would be doing.

All Radio’s Facilities to Be in High Gear Election Night
BY ROBERT N. STEPHAN
Radio-Television Editor
TOMORROW NIGHT, whether you time in your radio or television receiver, your living room will be jammed with statistics and comment on the elections. Gone will be the Bob Hopes, the Fibber McGee, and the boxing bouts. This will be a night for the Heatters and Kaltenborns.
The chains have made the usual elaborate coverage plans and all these network efforts are sponsored. Three of the new telecircuits, N B C., A. B. C. and C. B. S. have sponsors. Dumont also televises the elections.
IN CLEVELAND, televiewers will find WNBK, on Channel 4, the new N. B. C. telestation, taking an official bow tomorrow night by serving at the “anchor nation” for the election activities of the N. B. C. Midwest chain. Bill Ray, veteran news and special events manager of N. B. C.’s central division and Ted Mills, the division’s program head, are here from Chicago working with the WNBK group. Commentators they will have at their disposal will include WTAM’s Ed Wallace, Alex Dreier of Chicago, Robert McCormick of Washington, Edwin J. Lebherz of Buffalo, Frank Eschen of St. Louis and Harold True of Detroit. An elaborate setup of charts and maps in the WNBK studios at WTAM here will be used in telecasting the election results.
WEWS HERE will be carrying the A. B. C. Chain's Midwest televised election account. These telecasts will originate from Chicago against a similar background of charts and maps that WNBK will utilize in Cleveland. Commentators expected to be heard over the television hookup include George Hicks, Harrison Wood, Baukhage, Tris Coffin, Gordon Fraser and possibly Earl Godwin.

The Plain Dealer offered its review of WNBK’s coverage in its issue the following day.

Television Makes Election Epochal in City’s History
BY ROBERT S. STEPHAN
Radio-Television Editor
As this was being written last night, WNBK, the new N. B. C. television station, was making Cleveland history on its second official day on the air through Channel 4.
A staff of 50, under the supervision of William Ray, N. B. C.'s news chief from the chain's central division offices in Chicago, was originating in Cleveland and feeding to television stations in St. Louis, Detroit, Buffalo, Toledo and Chicago the first televised network report of a national election in the nation's history. It was estimated that some 500,000 were watching this telecast.
I was amazed at the clearness of the pictures as they paraded rows of figures, charts, maps and commentators in action across the screen. These pictures were as good as any I had ever seen in New York. The production was remarkably smooth and orderly. This telecast was a potent demonstration of the impact television will make in the home in the immediate future. This was a miracle come true.
The WNKB studio at WTAM was in precise order with its wall charts, for its commentators. One was struck by the youthfulness of the staff, but it knew its business. Batteries of kleig lights overhead had the workers prespiring. There was no smoking. Technicians and messengers ducked silently and hurriedly under cameras to keep out of focus as they took their positions. The work was done almost in silence.
Back in the control booth, which as warm as the studio, the telecast producer and engineers were in constant contact by head phones with the producers out in the studios. Saunders Thomas and Charles Panallo of Cleveland and Ted Mills of Chicago handled these assignments expertly.
WNBK was on the air around 7:45 last night and began its election broadcast sharply at 8.
No Hookup With East
WNBK, of course, had no hookup with N. B. C.'s eastern television chair and faced the problem of what to do when the outcome of the presidential race was clear. The station could not serve the Midwest with a picture of the winner. So it had made preparations to cut into its television circuit the regular N. B. C. radio sound coverage when the time came for the winner to address the nation.

Stephan had more in the Nov. 4 issue.

THE DIMENSION OF SIGHT gives television a terrific advantage over radio. This was again demonstrated most convincingly by the excellent election coverage by both the WNBK staff of N. B. C. workers here who fed the event to the N. B. C. Midwest chain and by the A. B. C. staff in Chicago whose efforts were viewed through WEWS here suplemented [sic] locally by WEWS' own coverage.
The continuous coverage by both WNBK and WEWS, a matter of something over 10 consecutive hours, was a triumph of thoughtful planning. WEWS began its election story at 7:02 Tuesday night continuing to 5:29 yesterday morning. WNBK began its operation at 7:45 p. m., carrying through until 6:30 a. m. WNBK, with set only one previous day of official operation, lost its picture only once for seven minutes due to a mechanical mishap but continued its audio description uninterrupted.
WHEN I wearily shut off my telereceiver at 5 a. m., television still could not present the complete election picture. As early as 4 a. m., commentators on both WEWS and WNBK were seriously discussing the possibility that the outcome of the contest might eventually have to be decided in the House of Representatives.
The telecameras reveal physical fatigue. Over WNBK, for example commentators early in the evening were wearing coats and were observing a nonsmoking rule. But by 3 a. m., the coats were off, a cigarette or so had appeared, ties were askew and some of the lads were looking about for convenient places to rest. Similar fatigue signs marked the A. B. C. pictures out of Chicago through WEWS.
The WNBK technique of permitting viewers to watch a typewriter recording bulletin material was fascinating, but slowed up somewhat the speed in getting such bulletins to the viewer.
Televising also stresses manners. When Ed Wallace of WNBK brought Ohio's newly elected governor. Frank J. Lausche to the Midwest audience around 3:20 a. m. it was noticeable when Wallace neglected to present Ohio's new first lady, who was in the picture with her husband, until after Lausche had replied to several queries. WEWS also had Lausche before its cameras at 2:12 a. m.
TELEVISION ALSO brings the valuable opportunity of physical character study. Over WEWS, out of A. B. C. studios in Chicago, viewers saw closeups of the veteran and shrewd newspaper and radio commentators, Baukhage and Earl Godwin. Godwin revealed more personality than any other. As late as 3:35 yesterday morning, Godwin, despite the heat of the kleig lights in the A. B. C. Chicago studios, had refused to part with his coat.
Over WNBK, Alex Dreier of Chicago and Robert McCormick of Washington, revealed the most effective television stances. Around 4:25 yesterday morning, George Hicks in the A. B. C. Chicago studios, realizing that returns had been slowed almost to a standstill, remarked over WEWS that he thought it might be a good idea to go to bed. And at 5 a. m., when I dialed off, it was obvious over both WEWS and WNBK that it was getting to be a stern struggle to keep bulletins of interest moving. But it had been a great show, one destined to live in memory as a potent television "first."

