WCOP, WMEX, etc

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

Several folks have commented that they were surprised to see WCOP or WMEX
carrying network programmes when they weren't an affiliate.  But this was
actually a very old practise.  As you may have guessed, when a local station
passed on a certain show, the 'independent' stations could try to pick it
up, and they often succeeded.  But even network affiliates would try to pick
up certain shows-- John Shepard got on the bad side of CBS when he picked up
some Mutual programming, for example.  The same rule held true for TV later
on-- WBZ was supposed to be NBC, but I gather they ran some Dumont stuff.
As for two ABC affiliates in a market, WLAW had at one time been CBS, if
memory serves me well. Their signal into Boston had problems, according to
some stories I have read, and that may explain why two stations carried ABC
programming.  I can certainly check more into this, as I have lots of
clippings and articles from the 40s.   

------------------------------