1953 in American television
Television-related events in the USA during 1953
This is a list of American television-related events in 1953.
Events
Date
|
Event
|
Ref.
|
January 15
|
Harry Truman becomes the first U.S. president to broadcast his farewell address on both radio and television.
|
|
February 18
|
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz sign an $8,000,000 contract to continue the I Love Lucy television series through at least 1955.
|
|
March 25
|
CBS conceded victory to RCA in the war over color television standards.
|
|
April 3
|
TV Guide is published for the first time, with 10 editions and a circulation of 1,562,000.
|
|
May 25
|
KUHT, the first non-commercial educational television station signs on the air in Houston, Texas. This launch preceded the launch of National Educational Television by almost a year.
|
[1]
|
Television programs
Debuts
Changes of network affiliation
Show
|
Moved from
|
Moved to
|
My Little Margie
|
CBS
|
NBC
|
The Ernie Kovacs Show
|
NBC
|
CBS
|
Chance of a Lifetime
|
ABC
|
Dumont
|
What's Your Bid?
|
ABC
|
Dumont
|
Man Against Crime
|
CBS
|
Dumont / NBC
|
Pantomime Quiz
|
NBC
|
Dumont
|
Meet Your Congress
|
NBC
|
Dumont
|
Blind Date
|
NBC
|
Dumont
|
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet
|
NBC
|
Dumont
|
Ending this year
Date
|
Program
|
Network
|
First aired
|
Notes
|
February 2
|
Report Card for Parents
|
DuMont
|
December 1, 1952
|
|
March 14
|
The Pet Shop
|
DuMont
|
December 1, 1951
|
|
March 23
|
Hollywood Opening Night
|
NBC
|
July 13, 1951 (on CBS)
|
|
March 26
|
Biff Baker, U.S.A.
|
CBS
|
November 13, 1952
|
|
April
|
The Amos 'n' Andy Show
|
CBS
|
1951
|
|
April 3
|
One Woman's Experience
|
DuMont
|
October 6, 1952
|
|
April 10
|
One Man's Experience
|
DuMont
|
October 6, 1952
|
|
May 1
|
Dark of Night
|
DuMont
|
October 3, 1952
|
|
May 1
|
Hollywood Screen Test
|
ABC
|
April 15, 1948
|
|
May 2
|
Kids and Company
|
DuMont
|
September 1, 1951
|
|
May 3
|
Victory at Sea
|
NBC
|
October 26, 1952
|
|
May 6
|
Happy's Party
|
DuMont
|
September 6, 1952
|
|
May 12
|
Meet the Boss
|
DuMont
|
June 10, 1952
|
|
May 20
|
Stage a Number
|
DuMont
|
September 10, 1952
|
|
June 7
|
Youth on the March
|
DuMont
|
October 9, 1949 (on ABC)
|
|
June 12
|
Tales of Tomorrow
|
ABC
|
August 3, 1951
|
|
June 13
|
Cowboy G-Men
|
Syndication
|
September 13, 1952
|
|
June 14
|
New York Times Youth Forum
|
DuMont
|
September 14, 1952
|
|
June 20
|
My Hero
|
NBC
|
November 8, 1952
|
|
June 21
|
The Alan Young Show
|
CBS
|
April 6, 1950
|
|
The Ken Murray Show
|
CBS
|
January 7, 1950
|
|
June 28
|
The Doctor
|
NBC
|
August 24, 1952
|
|
June 30
|
Wisdom of the Ages
|
DuMont
|
December 16, 1952
|
|
July 3
|
Jimmy Hughes, Rookie Cop
|
DuMont
|
May 8, 1953
|
|
July 27
|
It's a Small World
|
DuMont
|
June 27, 1953
|
|
July 28
|
Summer Night Theater
|
DuMont
|
July 7, 1953
|
|
July 30
|
Drama at Eight
|
DuMont
|
July 9, 1953
|
|
July 31
|
Ladies' Date
|
DuMont
|
October 13, 1952
|
|
September 1
|
The Range Rider
|
Syndication
|
April 5, 1951
|
|
September 11
|
Gulf Playhouse
|
NBC
|
October 3, 1952
|
|
September 12
|
The Aldrich Family
|
NBC
|
October 2, 1949
|
|
September 13
|
The Old American Barn Dance
|
DuMont
|
July 5, 1953
|
|
September 15
|
Blind Date
|
DuMont
|
May 5, 1949 (on ABC)
|
|
September 22
|
Beulah
|
ABC
|
October 3, 1950
|
|
September 27
|
Trash or Treasure
|
DuMont
|
October 1, 1952
|
|
September 28
|
Shadow of the Cloak
|
CBS
|
June 7, 1951
|
|
September 30
|
A Date with Judy
|
ABC
|
July 10, 1952
|
Second version; first version aired in daytime from 1951 to 1952
|
October 1
|
City Hospital
|
CBS
|
November 3, 1951 (on ABC)
|
|
October 4
|
The Roy Doty Show
|
DuMont
|
May 10, 1953
|
|
October 6
|
Where Was I?
