Saturday 13 November 2021
July to December 1942
Yes, they existed. A few stations were on the air. The TV industry very slowly developed during the war after some setbacks.
To give you a bit of background there was, first, the age of mechanical television from 1928 to 1933. There was even regular programming. The system sounds cumbersome; stations used a spinning wheel to send pictures and TV sets needed a spinning wheel to receive them. Unfortunately different stations spun their wheels at different speeds so they couldn’t all be picked up.
Next, stations in the East shut down while electronic television was developed. Finally, NBC decided in 1939 its new system was ready and began broadcasting from the New York World’s Fair. A few other stations followed. The Federal Communications Commission then butted in, deciding transmission must be at 525 lines and then allowing commercial broadcasts as of July 1, 1941.
Then the Japanese got involved. No, we don’t mean Sony.
This is the first in a series of posts involving television during the years of World War Two. Mainly, they’ll consist of schedules, programme reviews and bits of news. For the last six months of 1942, schedules in New York newspapers generally (not always, WCBW especially) resembled this:
Mondays
WNBT 55.75mc, Channel 1
4:00 and 7:30 Air Raid Warden Instructions. 8:30 Film subjects.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
No television scheduled
Thursdays
WCBW 65.75mc, Channel 2
8:00 News: Film. 9:00 to 10:00 Quiz
Fridays
WCBW 65.75mcm Channel 2
8:00 News Reports. 8:30 Red Cross Show. 9:10 to 10:00 Quiz.
Saturdays and Sundays
No television scheduled
However, one station did expand programming in 1942, the experimental DuMont station in New York, W2XWV. It’s possible it was off the air for a while. Electronics magazine of March 1942 mentions the station televised the burning of the Normandie at her piers in the Hudson River on February 9th, thanks to a telephoto lens. It also reports “This station is now on the air every Thursday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 usually with film programs.” The last time any newspaper mentioned the station in its TV listings was on Thursday, March 19 for “tests and films.”
The 1946 American Television Directory states the station “has been on the air almost every week since June 25, 1942.” If so, the papers ignored it. We do know W2XWV expanded its programming. Radio Daily of August 26, 1942 revealed that DuMont “recent set Sunday evening as ‘Television Night’ with “professional entertainers” broadcasting for over an hour starting at 8:30 p.m. This means the new, live Sunday night fare began no later than Sunday, August 23. Among the station’s first stars were Sam Cuff, who brought his ‘Face of the War’ news commentaries over from NBC’s WNBT; former newspaperman and WNBT personality Doug Allan, who interviewed adventurers and world travellers; and quiz show Charlie Taylor, who apparently had been singing on New York radio since 1930. The first two shows lasted several years. (An Associated Press article below seems to have been based on the Radio Daily article).
If a station’s identification is a mix of letters and numbers, that means it does not have a commercial license. That didn’t stop them from running ads as “experiments.”
We start with a look at a reduction in programming and why.
JULY
NEW YORK, May 15. (AP)—Television, which since Pearl Harbor has gone ahead with nearly normal program schedules in New York and other areas, soon may become a part-time casualty of the war.
Such a development is seen in the Federal Communications Commission's relaxation of its rules, sharply reducing the number of required hours broadcast each week.
Under the new regulation, commercial stations may operate as few as four hours a week instead of the former minimum of 15 hours over six days. The four hours may be confined to a single day if desired.
So far, neither NBC nor CBS has announced what it intends to do. NBC, which has been concentrating an important part of its schedule on air raid warden training telecasts, has just arranged a further six-week course to run 12 hours a week. CBS is in the midst of a Red Cross first aid series as well as inter-service boxing tournament. It also has been presenting other war-related programs.The commission said its decision was made "to prevent recession of this new art to a purely experimental or laboratory stage and to keep it alive, ready to flourish as a public service after the war emergency." Another objective is to permit stations to conserve the life of equipment, particularly tubes, as well as to allow operation with "greatly reduced personnel." Engineers report that camera tubes now are becoming a rather scarce article.
