Re: A Providence TV Question.

[PublicRef2 <norwood@mln.lib.ma.us>]

I'm not seding this through my regular E-Mail server. To respond, reply
to: <notquite@hotmail.com>. Thanks!

I don't think Channel 11 was allocated to New Hampshire until 1952. At
that time, with the FCC authorizing UHF, the agency created a new table
of allocations for both VHF and UHF. WJAR was forced to move to Channel
10, which they did in the Spring (May?) of 1953.

The reason, as was speculated, was WPIX New York, and interference
between the two not only existed on Eastern Long Island, but in parts of
Connecicut as well. I would suspect--being too young to have been around
then--that as Channel 11, WJAR's signal (I think they've been
transmitting from Rehobeth, Mass. from the beginning) carried much
further to the north than to the west or southwest. Thus, the signal was
probably very strong and clear in greater Boston, but
interference-laiden in New London (which I think would be the same
distance from Rehobeth as Boston is).

As part of the FCC re-alocations in 1952, WNHC (New Haven) had to move
from Channel 6 to Channel 8 (because of interference with the then-WFIL
Philadelphia), which occured in December of 1953. Boston lost Channel 9
(and Channel 2 officially became a noncommercial authorization after
Raytheon sold to WGBH--reportadely for $ 1--the CP for Channel 2),
Manchester's VHF authorization was changed from (IIRC) Channel 10 to
Channel 9, and Providence gained a second VHF allocation, on Channel 12,
that would become WPRO-TV in March of 1955. (Some years later, the FCC
allocated Channel 6 to New Bedford in an attempt to give the three
commercial networks VHF affiliates in the Providence market. Of course,
Channel 6's off-air signal has, for over 37 years, left much to be
desired!).

It could have been worse--KERO-TV in Bakersfield, California was forced
to move from VHF (Channel 10) to UHF (Channel 29, I believe). While
three or four other VHF allocations were moved to UHF, I believe KERO
was the only operating VHF station that actually had to move to UHF.

Joseph Gallant
Reply to: <notquite@hotmail.com>