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Channel J

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Channel J
TypePublic-access television
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNew York City
Ownership
OwnerManhattan Cable Television
History
Launched1976
Closed1990

Manhattan Cable Television'sChannel Jwas apublic-access television channelbroadcast from New York City[1]from 1976 to 1990.[2]It became famous and controversial for its lack of censorship and its depiction of marginalized communities andtaboothemes.[1][3]As a public access channel, every subscriber to cable television inManhattanreceived the channel as part of basic cable service.[3]

Channel J distributedThe Emerald City,one of the first television series created by and forLGBTQ people.[4]It also aired straight andgay pornographyon shows such asMidnight Blue,The Robin Byrd Show, Men and Films,Blurbs,andInterludes After Midnight,a nude talk show.[3]The channel's robust LGBTQ representation led to the saying "Gay on J."[4]

Other shows that aired on Channel J includeThe Big Giveaway[1](New York cable television's first game show[5]),The Live! Show,[1]andThe Ugly George Hour of Truth, Sex, and Violence.[6]

Manhattan Cable Television provided free studio space for anyone to use on a first-come, first-served basis.[7]Producers were simply required to pay an hourly rate of $50 for airtime (equivalent to $268 in 2023), with rights to resell the airtime to advertisers.[8][5]

Channel J has been described as "afunhouse mirrorof mainstream network programs "(The Wall Street Journal)[1]and "the Wild West for adult entertainment"(New York Post).[7]

Programming[edit]

The Big Giveaway[edit]

The Big Giveawaywas a game show produced by 24-year-oldArnie Rosenthalthat allowed subscribers the opportunity to win prizes by participating via telephone.[8][5]According toThe New Yorker,it was the first game show to air on cable television in New York.[5]Rosenthal later startedScoreon theFinancial News Network.[9]

Title card for The Emerald City showing a stylized Manhattan skyline emerging from inside a television box, next to the name of the show
Title card forThe Emerald City,one of the first-ever LGBTQ television shows

The Emerald City[edit]

The Emerald Citywas an American television series and self-proclaimed "world’s first television show forgay menandwomen"[4]that aired twice weekly[10]on Channel J from 1976 to 1979.[11]It began in New York City and was later syndicated to San Francisco and Los Angeles.[12]Episodes were originally an hour long and then switched to half-hour in the fall of 1977.[11]

The Emerald Citywas produced by Truth, Justice, and American Way Inc., which was overseen by Eugene B. Stavis (executive producer), Frank O’Dowd (writer-director), James Chladek (co-producer), and Steven Bie, a former lover of O’Dowd (producer, advertising and marketing).[4][12]

The show covered the LGBTQ movement, politics, and culture in thepre-AIDS era.[13]It featured an assortment of national LGBTQ news,[11]interviews,[12]music videos,[11]and live performances (such ascabaretand singing) recorded oncompact cassette.[11][12][13]Its on-air talent included journalistsArthur Bell,Vito Russo,and Brandon Judell.[13]

Former guests on the show includeArthur Bressan Jr,[10]Divine,[12]Wayland Flowers,[11]Selma Hazouri,[11]David Hockney,[13]John Paul Hudson,[11]Grace Jones,[11]Jonathan Ned Katz,[14]Ken Kilban,[12]James Kirkwood Jr.,[11]Larry Kramer,[12]Charles Ludlam,[10]Jean O'Leary,[10]Leonard Matlovich,[4]Butterfly McQueen,[14]Wakefield Poole,[11]andJohn Waters.[14]

The show was entirely supported by advertising proceeds.[11]Its commercials predominantly featured LGBTQ businesses such asMan's Country bathhouseandMandatemagazine.[11]Other advertisements included books byWilhelm von GloedenandAndrew Holleran,Jan Wallman's restaurant, and the pornographic filmEl Paso Wrecking Corp.[11]

For many involved in the making of the show,The Emerald Citywas "about building up[gay] culture,"not just profit.[12]In a 2018 interview, Wakefield Poole said, "We were very happy to have […] a platform to put ideas out there and what [sic] life was really like to be gay. "[12]To Ken Kilban, "it was a liberating and elevating and enlightening experience. It was… a cultural event. It really had very little to do with sex."[12]Steven Brie described a sense of optimism that the show imbued (a coming "great new world for gay people" ) and the excitement of celebrating successful people "not minding justsayingmatter of fact that they were gay. "[12]

The words "Interludes After Midnight" are superimposed on an image of Dan Landers and a woman kissing
Title card forInterludes After Midnightstarring Dan Landers

Interludes After Midnight[edit]

Interludes After Midnightbilled itself as a "nude TV talk show."[15]It was hosted byDan Landers,who interviewed his guests while naked[7][3]at 10 P.M. on Mondays.[3]Jon Lovitzparodied the show onSaturday Night Live.[7]In 1989, theChicago Tribunepilloried the show as a "loose, lewd, boring talk show featuring nude numbskull nobodies."[16]

The Live! Show[edit]

The Live! Show,conceived and produced byJaime Davidovitch,ran from 1979 to 1984.[17][18]The variety show featured interviews with celebrities such asLaurie AndersonandEric Bogosian,live performances by stars such asRobert Kushner,art lessons, andhome shoppingsegments.[17]

Lou MalettacreatedMen and Films,which debuted on Channel J in 1982.

