User:Hillrphc/Television Channels (US)
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< User:Hillrphc
On March 1, 1946, the FCC provided for the modern arrangement of 13 VHF television channels, and it allocated the channels to the largest markets in the country. As stations were licensed and went on the air, it became evident that the channel allocations resulted in interference between some adjacent markets. As a result, the FCC on September 30, 1948, issued a "freeze" on the licensing of any further television stations while it attempted to resolve problems of channel allocation. What was intended to be a short moritorium lasted years, and the freeze was not lifted until July 1, 1952 when a new channel allocation scheme went into effect.
During the freeze, there were 108 television stations on the air in the U.S. (plus one in Mexico serving the U.S.). The following table presents the channel allocation scheme in place at the time of freeze. The table lists metropolitan areas in decreasing size according to sales rank, the corresponding DMA of today, the metropolitan district population according to the 1940 census, the channel numbers assigned to the area, the number of stations actually licensed at the time of the freeze and the number of the television channels assigned to the metropolitan area, listing of each of the stations licensed including the channel numnber, calls and licensee, and the channel and callsign of the corresponding station today.
| Metropolitan District (1940 Census) |
Sales Rank [1] |
Today's DMA [2] |
Population (1940 Census) |
Channels Assigned [3] |
No. on vs. ass'd |
Ch. | Calls | Licensed to [4] |
On-Air [5] |
Network [6] |
Now Ch. |
Now Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 | New York #1 | 11,690,520 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 |
7 of 7 | 2 | WCBW→ WCBS-TV |
CBS, Inc. | July 1, 1941 | CBS | 2 | WCBS-TV |
| 4 | WNBT | NBC, Inc. | July 1, 1941 | NBC | 4 | WNBC | ||||||
| 5 | WABD | Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc. | May 2, 1944 | DuM | 5 | WNYW | ||||||
| 7 | WJZ-TV | ABC, Inc. | Aug. 10, 1948 | ABC | 7 | WABC-TV | ||||||
| 9 | WOR-TV | Bamberger Broadcasting Service, Inc. | Oct. 11, 1949 | none | 9 | WWOR | ||||||
| 11 | WPIX | WPIX, Inc. | June 15, 1948 | none | 11 | WPIX | ||||||
| 13 | WATV | Bremer Broadcasting Corp. | May 15, 1948 | none | 13 | WNET | ||||||
| Chicago | 2 | Chicago #3 | 4,499,126 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 |
4 of 7 | 4 | WBKB | Balaban & Katz Corp. | Oct. 13, 1943 | CBS | 2 | WBBM-TV |
| 5 | WNBQ | NBC, Inc. | Nov. 1, 1948 | NBC | 5 | WMAQ | ||||||
| 7 | WENR-TV | ABC, Inc. | Sept. 17, 1948 | ABC | 7 | WLS-TV | ||||||
| 9 | WGN-TV | WGN, Inc. | Apr. 15, 1948 | DuM | 9 | WGN-TV | ||||||
| Los Angeles | 3 | Los Angeles #2 | 2,904,596 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 |
7 of 7 | 2 | KTSL | Don Lee Television | May 6, 1948 | DuM | 2 | WCBS-TV |
| 4 | KNBH | NBC, Inc. | Jan. 16, 1949 | NBC | 4 | KNBC | ||||||
| 5 | KTLA-TV | Paramount Television Productions | Jan. 22, 1947 | none | 5 | KTLA | ||||||
| 7 | KECA-TV | ABC, Inc. | Sept. 16, 1949 | ABC | 7 | KABC-TV | ||||||
| 9 | KFI-TV | Earle C. Anthony, Inc. | Aug. 25, 1948 | none | 9 | KCAL | ||||||
| 11 | KTTV | KTTV, Inc. | Jan. 1, 1949 | CBS | 11 | KTTV | ||||||
| 13 | KLAC-TV | KMTR Radio Corp. | Sept. 17, 1948 | none | 13 | KCOP | ||||||
| Philadelphia | 4 | Philadelphia #4 | 2,898,644 | 3, 6, 10, 12 |
3 of 4 | 3 | WPTZ | Philco Television Broadcasting Corp. | Sept. 16, 1941 | NBC | 3 | KYW-TV |
| 6 | WFIL-TV | Triangle Publications, Inc. | Sept. 13, 1947 | ABC DuM | 6 | WPVI-TV | ||||||
| 10 | WCAU-TV | WCAU, Inc. | Mar. 15, 1948 | CBS | 10 | WCAU | ||||||
| Boston | 5 | Boston (Manchester) #5 |
2,350,514 | 2, 4, 7, 9, 13 |
