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WNAC-TV (Boston)

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WNAC-TV
Channels
Programming
AffiliationsDefunct
Ownership
OwnerRKO General
WNAC/WRKO,WNAC-FM/WRKO-FM/WROR
History
First air date
June 21, 1948(1948-06-21)
Last air date
May 22, 1982(1982-05-22)
(33 years, 11 months and 1 day)
CBS(1948–1961 & 1972–1982)
ABC(secondary, 1948–1957; full-time, 1961–1972)
DuMont(secondary, 1948–1956)
Call signmeaning
Sequentially assigned to former radio sister stationWNAC

WNAC-TV,channel 7, was atelevision stationlocated inBoston, Massachusetts,United States. The station was owned byRKO General.Originally established in 1948, WNAC-TV signed off for the final time at 1:00 a.m. on May 22, 1982, due to improprieties by its parent company; it was replaced that morning with WNEV-TV (nowWHDH), which operates on a separate license. The station was Boston's originalCBStelevision affiliate; except for a period from 1961 to 1972 during which it was anABCaffiliate, WNAC-TV would remain with CBS until its replacement with WNEV-TV.

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

A modern re-production of thetest patternused by the station early on.

WNAC-TV first signed on the air on June 21, 1948 as the second television station in Boston afterWBZ-TV(channel 4), which had debuted 12 days earlier. Channel 7 originally operated as aCBSaffiliate but also carried some programs fromABCand theDuMont Television Network.The station was originally owned byGeneral Tire,along with WNAC radio (then at 1260 AM, frequency now occupied byWBIX;later moved to 680 AM, nowWRKO), which served as theflagshipstation of theYankee Network,a regionalNew Englandradio network. General Tire had purchased the Yankee Network in 1943. WNAC-TV first broadcast from the WNAC/Yankee Network's studios at 21 Brookline Avenue, nearFenway Park,before RKO moved its Boston operations to new facilities nearGovernment Centerat 40 Hawkins Street (later renamed 7 Bulfinch Place) in 1968.

In 1950, General Tire bought the West Coast regionalDon Lee Broadcasting System.Two years later, it acquired the Bamberger Broadcasting Service (owners ofWOR-AM-FM-TV in New York City) and merged its broadcasting interests into a new division, General Teleradio. General Tire purchasedRKO Radio Picturesin 1955 after General Tire found that RKO's film library would be a perfect programming source for WNAC-TV and its other television stations. The studio was merged into General Teleradio to become RKO Teleradio; after the film studio was dissolved, the business was renamedRKO Generalin 1959.

By 1955, ABC began to increase the amount of programming seen as "secondary clearances" on channel 7, which continued untilthe original incarnation of WHDH-TVsigned on over channel 5 in 1957. However, WNAC-TV was in danger of losing its CBS affiliation that same year whenStorer Broadcasting(which had very good relations with CBS) planned to purchaseWMUR-TV(channel 9) in nearbyManchester, New Hampshire,and move its transmitter to just outsideHaverhill, Massachusetts,only 20 miles north of Boston; approval of the move would have potentially made WNAC-TV a full-time ABC affiliate and resulted in channel 5 becoming anindependent station.However, Storer's purchase of channel 9 never materialized following an outcry from New Hampshire viewers that led regulators to reject its request to build a new tower near Haverhill. Storer eventually entered Boston with its purchase ofUHFstation WIHS-TV (channel 38) in 1966, changing its call letters toWSBK-TV.[1]The station also had a secondary affiliation with theParamount Television Networkand was among Paramount's strongest affiliates, carrying programs such asTime For Beany,[2]Dixie Showboat,[3]Hollywood Reel[4]andArmchair Detective.[5]From 1948 to 1950, WNAC-TV shared the rights toBoston Bravesgame telecasts with WBZ-TV and shared rights toBoston Red Soxtelecasts with WBZ-TV from 1948 to 1954. In the fall of 1948, WNAC-TV became the first station to televiseBoston Bruinsgames, carrying the third, and sometimes second, period of home games.