|
DuMont
|
September 2, 1952
|
|
October 11
|
Georgetown University Forum
|
DuMont
|
July 3, 1951
|
|
October 11
|
What's It Worth
|
CBS
|
May 21, 1948
|
November 13
|
Front Page Detective
|
DuMont
|
July 6, 1951
|
|
November 21
|
Terry and the Pirates
|
Syndication
|
June 26, 1953
|
|
December 7
|
Monodrama Theater
|
DuMont
|
May 1952
|
|
December 26
|
Bonino
|
NBC
|
September 12, 1953
|
|
Four Star Revue
|
NBC
|
October 4, 1950
|
|
Television stations
Station launches
Date
|
City of license/Market
|
Station
|
Channel
|
Affiliation
|
Notes/Ref.
|
January 1
|
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania
|
WBRE-TV
|
28
|
NBC
|
|
January 4
|
El Paso, Texas
|
KTSM-TV
|
9
|
NBC
|
|
January 11
|
Youngstown, Ohio
|
WKBN-TV
|
27
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
January 13
|
Tucson, Arizona
|
KOPO-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
January 14
|
Mobile, Alabama
|
WALA
|
10
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
January 20
|
Jackson, Mississippi
|
WJTV
|
25
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
January 25
|
Bangor, Maine
|
WABI-TV
|
5
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
February 1
|
Peoria, Illinois
|
WEEK-TV
|
25
|
NBC
|
|
February 8
|
Lynchburg, Virginia
|
WLVA-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
February 13
|
New Britain, Connecticut (Hartford)
|
WKNB-TV
|
30
|
NBC (primary) CBS (secondary)
|
|
February 15
|
Roanoke, Virginia
|
WROV-TV
|
27
|
Independent
|
|
February 18
|
Lincoln, Nebraska
|
KOLN-TV
|
12
|
ABC
|
now on channel 10
|
February 22
|
Reading, Pennsylvania
|
WHUM-TV
|
61
|
CBS
|
|
Spokane, Washington
|
KXLY-TV
|
4
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
February 23
|
Spokane, Washington
|
KXLY-TV
|
4
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
March 1
|
Johnstown/Altoona, Pennsylvania
|
WFBG-TV
|
10
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Tacoma/Seattle, Washington
|
KTNT-TV
|
11
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Wichita Falls, Texas
|
KWFT-TV
|
6
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
March 8
|
Lawton, Oklahoma (Wichita Falls, Texas)
|
KSWO-TV
|
7
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Youngstown, Ohio
|
WFMJ-TV
|
21
|
NBC
|
|
March 9
|
Sioux City, Iowa/South Dakota
|
KVTV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
March 13
|
Rome, Georgia
|
WROM-TV
|
9
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
Moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to become that area's ABC affiliate in 1958
|
March 14
|
Springfield, Missouri
|
KTTS-TV
|
10
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
March 16
|
Pueblo, Colorado
|
KDZA-TV
|
3
|
DuMont
|
|
March 17
|
Green Bay, Wisconsin
|
WBAY-TV
|
2
|
CBS (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Springfield, Massachusetts
|
WWLP
|
61
|
NBC
|
|
March 18
|
Amarillo, Texas
|
KGNC-TV
|
4
|
NBC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
March 23
|
Galveston/Houston, Texas
|
KGUL-TV
|
11
|
CBS
|
City of license was changed to Houston in 1960.