2 of 5 | 2 | WRTB | Raytheon Manufacturing Co. | never signed on | — | 2 | WGBH |
| 4 | WBZ-TV | Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. | June 9, 1948 | NBC | 4 | WBZ-TV | ||||||
| 7 | WNAC-TV | Yankee Network | June 21, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM |
7 | WHDH-TV | ||||||
| Detroit | 6 | Detroit #10 | 2,295,867 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
3 of 5 | 2 | WJBK-TV | The Fort Industry Co. | Oct. 24, 1948 | CBS DuM | 2 | WJBK |
| 4 | WWJ-TV | Evening News Association | Oct. 23, 1946 | NBC | 4 | WDIV-TV | ||||||
| 7 | WXYZ-TV | WXYZ, Inc. (ABC, Inc.) | Oct. 8, 1948 | ABC | 7 | WXYZ-TV | ||||||
| San Francisco- Oakland |
7 | San Francisco- Oakland-San Jose #6 |
1,428,525 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
3 of 6 | 4 | KRON-TV | The Chronicle Publishing Co. | Nov. 15, 1949 | NBC | 4 | KRON-TV |
| 5 | KPIX | The Associated Broadcasters, Inc. | Dec. 22, 1948 | CBS DuM | 5 | KPIX-TV | ||||||
| 7 | KGO-TV | ABC, Inc. | May 5, 1949 | ABC | 7 | KGO-TV | ||||||
| Pittsburgh | 8 | Pittsburgh #22 | 1,994,060 | 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
1 of 5 | 3 | WDTV | Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc. | Jan. 11, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
2 | KDKA-TV |
| Cleveland | 9 | Cleveland- Akron (Canton) #16 |
1,214,943 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
3 of 5 | 4 | WNBK | NBC, Inc. | Oct. 31, 1948 | NBC | 3 | WKYC-TV |
| 5 | WEWS | Scripps-Howard Radio, Inc. | Dec. 17, 1947 | ABC CBS | 5 | WEWS-TV | ||||||
| 9 | WXEL | Empire Coil Co. | Dec. 17, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
8 | WJW | ||||||
| St. Louis | 10 | St. Louis #21 | 1,367,977 | 4, 5, 7, 9, 13 |
1 of 5 | 5 | KSD-TV | The Pulitzer Publishing Co. | Feb. 8, 1947 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
5 | KSDK |
| Minneapolis- St. Paul |
11 | Minneapolis- St. Paul #14 |
911,077 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
2 of 5 | 4 | WTCN-TV | Minnesota Broadcasting Corp. | July 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
11 | KARE |
| 5 | KSTP-TV | KSTP, Inc. | Apr. 23, 1948 | NBC | 5 | KSTP-TV | ||||||
| 9 | WRTV | Northwest Broadcasting Co. | never signed on | — | 9 | KMSP | ||||||
| Washington | 12 | Washington, DC (Hagerstown) #8 |
907,816 | 4, 5, 7, 9 | 4 of 4 | 4 | WNBW | NBC, Inc. | June 27, 1947 | NBC | 4 | WRC-TV |
| 5 | WTTG | Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc. | May 19, 1945 | DuM | 5 | WTTG | ||||||
| 7 | WMAL-TV | Evening Star Broadcasting Co., Inc. | Oct. 3, 1947 | ABC | 7 | WJLA | ||||||
| 9 | WOIC or WTOP |
Bamberger Broadcasting Service, Inc. | Jan. 16, 1949 | CBS | 9 | WUSA | ||||||
| Baltimore | 13 | Baltimore #23 | 1,046,692 | 2, 11, 13 | 3 of 3 | 2 | WMAR-TV | The A.S. Abell Co. | Oct. 27, 1947 | CBS | 2 | WMAR |
| 11 | WBAL-TV | Hearst Radio, Inc. | Mar. 11, 1948 | NBC | 11 | WBAL-TV | ||||||
| 13 | WAAM | Radio-Television of Baltimore, Inc. | Nov. 1, 1948 | ABC DuM | 13 | WJZ-TV | ||||||
| Buffalo, Niagara | 14 | Buffalo #46 | 857,719 | 4, 7, 9, 13 | 1 of 4 | 4 | WBEN-TV | WBEN, Inc. | May 14, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WIVB |
| Milwaukee | 15 | Milwaukee #32 | 790,336 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 1 of 4 | 3 | WTMJ-TV | The Journal Co. | Dec. 3, 1947 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WTMJ-TV |
| Cincinnati | 16 | Cincinnati #33 | 789,309 | 2, 4, 5, 11 | 3 of 4 | 4 | WLWT | Crosley Broadcasting Corp. | Feb. 9, 1948 | NBC | 4 | WLWT |
| 7 | WCPO-TV | Scripps-Howard Radio, Inc. | July 26, 1949 | ABC DuM | 7 | WCPO-TV | ||||||
| 11 | WKRC-TV | Radio Cincinnati, Inc. | Apr. 4, 1949 | CBS | 12 | WKRC-TV | ||||||
| Kansas City, MO- Kansas City KS |
17 | Kansas City #31 | 634,093 | 2, 3, 5, 9 | 1 of 4 | 4 | WDAF-TV | The Kansas City Star Co. | Oct. 16, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WDAF-TV |
