The Original WUAB-TV Logo..Variations of this logo were used into the Mid-Late 1970's. From TV Guide
Screen grab of the WUAB Test Pattern Slide-Used from 1968 till probably the station went 24 hours..courtesy You Tube
When Channel 43 hit the air in September 1968 as the second UHF commercial station in Cleveland, you would think that with WKBF-61 already well established with Kaiser Broadcasting ownership and a 9-month headstart, WUAB-TV would be at a distinct disadvantage..But with Cable already penetrating parts of the Cleveland/Akron/Canton market and United Artist's deep pockets, the field evened out rather quickly..WUAB-TV also went much more into local programming from the start with shows such as Lorain Conversation, hosted variously by Cleveland TV veterans Alice Weston and Linn Sheldon. Barnaby, coming over from WKYC-TV 3 was also hosted by Sheldon. News updates were provided by announcers Gary Short and Marty Sullivan. Radio veteran Jack Reynolds did local wrestling shows and also served as a staff announcer.. John Lanigan's Monday-Friday "Prize Movie" was a hit for many years..Sullivan created his trademark character "Superhost" as a host of Saturday horror movies..beginning in 1969 for a 20-year run..
Sports was always important to WUAB, with Ohio State and Notre Dame replays early on..The station then served as flagship station for Cavaliers Basketball on and off from 1973-present and WHA Cleveland Crusaders and NHL Cleveland Barons Hockey in the mid-1970s..The station's biggest coup in sports was grabbing the over the air broadcast rights for Cleveland Indians Baseball from WJW-TV 8 beginning in 1980..Keeping the Indians till 2001 when the Tribe moved all their games to Cable..
WKBF-61 did almost no local programming or sports, which was part of their downfall..It was also hard with 2 competing stations for both to make much of a profit..Kaiser shut down Channel 61 in 1975 and purchased a share of Channel 43 with UA keeping the majority interest. WUAB then took of the best channel 61 syndicated shows and began to establish it's dominance in the NE Ohio independent TV Market.
Kaiser Broadcasting sold its stations in 1977 to Field Communications..At this time, UA/Kaiser sold channel 43 to Gaylord Broadcasting, which continued to bolster channel 43's profile, putting the station on cable outlets in several states..WUAB moved into its Parma studios in 1970..remaining until the mid-1990's.
Monday Sept. 16, 1968
WUAB-43-First weekday schedule
2:45 News
3PM Bugs Bunny
4PM Ultraman
4:30 Batman
5PM Batman
5:30 Patty Duke
6PM Real McCoys
6:30 Farmer's Daughter
7PM Gilligan's Island
7:30 I Spy
8:30 Movie-Trapeze
10:30 The Untouchables
11:30 News
WKBF-61
9-16-68 By comparison
9AM Jack LaLanne
9:30 Mr. Ed
10AM Movie-The Come On
Noon-Cartoon Theater
1PM Movie-Catherine of Russia
3:30 Captain Cleveland
4:30 Dennis The Menace
5PM My Favorite Martian
5:30 Superman
6PM Flintstones
6:30 Mc Hales Navy
7PM Twilight Zone
7:30 I Love Lucy
8PM Hazel
8:30 Donald O'Connor-Talk/Entertainment
10PM News
10:30 Alfred Hitchcock
11PM Perry Mason
Midnight Les Crane Show.
Courtesy:Akron Beacon Journal
Next:Later years of Channel 43...
Thanks for the info, and the memories!
ReplyDeleteI loved WUAB when I was growing up. I even enjoyed watching the test pattern sometimes. I hope that one day I'll see a video on YouTube of WUAB's sign-on from the mid 70's.
I also remember Ch. 61; didn't their call letters change to WCLQ?
Thanks once again!
Thanks Vicky:
ReplyDeleteWKBF-61 signed off in 1975..WCLQ-61 didnt sign on till 1981 and was a completely different license and had nothing to do with the earlier Channel 61. Thanks for stopping by:
I used to love watching the same movie 3 times over the weekend,4pm Saturday,11pm Saturday night, 1pm Sunday afternoon, especially if it was a good one. I think that was how I saw every Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin movie. Also Journey to the Center of the Earth starring James Mason & Pat Boone. My younger siblings and I know all the dialogue to that one. The only time I didn't watch their movies is if Big Chuck and Hoolihan/Lil' John had a "new" movie on.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so very much for this! I remember living in Chagrin Falls, Ohio in the 70's and I loved this particular channel. I especially remember looking at The Flintstones and other classic cartoons that seem almost nonexistent today; either they've been thrown away or altered to suit the world today. Oh, I miss those days and find myself constantly revisiting those memories.
ReplyDeleteYears before WUAB started The Ten 'O Clock News in 1988, didn't WUAB have a short-lived 11p.m. half-hour newscast in the 1970's? I believe it was called UA43 News
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