|
March 29
|
Bridgeport, Connecticut
|
WICC-TV
|
43
|
DuMont/ABC
|
|
April 3
|
Ann Arbor, Michigan
|
WPAG-TV
|
20
|
Independent (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Minot, North Dakota
|
KCJB-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
April 4
|
Amarillo, Texas
|
KFDA-TV
|
10
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
New Castle, Pennsylvania (Youngstown, Ohio)
|
WKST-TV
|
45
|
ABC
|
Now on channel 33
|
April 5
|
Flint, Michigan
|
WKNX-TV
|
57
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
Now NBC affiliate WEYI-TV on channel 25
|
Little Rock, Arkansas
|
KRTV
|
17
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
April 7
|
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|
WFTL-TV
|
23
|
NBC
|
|
April 9
|
Reading, Pennsylvania
|
WEEU-TV
|
33
|
NBC
|
|
April 12
|
Wichita Falls, Texas
|
KFDX-TV
|
3
|
NBC
|
|
April 14
|
Springfield, Massachusetts
|
WHYN-TV
|
55
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
April 17
|
Montgomery, Alabama
|
WCOV-TV
|
20
|
CBS
|
|
April 18
|
Lima, Ohio
|
WLOK-TV
|
8
|
NBC (primary) DuMont/ABC/CBS (secondary)
|
|
April 19
|
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
|
WAFB-TV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
April 21
|
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
|
WLEV-TV
|
51
|
NBC
|
|
April 29
|
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (San Diego, California, United States)
|
XETV-TV
|
6
|
Bilingual independent
|
Licensed to Tijuana, but is considered a border blaster serving the San Diego area; Now an affiliate of Mexico's Canal 5.
|
May 1
|
Columbia, South Carolina
|
WCOS-TV
|
25
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS (secondary)
|
|
May 2
|
Mesa–Phoenix, Arizona
|
KTYL-TV
|
12
|
NBC
|
|
May 3
|
Rockford, Illinois
|
WTVO
|
17
|
NBC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
May 5
|
Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Florida
|
WFTL-TV
|
23
|
NBC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida
|
WSUN-TV
|
38
|
Independent (primary) CBS/ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary, select programs)
|
|
May 10
|
Lubbock, Texas
|
KCBD
|
11
|
NBC
|
|
May 19
|
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
|
KELO-TV
|
11
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
May 23
|
Zanesville, Ohio
|
WHIZ-TV
|
18
|
NBC (primary) DuMont/CBS/ABC (secondary)
|
|
May 25
|
Houston, Texas
|
KUHT
|
8
|
Educational Independent
|
|
San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara, California
|
KVEC-TV
|
6
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
May 31
|
Duluth, Minnesota
|
WFTV
|
38
|
NBC (primary) CBS/ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Lincoln, Nebraska
|
KFOR-TV
|
10
|
CBS
|
|
St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida
|
WSUN-TV
|
38
|
ABC
|
|
June 1
|
Fargo, North Dakota
|
WDAY-TV
|
6
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Fresno, California
|
KMJ-TV
|
24
|
NBC
|
|
June 3
|
Bellingham, Washington
|
KVOS-TV
|
12
|
DuMont
|
|
June 6
|
Kansas City, Missouri
|
KCTY
|
25
|
DuMont
|
|
June 7
|
Akron, Ohio
|
WAKR-TV
|
23
|
ABC
|
|
Scranton, Pennsylvania
|
WDAU
|
22
|
CBS
|
|
June 14
|
Muncie, Indiana
|
WLBC-TV
|
49
|
ABC/CBS/NBC
|
|
June 15
|
Elmira, New York
|
WTVE
|
24
|
CBS and NBC (joint-primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Lafayette, Indiana
|
WFAM-TV
|
18
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
June 17
|
Decatur, Illinois
|
WTVP
|
17
|
ABC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
June 18
|
Nampa, Idaho
|
KFXD-TV
|
6
|
Independent
|
First station in Idaho, but lasted less than two months
|
June 19
|
Charleston, South Carolina
|
WCSC-TV
|
5
|
CBS
|
|
June 24
|
Roswell, New Mexico
|
KSWS-TV
|
8
|
NBC (primary) DuMont/CBS/ABC (secondary)
|
June 26
|
Easton, Pennsylvania
|
WGLV
|
57
|
ABC/DuMont
|
|
San Angelo, Texas
|
KXTL-TV
|
8
|
CBS
|
|
June 29
