The Paramount Television Network was an ill-fated attempt by American film corporation Paramount Pictures to launch a successful television network in 1949.[1] The company had built television stations KTLA in Los Angeles and WBKB in Chicago. It had also invested $400,000 in the DuMont Television Network, which operated stations in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. The Paramount Television Network aired several television programs, among them Emmy winner Time For Beany. Spade Cooley, Jackie Coogan, and Mary Gordon appeared in Paramount programs, which were filmed in Hollywood and distributed to an ad-hoc network of stations. Despite having over 40 affiliate stations in 1950, Paramount's series were never widely viewed outside the West Coast, and Paramount was prevented from acquiring additional stations by the FCC. Paramount gave up on the idea of a television network, but continued to produce series for other networks. In 1995, Paramount would again enter the network industry. [edit] Launch As early as 1937, executives at Paramount Pictures had been interested in the new medium of television. The following year, Paramount purchased a 40% interest in DuMont Laboratories, a pioneer in early television technology. Relations between Paramount and DuMont were strained as early as 1940, when Paramount, without DuMont, opened Chicago station WBKB and Los Angeles television station KTLA. These two stations never carried programs from DuMont's television network (with the exception of one year on KTLA in 1947–48), and in fact competed against DuMont's affiliates in Los Angeles and Chicago.[2] The 1949 launch of the Paramount Television Network "undercut" DuMont.[3] Paramount's network was launched in January 1949 with a full-page advertisement in Television magazine.[4] Filming of programs took place at KTLA in Los Angeles; the films were distributed to local television stations for airing. Paramount also planned to acquire additional owned-and-operated stations; the company applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for additional stations in San Francisco, Detroit, and Boston.[5] Paramount's applications for three additional owned-and-operated stations, however, were denied by the FCC. A few years earlier, the FCC had placed a five-station cap on all television networks: no network was allowed to own more than five television stations. Paramount was hampered by its stake in the DuMont Television Network. The FCC ruled that Paramount's partial ownership of DuMont meant that DuMont and Paramount were in theory branches of the same company. Since DuMont owned three television stations and Paramount owned two, the federal agency ruled neither network could acquire additional television stations. Although the FCC requested that Paramount relinquish its stake in DuMont, Paramount refused.[5] According to at least one television historian, "Paramount's checkered antitrust history" helped convince the FCC that Paramount controlled DuMont.[6] Both networks suffered as a result, with neither company able to acquire five owned-and-operated stations. Having five O&Os was critical because it meant the network's shows would be seen in at least five major American cities. Meanwhile, CBS, ABC and NBC each acquired the maximum of five stations. [edit] Programs The Paramount Television Network aired several television series during its years of operations. The following is a partial list: - Armchair Detective, a half-hour crime reenactment series[7] that was produced at KTLA and which aired on both CBS and Paramount stations[8]
- Cowboy G-Men, a Western series co-produced by Paramount and the Mutual Broadcasting System
- Dixie Showboat, a weekly variety program
- Frosty Frolics,[9] an ice skating show
- Girls Only a comedy/drama starring Mary Gordon as an aging ex-actress with four young female charges[10]
- Hollywood Reel, a Hollywood gossip program narrated by Erskine Johnson[11]
- Hollywood Wrestling,
- Latin Cruise, a musical series starring Bobby Ramos[7]
- Sandy Dreams[9]
- The Spade Cooley Show, a variety program hosted by Spade Cooley and featuring Dick Lane, Anita Aros, Phil Gray, and Kay Cee Jones.