| Providence | 18 | Providence- New Bedford #49 |
711,500 | 11 | 1 of 1 | 11 | WJAR-TV | Outlet Co. | July 10, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
10 | WJAR |
| Seattle | 19 | Seattle-Tacoma #12 | 452,639 | 2, 5, 7, 11 | 1 of 4 | 5 | KRSC-TV | Radio Sales Corp. | Nov. 25, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
5 | KING-TV |
| Hartford- New Britain |
20 | Hartford & New Haven #27 |
502,193 | 8, 10 | 1 of 2 | 6 | WNHC-TV | Elm City Broadcasting Corp. | June 18, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
8 | WTNH |
| Houston | 21 | Houston #11 | 510,397 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 1 of 4 | 5 | KLEE-TV | W. Albert Lee | Jan. 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
2 | KPRC |
| Portland OR | 22 | Portland, OR #24 | 406,406 | 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
0 of 5 | 3 | KTVU | Video Broadcasting Co. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| 6 | KGWG | The Oregonian Publishing Co. | never signed on | — | — | — | ||||||
| Albany- Schenectady- Troy |
23 | Albany- Schenectady- Troy #55 |
431,575 | 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 |
1 of 5 | 4 | WRGB | GE, Inc. | Feb. 26, 1942 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WRGB |
| Indianapolis | 24 | Indianapolis #25 | 455,357 | 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
3 of 5 | 3 | WUTV | The William H. Block Co. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| 6 | WFBM-TV | WFBM, Inc. | May 30, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WRTV | ||||||
| 10 | WTTV | Sarkes and Mary Tarzian | Nov. 11, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WTTV | ||||||
| Atlanta | 25 | Atlanta #9 | 442,294 | 2, 5, 8, 11 | 3 of 4 | 2 | WCON-TV | Constitution Publishing Co. | Sept. 29, 1948 | NBC | 2 | WSB-TV |
| 5 | WAGA-TV | Liberty Broadcasting Co. | Mar. 8, 1949 | CBS | 5 | WAGA | ||||||
| 8 | WSB-TV | The Atlanta Journal Co. | Sept. 29, 1948 | ABC | 11 | WXIA-TV | ||||||
| Denver | 26 | Denver #18 | 384,372 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
0 of 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dallas | 27 | Dallas- Ft. Worth #7 |
376,548 | 4, 8, 12 | 2 of 3 | 4 | KRLD-TV | KRLD Radio Corporation | Dec. 3, 1949 | CBS | 4 | KDFW |
| 8 | KBTV | Lacy-Potter Television Broadcasting | Sept. 17, 1949 | ABC DuM NBC |
8 | WFAA-TV | ||||||
| Rochester | 28 | Rochester, NY #75 | 411,970 | 2, 6, 11 | 1 of 3 | 6 | WHAM-TV | Stromberg-Carlson Co. | June 11, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
8 | WROC-TV |
| Columbus OH | 29 | Columbus, OH #34 | 365,796 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 3 of 4 | 3 | WLWC | Crosley Broadcasting Corp. | Apr. 3, 1949 | NBC | 4 | WCMH-TV |
| 6 | WTVN | Picture Waves, Inc. | Aug. 30, 1949 | ABC DuM | 6 | WSYX | ||||||
| 10 | WBNS-TV | TV, Inc. | Oct. 5, 1949 | CBS | 10 | WBNS-TV | ||||||
| Scranton- Wilkes-Barre |
30 | Wilkes Barre- Scranton #53 |
629,581 | 11 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Orleans | 31 | New Orleans #43 | 540,030 | 2, 4, 6, 7, 10 |
1 of 5 | 4 | WRTV | Maison Blanche Co. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| 6 | WDSU-TV | Stephens Broadcasting Co., Inc. | Dec. 18, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WDSU | ||||||
| 7 | WTPS | Times-Picayune Broadcasting Co. | never signed on | — | — | — | ||||||
| Springfield- Holyoke |
32 | Springfield- Holyoke #106 |
394,623 | 3 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Louisville | 33 | Louisville #50 | 434,408 | 5, 9 | 2 of 2 | 5 | WAVE-TV | WAVE, Inc. | Nov. 24, 1948 | ABC DuM NBC |
3 | WAVE |
| 9 | WHAS-TV | WHAS, Inc. | Mar. 27, 1950 | CBS | 11 | WHAS-TV | ||||||
| Toledo | 34 | Toledo #70 | 341,663 | 13 | 1 of 1 | 13 | WTVT→ WSPD-TV |