|
Pueblo, Colorado
|
KCSJ-TV
|
5
|
NBC
|
|
June 30
|
Madison, Wisconsin
|
WKOW-TV
|
27
|
CBS
|
|
July 1
|
Hutchinson/Wichita, Kansas
|
KTVH
|
12
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
July 4
|
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
|
WHP-TV
|
55
|
DuMont
|
|
July 5
|
Quincy, Illinois (Hannibal, Missouri/Keokuk, Iowa)
|
WGEM-TV
|
10
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
July 6
|
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
|
WTPA
|
71
|
NBC
|
|
July 8
|
Las Vegas, Nevada
|
KLAS-TV
|
8
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Madison, Wisconsin
|
WMTV
|
15
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Warrensburg/Sedalia, Missouri (Columbia/Jefferson City)
|
KDRO-TV
|
6
|
Independent
|
|
July 9
|
Fort Smith, Arkansas
|
KFSA-TV
|
22
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
July 12
|
Boise, Idaho
|
KIDO-TV
|
7
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Raleigh, North Carolina
|
WNAO-TV
|
28
|
CBS (primary) NBC/ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
July 14
|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
|
WKJF-TV
|
53
|
Independent
|
|
Rochester, Minnesota
|
KROC-TV
|
10
|
NBC (primary) DuMont/CBS/ABC
|
July 19
|
Yakima, Washington
|
KIMA-TV
|
29
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
July 24
|
Santa Barbara, California
|
KEYT-TV
|
3
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
August 1
|
Greenville, South Carolina
|
WGVL
|
23
|
ABC
|
|
Kansas City, Missouri
|
KMBC-TV
|
9
|
CBS
|
Shared time with WHB-TV
|
Medford, Oregon
|
KBES-TV
|
5
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
August 2
|
Kansas City, MO/KS
|
WHB-TV
|
9
|
CBS
|
|
Tacoma/Seattle, Washington
|
KMO-TV
|
13
|
NBC
|
|
August 10
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
WTVI
|
54
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
Now Fox network affiliate KTVI channel 2 (was a Fox O&O from 1997 to 2008)
|
August 11
|
Monroe, Louisiana
|
KFAZ-TV
|
43
|
Independent
|
|
August 14
|
Butte, Montana
|
KXLF-TV
|
6
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
August 15
|
Richmond, Virginia
|
WXEX-TV
|
8
|
NBC
|
|
Wichita, Kansas
|
KEDD-TV
|
16
|
Independent
|
|
August 16
|
Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas (Shreveport, Louisiana)
|
KCMC-TV
|
6
|
CBS
|
|
August 17
|
Austin/Rochester, Minnesota
|
KMMT
|
6
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Buffalo, New York
|
WBUF-TV
|
17
|
CBS/ABC/DuMont
|
|
Monterey, California
|
KMBY-TV
|
8
|
ABC/CBS/DuMont/NBC
|
Shared time with KSBW-TV
|
August 23
|
Butte, Montana
|
KOPR-TV
|
4
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
August 24
|
Abilene, Texas
|
KRBC-TV
|
9
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont/ABC (secondary)
|
|
Tyler, Texas
|
KETX
|
19
|
NBC (primary) CBS/ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
August 25
|
Ashtabula, Ohio
|
WICA-TV
|
15
|
Independent
|
|
Macon, Georgia
|
WETV
|
47
|
Independent
|
|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
|
WENS
|
16
|
Independent
|
|
August 27
|
Portland, Maine
|
WPMT
|
53
|
DuMont
|
|
August 29
|
Chico/Redding, California
|
KHSL-TV
|
12
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (Secondary)
|
|
Providence, Rhode Island
|
WSTG
|
64
|
DuMont/ABC
|
|
Winston-Salem/Greensboro, North Carolina
|
WTOB-TV
|
26
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
August 31
|
Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts
|
WTAO-TV
|
56
|
DuMont
|
|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
|
WENS
|
16
|
ABC
|
|
West Palm Beach, Florida
|
WIRK-TV
|
21
|
Independent
|
|
September
|
Sacramento, California
|
KCCC-TV
|
40
|
ABC
|
|
September 1
|
Columbia, South Carolina
|
WNOK-TV
|
19
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
WTCN-TV
|
11
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
WMIN-TV
|
11
|
ABC/DuMont
|
Shared time with KARE (now WTCN-TV)