- Time for Beany, a children's series which received an Emmy in 1949 (in the category Best Children's Show)[12]
- Yer Ole Buddy[13]
[edit] Affiliates At its peak in late 1950, the Paramount Television Network was distributing five television series a week to over 40 affiliated stations.[1] The table below lists stations which carried Paramount Television Network programs. Paramount's owned-and-operated (O&O) stations are highlighted. | Station | City | Paramount programs aired | | | | | KDUB-TV | Lubbock | Time For Beany[57] | | WMCT | Memphis, TN | Cowboy G-Men[58] | | WTMJ-TV | Milwaukee | Hollywood Reel[59]
Cowboy G-Men[60] | | WCCO-TV | Minneapolis | Cowboy G-Men[61] | | WPIX | New York | Dixie Showboat[62] | | WKY-TV | Oklahoma City | Time For Beany[63] | | WOW-TV | Omaha | Hollywood Reel[64] | | WBAY-TV | Oshkosh | Time For Beany[65] | | WJDM-TV | Panama City, FL | Time For Beany[66] | | WFIL-TV | Philadelphia | Hollywood Reel[31]
Frosty Frolics[67]
Sandy Dreams[68] | | WCAU | Philadelphia | Time For Beany[69]
Armchair Detective[70] | | KPHO-TV | Phoenix | Time For Beany[71] | | WDTV | Pittsburgh | Hollywood Reel[72] | | KOIN | Portland, OR | Time For Beany[73] | | KZTV | Reno | Time For Beany[74] | | Rochester, NY | Hollywood Reel[75] | | WHBF-TV | Rock Island | Time For Beany[76] | | KFEQ-TV | St. Joseph, MO | Cowboy G-Men[77] | | KSD-TV | St. Louis | Cowboy G-Men[78]
Time For Beany[79] | | St. Louis | Hollywood Reel[75] | | KSTP-TV | St. Paul | Hollywood Wrestling[80] | | KSL | Salt Lake City | Hollywood Reel[81] | | KDYL-TV | Salt Lake City | Time For Beany[82] | | KEYL | San Antonio | Armchair Detective[7]
Latin Cruise[7]
Hollywood Reel[83]
Hollywood Wrestling[84]
Time For Beany[85] | | KFMB-TV | San Diego | [86]
Time For Beany[87] | | KPIX | San Francisco | [28]
Frosty Frolics[88] | | KGO-TV | San Francisco | Time For Beany[89]
Hollywood Reel[90] | | WRGB | Schenectady | Time For Beany[91] | | KHQ-TV | Spokane | Time For Beany[92] | | WHEN-TV | Syracuse | Hollywood Reel[93] | | KMO-TV | Tacoma | Hollywood Wrestling[94] | | WSPD-TV | Toledo, OH | Cowboy G-Men[95] | | KOTV | Tulsa, Oklahoma | [96] | | WTTG | Washington, DC | Time For Beany.[97]
Hollywood Reel[98] | | KWWL | Waterloo, Iowa | Cowboy G-Men[99] | | KWFT-TV | Wichita Falls, TX | Cowboy G-Men[100] | | [edit] End of network The 1953 merger of ABC and Paramount's former movie theater chain, United Paramount Theatres, lead to the divestiture of the Chicago station, which was sold to CBS (it is now WBBM-TV). Paramount held onto KTLA, but the programming service never gelled into a true television network. While the Paramount series Time For Beany was widely seen on stations across the United States, most other Paramount television programs were seen in only a handful of markets (another exception, Hollywood Reel, was seen in Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Rochester, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Syracuse, and Washington, DC in 1950).[75] WBKB and KPIX dropped Time For Beany in 1953 (WGN-TV and KGO-TV picked the series up soon thereafter).[89] In June 1953 it was announced that Time For Beany and Paramount Television Productions were "calling it a day".[101] Despite the cancellation announcement, Beany continued to air until 1955,[102] the result of the public outcry at the cancellation of the award-winning series. Paramount's Board of Directors seized control of DuMont Laboratories in a boardroom coup in August 1955. In 1956, with much prompting from Paramount, the DuMont Network folded, ending Paramount's first, early ventures into television. However, executives at Paramount continued to toy with the idea of entering the television medium once more. The company produced series seen on the "big three" television networks (after acquiring Desilu Productions), and in 1978 planned to launch the Paramount Television Service, a new "fourth" television network; its programming would have consisted of only one night a week. Thirty "Movies of the Week" would have followed Star Trek: Phase II on Saturday nights. This plan was aborted when the decision was made to transform Phase II into Star Trek: The Motion Picture. On January 16, 1995, Paramount launched the United Paramount Network (UPN), a new broadcast television network. Despite eleven years on the air, UPN never made a profit;[103] the network ceased operations in 2006, when it merged with the WB Television Network to form the CW Television Network.[104] [edit] References - ^ a b c d White, Timothy R. (1992). "Hollywood on (Re)Trial: The American Broadcasting-United Paramount Merger Hearing" Cinema Journal, Vol. 31, No. 3. (Spring, 1992), pp. 19-36.
