No, about a half hour after the assassination the networks went live, full coverage and the school herded us into an auditorium with the TV on the stand to watch history. I was grateful to them for that. I was in 6th grade. People being people, I remember the networks saying later that hordes of viewers were furious that their soap operas were preempted by the event!
That's right. The TV was on a tall wheeled carrier so the kids in the back could see it. I even remember the French show's accordion music, but can't really relate it with a "da, da, da" on here! Saw the Kennedy assassination in school this way too.
Yes, it existed, only during school hours. Little 15 minute to half hour shows to teach language, arithmetic, science. My school used the French show a lot. It was WGBH trying to be relevant at a time (around 1961) when the then-FCC chairman, Newton Minnow, called TV a "vast wasteland."
A PBS station on a VHF channel!!? How did that come about?...especially in the northeast where all those big cities are crowded together. In the Midwest, they are almost always on UHF stations and always were, even way back when few TVs had UHF tuners. Could this be an example of Kennedy clout?
"Kennedy clout" - as in John F. Kennedy's 1961-63 Presidency - may've played a role in the creation of WNDT (now WNET), Ch. 13 after NTA (National Telefilm Associates) unloaded what had been WNTA-TV in late 1961. Whereas WGBH took to the air in 1955.
RAYTHON actually held the "bulding permit" for Channel 2 originaly,so most likely they donated to the GBH foundation which was already had public broadcasting radio up in running.
There are a dozen or more 1950s-era broadcasting licenses that were given to universities and other pre-PBS educational or experimental broadcasting organizations. Not just WNET 13, WGBH 2, but WHYY 12 (Philadelpha), etc. Usually it was the PBS stations that had UHF channels, but the advanced universities or states that already had public radio got VHF licenses in the 40s, 50s.
This is great stuff. I love that this is the SAME music that I listened to for the sign-on and sign-offs in the eighties, some ten-fifteen years after this sign on. I HEART WILLIAM PIERCE AND TOM DUNN. I do lol!
The sign off theme goes back well into the 60's. Do you remember the "21 Inch Classroom?" Wish I could recall the name of the French teacher. Carl Sagan also did a B&W science show in the early 60s.
I didn't know the WGBH studios burned down once? Did Julia Child leave something in the oven too long?? Perhaps a flash fire on the stove, and the cooking wine spread the flames rather than extinguishing? Hmmm...
I remember those days when they'd put the big "2" to bed. Seriously, they put it in a studio with a janitor mopping. Then one by one the lights went out around it. Then there's the late William Pierce, and Tom Dunn at the open and close of the Boston skyline. Thanks for putting this up. It came well before I was born in 1973.
Ah, yes - William Pierce, erstwhile announcer for the Boston Symphony Or-Ches-Tra.
BTW: Does the BSO still do weekly concert broadcasts?
capnvid47 2 months ago
The second call letter is 'G' as in Golf (W-hiskey G-olf B-ravo H-otel).
chip64c 7 months ago
what is the second call letter please????
theyumyumfilms 1 year ago
I'v seen this many times but the ending still give me the heeby geebys.
Explain the small beep and noise.
Net4Productions 1 year ago
I never could get that pretentious Harpsichord piece out of my mind
antoniod 2 years ago
Love that harpsichord song!
SellawEvets 2 years ago
My school isn't even there anymore, made into a condo. I mourn too for all the lost TV programming from that time.
caseyg5 2 years ago
No, about a half hour after the assassination the networks went live, full coverage and the school herded us into an auditorium with the TV on the stand to watch history. I was grateful to them for that. I was in 6th grade. People being people, I remember the networks saying later that hordes of viewers were furious that their soap operas were preempted by the event!
caseyg5 2 years ago
That's right. The TV was on a tall wheeled carrier so the kids in the back could see it. I even remember the French show's accordion music, but can't really relate it with a "da, da, da" on here! Saw the Kennedy assassination in school this way too.
caseyg5 2 years ago
Yes, it existed, only during school hours. Little 15 minute to half hour shows to teach language, arithmetic, science. My school used the French show a lot. It was WGBH trying to be relevant at a time (around 1961) when the then-FCC chairman, Newton Minnow, called TV a "vast wasteland."
caseyg5 2 years ago
It's amazing they gave all that histocial info at every sign off.
MIKECNW 3 years ago
A PBS station on a VHF channel!!? How did that come about?...especially in the northeast where all those big cities are crowded together. In the Midwest, they are almost always on UHF stations and always were, even way back when few TVs had UHF tuners. Could this be an example of Kennedy clout?
ellesstee 3 years ago
"Kennedy clout" - as in John F. Kennedy's 1961-63 Presidency - may've played a role in the creation of WNDT (now WNET), Ch. 13 after NTA (National Telefilm Associates) unloaded what had been WNTA-TV in late 1961. Whereas WGBH took to the air in 1955.
wmbrown6 3 years ago
RAYTHON actually held the "bulding permit" for Channel 2 originaly,so most likely they donated to the GBH foundation which was already had public broadcasting radio up in running.
VideoNitekatt 3 years ago
There are a dozen or more 1950s-era broadcasting licenses that were given to universities and other pre-PBS educational or experimental broadcasting organizations. Not just WNET 13, WGBH 2, but WHYY 12 (Philadelpha), etc. Usually it was the PBS stations that had UHF channels, but the advanced universities or states that already had public radio got VHF licenses in the 40s, 50s.
dontgd 2 years ago
This very ad with its music announcement and all is very reminiscent and nostalgic too.
stebaer4 3 years ago
This is great stuff. I love that this is the SAME music that I listened to for the sign-on and sign-offs in the eighties, some ten-fifteen years after this sign on. I HEART WILLIAM PIERCE AND TOM DUNN. I do lol!
Pdasilva0324 3 years ago
In the words of Stan Marsh...... "Jesus toe tapping christ. How long is this going to take?"?
CelesteK 3 years ago
My goodness, was this a signoff, or a history of the station ??
sofaspud5710 4 years ago
The sign off theme goes back well into the 60's. Do you remember the "21 Inch Classroom?" Wish I could recall the name of the French teacher. Carl Sagan also did a B&W science show in the early 60s.
caseyg5 4 years ago
I didn't know the WGBH studios burned down once? Did Julia Child leave something in the oven too long?? Perhaps a flash fire on the stove, and the cooking wine spread the flames rather than extinguishing? Hmmm...
DevSodDribble 4 years ago
I remember those days when they'd put the big "2" to bed. Seriously, they put it in a studio with a janitor mopping. Then one by one the lights went out around it. Then there's the late William Pierce, and Tom Dunn at the open and close of the Boston skyline. Thanks for putting this up. It came well before I was born in 1973.
mr2del 4 years ago 3
See watch?v=2RKFZKxTwjE
MSTS1 4 years ago