KTSL is Finally Here

Los Angeles got a new TV station on May 6, 1948.

It really was an old one.

The local papers all covered the story. Here’s the Hollywood Reporter’s version from the next day:

Don Lee Given Commercial Greenlight For TV Station
Don Lee's W6XAO went commercial yesterday, giving Los Angeles its second commercial television outlet. Notification came by telephone to Lewis Allen Weiss, Don Lee vice-president, from the firm's Washington, D. C., attorneys, and will be followed by a confirming wire. Okay was effective immediately, making for a newly titled KTSL.
Long-awaited FCC green light will mean immediate activation of expansion plans, said Weiss last night. Within days the commercial and production heads will be named, with Carlton Winckler reportedly set for the latter post, and the technical operation continuing under director Harry Lubcke.
Lee will spend $250,000 for equipment now on order and transfer its transmitting operation to a 120-acre site at Deer Park, Mt. Wilson. Another $75,000 will be spent on buildings there. The present Mt. Lee studios in cresting the Hollywood Hills will also be retained for programming space, relaying to Mt. Wilson like the new Vine Street studios now under construction. Weiss characterized the move as "a blue chip deal," adding that nothing would be spared to get the revitalized unit into top shape and class "A" operation. As soon as contractors can be set the expansion will get underway, he said.
The station's programming schedule will be increased instantly, it was indicated, rather than wait for any physical improvements or expansion, with the schedule to be hypoed to a daily presentation. The first two probable commercials will be "Queen For a Day" and "Heart's Desire," both of which have been experimented with for some time. Six months after work starts it is likely that the entirely new operation will be rolling, giving Don Lee a class "A" permanent set-up as of the end of this year. New film channels are expected momentarily, to be followed by added cameras and a brand new transmitter.

There was a little more going on. Broadcasting of May 10 revealed the station only received…

…special temporary authority to operate commercially 90 days. It must use the present experimental call, not KTSL which it sought.
Grant conditioned on ultimate FCC decision on Don Lee AM and FM renewals.

Don Lee Broadcasting had put W6XAO on the air on December 23, 1931, airing between 6 and 7 p.m. with “a regular daily television service using electrical scanning” for the first time in the U.S., as the company announced at the time. The company was granted a commercial license for KTSL on Channel 1 in 1941 but gave up the license, continuing to keep the experimental, non-commercial W6XAO on the air.

In August 1945, it reapplied for a commercial construction permit, but the application got bogged down in hearings, while other companies were given commercial TV licenses for the city and began signing on through 1948 and early 1949. The problem, as Variety reported on Feb. 20, 1946:

A sweeping investigation of the net practices of the Don Lee Broadcasting System was ordered yesterday (18) by the FCC. The commission will look into the Pacific Coast regional net’s contracts for alleged violation of the FCC anti-monopoly rules on time options and exclusivity.

The FCC was loath to give Don Lee a commercial TV license until the radio situation had reached a conclusion. The situation still wasn’t resolved at the time the commercial license was temporarily granted.

“Temporary” was, in reality, permanent. The station never stopped running commercials and, for almost two years, used both sets of call-letters.

Who was the first sponsor? The Hollywood Citizen-News’ Zuma Palmer stated in her May 15, 1948 column it would be the “Fight For Lives” benefit boxing card for the Duarte Sanitarium that evening.

It looks like that equipment KTSL ordered got to Los Angeles post haste. Allen Rich, in the Valley Times of May 17, 1948, said some of it was on display in the Biltmore Hotel ballroom and that it was “open for public inspection.”

KTSL was named for Thomas Stewart Lee, Don Lee’s son. His end was truly unfortunate. After battling in court for 14 years over his inheritance and being awarded $5,000,000 in July 1948, he was declared mentally ill less than three months later and forced to hand over his broadcasting and car businesses to two court-appointed guardians. Lee died at the age of 43 after falling from the 12th floor of a building on Wilshire Boulevard.

The first week’s schedule for KTSL likely looked like this, judging the Los Angeles press. It would appear the station left evening programming, for the most part, to KTLA.

FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1948
10:30 a.m.—Test Pattern, music. 11:00—“Queen For a Day.” 11:30 to 11:45—Test Pattern, music. 1:00—Test Pattern, music. 1:15—“Heart’s Desire” with host Ben Alexander and announcer Cliff Johnson. 1:45 to 2:00—Test Pattern, music or Telenews. 7:30—Test Pattern, music. 8:15—Telenews. 8:25—V. A. Report. 8:30—Boxing from the Hollywood Legion Stadium, Earl Turner vs. Jackie Wilson, 190 pounds, 10 rounds; Lou Filippe vs. Lem Thomas, 136 pounds, six rounds; four bouts on the under-card.

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1948
Off the air.

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 1948
Off the air.

MONDAY, MAY 10, 1948
7:30—Test Pattern and Music. 8:00—Wrestling Card 8:15—News. 8:30—Wrestling Matches at the Hollywood Legion, Prince Mikalaskis vs. Honest John Cretorio; crowd picks tag-teamers in tournament.

TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1948
10:30 a.m.—Test Pattern, music. 11:00—“Queen For a Day.” 11:30 to 11:45—Test Pattern, music. 1:00—Test Pattern, music. 1:15—“Heart’s Desire” with host Ben Alexander and announcer Cliff Johnson. 1:45 to 2:00—Test Pattern, music or Telenews.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1948
10:30 a.m.—Test Pattern, music. 11:00—“Queen For a Day.” 11:30 to 11:45—Test Pattern, music. 1:00—Test Pattern, music. 1:15—“Heart’s Desire” with host Ben Alexander (right) and announcer Cliff Johnson. 1:45 to 2:00—Test Pattern, music or Telenews.

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1948
10:30 a.m.—Test Pattern, music. 11:00—“Queen For a Day.” 11:30 to 11:45—Test Pattern, music. 1:00—Test Pattern, music. 1:15—“Heart’s Desire” with host Ben Alexander and announcer Cliff Johnson. 1:45 to 2:00—Test Pattern, music or Telenews.

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1948
10:30 a.m.—Test Pattern, music. 11:00—“Queen For a Day.” 11:30 to 11:45—Test Pattern, music. 1:00—Test Pattern, music. 1:15—“Heart’s Desire” with host Ben Alexander and announcer Cliff Johnson. 1:45 to 2:00—Telenews. 7:30—Test Pattern, music. 8:15—Telenews. 8:25—V. A. Report. 8:30—Boxing from the Hollywood Legion Stadium, Tommy Campbell vs. John L. Davis, 135 pounds, 10 rounds; Gene Loughridge vs. Joe Hartfield, 160 pounds, six rounds; four on the under-card.