IN ACCORDANCE with the new FCC regulations on television issued May 12, specifying minimum transmission of four hours weekly in place of the 15 hours a week formerly required, NBC and CBS have sharply curtailed the operating schedules of their New York television transmitters, WNBT and WCBW, respectively, the former to six hours a week, the latter to four hours weekly [BROADCASTING, May 18]. Beginning May 25, WNBT dropped all programs except the air warden training course presented by the New York Police Department for the instruction of the city's air warden service which is telecast 12 times weekly. Following the conclusion of the six-week course, WNBT expects to decrease its programs to the required four hours a week. To avoid duplication of service during the limited hours of operation, CBS has scheduled its television programs for Thursday and Friday evenings, from 8 to 10. The WCBW programs include Red Cross instruction, a news review and roundtable discussions. (Broadcasting, June 1)
PHILADELPHIA, July 4.—WPTZ, Philco television station, goes on a wartime basis this week for the duration, Station has cut down its operations to 5½ hours per week, and save for two quarter hours of news and an hour re-telecast from WNBT, New York, of an air raid warden course, program schedule is now confined solely to motion pictures. Moreover, station has cut down to five days a week for an average of an hour a night. Philco's tele engineers have shifted to research for the government. Station formerly operated 15 and more hours a week. While station could continue on its old schedule as long as present equipment would allow, Paul Knight, WPTZ program manager, said it was decided to reduce the number of hours per week and thus prolong the period during which tele shows would be available in metropolitan Philadelphia.
Philco is optimistic on the future of television. As soon as the war is over, Knight predicts, television will realize the high promise that many predicted for it. (Billboard, July 11)
COMMERCIAL FM was again beset by wartime difficulties as the FCC July 21 ordered the cancellation of four outstanding construction permits for high-frequency facilities. ... On the television side, WNBW, Washington, and W3XPP, Philadelphia, both construction permits of NBC, were ordered cancelled and deleted from the FCC's records. (Broadcasting, July 27)
Philadelphia, July 28
Philco’s television station, WPTZ, goes off the air Saturday (1) for a two months hiatus during which the transmitter will be moved from the Philco plant in northeast Philly to Wyndmoor, Pa., a suburb.
At Wyndmorr, Philco officials said, the transmitter antenna will have considerably greater elevation which should allow better reception. (Variety, July 29)
AUGUST
Though Dame Fashion is now on limited rations, and has more priorities than anything else for style suggestions, beauty is still her accent of design, as W6XAO lookers saw when Thomas S. Lee's television program in Los Angeles recently presented a review of wartime "ersatz fashions". Under the supervision of Harry R. Lubcke, Don Lee Television Director, Nancy Dixon, KHJ-Don Lee fashion authority, presented the review with models showing the replacements for wool, silk, rubber and other clothing materials now in demand for war production. (Heinl Radio Report, Aug. 11)
To fill a Sunday television void heretofore existing in the New York City area W2XWV, the video outlet of the Allen B. DuMont Labs., is now broadcasting more than an hour’s entertainment each Sunday starting at 8:30 p.m. (Broadcasting, August 31)
SEPTEMBER
Los Angeles—Set of films released through the Bureau of Aeronautics Training Film Unit has been obtained for the library of television station W6XAO according to film program director Marjorie Campbell. The two introductory films show the WEFT (wings, engine, fuselage and tail) system of aircraft identification, which depict basic, special and particular characteristics of aircraft. Additional material being prepared under the supervision of the Bureau of Aeronautics emphasize primary flight training, approaches, and landings, effect of aircraft icing, thunder storms and fogs.
First film was presented last Saturday [6], with two other pictures, "Winning Baseball," the story of professional baseball players, and "A Word to the Wise," based on the horror of fire hazards. The Thomas S. Lee Television Station presents programs each alternate Saturday evening, with test patterns, or test film transmissions starting at 7:00 p.m., PWT, preceding the program. (Radio Daily, Sept. 10)
First-aid team of five Western Union employees demonstrate the proper methods of handling major emergencies when they appear on CBS television station WCBW tonight from 8:30-9 p.m. Program is another in a series presented by WCBW in co-operation with the American Red Cross. Group from the Western Union is said to be an outstanding example of the type of well-equipped and efficient first-aid teams required to insure safety during air raids. (Radio Daily, Sept. 11)
Five programs have been scheduled by W2XWV, television station operated in New York by Allen DuMont Labs, for this Sunday night [13]. Beginning at 8:30 p.m. program schedule consists of "Instrumental Serenade," narrated by Jack Kelsey; "Musical Brevity," a film short; "Your Pet in Wartime," an educational feature presented under the auspices of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; a salute to Czechoslovakia, and Sam Cuff with news comments. (Radio Daily, Sept. 11)
Three New York stations continue to function with a maximum of four hours a week each. This arrangement has been in effect all summer, the stations arranging their transmissions so that programs are available four evenings a week. How long the schedule will con¬tinue has not been indicated.