WNAC-TV was nearly sold by RKO General, along with its radio sisters, toNBCas part of a multi-city transaction and station trade between the two companies announced in March 1960.[6][7]As a preemptive move, CBS decided to move its Boston affiliation to WHDH-TV when the changeover became official.[8]However, final approval of the RKO-NBC deal was held up at theFederal Communications Commission(FCC) and theU.S. Department of Justicebecause of issuesinvolving NBC's ownershipofWRCV-AM-TVinPhiladelphia,which RKO would acquire in the trade. Meanwhile, WNAC-TV reached an agreement to carry ABC programs in what was thought to be an interim arrangement.[9]The affiliation swap between WNAC-TV and WHDH-TV took effect on January 1, 1961. The RKO-NBC transaction never materialized,[10]and channel 7 would remain an RKO-owned ABC affiliate for the next 11 years.[11]

A 1960s on-air station slide superimposed onto an image of thePrudential Tower.

In 1969, theBoston Herald-Traveler Corp.,WHDH-TV's parent company, lost its license to operate channel 5. Boston Broadcasters, Inc., the owners of the station that replaced it,WCVB-TV,planned to air more local programming than any other station in the country, heavily preempting CBS programming in the process. CBS was displeased with the prospect of frequent preemptions on what would have been its second-largest affiliate and its largest on the East Coast. The CBS affiliation immediately moved back to channel 7, leaving channel 5 to affiliate with ABC. The second network switch in Boston—essentially a reversal of what took place in 1961—occurred on March 19, 1972, WCVB-TV's first day of operations; Boston's ABC affiliation remains on channel 5 to this day. However, late in 1973, WNAC-TV adopted a version of thecircle 7 logo,similar to that used by ABC's owned-and-operated stations; in 1977, after ABC complained that the station was infringing on its trademark, the station changed the logo's typeface. In late 1981, a stylish, strip-layered "7" was introduced, which would be the last logo redesign under RKO General ownership.

Two legendary Boston television personalities had shows on WNAC-TV: Louise Morgan, who hosted a talk show and was known as "New England's First Lady of Radio and Television," and Ed McDonnell, who, as the astronaut character Major Mudd, hosted a popular children's show from 1961 through 1973.

Fight for survival and transition[edit]

By 1965, RKO General faced numerous investigations into its business and financial practices. Although the FCC renewed channel 7's license in 1969, RKO General lost the license in 1981 after General Tire admitted to a litany of corporate misconduct, including the admission that General Tire had committed financial fraud over illegal political contributions and bribes as part of a settlement with theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.However, in the FCC hearings, RKO General had withheld evidence of General Tire's misconduct and had also failed to disclose evidence of accounting errors on its own part. In light of RKO's dishonesty, the FCC stripped RKO of the Boston license and the licenses for KHJ-TV (nowKCAL-TV) in Los Angeles and WOR-TV (nowWWOR-TV). The FCC had previously conditioned renewal of the latter two stations' licenses on WNAC-TV's renewal. An appeals court partially reversed the ruling and ordered new hearings for the Los Angeles and New York licenses, finding that the FCC had overreached in connecting them to WNAC-TV's renewal. However, it upheld the revocation of WNAC-TV's license, finding that RKO's dishonesty alone merited the loss of that license.[12]

RKO appealed this decision, but in February 1982 the FCC awarded aconstruction permitfor a new channel 7 station to New England Television (NETV), a merger of two of the original rivals to the station's license controlled by Boston grocery magnateDavid Mugar.[13]In April, theU.S. Supreme Courtdenied its appeal, forcing RKO to surrender the station's license;[14]RKO then sold the non-license assets of WNAC-TV to NETV.[15]

On the evening of May 21, 1982, RKO General’s final full day of operating WNAC-TV, the station preempted CBS’s primetime schedule to broadcast Game 6 of theNBAEastern Conference Finalsbetween theBoston Celticsand thePhiladelphia 76ers(a production ofCBS Sportswhich aired ontape-delayover the rest of the network later that evening). This was followed by a local public-affairs program, the 11:00 p.m. newscast, and a delayed airing of the series finale of the CBS dramaNurse.Just after 1:00 a.m. on May 22, following a rebroadcast of the late news, channel 7 signed off for the final time as WNAC-TV.[16]New England Television took over channel 7 at the 5:55 a.m. sign-on that morning under a new license as WNEV-TV.[17][18]

WNEV-TV acquired WNAC-TV's former studios on Bulfinch Place as well as its transmitter and tower plant inNewton.It also inherited WNAC-TV's CBS affiliation and syndicated-program contracts, along with most of its staff. The station has operated since 1990 under the call lettersWHDH-TVand was Boston's NBC affiliate from 1995 to 2016 before becoming a news-intensive independent station. WHDH-TV claims WNAC-TV's pre-1982 history as its own, although it operates under a separate license.