- ^ IEEE History Center: Thomas Goldsmith Abstract (May 14, 1973). IEEE History Center. Retrieved on January 6, 2007.
- ^ Auter, P.J.; Boyd, D.A. (1995). "DuMont: The Original Fourth Television Network". Journal of Popular Culture 29: 63–83. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.1995.00063.x. http://www.auter.tv/info/publications/articles/DuMontJPC.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ Jajkowski, Steve (2001). "Advertising on Chicago Television". Chicago Television History. Retrieved January 10, 2007.
- ^ a b Browne, Nick (1994). American Television: New Directions in History and Theory. Routledge. pp. 32. ISBN 3718605635. http://books.google.com/books?id=yuU72DJI97UC&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=%22Paramount+Pictures%22%2B%22FCC%22%2B%22San+Francisco%22&source=bl&ots=P5gty-Ek5k&sig=BeHzHTfkTi1WDYO0vIGQREMaGsU&hl=en&ei=DbwRS-CEI5TmswOWjNDCAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCMQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22Paramount%20Pictures%22%2B%22FCC%22%2B%22San%20Francisco%22&f=false.
- ^ Boddy, William (1992). Fifties Television: the Industry and Its Critics. University of Illinois Press. pp. 56. ISBN 025206299X.
- ^ a b c d "Hollywood shows on KEYL", San Antonio Light: 54, 1950-02-19
- ^ The Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, NY): pp. 4. 1949-07-06.
- ^ a b Roman, James (2005). From Daytime to Primetime: the History of American Television Programs. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. pp. 15. ISBN 978-0313361692.
- ^ "'Girls Only' (Nix, Men!)", Long Beach Independent: 14c, 1949-10-16
- ^ "Spinning the Dial", Long Beach Independent: 34, 1951-01-24
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1997). Total Television (4th ed.). Penguin. pp. 1040. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
- ^ Hilmes, Michele (1999). Hollywood and Broadcasting: From Radio to Cable. University of Illinois Press. pp. 152–153. ISBN 0252068467. http://books.google.com/books?id=X4hr1AdKbYMC&pg=PA153&lpg=PA153&dq=%22yer+ole+buddy%22%2B%22paramount%22&source=bl&ots=_dOzHhwoJT&sig=5m912m61jCNkRWO-W99LA5t-XBc&hl=en&ei=DzpOSt26HJDSsgOr8uSqDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1.
- ^ "Today's TV Programs". Pampa Daily News (Pampa, TX): pp. 11. 1953-10-30.
- ^ Cedar Rapids Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA): pp. 31. 1951-11-22.
- ^ "Television Log". The Capital (Annapolis, MD): pp. 3. 1951-03-03.
- ^ "Tune in "Time For Beany" 5:30 PM Saturdays over KOOK-TV". Billings Gazette (Billings, MT): pp. 8. 1953-12-13.
- ^ The Anniston Star (Anniston, AL): pp. 5. 1951-12-28.
- ^ The Anniston Star (Anniston, AL): pp. 14. 1953-02-26.
- ^ "On Television Today". Portsmouth Herald (Portsmouth, NH): pp. 9. 1953-04-25.
- ^ "Television". Dunkirk Evening Observer (Dunkirk, NY): pp. 13. 1950-02-15.
- ^ "Television & Radio Programs". The Derrick (Oil City, PA): pp. 6. 1953-04-10.
- ^ "Radio Log For Local Listening". Charleston Daily Mail (Charleston, WV): pp. 4. 1954-07-16.
- ^ "WBTV Schedule". The Daily Independent (Kannapolis, NC): pp. 6. 1954-06-28.
- ^ "French Sardine Bites on 'Hollywood Reel'". Billboard: 7. 1950-01-28. http://books.google.com/books?id=JEUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=%22Hollywood+Reel%22%2B%22St.+Louis%22&source=bl&ots=N4u8z6RCd8&sig=5kaca1lSEjDykSmX5ai_JGQrQ_k&hl=en&ei=oNgQS7nFO42NnQeoyIjZAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Hollywood%20Reel%22%2B%22St.%20Louis%22&f=false.