No sooner did the station get praise for its election coverage that it stayed off the air the next three nights.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1948
7:00—Test Pattern. 7:30—Why You Should Vote, live studio programme with Ed Wallace. 7:45—Film, “Musical Miniatures.” 8:00—Election Preview, studio programme. 8:30—Film, “Americana” (NBC).

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1948
7:00—Test Pattern. 8:00—Election Coverage to completion.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1948
No programming.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1948
No programming.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1948
No programming.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1948
6:30—Test Pattern. 7:30—Football scores. 7:50—News. 8:00—Rowena the Minstrel Girl, folk songs by Rowena Frehse, zither player. 8:20—“Romantic Old Mexico.” 8:30—Man About Town 8:45—Film.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1948
7:30—Test Pattern. 8:30—Golden Wedding Day. 9:00—Philco Television Playhouse, “Angel in the Wings,” the first complete production of a hit Broadway musical revue ever brought to television, with Paul and Grace Hartman, Hank Ladd and host Bert Lytell (NBC). 10:00—Sign off. “Golden Wedding Day.” Charles A. Otis interviews Mr. and Mrs. William Nickels, 2055 W. 38th Street, marking their 54th wedding anniversary. Nill Boehm (Alphine Village), Maureen McNally and Marietta Richards will appear. (Plain Dealer).

Baltimore's WAAM

The third TV station in Baltimore got quick approval from the FCC, thanks to other applicants changing their minds.

The Radio-Television Corporation of Baltimore was “readying a bid” for a commercial license, according to the May 1, 1946 issue of Variety. This happened after Maryland Broadcasting, Tower Realty and Joseph M. Zamoiski Co. pulled out of the running for one of Baltimore’s three channels. Broadcasting, on May 6, 1946, reported the only outfits left were Hearst Radio (owners of WBAL radio) and A.S. Abell Co. (owners of the Baltimore Sun). Radio-Television’s application was filed on May 7, asking to use channel 11, 198-204 megacycles, and power of 3 kilowatts aural and 5 visual. However, the day before, Hearst requested to amend its application from channel 6 to 11.

With only three companies applying for three available channels, all the FCC had to do was sort out who went where. Broadcasting of May 27, 1948 reported everything was decided by May 21.

Television Stations Granted to Three
Baltimore Receives Two New Outlets, New Mexico One
TWO MORE commercial television stations for Baltimore and one for Albuquerque were authorized by the FCC last Tuesday [21].
The Baltimore grants went to Hearst Radio Inc. (WBAL) and Radio-Television of Baltimore Inc. The one for Albuquerque went to Albuquerque Broadcasting Co. (KOB).
Approval of the Baltimore applications, only ones remaining out of six originally filed, filled the last two channels available there. First grant for that city went to A. S. Abell Co. (Baltimore Sun) the Week before [May 17]. Three applicants have withdrawn.
Hearst Authorization
Hearst Radio's authorization, issued over Comr. C. J. Durr's vote for a hearing, was for use of Channel No. 11, 198-204 mc, with 14.4-kw visual and 7.3-kw aural power, and antenna height of 456 feet. . . .
Radio-Television of Baltimore was assigned Channel 13, 210-216 mc, with 31.65-kw visual and 20-kw aural power, and antenna height of 410 feet. The company is principally owned by Ben and Herman Cohen, who own clothing stores and real estate interests in a number of cities.

The name WAAM was assigned to the station the following month (Television Digest, June 29, 1946).

Precious little seems to have been written about WAAM, other than the usual requests to the FCC to extend the deadline for it to get on the air. Broadcasting has this update, March 8, 1948:

FIRST TESTS for WAAM, Baltimore's third TV station, will be made in June, well ahead of schedule, according to Norman C. Kal, co-owner and managing director of the station, and head of Kal, Ehrlich and Merrick, Washington, Baltimore and New York agency.
Installation of equipment is under the direction of Fred Allman, one of the owners of WAAM, and principal owner of WSVA Harrisonburg, Va., and WSIR Winter Haven, Fla. Chief owners are Ben and Herman Cohen, owners of clothing stores and real estate interests in several cities.
The station is assigned to Channel 13 (210-216 mc). RCA antenna, transmitter, film camera channels, studio and remote channels and micro-wave relay pickup will be used. Truscon Steel Co. 450-foot tower is expected to be delivered next month. Overall cost of real estate, installation, equipment, etc. is said to be nearly a half-million dollars.
Warren L. Braun, formerly of WSVA, is chief engineer of WAAM, and is now assisting Mr. Allman in the installation work.
A tract comprising 10 acres will accommodate the building and parking area for 150 cars. The building, now near completion, provides more than 25,000 square feet of space.

ABC resumed “network” TV programming in April 1948 without a flagship station, and was looking for affiliates. The Hollywood Reporter of July 7, 1948 provided this story:

ABC Signs Up WAAM As Television Affiliate
ABC yesterday [6] completed the nucleus of its Eastern TV network. A two-year affiliation agreement was signed with station WAAM, Baltimore. Agreement gives the network outlets in all leading market and population areas in the East now, including New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston and Washington [sic].
Signing of WAAM brings ABC video affiliates to a total of 12. It operates on channel 13.

Broadcasting of July 12, 1948 added: “The station. . .will begin test patterns in August, and regular programming is scheduled for September.” Its issue of August 16, 1948 said WAAM was “now in the final stages of construction.”

When (or if) the station began running test patterns, and when it finalised a start date is unclear, but the station began regular programming on November 1, 1948. It cut the programme schedule a little close. Only the day before, the station signed with DuMont and was broadcasting that network’s shows on opening night (Washington Times-Herald, Nov. 1)

The trades had little to say about the first day of programming, but Variety of Nov. 10 reported on the second day, which was Election Night.