The oldest transmitter, WNBT which NBC has operated since April, 1939, confines its four hours to Monday nights. Programs consist primarily of air raid warden instruction and film shorts.
WCBW of CBS, next in length of service, divides its time into two 2-hour telecasts a week. On Thursday it has news, badminton games and movies, while on Fridays the schedule contains more news, Red Cross first aid lessons and a quiz.
Dumont’s WABD, the third New York station, puts on a general variety show of an hour or more on Sunday nights. It has a lower power output than the other stations.
Size of the metropolitan audience has not been surveyed lately, but no doubt there has been a decrease. One factor besides the lessened program activity is that repairs and replacement parts for receivers are becoming more of a problem. Neither are technicians, many of whom have responded to the war call, so readily available for fix-it jobs.
Meanwhile out on the Pacific Coast W6XAO, Don Lee station at Los Angeles which dates its start back to 1931, continues in action, restricting telecasts to Saturday night variety shows. (C.E. Butterfield “Radio Day By Day” column)
Key civilians in radio broadcasting and television will not be accepted for commission or enlistment without written release from their company heads, according to a newly announced Army-Navy policy just adopted on recomme[n]dation of their joint personnel board. (Radio Daily, Sept. 16)
A full hour program of variety entertainment is now being broadcast Sunday nights at 8:30 o’clock on television station W2XWV, channel No. 4, 78-84 mc., owned by Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc., of Passaic.
Tonight’s show will include Doug Allen’s “Thrills and Chills,” with Earl Rossman, Alaskan explorer; Lillias MacLellan, vocalist; Sam Cuff, news commentator and a film dealing with the South African war effort. (Home News, Sept. 20)
Los Angeles—Under a new schedule, the West Coast's only operating television station, W6XAO, Los Angeles, has canceled its Saturday telecasts and will go on the air on alternate Mondays. First telecast under revised schedule was heard yesterday [21]. Monday was selected for bi-weekly programs after a survey showed the first day of the week to be the "preferred stay-at-home" night among West Coast listeners and lookers. Owner Thomas S. Lee of W6XAO also disclosed the installation for regular operation of two new orthicon television cameras. The Monday telecasts begin at 8 p.m. PWT and continue until 9:30 p.m. or later. (Radio Daily, Sept. 22)
Florence Reed, vocalist, who has appeared in many shows given here, as well as in night clubs and on the air, will also join in the television revue.
The “Torrid Trio,” a swing unit comprised of Edwin Shanholtz, pianist; Billy Holiday, bass fiddle, and Domic Angelo, sax and clarinetist, all of this city, will participate.
The remainder of the full-hour variety show will include a musical film, “Tempo of Tomorrow,” with Richard Himber’s orchestra; Charlie Taylor’s “Hit or Miss,” a quiz program and Sam Cuff’s “Face of the War” commentary. W2XWV is operated by the Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc., of Passaic. (Home News, Sept. 27)
OCTOBER
A full-hour program of television will be transmitted every Sunday night at 8:30 o’clock on W2XWV, channel No. 4, 78-84 megacycles.
This week’s telecast includes Holly Bill Steinke, “Man About Town” cartoonist; Althea Corwin, songstress; the “International Serenade,” narrated by Jack Kelsey and two films, “Bowling Skill” [Paramount Grantland Rice short, 1940] and “R. A. F. in Action.” (Home News, Oct. 4)
Last week's CBS television program over WCBW, New York, was aired by staff members of the network's head-quarters who have taken the American Red Cross first aid course. Team of five demonstrated the proper methods of handling major emergencies. Staff has been instructed by Charles Benninger, publicity, and the course is under the supervision of G.S. McAllister, director of construction and building operations. (Radio Daily, Oct. 6)
SCHENECTADY—An amateur two-hour boxing show was televised last night with police and fire stations in the neighborhood reporting “reception excellent” over television receiving sets.
The General Electric Company’s station WRGB televised the bouts before a studio audience of 150.
Sponsored by the Adirondack AAU the boxing show was composed of two five-round and five three-round bouts. (Olean Times Herald, Oct. 10)
Chicago, Oct. 13
Balaban & Katz Station W9XBK has hired seven girls with radio backgrounds and is training them to replace its engineer staff, which has joined the armed forces virtually in a body.
Girls will handle turnstile, microphones, audio and video boards and, in addition, learn to operate mobile trucks going out to get man-in-street interviews for visual broadcast.
