Timeline of Oklahoma Broadcasting
1906-First advertisement for a radio in Scientific American magazine.
1910-Congress passed the Wireless Act. The act, which controlled broadcasting, resulted from the belief that wireless communications were a threat to national security. Broadcast restrictions were removed in 1919.
1912-WTG in Manhattan, Kansas, began a daily broadcast of weather information using Morse Code. This is considered to be the first regularly scheduled weather broadcast in the United States.
1919-Radio Corporation of America was formed as a patent pool to control the use of new broadcasting equipment invented during WWI.
1919-First football game broadcast between Texas A&M and the University of Texas.
1920-5XT went “on the air” as an experimental radio station in Earl Hull’s home in Oklahoma City.
1920-Westinghouse’s KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, broadcast the presidential election returns and began daily programs.
1921-Earl Hull received a federal license with call letters WKY on 1040 kilocycles.
1921-First radio broadcast of a religious service from Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on KDKA.
1922-WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WKY broadcast Alma Gluck, an opera star form the First Christian Church.
1922-WEH in Tulsa, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WGAR in Fort Smith, Arkansas, received a federal license.
1922-WHAT in Yale, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WKAD in Okemah, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WLAL in Tulsa, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WMAB in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922- WOAA in Ardmore, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1922-WPAC in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1923-WKY moved to a new studio over the Shrine Auditorium located at Sixth and Robinson in Oklahoma City.
1923-The Mississippi River was used to separate "W" (East) and "K" (West) as call letters.
1923-KFHC in Norman, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1923-KOCW in Chickasha, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1923-KFJK in Bristow, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1923-KFJF (KOMA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1923-WNAD was established on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.
1924-WKY provided the first network broadcast in Oklahoma. The broadcast, sponsored by radio manufacturer Atwater Kent, included a program by Reginal Werrenrath.
1924-KFQL in Muskogee, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1924-KFRM in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1925-KFRU in Bristow, Oklahoma, received temporary authorization.
1925-KFRU call letters and equipment move to Columbia, Missouri.
1925-Charles Francis Jenkins sent moving pictures and synchronized sound at a distance of five miles. This was the first demonstration of what he call "radiovision." Television had been successfully demonstrated in London, England, earlier that year.
1926-WKY moved to the Huckins Hotel located at Main and Broadway in Oklahoma City.
1926-KVOO in Bristow, Oklahoma, received a federal license.
1926-KFXR (KOCY) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma received a federal license.
1927-KGFG (KTOK) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma received a federal license.
1927-Television was demonstrated in San Francisco, California.
1928-The Oklahoma Publishing Company purchased WKY. The studio moved to Plaza Court located at N.W. 10th and Walker in Oklahoma City. The transmitter moved from Packingtown to N.W. 39th Street in Oklahoma City. The new studios went “on the air” on November 11, 1928.
1928-WKY became affiliated with the National Broadcasting Company.
1928-WBBZ in Ponca City, Oklahoma, was founded.
1929-Milton Berle appeared on experimental television.
1929-KCRC in Enid, Oklahoma, was established.
1929-First demonstration of color television in New York.
1930-Don Lee founded a television station in Los Angeles,California.
1930-KGMP in Elk City, Oklahoma received a federal license.
1930-WKY radio continuously broadcast for two days raising money to assist victims of a tornado that hit Bethany, Oklahoma. The radio station raised $30,000 in less than 48 hours.
1930-KGFF in Shawnee, Oklahoma, was founded.
1931-KOMA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was founded.
1932-KASA in Elk City, Oklahoma, was founded.
1933-1934-WKY Radio began using portable short wave transmitters for remote broadcasts.
1934-KTUL in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was established.
1934-The Oklahoma News advertised “auto radio” for $29.99at Firestone Service stores.
1934-Philo Farnsworth demonstrated non-mechanical television.
1934-KADA in Ada, Oklahoma, was founded.
1935-Count G. Mazzaglia Cutelli installed the newest sound equipment available at WKY Radio.
1936-WKY broadcast from its new studios in the Skirvin Tower in Oklahoma City and featured a new Kilgen theater organ. The station occupied two floors of the building that included soundproofing, air conditioning, and an experimental transmitter for UHF.
1936-The Oklahoma News advertised a Philco tabletop radio for $20.00 or $1.25 per week from the United Refrigerator and Supply in Oklahoma City.
1936-A 5,000-watt transmitter was installed at WKY Radio, The station was authorized to use 5,000 watts during the day and 1,000 watts at night.
1936-E. K. Gaylord stated in The Daily Oklahoman that television would soon to be realized in Oklahoma.
1936-DVSO in Ardmore, Oklahoma, was founded.
1936-KBIX in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was founded.
1937-WKY’s Radio began to use a mobile transmitter, located in a panel truck, for remote programs.
1937-KHBG in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was established.
1938-KOCY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established.
1938-KOME in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was established.