WAAM's Marathoner
Marathon job turned in by all television stations in election night coverage has naturally resulted in a myriad of boasts as to who set the longest continuous programming record. Among the N. Y. broadcasters, DuMont came out on top because of its day-time programming the preceding day (Tues.). Station took the air at 7 a.m. that morning and remained on until 4:34 the following ayem, thereby logging over 21 1/2 hours continuusly.
Lengthiest programming effort, though, was turned in by WAAM, new indie station in Baltimore. Although election day was only its second day of operation, the station teed off at 5:30 that afternoon and programmed for 23 hours and five minutes without a break. Much of its election returns was fed by ABC-TV from N. Y., but WAAM also staged 10 live shows during the marathon, as well as much special film. Feat was especially noteworthy because all the sta-tion's equipment was still in the breaking-in process.

Here’s the first week of programming, a mix of ABC, DuMont, old feature and educational films. DuMont began daytime programming on Nov. 1 (the only network on the air then) but WAAM did not broadcast any of it.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1948
5:30—Test Pattern. 6:00—Small Fry Club with Bob Emery (DuMont). 6:30—Russ Hodges Sports (DuMont). 6:45—Film Shorts (DuMont). 7:00—News and Views (ABC). 7:15—Sports Time. 7:30—Kiernan’s Korner (ABC). 8:00—Child’s World (ABC). 8:15—Film Shorts (DuMont). 8:30—Swing Into Sports (DuMont). 9:00—Film Short (DuMont). 9:30—Court of Current Issues (DuMont). 10:00—“Second Chorus,” Fred Astaire, Paulette Goddard. 11:20—Coming Attractions.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1948
5:30—Test Pattern. 6:00—Small Fry Club with Bob Emery (DuMont). 6:30—Russ Hodges Sports (DuMont). 6:45—Maryland Election Report. 7:00—News and Views (ABC). 7:15—Cavalcade of American Presidents (ABC/WEWS). 7:30—Local and national election reports until midnight or later.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1948
5:30—Test Pattern. 6:00—Small Fry Club with Bob Emery (DuMont). 6:30—Russ Hodges Sports (DuMont). 6:45—Alan Dale Show with Janie Ford (DuMont). 7:00—News and Views with Walter Kiernan (ABC). 7:15—Sports Time. 7:30—Critic at Large, John Mason Brown with Ben Fine and Mrs. Dorothy Rodgers in “The Teachers Dilemma” (ABC). 8:00—Club Seven with Johnny Thompson (ABC). 8:30—Quizzing the News with Allen Prescott (ABC). 9:00—Boxing from Jamaica Arena (DuMont). 10:00—Coming Attractions.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1948
5:30—Test Pattern. 6:00—Small Fry Club with Bob Emery (DuMont). 6:30—Russ Hodges Sports (DuMont). 6:45—Film Shorts (DuMont). 7:00—News and Views (ABC). 7:15—Travel Time. 7:30—Film Shorts. 8:00—The Fashion Story, sponsored by Dan River Fabric (ABC). 8:30—Charade Quiz (DuMont). 9:00—Film, “Tom Brown's School Days” (RKO, 1940) with Cedric Hardwicke, Freddie Bartholomew, Billy Halop (ABC).
10:30—Coming Attractions.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1948
5:30—Test Pattern. 6:00—Small Fry Club with Bob Emery (DuMont). 6:30—Russ Hodges Sports (DuMont). 6:45—Film Shorts (DuMont). 7:00—News and Views (ABC). 7:15—Sports Time. 7:30—“Tales of the Red Caboose” (ABC). 7:45—Film Shorts (ABC?). 8:00—Gay Nineties Revue (ABC). 8:30—Candid Microphone with Allen Funt (ABC). 9:00—Break the Bank (ABC). 9:30—Wrestling from Jamaica Arena (DuMont, in progress). 11:00—Coming Attractions. Note: President Truman appeared on CBS and DuMont at 10:50 a.m., and ABC and NBC at 11 a.m. There is no indication this special broadcast was picked up on any Baltimore stations.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1948
6:30—Test Pattern. 7:00—News and Views (ABC). 7:15—Cartoon 7:30—Joe Hasel Sports Review (ABC). 7:45—Three About Town (ABC). 8:00—“Queen of the Jungle.” 8:20—“Return of the Buffalo” (Educational, 1938) narrated by Corey Thomson. 8:30—Film, “Swiss Family Robinson” (RKO, 1940) with Thomas Mitchell, Freddie Bartholomew, Bobby Quillan (ABC). 10:00—Coming Attractions.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1948
6:30—Test Pattern. 7:00—Original Amateur Hour with Ted Mack (DuMont). 8:00—“Hollywood Screen Test” (ABC). 8:30—The Actors Studio (ABC). 9:00—Feature film. 10:15—Coming Attractions. 10:20—Sign off.

Detroit's Other New Station

The third station in Detroit had the distinction of getting on the air less than three weeks after the second one.

WJBK-TV began regular programming on October 24, 1948. It was part of the CBS network. It had little choice. WWJ-TV signed on in 1947 and was an NBC station. WXYZ-TV, which went to the air full-time on October 9, was aligned with ABC. By that date, both NBC and ABC offered live programming to stations from St. Louis to Buffalo. Detroit was part of the circuit.

The story of the third TV station starts on August 26, 1946, when Fort Industry bought a small radio operation in Detroit. The deal didn’t include TV, but on December 2, the Detroit Free Press reported Fort, owned by the Storer broadcasting interests, had purchased a site in Detroit for its operations, including television.

On January 15, 1947 Fort filed an application with the FCC for a commercial station. Broadcasting magazine revealed:

Fort Industry, which has a video grant for Toledo, applied for Channel 2 (54-60 mc) for its proposed operation at Detroit, where it has bought 250-w WJBK from James F. Hopkins Inc. for $550,000. . . .
Fort Industry estimated initial installation costs would approximate $229,000 plus $175,000 already spent on land and buildings for television and FM. Monthly operating costs were estimated at $35,000, with no revenue anticipated during the initial months of operation. Not expecting video network facilities to be available to Detroit “much before the end of 1948 or early 1949,” the company said it would carry studio programs, films, and remote pickups. Afternoon and evening programs would be carried, totaling about 28 hours a week.

