WKNA-TV
Encyclopedia
WKNA-TV was a television station in Charleston, West Virginia
that broadcast on UHF channel 49 from 1953 to 1955.
The station first signed on with a test pattern on September 21, 1953; regular broadcasts began on October 12. It was owned by Charleston businessman Joseph L. Smith, Jr. along with WKNA radio (950 AM, now WVTS; and 97.5 FM, now WQBE). It was an ABC
affiliate, and also carried a secondary affiliation with the DuMont Television Network
.
The station was very locally-oriented. Some of the local shows included What's Cookin, a cooking show sponsored by Appalachian Electric Power; The 49ers Club, a children's show; and TV Juke Box.
However, the station was doomed from the start. For one thing, Charleston is located in a very rugged dissected plateau
, and at the time UHF reception was mediocre at best in rugged terrain. The station's signal barely covered Charleston itself, and even then reception was hit-or-miss more than five miles from the station's tower on Bownemont Hill. The few people who could watch the station were confronted with another problem. When the Federal Communications Commission
opened the UHF band in 1952, it didn't require television set manufacturers to include UHF tuning capability. More often than not, the few people who could watch WKNA-TV had to do so by buying an expensive converter, and even then picture quality was mediocre at best. Local and national advertising were almost nonexistent, as no advertiser wanted to buy time on a station where he couldn't even see his own ad. With limited revenue, WKNA-TV's on-air look was very primitive even by 1950s small-market standards. It had no access to news film, and only one live camera.
It didn't help matters that Huntington
's WSAZ-TV
(originally on channel 5, now on channel 3) decently covered Charleston as a result of a significant power increase a few months before WKNA-TV's sign-on. WSAZ-TV was able to cherry-pick live programming from all four networks via its privately-owned microwave system, while WKNA-TV had to make do with airing ABC and DuMont programming on a two-week delay via kinescope
s. As a result, even though it was obvious by this time that Huntington and Charleston were going to be a single television market, ABC would not even consider giving an exclusive affiliation to channel 49.
By the time WKNA-TV was finally able to get a live microwave feed in 1954, WCHS-TV
had signed on channel 8 as a CBS
affiliate. Not long afterward, ABC pulled all of its programming from channel 49, opting to air on the stronger WSAZ-TV and WCHS-TV via kinescope. With DuMont in its death throes, this proved to be the death knell for WKNA-TV. By early 1955, WKNA-TV was losing around $16,000 per month, and was due to get another competitor later in the year with the sign-on of WHTN-TV (channel 13, now WOWK-TV
) from Huntington. Under these circumstances, channel 49 went off the air on February 13, 1955.
Smith, however, had every intention of returning the station to the air as soon as possible. Various proposals were bandied about, including returning as a satellite of WOAY-TV
in Oak Hill
or persuading the FCC to allocate VHF channel 5 to Charleston. However, nothing came of these proposals, and the license was deleted in 1965.
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
that broadcast on UHF channel 49 from 1953 to 1955.
The station first signed on with a test pattern on September 21, 1953; regular broadcasts began on October 12. It was owned by Charleston businessman Joseph L. Smith, Jr. along with WKNA radio (950 AM, now WVTS; and 97.5 FM, now WQBE). It was an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate, and also carried a secondary affiliation with the DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
.
The station was very locally-oriented. Some of the local shows included What's Cookin, a cooking show sponsored by Appalachian Electric Power; The 49ers Club, a children's show; and TV Juke Box.
However, the station was doomed from the start. For one thing, Charleston is located in a very rugged dissected plateau
Dissected plateau
A dissected plateau is a plateau area that has been severely eroded so that the relief is sharp. Such an area may be referred to as mountainous, but dissected plateaus are distinguishable from orogenic mountain belts by the lack of folding, metamorphism, extensive faulting, or magmatic activity...
, and at the time UHF reception was mediocre at best in rugged terrain. The station's signal barely covered Charleston itself, and even then reception was hit-or-miss more than five miles from the station's tower on Bownemont Hill. The few people who could watch the station were confronted with another problem. When the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
opened the UHF band in 1952, it didn't require television set manufacturers to include UHF tuning capability. More often than not, the few people who could watch WKNA-TV had to do so by buying an expensive converter, and even then picture quality was mediocre at best. Local and national advertising were almost nonexistent, as no advertiser wanted to buy time on a station where he couldn't even see his own ad. With limited revenue, WKNA-TV's on-air look was very primitive even by 1950s small-market standards. It had no access to news film, and only one live camera.
It didn't help matters that Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
's WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River consisting of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southeastern Ohio. It broadcasts a high...
(originally on channel 5, now on channel 3) decently covered Charleston as a result of a significant power increase a few months before WKNA-TV's sign-on. WSAZ-TV was able to cherry-pick live programming from all four networks via its privately-owned microwave system, while WKNA-TV had to make do with airing ABC and DuMont programming on a two-week delay via kinescope
Kinescope
Kinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program made by filming the picture from a video monitor...
s. As a result, even though it was obvious by this time that Huntington and Charleston were going to be a single television market, ABC would not even consider giving an exclusive affiliation to channel 49.
By the time WKNA-TV was finally able to get a live microwave feed in 1954, WCHS-TV
WCHS-TV
WCHS-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River and consists of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southern Ohio...
had signed on channel 8 as a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. Not long afterward, ABC pulled all of its programming from channel 49, opting to air on the stronger WSAZ-TV and WCHS-TV via kinescope. With DuMont in its death throes, this proved to be the death knell for WKNA-TV. By early 1955, WKNA-TV was losing around $16,000 per month, and was due to get another competitor later in the year with the sign-on of WHTN-TV (channel 13, now WOWK-TV
WOWK-TV
WOWK-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tri-States and Kanawha Valley area of West Virginia that is licensed to Huntington which is the second largest market east of the Mississippi River. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter...
) from Huntington. Under these circumstances, channel 49 went off the air on February 13, 1955.
Smith, however, had every intention of returning the station to the air as soon as possible. Various proposals were bandied about, including returning as a satellite of WOAY-TV
WOAY-TV
WOAY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southern West Virginia and Southwestern Virginia locally-owned by the Thomas Broadcasting Company. Licensed to Oak Hill, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter at its studios on Legends Highway/WV...
in Oak Hill
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,589 at the 2000 census...
or persuading the FCC to allocate VHF channel 5 to Charleston. However, nothing came of these proposals, and the license was deleted in 1965.