|
September 5
|
Anderson, South Carolina (Greenville/Spartanburg, SC/Asheville, NC)
|
WAIM-TV
|
40
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
September 6
|
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
|
WCAN-TV
|
25
|
CBS
|
|
September 7
|
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania
|
WILK-TV
|
34
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 10
|
Hartford, Connecticut
|
WATR-TV
|
53
|
ABC/DuMont
|
|
September 11
|
Salinas/Monterey, California
|
KSBW-TV
|
8
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 13
|
San Diego, California
|
KFSD-TV
|
10
|
NBC
|
|
September 15
|
Tucson, Arizona
|
KVOA-TV
|
4
|
NBC
|
|
September 16
|
Scranton, Pennsylvania
|
WILK-TV
|
34
|
ABC
|
|
September 17
|
Charleston, West Virginia
|
WKNA-TV
|
49
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Springfield, Illinois
|
WICS
|
20
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 19
|
Hampton Roads, Virginia
|
WVEC
|
13
|
NBC
|
|
September 20
|
Fresno, California
|
KJEO
|
47
|
ABC (primary) CBS (secondary)
|
|
September 21
|
Colorado Springs, Colorado
|
KRDO-TV
|
13
|
NBC
|
|
September 23
|
Hannibal, Missouri (Keokuk, Iowa/Quincy, Illinois)
|
KHQA-TV
|
7
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Reno, Nevada
|
KZTV
|
8
|
CBS (primary) DuMont/NBC (secondary)
|
|
September 26
|
Meridian, Mississippi
|
WTOK-TV
|
11
|
CBS (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 27
|
Evansville, Indiana
|
WEHT
|
50
|
ABC
|
Originally licensed to Henderson, Kentucky at the time of sign-on
|
Kansas City, MO/KS
|
KCMO-TV
|
5
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Macon, Georgia
|
WMAZ-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) DuMont/NBC/ABC (secondary)
|
|
Memphis, Tennessee
|
WHBQ-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Monroe, Louisiana (El Dorado, Arkansas)
|
KNOE-TV
|
8
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
St. Joseph, Missouri
|
KFEQ-TV
|
2
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 28
|
Albuquerque, New Mexico
|
KOAT-TV
|
7
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
September 29
|
Buffalo, New York
|
WBES-TV
|
59
|
Independent
|
|
September 30
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
WMT-TV
|
2
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina
|
WSJS-TV
|
12
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Sacramento, California
|
KCCC-TV
|
40
|
Independent
|
|
October
|
Harrisonburg, Virginia
|
WHSV-TV
|
3
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 1
|
Knoxville, Tennessee
|
WROL-TV
|
6
|
NBC
|
|
Rockford, Illinois
|
WREX-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Springfield, Missouri
|
KYTV
|
3
|
NBC
|
|
October 3
|
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
|
WOKY-TV
|
19
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 4
|
Albuquerque, New Mexico
|
KGGM-TV
|
13
|
CBS
|
|
Harlingen, Texas (Brownsville/McAllen, Texas)
|
KGBT-TV
|
4
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
October 6
|
Columbus, Georgia
|
WDAK-TV
|
28
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 8
|
Newport News/Norfolk, Virginia
|
WACH-TV
|
33
|
Independent
|
|
Yuma, Arizona/El Centro, California
|
KIVA
|
11
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 9
|
Harrisonburg, Virginia
|
WHSV-TV
|
3
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 12
|
Huntington, West Virginia
|
WKNA-TV
|
49
|
ABC/DuMont
|
|
October 14
|
Albany, New York
|
WROW-TV
|
10
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Winston-Salem/Greensboro, North Carolina
|
WSJS-TV
|
12
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
October 15
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
KCRI-TV
|
9
|
ABC
|
|
Johnstown/Altoona, Pennsylvania
|
WARD-TV
|
56
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
This station moved to Jeannette, Pennsylvania, in 1997; now on channel 19.