Approval came on March 20, 1947, even though its purchase of WJBK radio hadn’t been approved. That came June 20. The visual power was to be 14.26 kw, aural 7.51 kw with a 500 ft. antenna. Variety’s story said the station would be on the air 121 hours a month.

Fort decided it didn’t want Channel 2 and on July 8, 1947 applied to the change of what was now called WTVO to Channel 5 (54-60 mcs). United Detroit Theatres and then WJR asked for the same slot. Finally, Broadcasting reported on March 8, 1948 that WTVO had asked the FCC to drop the request.

Meanwhile, there was nothing close to a station being built. Some stirrings were reported by the New York Herald Tribune on Nov. 8, 1947:

G. E. Gets Peak Order For Video Equipment
Special to the Herald Tribune
SYRACUSE, Nov. 7.—An order for $280,000 worth of television broadcast equipment has been placed with General Electric Co. by George B. Storer, President of Port Industry Co., Detroit. In announcing the order, a G. E. spokesman described it as the largest ever placed by a single station with one manufacturer.
The order calls for construction of a 5,000-watt television transmitter, which will enable programs to be telecast for a radius of forty-five miles from the transmitter site in downtown Detroit. The new station will be called WTVO. It will be the video outlet of WJBK, Detroit, and its FM affiliate, WJBK-FM. A test television signal is expected to be on the air from Detroit by the the [sic] second quarter of 1948.

But then WTVO was left with no home. Around Christmas 1947, the city of Detroit grabbed the chunk of land where the station was to go. It wasn’t until April 1948 that a location was picked. This is from Broadcasting, Apr. 26, 1948.

Plans for WTVO's Launching Readied
Fort Industry Leases Two Floors In Detroit for AM-FM-TV
TWO TOP FLOORS of the west tower of Detroit's Masonic Temple have been leased by the Fort Industry Co. and the Detroit Broadcasting Co. (WJBK and WJBK-FM) for installation of studios for WTVO, Fort Industry's Detroit video outlet, which will operate on Channel 2 (54-60 mc).
The 20,000 square feet of space will also house studios and offices of WJBK (250 w fulltime on 1490 kc) and WJBK-FM (Channel 226-93.1 mc) and the headquarters offices of Fort Industry Co.
Announcement of the signing of the lease was made by George B. Storer, president of Fort Industry, and of Detroit Broadcasting. Details were handled, he said, by Lee B. Wailes, vice president of Fort Industry, and C. W. VanLopik, manager of the Masonic Temple Assn.
An unfinished theatre, with room for 1,200 seats, in the west wing of the Masonic Temple, provides ideal facilities for large television studios, dressing rooms, scenery shops and projection booths, according to Ralph G. Elvin, vice president and managing director of WJBK, WJBK-FM and WTVO.
Negotiations for more than $280,000 worth of General Electric television equipment were completed last November, Mr. Elvin said, and most of the equipment has been delivered, with the rest expected in a few weeks. Installation of equipment is expected to be completed and the initial picture broadcast presented by early fall, he added. The transmitter and antenna tower will be located at Lyndon and Cloverdale Sts., Detroit.

Several extensions to get on the air were granted by the FCC.

The call letters were changed. The managing director of the station was quoted in Broadcasting of Sept. 20, 1948 that it would be named after the radio station, though a Billboard story of July 10, 1948 used the call letters WJBK-TV, and said the station was expected to be on the air around October 1.

While there had been talk about films and remotes for WJBK-TV, Detroit’s two other stations inked deals with networks. ABC (WXYZ-TV) and NBC (WWJ-TV) both planned to have a string of stations in the Midwest interconnected in September. CBS was a little late getting into the expansion game. In mid-September 1948, it announced WJBK-TV had been added to its “program service,” meaning they would get kinescopes of shows from WCBS New York until a cable-and-relay-station system could be completed.

The station came up with a unique kind of test programming. Variety reported:

WJBK-TV Varies Test Pattern With Inside Scenes
DETROIT, Oct. 2. — WJBK-TV, which won open praise from other television operators this week when it got its test pattern on the air with little fanfare, in advance of the October 9 public debut, tossed out a new idea in patterns when some of the engineers decided to introduce variety into the monotonous picture. The result was an experiment at switching the camera around onto engineers spinning platters for the AM station, shots of transmitter construction, and other inside scenes of both radio and preliminary video. No audio was given, despite requests from some of the pattern audience who thought a commentary would help to give the audience a genuine first-hand knowledge of station operation.
With the new studios in the Masonic Temple not ready for some months, the station is slated to use its transmitter site as a studio until after the first of the year, getting along on a rather makeshift basis in crowded quarters. Ralph G. Elvin, station manager, is now camping out in the Masonic Temple basement alone with a secretary and three telephones. Crowded conditions at the AM studios make it impossible to utilize facilities there, which are to be abandoned as soon as the Temple quarters are constructed.
Personnel at WJBK-TV, which has been at a minimum, will be aided by transfer of people from the sister station, WTOL, at Toledo, as soon as the latter begins using more network programing instead of local origination.

The would-be disc jockeys were interrupted on October 9 and 10. WJBK-TV connected to the circuit used by the other two Detroit stations to broadcast the World Series from Cleveland.

The Detroit Free Press looked ahead in its Oct. 8 issue to WJBK’s formal debut.

