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WTVJ 60 Years Anniversary Today

17

Today WTVJ turns 60!
Florida’s first television station, and the nation’s 16th, went on the air March 21 1949.

WTVJ is celebrating the occasion with viewers by airing a documentary at 7pm tonight.

/hat tip tmbtd for the heads up/

17 COMMENTS

  1. That’s Just Amazing and SICKENNNINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG!!!! Happy 60th and you don’t look a day over 80. LOL

    I hope you celebrate many many more.

    What station is the Oldest station in the United States?

    Jackie and Julia
    you two Coover Girls better put the base in your walk

    and WHAT???????????????????????????

    • WTVJ sent the wrong info to the programming guides, all of them listed the special as an hour long.. WTVJ has a real nice history, and I really hope they stay around for a long long time and turn their operation around and become South Florida’s #1 once again.

      If I’m not mistaken, the first station in the US is WRGB Channel 6 in Albany, NY

  2. It’s amazing how much WTVJ, Florida’s first television station, has gone through in the past 60 years. They were originally a CBS affiliate on channel 4 (owned by Miami-based theater chain Wometco Enterprises), later became an O&O for that affiliate, was purchased by NBC (and subsequently went through a short period of being affiliated with a rival network), and in ’95 changed channel positions with WCIX/WFOR, making that station the “new” CBS 4. And, to top it all off, they almost became a sister station of WPLG. That is possibly one of the most colorful histories of any television station in the U.S., let alone one here in South Florida. I just missed that commemorative program, actually, so maybe we’ll see it on the site. Well, here’s to the next 60 years…

  3. Unfortunately, if you go to their web site, NBCMiami.com, there is no mention of the 60 year celebration. What a nice website….Yeah right.

  4. I remember in the first shaky days, programing was from about4pm to 9pm, or so. The best was called TBA because it was always cartoons. Ralph Renick, and Bob Weaver became part of the family. Anyone remember Kukla, Fran, and Ollie? How about Crunch and Des? Cracker Jim, Molly Bee, and Happy Harold meant the weekend was here. ( Sponsored by Dixie Lilly Grits )
    Until the day he left, Ralph Renick was our news man every night at 6. Good Night, and May the Good News be Yours

  5. Last week on the 11am show, Bob Mayer mentioned that there was a WTVJ reunion party at the Seaquarium and showed some photos. Many of the old timers were there. It sure would be nice if the photos were posted online so we could see them. I looked on the nbcmiami website and couldn’t find them.

  6. I’m following him on his facebook, he’s still on a honeymoon. Although, he’s been out for a while, he did a Travel report this morning on TSIF.

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