The Fort Industry Co. | July 21, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
13 | WTVG |
| Akron | 35 | Part of Cleveland- Akron (Canton) #16 |
349,705 | 11 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Youngstown | 36 | Youngstown #102 | 372,428 | 13 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Memphis | 37 | Memphis #44 | 332,477 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
1 of 5 | 4 | WMCT | Memphis Publishing Co. | Dec. 11, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
5 | WMC-TV |
| Miami | 38 | Miami- Ft. Lauderdale #17 |
250,537 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 1 of 4 | 4 | WTVJ | Southern Radio & TV Equipment Co. | Mar. 21, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WTVJ |
| New Haven | 39 | Part of Hartford & New Haven #27 |
308,228 | 6 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Omaha- Council Bluffs |
40 | Omaha #76 | 287,269 | 3, 6, 7 | 2 of 3 | 3 | KMA-TV →KMTV |
May Broadcasting Co. | Sept. 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
3 | KMTV |
| 6 | WOW-TV | Radio Station WOW, Inc. | Aug. 29, 1949 | NBC | 6 | WOWT-TV | ||||||
| Worcester | 41 | Part of Boston (Manchester) #5 |
306,194 | 5 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Birmingham | 42 | Birmingham (Ann and Tusc) #40 |
407,851 | 4, 9, 13 | 2 of 3 | 4 | WBRC-TV | Birmingham Broadcasting Co. | July 1, 1949 | NBC | 6 | WBRC |
| 13 | WAFM-TV | Voice of Alabama, Inc. | May 29, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
13 | WVTM-TV | ||||||
| Allentown- Bethlehem- Easton |
43 | Part of Philadelphia #4 | 325,142 | 8* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dayton | 44 | Dayton #56 | 271,513 | 5, 13 | 2 of 2 | 5 | WLWD | Crosley Broadcasting Corp. | Mar. 15, 1949 | NBC | 2 | WDTN |
| 13 | WHIO-TV | Miami Valley Broadcasting Corp. | Feb. 23, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
7 | WHIO-TV | ||||||
| Lowell- Lawrence- Haverhill |
45 | Part of Boston (Manchester) #5 |
334,969 | 6 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Syracuse | 46 | Syracuse #77 | 258,352 | 5, 8, 10 | 2 of 3 | 5 | WSYR-TV | Radio Projects | Feb. 15, 1950 | NBC | 3 | WSTM-TV |
| 8 | WHEN | Meredith Syracuse Television Corp. | Dec. 1, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM |
5 | WTVH | ||||||
| 10 | WAGE | WAGE, Inc. | never signed on | — | — | — | ||||||
| Norfolk- Portsmouth- Newport News |
47 | Norfolk- Portsmth- Newpt Nws #41 |
330,396 | 4, 7, 11, 13 |
1 of 4 | 4 | WTAR-TV | WTAR Radio Corp. | Apr. 1, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
3 | WTKR |
| Richmond | 48 | Richmond- Petersburg #61 |
245,674 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 1 of 4 | 6 | WTVR | Havens & Martin, Inc. | Apr. 22, 1948 | NBC | 6 | WTVR-TV |
| San Diego | 49 | San Diego #26 | 256,268 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 1 of 4 | 8 | KFMB-TV | Jack Gross Broadcasting Co. | May 16, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
8 | KFMB-TV |
| San Antonio | 50 | San Antonio #37 | 319,010 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
2 of 5 | 4 | WOAI-TV | Southland Industries, Inc. | Dec. 11, 1949 | NBC | 4 | WOAI-TV |
| 5 | KEYL | San Antonio Television Co. | Feb. 15, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM |
5 | KENS-TV | ||||||
| Fort Worth | 51 | Part of Dallas- Ft. Worth #7 |
207,677 | 2, 5, 10 | 1 of 3 | 5 | WBAP-TV | Carter Publications, Inc. | Sept. 29, 1948 | ABC NBC | 5 | KXAS-TV |
| Oklahoma City | 52 | Oklahoma City #45 | 221,229 | 2, 4, 5, 9 | 1 of 4 | 4 | WKY-TV | WKY Radiophone Co. | June 6, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | KFOR-TV |
| Bridgeport | 53 | Part of Hartford & New Haven #27 |
216,621 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sacramento | 54 | Sacramnto- Stktn-Modesto #19 |