New fall television program starts about Nov. 1 and consists of about hour’s television broadcast nightly. (Variety, Oct. 14)
Star of last Friday's [19] television program conducted by Richard Hubbell, head of the CBS Television News, was a beet—a sugar beet—from Colorado, important today because of the shortage of cane sugar. The beet, silvery white in color, seemed exceptionally handsome, but Hubbell modestly assured his audience it was only average. Debut was a success. (Radio Daily, Oct. 20)
Philadelphia, Oct. 20The football game between Penn and Princeton was broadcast simultaneously via three media on Saturday (20)—standard radio, television and frequency modulation. It’s the first three-way broadcast ever made here at the same time.
The stunt was sponsored by the Philco and aired through WCAU, W60PH (WCAU-owned), and WPTZ, Philco’s own television station. (Variety, Oct. 20)
The New York City Committee on Child Welfare will present a special television program on behalf of its Foster Homes for Children Bureau, over W2XWV, 78-84 megacycles, on Channel No. 4 Sunday night [25] at 8:30 o’clock.
Other highlights of the weekly Sunday telecast on W2XWV will include the International Serenade, starring Jack Kelsey; two motion pictures, “Women at War” and “The Bike Parade,” and Sam Cuff, news analyst. (Home News, Oct. 25)
Film made by Navy during battle of Midway Island, will be carried over NBC television station, WNBT, next Monday [26], 9 p.m., EWT. Produced by Lt. Commander John Ford, former Hollywood director, presentation is made up of pictures taken while island was under direct Japanese attack. Many of the scenes were shot so close to the exploding bombs that the cameras were jarred out of position by the blasts. Program is one of group of official government films being televised during the station's regular Monday evening broadcasts. (Radio Daily, Oct. 22)
Chicago, Oct. 27
Entire technical staff of girls has been hired and trained to service W9XBK, Balaban & Katz television station in the Loop, handling the controls, studio cameras, operate the audio [sic] and video controls, power panels, and serving as stage managers and announcers.
Stage manager is Fran Harris, former radio actress. Others include Jean Schricker, former office workers and Rachel Stewart, former soda dispenser, both working as cameramen, Margaret Durnel, onetime film router and Esther Rojewski, electric appliance worker, as power panel operators, Pauline Bovrow, commercial artist and video control, and Jean Mintz, former secretary on audio control. Girls are known as the Women’s Auxiliary Technical Television staff, otherwise the WATTS. They present one-hour-a-day in television broadcasts, including playlets, monologues, fashion sketches and musical entertainment. Technical gang has been trained and is supervised by Archie Brolly, only male technician left at the station. (Variety, October 28)
A talking film on television, prepared for presentation at schools, service clubs and other audiences which might be interested in iconoscoping, has been made by General Electric. GE produced it in the form of a 20-minute show over its Schenectady television station, WGRB [sic], giving a complete backstage picture of how a television program is presented. One of the most interested ‘spectators’ was Robert S. Peare, manager of broadcasting for GE. Peare was ill at home and until he gave his approval of the picture it could not be released. (Variety, October 28)
Philadelphia – Preparatory to the formal opening of television station WPTZ, owned and operated by the Philco Corp., test programs on experimental station W6XE were inaugurated last week. In addition to a receiver test chart, the Penn-Columbia football game was televised from Franklin Field in this city on Saturday.
Beginning on Wednesday at 7:30p.m. and every Wednesday night thereafter, the Philco television station is transitting [sic] a receiver test chart at which time a feature film will be televised. Plans for continued transmission of Penn football games each Saturday during the current season have also been announced by Paul Knight, program manager, who has addressed a letter to "all viewers of Philco's television station" in which the firm's future television activity was revealed.
Letter also advises viewers of the possible necessity of adjusting receiving antenna in view of the new location of the transmitting antenna. Purpose of the test programs is to make the necessary adjustments. Philco's new television transmitter is located at Wyndmoor, Pa. (Radio Daily, Oct. 29)
NOVEMBER
Hon. Greenwood Adams, M. P., member of the Australian Parliament, will make a guest appearance on television station W2XWV, when the weekly Sunday [1] evening variety program is presented on the air at 8:30 o’clock.He will participate on Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills” program. Others to be heard include Charlie Taylor in televisions’ first viewing audience quiz participation program; Georgette Starr, vocalist at Tony Pastor’s; a film, “The Bike Parade,” and Sam Cuff’s news analysis. (Home News, Nov. 1)
Paul Knight, program manager of Philco’s television station, arranging a series of test programs on the experimental W3XR in preparation for the formal opening of WPTZ. (Billboard, Nov. 7)
In cooperation with the program experimentation committee of the American Television Society, Du Mont Television Co. has specially arranged to open its studios for an evening of practical television on Tuesday, November 24 at 8:30 p.m. The operation of the Du Mont equipment will be explained to this group, and opportunity will be given for members to experiment with ideas and camera shots.
