Re: WCSH signing off

["David W. Harris" <dwh@totalnetnh.net>]

Mr. Ordinetz wrote:

> In any but the major markets is there really enough audience to justify
> every tv and radio station to broadcast 24/7?  Until the mid-70s or so, it
> wasn't uncommon for small & medium market stations to sign off overnights.
>
In the world of television, the mid-70s was when MAJOR markets started
getting 24-hour service.  WCVB-TV introduced all-night TV to Boston on
weekends in 1972 and was operating 24/6 by the following year (signing
off for a few hours on Monday mornings).  By the fall of 1976 'CVB was
still the only Boston TV station on all night.

Checking weekday signons in the September 18-24 1976 TV Guide which I
happen to have handy, WNAC-TV started its programming at 5:40, WBZ-TV at
6:15, WSBK-TV and WLVI-TV at 7, WSMW-TV at 9:30 a.m., and WGBX-TV at
3:30 p.m.  ['GBH's educational programs aren't listed so I can't tell
when they signed on.]  Up in New Hampshire, WMUR-TV moved up its signon
to 9 a.m. so ABC's fairly new "Good Morning America" could air while it
was still morning--a year earlier the broadcast day at 'MUR started with
"Timmy and Lassie" at 11 a.m.