1939-Oklahoma Publishing Company and WKY Radio sponsored experimental television from the Civic Center in Oklahoma City.
1940-WKY Radio power was increased for night broadcasts to 5,000 watts.
1941-KSWO in Lawton, Oklahoma, was established.
1941-WKY began to build new transmitter plant on east Britton Road, six miles from Oklahoma City.
1942-Patti Page joined Al Clausner and his Oklahoma Outlaws on KTUL in Tulsa.
1942-KWON in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was established.
1944-WKY established a Farm Department in cooperation with Oklahoma A&M College.
1945-RCA announced the invention of the “image orthicon” television tube.
1944-WKY conducted a War Bond drive in a dozen Oklahoma cities using television equipment for demonstration purposes
1944-Helen Alverez of KTUL Radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, visited Washington, D.C.,on a business trip and witnessed her first television show at the Dumont Television Studios.
1944-WKY transmitter operations were moved from N.W. 39th Street to the new facility on east Britton Road in Oklahoma City.
1946-KWHW in Altus, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KTMC in McAlester, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KAKC in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KFMI in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KBYE in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KWCO in Chickasha, Oklahoma, was established.
1946-KTUL Radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, asked Helen Alverez to evaluated television as she visited several operating stations across the United States.
1947-WKY conducted a fundraising appeal to assist victims of the Woodward tornado.
1947-KWHP in Cushing, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KLPR in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-Leon McAuliffe and his Cimarron Boys began a daily program on KVOO in Tulsa.
1947-WKY provided FM programming with 3,000 watts of power on channel 255 at 98.9 megacycles.
1947-KRHD in Duncan, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KSEO in Durant, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KSPI in Stillwater, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KASA in Elk City, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KTJS in Hobart, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KSIW in Woodward, Oklahoma, was established.
1947-KVLH in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-RCA Victor introduced “Microgroove” 33 1/3 rpm phonograph records. The invention would soon impact record sales and radio broadcasts.
1948-WKY applied for a television application with the FCC.
1948-KOVB call letter change to KOTV was approved by the FCC. The parent company was the Cameron Television Company of Tulsa.
1948-FCC authorized WKY-TV license.
1948-WKY-TV made its first order for television equipment from RCA.
1948-First load of equipment was delivered to WKY-TV for broadcasting.
1948-A fire caused $150,000 damages to equipment used by WKY-TV in the Little Theater in the Oklahoma City Civic Center.
1948-WKY-TV received delivery of mobile unit (bus) to be used for remote broadcasts.
1948-KATA in Fredrick, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KGLC in Miami, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KMUS in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KTOW in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KGYN in Guymon, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KIHN in Hugo, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-KWSH in Wewoka, Oklahoma, was established.
1948-WKY-TV provided the first public demonstration of locally produced television coverage. The station aired the Golden Gloves boxing tournament.
1949-KWOE in Clinton, Oklahoma, was established.
1949-KNOR in Norman, Oklahoma, was established.
1949-KRMG in Tulsa, Oklahoma, began broadcasting.
1949-The Daily Oklahoman reported the sale of more than 3,000 television sets in Oklahoma prior to the broadcast of a test pattern.
1949-WKY-TV broadcast of first test patterns.
1949-WKY-TV began broadcasting with 15 hours of programming weekly. WKY-TV was the forty-fifth television station in the United States.
1949-WKY-TV broadcast the first network program (NBC) entitled "Who Said That?"
1949-WKY-TV added its first farm program.
1949-WKY-TV provided the first broadcast of a University of Oklahoma football game.
1949-KOTV in Tulsa broadcast its first test pattern.
1949-KOTV in Tulsa broadcast its first actual program, a Tulsa Chamber of Commerce luncheon from the Tulsa club. KOTV became America’s nineteenth television station.
1950-KGWA in Enid, Oklahoma, was established.
1950-KNED in McAlester, Oklahoma, was established.
1950-KOLS in Pryor, Oklahoma, was established.
1950-KSWO-TV in Lawton, Oklahoma, was established.
1950-WKY-TV expanded its programming to 40 hours per week.
1950-WKY Radio discontinued its FM broadcasts.
1951- WKY-TV broadcast Governor Roy J. Turner’sfarewell address from the State Capitol.
1951-WKY issued its first radio and television broadcasts from its new facility on east Britton Road.
1952-KBWL in Blackwell, Oklahoma, was established.
1952-WKY-TV provided the first telecast of a political convention, the State Republican Convention, in Oklahoma.
1952-KOTV in Tulsa broadcast live network shows for the first time.
1952-KOTV in Tulsa changed ownership with the new company called Wrather-Alvarez Television Corporation. Helen Alverez continued to manage the station, holding 50 percent of the company's stock.
1952-WKY-TV broadcast its first network cable program.
1952-Oklahoma newspapers began to advertise second-generation television sets with larger screens. Credit plans commonly appear in the same ads.
1953-A state conference on educational television is held.
