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United States of America |
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To start, a brief reminder of the system of television in the
US. Most notably, TV is dominated by the networks
(originally NBC, CBS and ABC but later joined by Fox and
recently augmented by the WB and UPN from Warner and Paramount
respectively).
The networks, despite competition since
the 1970s from cable stations such as HBO and CNN, still have
a stranglehold on TV. At the same time, they own few of
their own stations (each local station joins a network - or
networks - by choice, and can leave if they choose).
They also, until recently, were not allowed to own their own
programming (except news), which is why most programmes are
independently produced and such strangeness exists as CBS's
'Caroline in the City' airing on NBC.
  
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It's 1966, and WJAC is using 'Sponsor' magazine to
congratulate the network it is affiliated to, NBC, on its 40th
birthday. Broadcasting on US VHF channel 6, WJAC covers
central Pennsylvania as well as parts of West Virginia.
This being 1966, and color sets now becoming affordable in the
US (a year before the first colour broadcast, from BBC2, in
the UK) WJAC6 is proud of color and promotes the fact that 50%
of local shows and 85% of networked shows are now in color.
It would be into the 1970s before the last local affiliate
could boast full color television, and well into the 1980s
before FCC surveys showed that more than 90% were watching
color on their main sets. |
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A year later, WEAT in Florida is inviting us to switch to VHF
channel 12 (but still not yet in color)... |
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...in order to watch Dick Bate bring his new ideas to fruition
on this ABC affiliate. ABC at this time trailed badly
behind the Tiffany Network (CBS) at number one and NBC at number two. |
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The unaffiliated WLBW on VHF 10 in Florida provides a diet of
classic movies (for 1967), mostly in monochrome, somewhat
making a mockery of WLBW being 'Colorvision'. |
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The 1980s bring a new threat to network television. Not
only is cable - that equalizer of UHF and VHF - bringing a
choice of alternative independent stations and PBS into
people's homes, it also brings Home Box Office, The Movie
Channel, Cinemax and Showtime, to name a few.
These channels, being subscription based, have two unique
selling points. First, no adverts or cuts by network
censors. Second, no need to leave that couch to rent a
video from the store.
Unlike in the UK, the vast
majority would be watching HBO on cable (not the object of
derision in the US that it is in the UK) rather than by
satellite. US satellite platforms are vastly undeveloped
by UK standards; cable is definitely king. |
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To counter the threat, the networks (here in the form of WABC7
New York and WTNH8 New Haven) use made-for-TV movies.
Originally a method by which the studios used up spare
capacity and sold on cheaply, by the 1980s the networks were
prepared to pay large sums to defeat the cable movie channels.
Nevertheless, a TV movie-length cartoon of Lassie hardly
competes with HBO's Blues Brothers, Airplane, Fame and '1941'
for viewers.
WABC is not an affiliate - it is the exception by being owned
by ABC themselves. The radio station WABC New York is
famous amongst jingle collectors as being the driving force
behind PAMS and later JAM jingles. |
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It's 1967, and Europe has two things in common - very few
colour sets in each country, and each state-owned electricity
board is encouraging the population to save energy and
economise.
In the United States, however, energy is cheap and plentiful.
The natural resources of the country look like they will last
forever. So Florida Power & Light Company sees a
money-making opportunity - spend more on electricity,
use more fossil fuels, buy more electronic goods - don't get
left behind in the rush toward Mammon.
As we watch the ice-caps melt, the sea levels rise and the
world suffers from droughts and floods, this advert makes
interesting reading 3 decades later. |
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Still in 1967, and still in Florida, CBS affiliate WTVJ4 is
convinced that Hollywood will be moving any minute from one
sunny state to another. To prove is, "The Happening" is
being filmed in the state, and local personality Larry King is
interviewing its star, Anthony "Zorba the Greek" Quinn. |
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Did WTVJ4 mention it was in color? If not, to correct
that oversight is a quick reminder. |
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Florida PBS station Channel 2 is, as always with American
public broadcasting, on the beg for money. Rather than a
telethon, or jumble sales, or a sale of promises, 2 gets
celebrity auctioneers to sell off donated junk to telephone
voters. Ring in and pledge your money for Sesame Street
(if you have easy access to 1967, that is). |
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It's 1981, and, in some parts of southern Oregon, times are
hard. KPIC4 in Roseburg and KCBY11 in Coos Bay, covering
very small markets, are affiliated to both NBC and CBS.
But rather than trumpet this achievement (which would beg the
question as to exactly what service this provides to viewers
having someone else make the choice between networks for
them), the two stations advertise their local news service
throughout the TV Guide this week.
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Southern Oregon must be a small market - it has only one
independent station, KPTV12 in Portland, whilst KVAL13 in
Eugene, KTVL10 in Medford and KIEM3 in Eureka just over the
border in California are all NBC and CBS joint affiliates;
KRCR7 in Redding and KVIA6 in Eureka both affiliate to ABC and
NBC; whilst KOTI2 in Klamath Falls and KOBI5 in Medford choose
ABC and CBS for their partners. |
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