FORD THEATER PROGRAM
Elaborate preparations are afoot for the premiere Oct. 24 of WJBK-TV.
The initial program, Ralph G. Elvin, managing director, explained, will be woven around the hour-long television premiere of the Ford Theater from New York City. Time will be announced later.
Until Oct. 24, Elvin said, WJBK-TV is transmitting a test pattern daily from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. to assist dealers and service men in the installation of television sets in the Detroit area.
• • •
WJBK-TV's premiere and early broadcasts, for the most part consisting of news, film sports and network programs, will originate from the newly constructed transmitter building, Lyndon and Cloverdale.
Meanwhile, construction is tinder way for completely new and specially designed studios and laboratories in the Masonic Temple.
Current plans call for the Masonic Temple opening on Jan. 1. Until then, Elvin said, television will occupy temporary office space in the Masonic Temple as well as in the present location of WJBK-AM and FM, W. Grand Blvd. and Hamilton.
• • •
PLANS CALL FOR two video studios, a master control room and a fully equipped studio control room at Masonic Temple.
The studios win be connected with the television transmitter by means of micro-wave radio link.
In all, 20,000 square feet of space has been leased in the Masonic Temple by the Fort Industry Co., operator of the outlet, Elvin said.
"With a major portion of Detroit's finest concert and light opera presentations originating from the Masonic Temple," Elvin said, "it is the hope of WJBK-TV that many of these programs will be brought into Detroit homes by means of television."
• • •
PLANS ARE under way for the installation of a "dish" at the 250-foot level of the 488-foot TV tower, enabling WJBK-TV to exchange programs with WSPD-TV, the Fort Industry Co.'s Toledo outlet.
The station also will have a mobile TV unit.
Elvin has been associated with the Fort Industry Co. for 10 years. George B. Storer, owner and president of the Fort Industry Co., purchased the first of a seven-station radio group in 1927.

While the Ford Theater broadcast came from New York, it wasn’t live. The episode had aired the weekend before on WCBS-TV and was kinescoped for re-broadcast on CBS stations not on the circuit. In fact, all shows on WJBK’s premiere broadcast had been recorded earlier.

Broadcasting magazine of November 8, 1948 mentioned some early station accomplishments:

AM, FM ON TV
WJBK Detroit Friday [Nov. 5] claimed to be first station to duplicate AM and FM programs on TV audio. Richard E. Jones, general manager of Fort Industry Co.'s Detroit operations, announced that news and musical shows are presented. WJBKTV programming is broadcast daily 6:30-10 p.m. on Channel 2 (54-60 mc).

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NIGHT, November 2
WJBK, WJBK-TV . . . on 24-hour schedule with full returns and pickups from Detroit Times editorial room. WJBK-TV extended its operations until 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Here is the week’s schedule for the new station. It’s a little difficult to determine what shows came from a network because they were broadcast on a delayed basis. And the entries from the Free Press labelled “hockey” and “boxing” are too vague to figure out their source. However, we note that staple of 1948 Prime Time TV—a Van Beuren cartoon—is on the schedule (the odd, but enjoyable Silvery Moon, released by Official Films as Candy Town).

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1948
6:15—Lucky Pup (CBS). 6:30—Face the Music (CBS). 7:00—Places, Please! with Barry Wood (CBS). 7:30—Ford Television Theater, Ruth Gordon’s “Years Ago” with Raymond Massey, Eve Le Gallienne, Patricia Kirkland (CBS). 8:30—Winner Take All (CBS). 9:00—Kobb’s Korners, with the Korn Kobblers (CBS). 9:30—Capt. Billy’s Mississippi Music Hall (CBS).

MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1948
6:30—To be announced. 6:45—Lucky Pup (CBS). 7:00—Places, Please! with Barry Wood (CBS). 7:15—Face the Music (CBS). 7:30—Hockey. 9:00—Film: “I Met A Murderer” (1939) with James Mason and Pamela Kellino.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1948
6:30—To be announced. 6:45—Lucky Pup (CBS). 7:00—To be announced. 7:15—Face the Music (CBS). 7:30—Voices on Parade. 8:00—Of Men and Wings (United Air Lines, 1946), narration by Del Sharbutt, music by Jack Shaindlin. 8:20—Shadow in the Wind. 8:30—To be announced. 9:00—Wrestling, Fairview Gardens. Wladek Kowalski vs. Frankie Taylor; Wild Bill Steddum vs. Rudy Valentino; John Vansky vs. Walter Achieu; Johnny Gates vs. Juan Cortez.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1948
6:30—Program Preview. 6:35—Who’s Zoo. 6:45—Lucky Pup (CBS). 7:00—“Places, Please!” with Barry Wood (CBS). 7:15—Face the Music (CBS). 7:30—Winner Take All (CBS). 8:30—“Arizona Bound.” 9:00—“Kobb’s Korners” with the Korn Kobblers (CBS). 9:30—“Swing Into Sports” with Johnny Farrell (DuMont).

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1948
6:30—Program Preview. 6:35—Foreign Sports. 6:45—Lucky Pup (CBS). 7:00—Film. 7:15—Face the Music (CBS). 7:30—To the Queen’s Taste (CBS). 8:00—“Key to the Missing” hosted by Archdale Jones (DuMont). 8:30—Alan Dale (CBS). 8:45—“The Clutching Hand.” 9:15—“Court of Current Issues” (DuMont).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1948
6:30—Program Preview. 6:35—Seeing Eye. 6:45—Lucky Pup (CBS). 7:00—“Places, Please!” with Barry Wood (CBS). 7:15—Face the Music (CBS). 7:30—“What's It Worth?” with appraiser Sigmund Rothschild (CBS). 8:00—Football, Detroit Titans vs. Villanova Wildcats at University of Detroit Stadium.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1948
6:30—Program Preview. 6:35—Film. 6:45—Film. 7:00—“Fighting Pioneers.” 8:00—“The Clutching Hand.” 8:20—Cartoon. 8:30—“Doorway to Fame” (DuMont). 9:00—Boxing (DuMont?).

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1948
6:30—Program Preview. 6:35—Bows and Arrows. 6:45—Hawaiian War Chant. 6:50—Oklahoma Boys Town. 7:00—Photo Horizons. 7:30—Cartoon, “Candy Town” (Van Beuren, 1933). 7:40—“Adventures of Martin Eden” (1942) with Glenn Ford and Claire Trevor. 9:00—“Operation Success” with Bob Pfeiffer and others interviewing disabled war veterans (DuMont).