1953-Channel 13 is assigned to the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority with the call letters KETA.
1953-KWTV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established. It's tower was the world's tallest man-made structure at one-quarter mile high.
1953-KBEL in Idabel, Oklahoma, was established.
1953-KLCO in Poteau, Oklahoma, was established.
1953-KMPT-TV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established as UHF Channel 19.
1953-KTVQ-TV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was established as UHF Channel 25.
1953-RCA adopted CBS's color standards.
1954-KOED, Tulsa’s educational station is assigned Channel 11.
1954-KTEN in Ada, Oklahoma, was established.
1954-KGEO-TV in Enid, Oklahoma, was established.
1954-KTVX in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was established and provided its first broadcast on September 18.
1954-KCEB, a UHF station, became Tulsa’s second television station but failed financially and went off the air in December 1954.
1954-KVOO-TV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, provided its first broadcast.
1954-KTVX moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and changed its call letters to KTUL.
1954-KOTV was sold to KOTV Inc. Helen Alverez moved to San Diego, California.
1954-KOTV completed its new antenna tower on Big Heart Mountain. The tower became the fifth tallest structure in the world at 1135 feet.
1954-Bill Coe, Democratic candidate for governor, conducts his “People’s Filibuster” on KGEO-TV, KCRC and KGWA radio stations.
1955-It was estimated that 590,000 homes out of 658,000 total homes in Oklahoma had radio sets.
1956-KOTV donated antenna space to KOED, Tulsa’s education station.
1956-Channel 13 is activated in Oklahoma City becoming the 20th educational TV station in the country.
1956-Ampex demonstrated a videotape recorder at the National Association of Broadcasting. Deliveries of the ordered units arrived at the networks in the latter part of the year.
1956-Hollywood movie stars “under contract” appeared for the first time on television. Movie producers feared competition from television.
1956-KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, extended its schedule from 6:45 A.M. to midnight daily.
1958-KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, installed video taping equipment.
1958-Advertisers spend $1 billion on television advertising.
1959-KOED-TV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, began to offer continuous programming.
1959-KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, added the necessary equipment to conduct color broadcasts.
1959-552 television stations were licensed in the United States.
1962-Telstar communications satellite was put into orbit.
1962-ABC, CBS, and NBC telecast to Europe using Telstar.
1963-CBS provided the first early evening news expansion from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
1964- All-Channel Receiver Act became effective, requiring manufacturers to build television that access both UHF and VHF signals.
1964-KTOK began flying “Red Rover,” a helicopter to report on traffic and news. The helicopter was used for approximately 39 weeks. The station increased to a nine man news department. Chuck Boyles began a talk show format from 6:00 P.M. to midnight. The news-talk format propelled the station to the top of the ratings in Oklahoma City.
1965-KTUL completed a 1909-foot broadcast tower, the second tallest tower in the nation.
1966-KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, began colorcasts./p>
1967-The Indian Nation News Network was purchased by KTOK and expanded and renamed The Oklahoma News Network.
1967-Public Broadcasting Act set-up the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), subsequently creating the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR).
1969-FCC required CATV to act as a local outlet. Each cable system was required to have its own program in addition to other channel signals.
1973-Ground was broken for Oklahoma Educational Television Authority studios. The offices and studios were occupied in 1974.
1974-WKY-TV won an Emmy award for Through The Looking Glass Darkly, a documentary on Black history in Oklahoma.
1975-OETA conducted its first fundraising drive, collecting $125,000 to help fund programming.
1977-Channel 3 went “on the air” to broadcast public television to viewers in southeast Oklahoma.
1978-Channel 1 goes “on the air” in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, to broadcast public television programs. Translator stations are added in Hugo and Idabel to extend the range of Channel 3.
1979-UHF stations KOKH 25, KGMC 34, and KAUT 43 went “on the air” in Oklahoma City. Cable television began to offer it services in Oklahoma City.
1979-A system of four more translators were added by OETA to provide public teleivision to viewers in the Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma.
1981-A small office was opened by OETA in Tulsa and 6 more translators were under construction for northeastern Oklahoma.
1981-The Oklahoma Legislature allocated funds for an OETA studio in Tulsa.
1982-OETA’s fundraiser Festival 82 raised $1 million.
1983-The Oklahoma Legislature reduced OETA’s budget. The OETA Foundation was created to raise funds for the organization.
1984-OETA had the largest percentage of any public television network, according to PBS, reaching 40 percent of Oklahoma households with television sets.
1986-OETA was ranked first in the nation in fundraising.
1987-Governor Henry Bellmon announced a campaign to raise $1 million to produce Oklahoma Passage, a five-part documentary/drama on Oklahoma’s history.
1988-Filiming of Oklahoma Passage began and was completed in 1989. It enjoyed the largest audience in OETA’s history.
1990-OETA won an Emmy for its educational program Wordscape.
1991-The Literacy Channel was established.