- ^ "Television Programs". Hamilton Daily New Journal (Hamilton, OH): pp. 8. 1950-12-12.
- ^ The Coshocton Tribune (Coshocton, OH): pp. 4. 1953-02-10.
- ^ a b "Television Programs". East Liverpool Review (East Liverpool, OH): pp. 12. 1952-06-25.
- ^ The Evening Independent (Massillon, OH): pp. 11. 1951-09-29.
- ^ "Television". The Coshocton Tribune (Coshocton, OH): pp. 14. 1953-12-11.
- ^ a b Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, OH): pp. 12. 1950-03-21.
- ^ "Television". The Newark Advocate (Newark, OH): pp. 10. 1951-05-02.
- ^ "Television". The Coshocton Tribune (Coshocton, OH): pp. 10. 1953-09-25.
- ^ "TV Listings - Paris Area". The Paris News (Paris, TX): pp. 13. 1953-08-02.
- ^ "Television Schedules". Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, TX): pp. 4. 1953-04-16.
- ^ "Television Schedules". Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, TX): pp. 4. 1953-10-18.
- ^ The Cedar Rapids Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA): pp. 33. 1951-11-29.
- ^ "Television Programs". The Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, IA): pp. 23. 1951-06-15.
- ^ "Television Programs". Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette (Burlington, IA): pp. 5. 1954-02-06.
- ^ "Television Guide". The Lima News (Lima, OH): pp. 22. 1950-11-02.
- ^ "Tuesday TV Program". The Greeley Daily Tribune (Greeley, CO): pp. 12. 1954-07-12.
- ^ "KTSM-TV on the Air". El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, TX): pp. 10. 1953-01-03.
- ^ Fresno Bee Republican: 19, 1953-06-10
- ^ "Saturday, October 18th TV Schedule". The Holland Evening Sentinel (Holland, MI): pp. 3. 1952-10-18.
- ^ Galveston Daily News (Galveston, TX): pp. 25. 1951-06-03.
- ^ "Saturday's Radio and TV Programs". Galveston Daily News (Galveston, TX): pp. 21. 1953-02-14.
- ^ "Sunday's Radio and TV Programs". The Galveston Daily News (Galveston, TX): pp. 22. 1953-02-01.
- ^ "Monday Afternoon TV Programs". Logansport Press (Logansport, IN): pp. 6. 1951-05-20.
- ^ Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, IN): pp. 14. 1950-10-21.
- ^ "Friday Evening TV Programs". Logansport Press (Logansport, IN): pp. 6. 1951-05-04.
- ^ Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, KS): pp. 4. 1950-11-19.
- ^ "WDAF - Channel 4". Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, KS): pp. 4. 1953-05-21.
- ^ "TV High Spots". Lowell Sun (Lowell, MA): pp. 54. 1951-07-29.
- ^ "Weekend Television Programs". Portsmouth Herald (Portsmouth, NH): pp. 9. 1951-01-06.
- ^ "Television Programs". Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME): pp. 9. 1951-04-07.
- ^ "Daily Guide: Radio & Television". Fitchburg Sentiel (Fitchburg, MA): pp. 19. 1949-09-21.
- ^ Evening Journal (Lubbock, TX): pp. 7. 1953-03-06.
- ^ "Television - Tonite, Tomorrow". Blytheville Courier News (Blytheville, AR): pp. 11. 1953-06-26.
- ^ "Television: WTMJ-TV". Sheboygan Journal (Sheboygan, WI): pp. 11. 1951-07-05.
- ^ "Television Log". Waukeesha Daily Freeman (Waukesha, WI): pp. 2. 1954-09-03.
- ^ "Week's Television Programs". Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, IA): pp. 15. 1953-05-31.
- ^ "On Television Today". Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, CT): pp. 24. 1951-04-14.
- ^ "WKY-TV This Week". The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK): pp. 21. 1951-06-24.
- ^ "Daily Radio, TV Programs". Council Bluffs Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, IA): pp. 7. 1950-02-21.
- ^ Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, WI): pp. 15. 1954-07-12.
- ^ "Radio & TV Guide". Panama City News (Panama City, FL): pp. 10. 1954-07-21.
- ^ "Television Programs". The Chester Times (Chester, PA): pp. 24. 1951-10-10.
- ^ "Television Programs". The Chester Times (Chester, PA): pp. 7. 1950-10-14.