TV Station No. 38

Detroit was one of two cities in the U.S. with the distinction of being able to watch two new TV stations premiere in the same month. WXYZ-TV formally went on the air on October 9, and WJBK did the same thing 15 days later, though it had test patterns on the air before this.

WXYZ-TV was Detroit’s second station. Its radio station was known as the home base for The Lone Ranger starting in early 1933. Partial credit has been given to station owner George Trendle for its creation. While the Ranger made the transition to TV, he wasn’t part of the WXYZ-TV line-up when the station signed on. Neither was Trendle, for that matter.

Trendle was considering television in the wake of all the publicity surrounding NBC announcing it would begin regular telecasts from the New York World’s Fair. A Variety story dated from July 11, 1939, began:

Concurrent with resignation late last week of George W. Trendle as prez of United Detroit Theatres Corp. (Par), it was revealed that King-Trendle Broadcasting Corp. is mapping erection of brand new studios for WXYZ here, with an eye to television…

The company didn’t act right away. In fact an application for an FM license was turned down in 1942 because the war caused a shortage of materials to build the station. It was another two years before the owners of WXYZ acted on television. Broadcasting of May 22, 1944 reported:

Three Video CPs Sought
THREE new commercial television stations were sought in applications filed with the FCC last week. United Detroit Theatre Corp., Detroit, which is 74.35% owned by Paramount Pictures, Inc., seeks a Channel 4 outlet. Remaining interest is held by Balaban & Katz, which operates WBKB, Chicago. Licensee of WXYZ Detroit, King Trendle Broadcasting Corp., has applied for a Channel 2 outlet and WOW Omaha requests a Channel 1 station.

The August 28, 1944 issue of the trade paper indicated International Detrola Corp. had applied for Channel 2 as well (WJR had asked for Channel 6). The same paper noted as of Oct. 15, 1945, the News Assn. and the Jam Handy Organization had applications for stations in Detroit. That made six companies vying for the five channels assigned to Detroit.

The FCC’s job was made easier when WJR and International Detrola pulled out early in April. It announced its decision on April 15, 1946 (Windsor Star, same date). Here’s a portion of Broadcasting’s report of April 22.

Detroit Gets Two Television Grants
FCC Delays Other Hearings As Applicants Withdraw
FIRST television stations for Detroit were authorized by the FCC last Monday with grants to the Evening News Assn. (WWJ) and King-Trendle Broadcasting Corp. (WXYZ). The grants were the first to be processed without hearing and brought to six the total issued since the resumption of licensing last Fall. . . .
Two Withdrawals
Action on the Detroit grants resulted from the withdrawal of two of the original six applicants for the five available channels, eliminating the necessity for hearings scheduled for April 24. The commission vacated its order of Feb. 1 which designated the applications for consolidated hearing.
The two grants were made subject to frequency assignments and other engineering details to be determined. The actions, it was explained, are more than conditional grants, which will not be issued on television applications as announced under the new Commission procedure.
Two other applications are pending for television stations in Detroit—The Jam Handy Organization Inc. and United Detroit Theatres Corp. Action on these cases will be taken later. …

It was at this point King-Trendle decided to get out the radio and television business. ABC bought WXYZ, a radio station in Grand Rapids and the Michigan Network which provided programmes to nine stations, for $3,650,000. The FCC approved the sale July 17, 1946. WXYZ was an ABC radio affiliate; there was no doubt what TV affiliation it would have.

Meanwhile, on July 12, 1946, the Commission granted Channel 5 (76-82 mc) to King-Trendle (and Channel 4 at 66-72 mc to the Evening News) with visual power at 16 kw, aural at 14 kw and a tower of 379 feet. Broadcasting’s list of TV stations as of Oct. 1, 1946 gave the call letters at WDLT (apparently for “Detroit’s leading televisors”).

The station was lining up sponsors. Billboard of Nov. 30, 1946 blurbed:

The U. S. Rubber Company, General Mills, Chevrolet and the Campbell-Ewald ad agency have all contracted to sponsor programs with ABC over WDLT, net’s second station being built in Detroit, altho it won’t start operations for six months.

On March 27, 1947, WDLT was back before the FCC asking to modify the permit which changed the frequency to Channel 7, 174-180 mc. It applied on Dec. 15, 1947 to extend the completion date to June 10, 1948, which was granted Feb. 12. United Detroit Theatres wasn’t happy about this. On Feb. 20, 1948, the FCC denied a petition from the company to have WDLT’s channel assignment revoked, complaining about the delay in getting the station built, then lost an appeal on May 7, 1948.

It’s unclear when the call letters were changed. Billboard used them in a story on April 24, 1948. On May 14, it asked the Commission to allow the corporate name to be changed from King-Trendle Broadcasting Corp. to WXYZ-TV. And it asked for yet another extension to Nov. 1, 1948.

But things were getting closer, according to the Free Press, June 16, 1948:

2nd Station to Broadcast Television
Detroit's second television station, WXYZ-TV, will start broadcasting the first week in October. Announcement of the formal opening was made by James G. Riddell, general manager of WXYZ, WXYZ-FM and WXYZ-TV.
• • •
RIDDELL SAID that exchange of programs with stations in Chicago and Cleveland would start in October. New York programs are expected by Jan. 1. 1949.
The TV transmitter and studios will be in the Maccabees Building. Riddell said WXYZ-TV will operate on channel No. 7.
The present antenna will be replaced by one 487 feet above ground level. Addition of a second station is expected to advance the quality of television programs in Detroit, Riddell said.

The station was getting sponsors, mainly on a network basis. The Hollywood Reporter, July 15, 1948:

More Spots for Bulova
Bulova Watch, pursuing its cornering of time signal spots on all TV stations, has signed up three of ABC’s leading projected stations. Through the Biow, Co., New York, it has bought 17 signals weekly on WENR-TV, Chicago; WXYZ-TV, Detroit, and KGO-TV, San Francisco.