Programming[edit]

Preempted programming[edit]

Over the years, WNAC-TV did not preempt much network programming. This fact greatly appealed to CBS when it decided to abandon the original WHDH-TV (which would return to the air under the callsign WCVB) in 1972 and re-affiliate with WNAC.

Sports programming[edit]

WNAC-TV first broadcast the games of the NFL'sNew England Patriots(known as the Boston Patriots in 1970) from the completion of the AFL/NFL merger (the Patriots were part of the AFL) in 1970 until 1981 through CBS' broadcast contract with the NFC; those games were limited to home interconference contests. WNAC also aired Boston Celtics games from 1973 to 1982 via CBS' broadcast rights to the NBA as well, including the Celtics' victory in the1981 NBA Finals.

News department history[edit]

1948–1965[edit]

WNAC-TV's first newscasts were sponsored byShawmut Bankand were namedShawmut Bank Newsteller.The title had a double meaning; that of an anchor who told the news, and that of the program being compared to a bank teller making a withdrawal of news and information from a "news bank", at the public's request (this title was also used on a newscast that Shawmut sponsored on WBZ-TV during this time). This format lasted from WNAC's launch on June 21, 1948, until the early 1950s, when the branding changed to reflect RKO's Yankee Network and its personnel, which also handled news on RKO's radio side. WNAC-TV's relationship with WNAC radio was also touted more starting at this time. From then on through the mid-1960s, the newscasts were known asYankee Network News.

1965–1972[edit]

By 1967, most of WNAC's in-house productions, including news and public affairs programs, began to be broadcast in color. Several years later, the newscasts' titles were changed toNew England Today(for morning and noon newscasts) andNew England Tonight(for the 6 and 11 p.m. broadcasts). ReporterJohn Henningbriefly served as the station's lead anchor before leaving for (the original channel 5) WHDH-TV because, as he complained, the station was more interested in feature films than news. In 1970, the station was the first to promote its newscasts with a music package based on ajingle,called "Move Closer to Your World"(WNAC's slogan at the time was" 7 Colors Your World ", later used byAustralia'sSeven Network). Two years later, WNAC's news director moved toPhiladelphia'sWPVI-TVand took the theme music with him, where it became iconically associated with that station. Also during this era, a series of anchor teams led the newscasts, including Jim Hale and Howard Nielsen and later Hale and Ken Thomas. The station revamped its anchor desk entirely in 1970, naming Lee Nelson andChuck Scarboroughas the anchor team. After serving in the role from 1970 to 1974, Scarborough moved toWNBCin New York City, where he remains today.

1972–1982[edit]

TheNew England Today/Tonightformat lasted until mid-1972, just months after the switch from ABC to CBS. RKO General then revised the station's on-air image once again to now include the moniker "Boston 7". The station's newscasts were titledBoston 7 Newsroomfrom 1972 to 1974 when it was shortened toNewsroom 7.For WNAC's final year on the Channel 7 position (1981–82), the newscasts were simply namedNews 7.

Despite its links with the Yankee Network's well-respected news department (which came to an end when RKO General closed the network in 1967), WNAC-TV spent most of its first 20 years on the air as a distant third (and a distant second until 1957) in the Boston ratings, behindWBZ-TV.However, the station had begun to be fairly competitive in the early 1970s. For a brief period in 1974, WNAC's 6 p.m. newscast jumped from third place to first. Ted O'Brien, who had replaced Scarborough as the station's primary anchor, remained as lead anchor until being paired with Jay Scott, a young reporter who was hired with a publicity campaign claiming that the news director, on a nationwide talent hunt, had found Scott in a hotel room inDenver,where he had watched television looking for talent. A few years later, John Henning returned to the station from WCVB-TV as Scott's replacement. Henning was joined on WNAC's newscasts by station standbys Eddie Andelman and Dr. Fred Ward and reporters Gary Armstrong, Gayle Sinibaldo, Charlene Mitchell, Tanya Hart, Mike Levine, and Sheila Fox.