- ^ "Television-Radio Programs". Chester Times (Chester, PA): pp. 18. 1953-08-25.
- ^ "Television Programs". The Chester Times (Chester, PA): pp. 17. 1949-08-10.
- ^ "Arizona Television Schedule". Broadcasting101. http://www.broadcasting101.ws/arizona_tv_sked-1951-1952.htm. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ "Television". The Evening Standard (Uniontown, PA): pp. 11. 1951-03-24.
- ^ "TV Programs". The Daily Chronicle (Centralia, WA): pp. 5. 1954-12-17.
- ^ "KZTV Programs". Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, NV): pp. 10. 1953-10-10.
- ^ a b c Johnston, Erskine (1950-02-18). "In Hollywood". Dunkirk Evening Observer (Dunkirk, NY): pp. 7.
- ^ Dixon Evening Telegraph (Dixon, IL): pp. 6. 1951-04-27.
- ^ "Daily Forum Weekly TV Log". The Maryville Daily Forum (Maryville, MO): pp. 6. 1954-09-25.
- ^ The Daily Register (Harrisburg, IL): pp. 5. 1953-07-24.
- ^ "KSD-TV Program Channel 5". Alton Evening Telegraph (Alton, IL): pp. 14. 1950-03-06.
- ^ "Television Schedules". The Winona Republican-Herald (Winona, MN): pp. 7. 1953-10-15.
- ^ "Daily Television Guide". Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT): pp. 11A. 1950-10-18.
- ^ The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, UT): pp. 25. 1951-07-27.
- ^ "Radio & Television Listings". San Antonio Express (San Antonio, TX): pp. 23. 1953-08-23.
- ^ "TV Programs For All Week". San Antonio Express (San Antonio, TX): pp. 69. 1953-01-25.
- ^ San Antonio Express (San Antonio, TX): pp. 9. 1951-06-28.
- ^ "First Coast Network: KTLA Pioneers in Hookup with San Diego", Long Beach Independent: 14c, 1949-10-16
- ^ "Television". Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, CA): pp. 12. 1952-12-05.
- ^ "TV Programs". Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA): pp. 9. 1953-10-10.
- ^ a b Walker, Ellis (1953-12-21). "Video Notes". The Daily Review (Hayward, CA).
- ^ "Tonight on TV". The Times (San Mateo, CA): pp. 15. 1950-04-28.
- ^ "Television Program Today". The Oneonta Star (Oneonta, NY): pp. 15. 1952-12-22.
- ^ "Television - Monday". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (Walla Walla, WA): pp. 13. 1953-03-30.
- ^ "Television Talk". The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY): pp. 16. 1950-02-26.
- ^ "Daily TV Schedules". The Daily Chronicle (Centralia, WA): pp. 5. 1953-09-21.
- ^ "Saturday's Television". Sandusky Register Star News (Sandusky, OH): pp. 15. 1953-07-03.
- ^ Corarito, Gregory (1967). The History and Development of Television in Tulsa, Oklahoma: Chapter 3 KCEB 1. Tulsa TV Memories. Last accessed 2007-03-16.
- ^ "Television Highlights". The Cumberland Evening Times (Cumberland, MD): pp. 19. 1952-08-27.
- ^ "Television Highlights". Cumberland Evening Times (Cumberland, MD): pp. 21. 1952-05-07.
- ^ "Week's Television Programs". Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, IA): pp. 21. 1954-04-04.
- ^ "Radio, Television Log". The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, TX): pp. 10-D. 1954-01-31.
- ^ "Hollywood on TV". The Yuma Daily Sun (Yuma, AZ): pp. 12. 1953-06-23.
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1997). Total Television (4th ed.). New York: Penguin. pp. 840. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
- ^ Heldenfels, R.D. (2006-01-26). "WB, UPN Die; CW Network Born: Owners CBS, Warner Bros. To Form TV Partnership; Local Stations Unsure of Future". RedOrbit.com. http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/369174/wb_upn_die_cw_network_born_owners_cbs_warner_bros/index.html. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
- ^ Gough, Paul J.; Littleton, Cynthia (2006-01-26). "UPN, WB Network to fold; the CW emerges". HollywoodReporter.com. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001883859. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
[edit] Further reading |