A local sponsor deal, Billboard, Aug. 14, 1948:

WXYZ-TV Inks 52-Week Series
DETROIT—Aug. 7.—First commercial contract for 52-week series of program was signed Tuesday [3] by James G. Riddell, manager of WXYZ-TV, which is not expected to be on the air until after October 1. Sponsor is the Wettlaufer Manufacturing Company, with the Marvin Hahn Agency handling the show. Present contract offers the sponsor a choice of three different shows being readied by the station, all in the sports field.
Rates for whatever show is decided upon for Wettlaufer will be based upon the rate card issued June 1 by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), which owns the station.
Original plans to carry the University of Michigan home football teams under Wettlaufer sponsorship were nixed by Riddell as a matter of station policy. WWJ carried the games last year and is slated to do so again, and Riddell ruled against any duplication in programming.
Instead, another sports deal was slated for signing Friday (6) to carry the eight home games of the Detroit Lions by WXYZ on both television and AM. Show will be sponsored again by Goebel Beer, who sponsored the Lions on WXYZ’s AM operation in 1947. (The following week, Billboard reported radio was not part of the deal).

It appeared WXYZ-TV would make the deadline to be part of the ABC regional TV network when it was ready. Here is the Free Press, Aug. 29, 1948:

WXYZ Joins Video Network in Midwest
The first Midwest television network will be launched Sept. 20 by the American Broadcasting Co., Paul V. Mowrey, ABC’s national television director, announced.
On Oct. 9 television programs will be initiated by WXYZ, the ABC outlet in Detroit.
A coaxial network, to be completed with the Detroit inauguration, will link Detroit, Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, Buffalo and two other cities, probably St. Louis and Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, test patterns will begin on Sept. 15.

And some programmes were put together. Billboard, Sept. 11, 1948:

FORE!
DETROIT, Sept. 4.—Professional golf lessons are to go on the air over WXYZ-TV, new American Broadcasting Company affiliate, with signing of Chick Harbert, pro at Meadowbrook Gold Club, for a series of telecasts. The Michigan open champ will demonstrate strokes.

And from Broadcasting, Sept. 13, 1948:

‘Lady O’ Charm’
SPECIAL COOKING show will be conducted on WXYZ-TV, ABC’s Detroit video outlet which begins telecasts Oct. 9, by Edythe Fern Melrose, WXYZ’s “Lady O’ Charm” being constructed at Lake St. Clair, 12 miles from Detroit. Show will be televised once weekly.

And an update on the ABC Midwest network from Broadcasting, Sept. 20, 1948:

WXYZ-TV TO COMPLETE MIDWEST TV NETWORK
WXYZ-TV Detroit, opening Oct. 9, will complete the coaxial system joining Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, St. Louis and Milwaukee. Link is supplemented by microwave relay between Detroit and Toledo, already connected: Exchange programs are expected from the East early in the year, according to James G. Riddell, general manager of WXYZ AM, TV and FM. Before year's end, ABC expects to have video stations operating also in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In addition to programming from these five key cities, the network will establish three preliminary regional circuits, from which an overall national TV network will be developed later, Mr. Riddell said.
New 40,000-pound TV and FM tower, mounted atop the Maccabees Bldg. and anchored to concrete beams at the 15th floor level, is in the "last stages of construction," he added. Placed 469 feet above ground level, it replaces the 187-foot radio tower and antenna, dismantled at cost of $50,000.
Facilities will include nine studio cameras, one complete remote unit and a film projection unit. Studios and control room will be constructed on the 15th floor of the building, centered in the city's art district, with a main floor auditorium to be used as an audience studio.

WXYZ-TV hit the airwaves with what was mainly a sports package on October 9, 1948. Here's Variety's review:

ABC Takes Wraps Off WXYZ-TV With a 10 1/2–Hr. Sponsored Pree
By GEORGE ROSEN
Detroit, Oct. 12.
ABC forged another important link in its coast-to-coast television network and in its bid for a lofty perch in the TV sphere, with the preem of its owned-and-operated Detroit station—WXYZ-TV—last Saturday (9). It's now three down and two to go for Ed Noble's $8,000,000 video enterprise, with the wraps also off in New York and Chicago, and with Los Angeles and San Francisco still coming up.
As TV preems go, the Detroit opening was significant from several standpoints, leaving in its wake TV blueprints to chart the medium's future course in the hinterlands. As Detroit's second television station (the Detroit News' WWJ-TV is an old story in tele pioneering), WXYZ-TV has served as a midwest stimulant, with a 24-sheet pre-preem ballyhoo not only spiraling set ownership from a previous 15,000 mark to nearly 20.000 within a week, but injecting a hypo into the local competitive programming setup. That's how WWJ-TV wanted it, and significant was the fact that the Detroit News' station staged its own program Friday night (8) as a salute to the newcomer.
Too, the WXYZ-TV preem rates a nod as the most commercially successful one to date, with its solid 10 1/2 hours of inaugural programming (in itself establishing a record for a marathon preem shows completely sold out, with the exception of a 15-minute segment allotted to talks by ABC board chairman Noble; prez Mark Woods, and WXYZ AM-FM-TV gen. mgr James G. Riddell.
Otherwise the bankrolling of the variegated opening-day programming setup more than offset the $10,000 preem nut. This included Philco's picking up the tab for the 60-minute entertainment spread emceed by Georgie Price and comprising Frances Langford, Paul and Grace Hartman, Gil Maison, "Sugar Chile" Robinson and Paul Whiteman with a house orch augmented by key men of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and pianist Earl Wild, who was brought on from N. Y. as part of the "Philco Package."
Opening day sponsored program spread also included a pickup of the World Series game from Cleveland and the Notre Dame-Michigan State grid contest, both tied in with the midwest tele web; a program by the Chevrolet Glee Club, an early vintaged Danny Kaye pic, sports commentary and a pickup of the Detroit Lions vs. Boston Yanks pro football game for the nightcap.
Significant, too, was the Detroit premiere's inauguration of the “Philco Package" tieup for TV openings around the country, with the set manufacturer laying out $7,500 for the 60-minute show here and already prepping ambitious plans to underwrite elaborate Coast shows for the L. A. and Frisco ABC-TV curtain-raisers.
Occupying Channel 7 on the Detroit video band, WXYZ signal on the opening day festivities was generally excellent. Weighed strictly on terms of bigtime professional standards and to one familiar with slick, know-how techniques associated with the New York-originating "Texaco Star Theatre" and CBS' "Toast of the Town," the WXYZ premiere, from a technical standpoint, left much to be desired. This was particularly true on the lighting and camera work, which resulted in some of the ace Philco-bankrolled acts suffering.
But at the same time the Philco show, virtually a replica of the east coast network's Texaco stanza, was a revelation to these midwest viewers, who perhaps for the first time recognized the potentialities of bigtime live programming when coaxial coast-to-coast TV becomes a reality. And while the shortcomings of the local technical crews were apparent, nevertheless there is evidenced here an eagerness and a daring in some of the camera work, with some of the Paul Whiteman superimpositions, for example, rivalling those achieved in the east.
It's expected that by the middle of December WXYZ, along with the remainder of the midwest TV web, will be finally linked coaxially with N. Y., with an ambitious Christmas full network show currently in the works at ABC. But until then the ABC Detroit operation, for one, is striving hard to overcome the handicaps resulting from lack of experience.
With a weekly schedule of 20 hours programming, it's estimated that about 40% of the time will be sponsored by the end of October. Chief reliance, or course, is on films and sports, with the station also benefiting by a six hours a week midwest net program exchange.
Detroit's next TV premiere will be the George Storer station, WJBK, scheduled for Oct. 24.
Broadcasting’s issue of Oct. 11, 1948 concentrated on the station’s sales abilities.