Men and Films[edit]

Men and Filmswas created in 1982 byLou Maletta,[19]who later created theGay Cable Network.On the show, Maletta interviewedgay porn starsand reviewed gay pornographic films, motivated in part to destigmatize gay sex.[19]It aired at 11 P.M. on Thursdays.[3]

Midnight Blue[edit]

Main article:Midnight Blue (TV series)

Midnight Bluewas produced byAl Goldstein,the publisher ofScrewmagazine.[3]The show featured reviews ofpornographic films,[7]interviews with celebrities such asDebbie HarryandTiny Tim,[7]and discussion of topics ranging fromstripperstogroup sex.[3]It ran from 1974 to 2003, later moving to Channel 35[20]

The Robin Byrd Show[edit]

The Robin Byrd ShowfeaturedRobin Byrdinterviewing otheradult film stars.[7]LikeInterludes After Midnight,The Robin Byrd Showwas later parodied onSaturday Night Live,withCherie Oteriportraying Byrd.[7]The show later moved to Channel 35[21]and then Channel 79.[7]

The Ugly George Hour of Truth, Sex, and Violence[edit]

The Ugly George Hour of Truth, Sex, and Violence,starring pornographer George Urban,[22][6]ran from 1976 to 1982 (with sporadic reboots until 1991).[23]Urban roamed the streets of New York urging women to take off their clothes on camera.[23]He also interviewed celebrities (includingJohn Lennon,Yoko Ono,andMichael Jackson) and interviewed politicians about thefirst amendment.[23][24]He once recorded a segment inside the sex clubPlato's Retreat.[25]

Controversy[edit]

Channel J'ssex-positiveprogramming was scandalized in mainstream discourse[2][26]and subject to censorship efforts.[15][27]The New York Times,for instance, reported in 1984 that late-night viewing on Channel J "has become identified with sex" owing to its depictions of "male frontal nudity," “clips from pornographic homosexual films," and other "explicit sexual" content.[3]Morality in Media,an anti-pornography organization, called the shows "abominable."[3]

At the time, state law prevented cable operators from restricting content, even sexually explicit content, except that which was consideredobscene.[3]In response to Channel J, theNew York State Legislaturepassed a law in 1983 requiring cable companies to offer devices to block entire channels or programs that "viewers may find objectionable."[3]According toTimemagazine,only 19 such devices were ever installed.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdeDollar, Steve (2011-02-10)."Before the Web, It Was Public-Access".The Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^abSewall, Gilbert T. (1990-09-29)."Opinion | Goodbye, Channel J – and Good Riddance".The New York Times.p. 23.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  3. ^abcdefghijklSmith, Sally Bedell (1984-03-05)."Channel J Pornography Is Cause of Lockout Law".The New York Times.p. 16.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  4. ^abcdeO'Connor, John J. (1977-06-02)."TV: Cable Focuses On Homosexuals".The New York Times.p. 69.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  5. ^abcdHiss, Anthony (1976-03-15)."First Days of J".The New Yorker.p. 26.ISSN0028-792X.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  6. ^abcCorliss, Richard (2013-12-19)."Al Goldstein: Sleazy Pornographer — and Proud of It".Time.ISSN0040-781X.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  7. ^abcdefghiFleming, Kirsten (2018-01-10)."New York's Public Access TV Was a Cesspool of Soft-Core Porn".New York Post.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  8. ^abDougherty, Philip H. (1976-03-03)."Advertising".The New York Times.p. 63.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  9. ^Rogin, Kate (1988-02-15)."This Cable-TV Game Show Is No Trivial Pursuit".Sports Illustrated.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  10. ^abcd"The Emerald City".Screen Slate.2021-11-15.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  11. ^abcdefghijklmn"Emerald City Tapes (Television Program)".The Center.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  12. ^abcdefghijkMike, Miksche (2018-07-23)."The World's First Gay TV Program:" The Emerald City "".Logo TV.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  13. ^abcdHumm, Andy (2014-01-22)."Gene Stavis, Gay TV Pioneer, Dies at 70 – Gay City News".Gay City News.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  14. ^abcMurphy, Tim (2022-03-12).""Emerald City TV" Is a Stunning Time Machine Back to 1970s NYC Gay Life ".The Caftan Chronicles.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  15. ^abMeislin, Richard J. (1981-05-28)."Bill to Limit 'Offensive' Cable TV Programs Introduced in Albany".The New York Times.p. 1.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  16. ^Plate, Andrea Darvi (1989-09-28)."XXX-TRAORDINARY".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  17. ^abCotter, Holland (2013-12-19)."Jaime Davidovich: 'Museum of Television Culture'".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  18. ^Grimes, William (2016-08-31)."Jaime Davidovich, Artist Whose Videos Bypassed the 'Gatekeepers of Culture,' Dies at 79".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  19. ^abHerold, Lauren (2022-04-26)."The Forgotten Gay Cable Network That Changed LGBTQ History".Slate.ISSN1091-2339.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  20. ^Alpert, Lucas I. (2013-12-22)."Al Goldstein and Me".The Forward.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  21. ^Morris, Bob (1996-06-23)."Cable's First Lady Of Explicit".The New York Times.p. 39.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  22. ^Gershon, Livia (2019-07-09)."Before the Internet, Cable TV Was for Porn".JSTOR Daily.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  23. ^abcMindlin, Alex (2005-07-10)."The Hunt for Beauties: Ugly George Roams Again".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  24. ^Arango, Tim (2005-06-17)."Ugly George, Cult Porno King of 1970S, Is Baack".New York Post.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  25. ^Grace, Asia (2023-02-27)."Inside Larry Levenson's NYC sex club Plato's Retreat".New York Post.Retrieved2024-01-28.
  26. ^Davis, Douglas (1989-06-11)."TV VIEW; Public-Access TV Is Heard in the Land".The New York Times.p. 31.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  27. ^Kleinman, Maggie (1981-11-08)."States Seeks Rules for" Hard R "Cable TV".The New York Times.p. 36.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-01-28.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Channel_J&oldid=1232243076"