WKNY-TV

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WKNY-TV
Channels
Programming
AffiliationsNBC, CBS, ABC, DuMont
Ownership
OwnerWKNY-TV Corp.
History
First air date
May 24, 1954 (1954-05-24)
Last air date
July 25, 1956 (1956-07-25)
(2 years, 62 days)
Technical information
ERP21.4 kW
HAAT620 ft (190 m)
Transmitter coordinates41°53′7″N 73°58′9″W / 41.88528°N 73.96917°W / 41.88528; -73.96917[1]

WKNY-TV (channel 66) was a television station in Kingston, New York, United States, which served the Hudson Valley from May 1954 to July 1956. Owned alongside radio station WKNY (1490 AM), it broadcast from studios and a transmitter site in Port Ewen, south of Kingston. Economic issues inherent with early ultra high frequency (UHF) stations led to its demise. It was approved to move to channel 21 (allocated to Poughkeepsie) but never did so.

History[edit]

In June 1952, the Kingston Broadcasting Company, owner of radio station WKNY, applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a new television station to be built on the city's allotted channel 66.[2]: 65  The application was granted by the FCC on January 23, 1953.[3]

It was not until the second half of 1953 that activity in earnest began around the construction permit. In September, the FCC approved the transmitter to be sited at Port Ewen along U.S. Route 9W, where a 600-foot (180 m) tower would be erected to transmit WKNY-TV.[4] By this time, affiliation with NBC and CBS had been secured for the new outlet.[4] In early 1954, the WKNY-TV Corporation was created to serve as the station's licensee,[5] and work on the tower had progressed[6] after winter weather meant all work had come to a halt during February.[7]

After broadcasting test patterns since April 23,[8] WKNY-TV began telecasting programs in the final week of May 1954, with the formal dedication taking place on May 31.[9] It was the 300th station interconnected with coaxial cables to provide network programming[10] and the first clearly received TV station for the Mid-Hudson Valley area, midway between New York City and the stations in Albany and Schenectady.[11] All four networks of the day—NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont—were incorporated in its programming.[9] The station operated with a staff of 12, and many employees had multiple duties. Robert L. Sabin, the first operations manager, sold advertising time, anchored the 6 p.m. newscast, and then was the cameraman for the local show that immediately followed.[11] From the outset, the station emphasized local and live programming, which comprised as much as half of its schedule.[12]

While a television channel, channel 21, had also been allocated to nearby Poughkeepsie, the owners vacated the construction permit in March 1954.[5] As it became clearer that UHF stations like WKNY-TV—with their channels that not all sets could tune—were at an economic disadvantage, WKNY-TV sought to move to the lower channel number. In November 1954, the station proposed to the FCC that it be allowed to move to Poughkeepsie's channel 21.[13] The FCC approved the shift in April 1955, noting that the station had been citing technical difficulties that impeded full-power operation on channel 66.[14]

Having never moved to channel 21, WKNY-TV left the air on July 25, 1956, announcing its temporary suspension of programming the day before. Even though WKNY-TV retained affiliation with the three networks (DuMont having folded) and aired 34 hours of network programs a week, its status as a UHF station led to hesitance to advertise on the part of local and national firms—even though it tied for the lowest advertising rates of any UHF station as of January 1955.[15] This directly affected the station's ability to air network programming. WKNY-TV president Joseph K. Close noted that in spite of good set sales and conversion rates, "we have not been able to make time sales in sufficient volume" to continue operating as a going concern.[16] The station retained its construction permit, but the WKNY-TV Corporation was dissolved in 1958,[17] and the construction permit was surrendered in March 1960.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Television Factbook" (PDF). WKNY-TV. Fall 1955. p. 150 – via World Radio History.
  2. ^ "Television Applications" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 30, 1952. pp. 52, 62–66, 68–69, 85 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 2, 1954. p. 94.
  4. ^ a b "Local Station Is Given Permission On TV Transmitter". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. September 28, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Three More Uhf's Deleted; Other Actions of FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 8, 1954. p. 9 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ "Kingston TV Setup Will Take Month". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. March 5, 1954. p. 16. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "WKNY-TV Station History Dates Back Over Three Years". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. May 24, 1954. p. 19. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "St. Louis VHF Granted, 3 More Starters" (PDF). Television Digest. April 24, 1954. pp. 2–3 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ a b "The Focus is On WKNY-TV Channel 66". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. May 24, 1954. p. 13. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Bell System Links 300 TV Stations" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 24, 1954. p. 58 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ a b Bergman, Rudy (October 13, 1954). "Looking & Listening". Daily News. New York, New York. p. 27-C. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Channel 66 Area Is Widespread". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. May 24, 1954. p. 15. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Allocations matters..." (PDF). Television Digest. January 29, 1955. p. 5 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ "Uhf WKNY-TV Allowed Move to Lower Channel" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 11, 1955. pp. 94, 96 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ "TV Rate Structure Is Settling Down" (PDF). Television Digest. January 8, 1955. pp. 5–6 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ "Local Television Station To Go Off Air Tomorrow". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. July 24, 1956. p. 1, 2. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Certificate of Dissolution - WKNY-TV Corp". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. June 14, 1958. p. 15. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "WKNY Gives Up Permit". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. March 29, 1960. p. 8. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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