Post by David Sechrest on Nov 12, 2009 19:44:21 GMT -5
Sixty years ago yesterday, November 11th, WTTV-TV began its operations in central Indiana. As I've stated earlier in this Thread (and also in the website article), WTTV began operating on Channel 10 (thank you Dave Smith!), moving over to Channel 4 on February 21, 1954.
I was so hoping for a repeat of 1999 (their 50th), as I was out of town way back then, and not around to record the all day special celebration of their 50th. And before I went to bed Tuesday night, I set my dvr to record Channel 4 beginning at 6am. When I woke up yesterday morning and turned on Channel 4, it was all "regularly scheduled programming." I did happen to catch a brief 30 second spot on last night's Fox 59 news cast regarding the special day and that was it. Nothing else.
I was extremely disappointed. I don't guess a 60th anniversary is as important as a 50th, huh?
Even though I no longer fit in the demographics of tv viewers the advertisers want to try and capture (18-49), one would think that the oldest remaining tv station in central Indiana would want to share its celebration with its viewers. Well, all I can say is BAH! HUMBUG! Channel 4. I guess your morning and afternoon lineup of court shows, and the relentless reruns of Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Friends were more important than sharing your heritage with your viewers.
I also had hopes back in 2007 when WTHR planned on celebrating their 50th anniversary. They contacted me about using one of their own test patterns I've had for many many years (and had it on my YouTube account back then). But I think Channel 13 came to realize that it really wasn't their 50th anniversary, due to the ABC/NBC swap with Channel 6 back in the late 70's or early 80's. They did run a few local spots announcing their 50th anniversary, but those disappeared rather quickly and not another word was mentioned about the anniversary.
If that change had not occurred, Channel 6 would have been the oldest tv station in central Indiana, beating out WTTV by about 6 months.
I am having a hard time trying to reason why WTTV didn't have special programming highlighting their 60 years on the air. I wonder if it's simply because WTTV is no longer an independent tv station. Sometime around 2001 or so, they became a part of the FOX home, the CW network. Did they think that people would rather watch 5 hours of the same ole same ole Peoples Court, Judge Mathis, et. al. instead of highlights from programs past? Is it because they share the studio with their sister station, FOX 59, and didn't have room to host any special? I don't think it's because they aren't an independent station anymore. At least, even in 1999, they were a WB affiliate and that didn't stop them.
Your answer at this point is as good as mine.
I was really looking forward to seeing such locals as Chuck Marlowe, Cowboy Bob, Janie, and Sammy Terry, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Channel 4 also was the place where most of us watched IU and Purdue football and basketball games back when, but with the advent of the change from WB to CW, the games were dropped (most likely, this was also due to the creation of the Big Ten Network).
I have many many fond memories of watching Channel 4 and it is a cryin' shame that they let their 60th anniversary go by with just a passing word on the local news...
I was so hoping for a repeat of 1999 (their 50th), as I was out of town way back then, and not around to record the all day special celebration of their 50th. And before I went to bed Tuesday night, I set my dvr to record Channel 4 beginning at 6am. When I woke up yesterday morning and turned on Channel 4, it was all "regularly scheduled programming." I did happen to catch a brief 30 second spot on last night's Fox 59 news cast regarding the special day and that was it. Nothing else.
I was extremely disappointed. I don't guess a 60th anniversary is as important as a 50th, huh?
Even though I no longer fit in the demographics of tv viewers the advertisers want to try and capture (18-49), one would think that the oldest remaining tv station in central Indiana would want to share its celebration with its viewers. Well, all I can say is BAH! HUMBUG! Channel 4. I guess your morning and afternoon lineup of court shows, and the relentless reruns of Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Friends were more important than sharing your heritage with your viewers.
I also had hopes back in 2007 when WTHR planned on celebrating their 50th anniversary. They contacted me about using one of their own test patterns I've had for many many years (and had it on my YouTube account back then). But I think Channel 13 came to realize that it really wasn't their 50th anniversary, due to the ABC/NBC swap with Channel 6 back in the late 70's or early 80's. They did run a few local spots announcing their 50th anniversary, but those disappeared rather quickly and not another word was mentioned about the anniversary.
If that change had not occurred, Channel 6 would have been the oldest tv station in central Indiana, beating out WTTV by about 6 months.
I am having a hard time trying to reason why WTTV didn't have special programming highlighting their 60 years on the air. I wonder if it's simply because WTTV is no longer an independent tv station. Sometime around 2001 or so, they became a part of the FOX home, the CW network. Did they think that people would rather watch 5 hours of the same ole same ole Peoples Court, Judge Mathis, et. al. instead of highlights from programs past? Is it because they share the studio with their sister station, FOX 59, and didn't have room to host any special? I don't think it's because they aren't an independent station anymore. At least, even in 1999, they were a WB affiliate and that didn't stop them.
Your answer at this point is as good as mine.
I was really looking forward to seeing such locals as Chuck Marlowe, Cowboy Bob, Janie, and Sammy Terry, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Channel 4 also was the place where most of us watched IU and Purdue football and basketball games back when, but with the advent of the change from WB to CW, the games were dropped (most likely, this was also due to the creation of the Big Ten Network).
I have many many fond memories of watching Channel 4 and it is a cryin' shame that they let their 60th anniversary go by with just a passing word on the local news...