The RKO licensing difficulties over the next few years were accompanied by a drop in the ratings, caused by overall leadership instability with multiple general managers and news directors revolving in and out of 7 Bulfinch Place. WCVB's large-scale public service and news division remit, and a commitment to put the tarnished image of the former channel 5's licensee in the rear view, also easily overwhelmed WNAC. In 1979, the station hired its first female lead anchor, when Mary Richardson was hired to co-anchor the 11 p.m. broadcast. In 1980, Brad Holbrook was added as Henning's new co-anchor. Henning left the station in June 1981 after his four-year contract expired.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the station's news department suffered a number of blunders. During a December 1977 broadcast, anchor Jack Cole quipped sardonically that "We'll be back with more alleged news" following a report on how tochimney sweepin advance of the arrival ofSanta Claus.[19]On April 1, 1980, the stationaired a news reportthat stated thatGreat Blue HillinMilton, Massachusetts,was erupting. The story was anApril Fools'joke, but the prank resulted in panic in Milton.[20]The station's image was also tarnished by the arrests of reporter Charlene Mitchell for shoplifting and sports reporterBob Gamerefor drunk driving, as well as the revelation that former reporterStephen Guptillfalsely claimed two degrees on his resume.[19][21][22]

In the year leading up to RKO's sale of channel 7's assets to David Mugar after losing its licensing appeal, the station hired Susan Brady to co-anchor with Brad Holbrook. The changes did not cease during WNAC's remaining months. After RKO's loss of the WNAC license in 1980 was upheld by the Federal Court of Appeals for theDistrict of Columbia,Brady left for a position in Los Angeles. She was quickly replaced by young weekend anchor Susan Burke, who worked with Holbrook both during the transition from RKO to New England Television and for the first months of the new ownership.

Notable former on-air staff[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Rapsis, Jeff (March 4, 2004)."WMUR At 50".The Hippo.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2004.RetrievedFebruary 16,2010.
  2. ^"TV High Spots".Lowell Sun.Lowell, Massachusetts. July 29, 1951. p. 54.
  3. ^"Weekend Television Programs".Portsmouth Herald.Portsmouth, New Hampshire. January 6, 1951. p. 9.
  4. ^"Television Programs".Portland Press Herald.Portland, Maine. April 7, 1951. p. 9.
  5. ^"Daily Guide: Radio & Television".Fitchburg Sentiel.Fitchburg, Massachusetts. September 21, 1949. p. 19.
  6. ^"NBC swap with RKO taking shape."Broadcasting,January 25, 1960, pg. 52.
  7. ^"NBC–RKO General trades."Broadcasting,March 21, 1960, pg. 52.
  8. ^"Boston shuffle."Broadcasting,March 28, 1960, pg. 136.
  9. ^"Shift of WNAC-TV to ABC may be on interim basis."Broadcasting,November 28, 1960, pg. 57.
  10. ^"Philadelphia circle is complete," and "Nine-year history of that trade in Philadelphia."Broadcasting,August 3, 1964, pp. 23-25.[1][2][3]
  11. ^https://www.webcitation.org/5knxL2e6d?url=http://www.geocities.com/jehobden/tvgene.html
  12. ^O'Brian, Dave (December 15, 1981)."RKO and the cherry tree".The Boston Phoenix.RetrievedJune 21,2024.
  13. ^"The heirs presumptive for Boston ch. 7."Broadcasting,April 26, 1982, pp. 28-29.[4][5]
  14. ^"It's all over for RKO's WNAC-TV."Broadcasting,April 26, 1982, pp. 27-28.[6][7]
  15. ^"In brief"(PDF).Broadcasting.May 10, 1982. p. 128.RetrievedApril 15,2019.
  16. ^Thomas, Jack (May 21, 1982)."At Channel 7, an era ends, an era begins".The Boston Globe.p. 25.RetrievedApril 15,2019.
  17. ^Sign-on.Boston, MA: WNEV-TV (WHDH). May 22, 1982.RetrievedApril 15,2019.
  18. ^"Overnight in Boston: WNAC-TV turns into WNEV"(PDF).Broadcasting.Washington, D.C. May 24, 1982. p. 41.RetrievedJuly 19,2011.[dead link]
  19. ^abThomas, Jack (November 10, 1981). "Can Channel 7 close the gap?".The Boston Globe.
  20. ^McNamara, Eileen (April 2, 1980). "'Yuk-Yuk News' (on Ch.7, folks) no joke in Milton ".The Boston Globe.
  21. ^Knopf, Terry Ann (April 22, 1980). "Ch. 7 jobs up in the air".The Boston Globe.
  22. ^"Stephen Guptill is out, bitter".United Press International.January 12, 1979.RetrievedAugust 11,2011.

External links[edit]

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