|
Portland, Oregon
|
KOIN-TV
|
6
|
CBS
|
|
October 16
|
Pensacola, Florida
|
WPFA-TV
|
15
|
DuMont
|
|
October 18
|
Knoxville, Tennessee
|
WTVK
|
26
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Louisville, Kentucky
|
WKLO-TV
|
21
|
ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 20
|
Peoria, Illinois
|
WTVH
|
19
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
KSTM-TV
|
36
|
DuMont
|
|
October 22
|
Norfolk, Virginia
|
WTOV-TV
|
27
|
ABC
|
|
October 23
|
Houston, Texas
|
KNUZ-TV
|
40
|
DuMont
|
|
October 24
|
Phoenix, Arizona
|
KOOL-TV and KOY-TV
|
10
|
ABC
|
Shared-time stations
|
Wheeling, West Virginia
|
WTRF-TV
|
7
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
October 25
|
Eureka, California
|
KIEM-TV
|
3
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
|
WLBR-TV
|
15
|
Independent
|
|
October 26
|
Johnson City, Tennessee
|
WJHL-TV
|
11
|
CBS (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 31
|
Festus/St. Louis, Missouri
|
KACY
|
14
|
Independent
|
|
November 1
|
New Orleans, Louisiana
|
WJMR-TV
|
61
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
KTVQ
|
25
|
ABC (primary) NBC (secondary)
|
|
Rochester, New York
|
WHEC-TV
|
10
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
WVET-TV
|
Shared time with WHEC-TV
|
Temple, Texas (Waco/Killeen, Texas)
|
KCEN-TV
|
6
|
NBC
|
|
November 2
|
Lake Charles, Louisiana
|
KTAG-TV
|
25
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
November 7
|
Columbia, South Carolina
|
WIS-TV
|
10
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
November 8
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
KMPT
|
19
|
Independent
|
|
November 9
|
Billings, Montana
|
KOOK-TV
|
2
|
CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
York, Pennsylvania (Harrisburg/Lebanon)
|
WNOW-TV
|
49
|
DuMont
|
|
November 11
|
Parkersburg, West Virginia/Marietta, Ohio
|
WTAP-TV
|
15
|
NBC (primary) CBS/ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
November 14
|
Champaign, Illinois
|
WCIA-TV
|
3
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont/NBC (secondary)
|
|
Des Moines, Iowa
|
KGTV
|
17
|
Independent
|
|
November 15
|
Columbus, Georgia
|
WRBL
|
4
|
ABC
|
|
Evansville, Indiana
|
WFIE-TV
|
61
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Lake Charles, Louisiana
|
KTAG-TV
|
25
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Topeka, Kansas
|
WIBW-TV
|
12
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont/NBC (secondary)
|
|
November 16
|
Tulare/Fresno, California
|
KVVG
|
27
|
Independent
|
|
November 21
|
Fort Wayne, Indiana
|
WKJG-TV
|
33
|
NBC
|
|
November 22
|
Lewiston, Maine
|
WLAM-TV
|
17
|
DuMont
|
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
KLPR
|
19
|
ABC
|
|
November 23
|
Augusta, Georgia
|
WJBF-TV
|
6
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Fort Dodge, Iowa
|
KQTV
|
21
|
NBC
|
|
November 25
|
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|
WITV
|
17
|
ABC/DuMont
|
|
November 26
|
Boise, Idaho
|
KBCI-TV
|
2
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Flint, Michigan
|
WTAC-TV
|
16
|
ABC.(primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
November 29
|
Nashville, Tennessee
|
WSIX-TV
|
8
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
Now an exclusive ABC affiliate on channel 2
|
Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
KWWL-TV
|
7
|
NBC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 1
|
Bloomington, Illinois (Champaign/Decatur/Springfield, Illinois)
|
WBLN
|
15
|
|
Harrisburg, Illinois
|
WSIL-TV
|
3
|
ABC
|
|
Panama City, Florida
|
WJDM-TV
|
7
|
Independent
|
Later became a primary NBC/secondary CBS and ABC affiliate before end of the year
|
Worcester/Boston, Massachusetts
|
WWOR-TV
|
14
|
Independent
|