WXYZ-TV Opening Heavily Sponsored
Every Available Time Segment On Detroit Outlet Sold
OPENING DAY's schedule of WXYZ-TV Detroit last Saturday was scheduled to be as completely commercial as ABC executives would permit for the inaugural of its o&o TV station in the motor capital, with every time segment sold that was offered for sale.
Starting with a 15-minute preview, which was not for sale, at 12:16 p.m., WXYZ-TV's first commercial was to be the Chevrolet Glee Club. 12:30-1 p.m., sponsored by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors Corp., Detroit, placed by Campbell-Ewald Co., Detroit.
Gillette Safety Razor Corp., Boston, was to sponsor the World Series telecast from Cleveland, through Maxon Inc., New York. At the end of the ball game the WXYZ-TV audience was to be taken to South Bend where the Notre Dame-Michigan State gridiron contest was under way. This WXYZ-TV telecast was to be sponsored by Admiral Corp., Chicago, through Crittenden & Eger, that city. Following the football game Don Wattridge was scheduled for a sports resume, to be presented by Detroit Edison Co., through Campbell-Ewald Co.
Another special not-for-sale program was to be followed by a film, sponsored by Galvin Mfg. Corp., Chicago (Motorola radio and TV sets), through Gourfain-Cobb, Chicage, broadcast 5:45-6:15 p.m. The next quarter-hour, according to the advance agenda, was the official welcome to WXYZ-TY by the Governor of Michigan and the Mayor of Detroit, with acknowledgements by Edward Noble, ABC board chairman; Mark Woods, ABC President, and James Riddell, general manager of WXYZ and WXYZ-TV.
The Philco premiere variety program, 6:30-7 p.m., sponsored by Philco Radio Corp.. Philadelphia, through Hutchins Adv. Inc., Philadelphia, was to open the evening schedule, followed by a quarter-hour sports news program presented by Cunningham Drug Co., Detroit, through Simons-Michelson, Detroit. WXYZ-TV's first day was to wind up with a pro football game between the Detroit Lions and Boston Yanks, sponsored by Goebel Brewing Co., Detroit, through Brooke, Smith. French & Dorrance, that city.
Other than the World Series, the programming for the first week (at least judging by the Free Press listings and ads) was purely local. Meanwhile, WWJ-TV was airing some of the shows from NBC.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1948
12:15—Preview of WXYZ-TV debut. 12:30—Chevrolet Glee Club. 1:00—World Series baseball from Municipal Stadium, Boston Braves vs. Cleveland Indians (ABC). 3:30—Second half of football game from South Bend, Ind., Michigan State vs. Notre Dame (ABC). 6:15—WXYZ-TV Opening Ceremonies (ABC). 6:30—Philco Premier Variety Program with Paul Whiteman, Frances Langford and the Hartmans, dance satirists, Georgie Price, emcee (ABC). 7:30-7:45—Sports News. 8:00—Football from Briggs Stadium, Boston Yanks vs. Detroit Lions.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1948
12:45—World Series baseball from Municipal Stadium, Boston Braves vs. Cleveland Indians (ABC). 6:00—Musical Pattern. 8:00—Dollars and Sense. 8:30—Film. 9:00—Suspense Drama. 9:30—Who Do You Think?

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1948
4:30—Charm Kitchen. 5:30—Film. 6:00—Music. 6:30—Documentary Film. 7:00—Woods and Waters, hunting and fishing show with Jack Van Coevering. 7:30—News Quiz. 8:00—Sports Parade with Don Watrick, sponsored by the J.L. Hudson Company. 8:15—Barber Shop Quartet, sponsored by Frankenmuth Beer and Ale. 8:30—Film. 9:00—Variety Show.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1948
6:30—Musical Pattern. 8:30—Wrestling at the Arena Gardens. Sky Hy Lee (the Texas Cowboy) vs. Mike (the Body) Sharpe; Fred Atkins vs. Lee Henning.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1948
8:15—Gay Deceivers. 8:30—G.E. Auction Night, hosted by Johnny Slagle. 9:00—Movie Time.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1948
No programmes scheduled.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1948
6:30—Musical Pattern. 8:00—Music in Velvet. 8:30—Platter Party.