In accepting this offer, Kay Reynolds, chairman of the committee, said: "We are greatly indebted to M.B. Lajoie and the Du Mont organization for their enthusiasm and kind cooperation. During the war, the technical progress of television is continuing at an accelerated pace; this makes it all the more necessary that, in the interests of this great industry of the future, program experimentation must carry on."
Following the demonstration at the studio, an important matter of American Television Society policy will be put before the members by Norman D. Waters, president. (Radio Daily, Nov. 19)
DECEMBER
Television's first audience community sing program will be flashed from the studios of the Du Mont Television Station, W2XWV, at 515 Madison Avenue, New York City on Sunday [Dec. 6], at 9:30 A.M.
Four hundred men in khaki have been invited by the Montclair Y. M. C. A. to attend a special television party and join the song fest.
Two members of the Montclair Rotary Club, M. C. MacPherson, past president, and Sayard Rowell, who is also instructor of instrumental music in the Montclair public schools, will conduct the community sing which has been titled "Sing and Be Happy." Mr. MacPherson will lead and Mr. Rowell will be accompanist.
C. Henry Klaubert, secretary of the Montclair Lions Club and director of programs at the Y. M. C. A. will play host to the servicemen. Televiewers throughout the metropolitan area of New York and New Jersey will also be invited to sing the favorite songs of yesterday and today during the telecast.
W2XWV transmits variety programs every Sunday night at 8:30 o'clock on television Channel 4, 78-84 mc. (Montclair Times, Dec. 3)
Washington – The FCC yesterday granted a license to Balaban & Katz, Chicago theater organization affiliated with Paramount, to operate its new experimental television station W9XBB. Commission records show Paramount as the principal stock-holder of Balaban & Katz, whose directors include the Paramount president, Barney Balaban, vice-president Y. Frank Freeman and Paramount's legal chief, Austin C. Keough. The other directors of the company are John Balaban and Elmer C. Upton.
W9XBB will operate with 10 watts power on an experimental basis, using frequency for from 384,000 to 396,000 kilocycles. (Radio Daily, Dec. 4)
With the resignation of Leonard Hole, acting executive director of television, CBS will probably curtail its television activities drastically. Hole will report Tuesday (22) as a lieutenant (jg) at the Quonset Point (R. I.) Naval Base. He will probably not be replaced.
Last of the executives to leave CBS television, Hole leaves a skeleton staff of four men. Company will probably air only four hours of films a week, as NBC has done since July. Because of the shortage of manpower and technical equipment, particularly tubes, the FCC is not enforcing its earlier edict that the television companies would have to operate on a 14-hour weekly schedule. (Variety, Dec. 16)
Nelson Birch, clerk of the North Brunswick township committee, whose hobby is performing feats of magic, will appear tonight on a television broadcast over station W2XWV, 78-84 Megacycles, on channel No. 4, in New York City.
Birch, who has appeared before many groups here and elsewhere, is known as “Professor Eloff.” He has performed tricks for the past 30 years and is regarded as one of the best semi-professional magicians in the east.
The telecast will begin at 8:30 o’clock, with Birch making his appearance at 9. (Home News, Dec. 27)
The Thomas S. Lee, television station W6XAO, Los Angeles, came up with quite a feather in its cap recently when it televised an interview with Commander Richard Kiefer of the airplane carrier Yorktown. Kiefer was interviewed before the television lens by John B. Hughes. Through Hughes' interrogation Kiefer gave details of the story of the Yorktown. (Radio Daily, Dec. 30)
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Great stuff! "Airplane Carrier" Yorktown-they were still figuring out what to call them...
ReplyDeleteJohn B. Hughes did quite a bit newsreel and movie work, as well as radio through many years. He did television later, anchoring the 11PM News at WEWS-TV 5 Cleveland in 1957-Early 1958 and joining WTAE-TV 4 Pittsburgh later in 1958.
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