Not to be confused with today's WWOR-TV in Seacaucus, New Jersey
|
December 6
|
Portsmouth, Virginia
|
WTOV-TV
|
27
|
DuMont
|
|
Princeton, Indiana
|
WRAY-TV
|
52
|
unknown
|
|
December 7
|
Charlotte, North Carolina
|
WAYS-TV
|
36
|
ABC (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 10
|
Green Bay, Wisconsin
|
WFRV-TV
|
5
|
ABC
|
|
Seattle, Washington
|
KOMO-TV
|
4
|
ABC
|
|
December 11
|
Anchorage, Alaska
|
KTVA
|
11
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 13
|
Jacksonville, Florida
|
WJHP-TV
|
36
|
Independent
|
|
Pittsburg, Kansas (Joplin, Missouri)
|
KOAM-TV
|
7
|
NBC
|
|
December 14
|
Asbury Park, New Jersey
|
WRTV
|
58
|
Independent
|
|
Anchorage, Alaska
|
KFIA
|
2
|
NBC/ABC (joint primary)
|
|
December 15
|
Stockton, California
|
KTVU
|
36
|
NBC
|
|
December 17
|
Eau Claire/La Crosse, Wisconsin
|
WEAU
|
13
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 18
|
Midland, Texas
|
KMID-TV
|
2
|
NBC
|
|
December 19
|
Bismarck, North Dakota
|
KFYR-TV
|
5
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Danville, Illinois
|
WICD
|
24
|
ABC
|
|
Jackson, Mississippi
|
WJBT
|
3
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Little Rock, Arkansas
|
KATV
|
7
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
December 20
|
Idaho Falls, Idaho
|
KID-TV
|
3
|
CBS (primary) DuMont/NBC/ABC (secondary)
|
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
KWTV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) Paramount (secondary)
|
|
Portland, Maine
|
WCSH-TV
|
6
|
NBC
|
|
December 21
|
Columbia, Missouri
|
KOMU-TV
|
8
|
NBC (primary) CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 22
|
Greenville/New Bern/Washington, North Carolina
|
WNCT-TV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
December 24
|
Denver, Colorado
|
KOA-TV
|
4
|
NBC
|
|
Kearney, Nebraska
|
KHOL-TV
|
13
|
CBS (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Steubenville, Ohio (Wheeling, West Virginia)
|
WSTV-TV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
December 31
|
Charlotte, North Carolina
|
WAYS-TV
|
18
|
NBC (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Greenville, South Carolina
|
WFBC-TV
|
4
|
NBC
|
|
Unknown date
|
Des Moines, Iowa
|
KGTV
|
17
|
Independent
|
|
Duluth, Minnesota
|
WFTV
|
38
|
CBS/NBC
|
|
Elmira/Corning, New York
|
WTVE
|
24
|
DuMont
|
|
Meridian, Mississippi
|
WCOC-TV
|
30
|
Independent
|
|
Network affiliation changes
Date
|
City of license/Market
|
Station
|
Channel
|
Old affiliation
|
New affiliation
|
Notes/Ref.
|
September 28
|
Albuquerque, New Mexico
|
KOB-TV
|
4
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
October 4
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
NBC (primary) DuMont (secondary)
|
|
November 29
|
Nashville, Tennessee
|
WSM-TV
|
4
|
NBC (primary) ABC/CBS/DuMont (secondary)
|
NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Unknown
|
Denver, Colorado
|
KBTV
|
9
|
CBS (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
DuMont (primary) ABC (secondary)
|
|
Duluth, Minnesota
|
WFTV
|
38
|
CBS/NBC (joint primary) ABC/DuMont (secondary)
|
|
Station closures
Date
|
City of license/Market
|
Station
|
Channel
|
Affiliation
|
First air date
|
Notes/Ref.
|
July 13
|
Roanoke, Virginia
|
WROV-TV
|
27
|
Independent
|
February 15, 1953
|
First commercial station in the United States to permanently go off the air. In this case, it closed due to financial distress[3]
|
August 12
|
Nampa, Idaho
|
KFXD-TV
|
6
|
Independent
|
June 18, 1953
|
|
December 15
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
KTVQ
|
25
|
ABC (primary) NBC (secondary)
|
November 1, 1953
|
|
December 18
|
Buffalo, New York
|
WBES-TV
|
59
|
Independent
|
September 29, 1953
|
|
Births
See also
References
External links
|
|