158,999 | 3, 6, 10 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fall River- New Bedford |
55 | Part of Providence- New Bedford #49 |
272,648 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nashville | — | Nashville #30 | ? | ? | 1 of ? | 4 | WSM-TV | WSM, Inc. | Sept. 30, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WSMV-TV |
| Grand Rapids | 57 | Grand Rapids- Kalmzoo-B.Crk #38 |
209,873 | 6, 9 | 1 of 2 | 7 | WLAV-TV | Leonard A. Versluis | Aug. 15, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
8 | WOOD-TV |
| Salt Lake City | 58 | Salt Lake City #36 | 204,488 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
2 of 4 | 4 | KDYL-TV | Intermountain Broadcasting & TV | July 1, 1948 | NBC | 4 | KTVX |
| 5 | KSL-TV | Radio Service Corp. of Utah | June 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
5 | KSL-TV | ||||||
| Des Moines | 59 | Des Moines- Ames #73 |
193,973 | 2, 5, 9 | 1 of 3 | 4 | WOI-TV | Iowa State College | Feb. 21, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
5 | WOI-TV |
| Trenton | 60 | Part of Philadelphia #4 | 200,128 | 1* | 0 of 1 | 1 | — | Trent Broadcast Corp. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| Tampa- St. Petersburg |
61 | Tampa-St. Pete (Sarasota) #13 |
209,693 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 1 of 4 | 7 | WSEE | Sunshine Television Corp. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| Wilmington DE | 62 | Part of Philadelphia #4 | 188,974 | 7* | 1 of 1 | 7 | WDEL-TV | WDEL, Inc. | June 30, 1949 | DuM NBC | 12 | WHYY-TV |
| Canton | 63 | Part of Cleveland- Akron (Canton) #16 |
200,352 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Flint | 64 | Flint-Saginaw- Bay City #65 |
188,554 | 11 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tulsa | 65 | Tulsa #60 | 188,562 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 1 of 4 | 6 | KOVB →KOTV |
George E. Cameron, Jr. | Oct. 22, 1949 | ABC CBS NBC |
6 | KOTV |
| Jacksonville | 66 | Jacksonville, Brunswick #52 |
195,619 | 2, 4, 6, 8 | 1 of 4 | 2 | WJAX-TV | City of Jacksonville | never signed on | — | — | — |
| 4 | WMBR-TV | Florida Broadcasting Co. | Sept. 14, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | WJXT | ||||||
| 6 | WPDQ | Jacksonville Broadcasting Corp. | never signed on | — | — | — | ||||||
| 8 | WJHP | John H. Perry | never signed on | — | — | — | ||||||
| Davenport- Rock Island- Moline |
67 | Davenport- Rock Island- Moline #94 |
174,995 | 2, 4, 5, 9 | 2 of 4 | 4 | WHBF-TV | Rock Island Broadcasting Co. | July 1, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM |
4 | WHBF-TV |
| 5 | WOC-TV | Central Broadcasting Co. | Oct. 31, 1949 | NBC | 6 | KWQC-TV | ||||||
| Utica-Rome | 68 | Utica #166 | 197,128 | 3, 13 | 1 of 2 | 13 | WKAL-TV →WKTV |
Copper City Broadcasting Corp. | Dec. 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
2 | WKTV |
| Peoria | 69 | Peoria- Bloomington #117 |
162,566 | 3, 6, 12 | 1 of 3 | 6 | WMBD | Peoria Broadcasting Co. | never signed on | — | — | — |
| Harrisburg | 70 | Harrisburg-Lncstr- Leb-York #42 |
173,367 | 8 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Spokane | 71 | Spokane #80 | 141,370 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
0 of 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Duluth-Superior | 72 | Duluth-Superior #136 | 157,098 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reading | 73 | Part of Philadelphia #4 |
175,355 | 5* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tacoma | 74 | Part of Seattle- Tacoma #12 |
156,018 | 4, 9, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Binghamton | 75 | Binghamton #154 | 145,156 | 12 | 1 of 1 | 12 | WNBF-TV | Clark Associates, Inc. | Dec. 1, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
12 | WBNG-TV |
| Chattanooga | 76 | Chattanooga #86 | 193,215 | 3, 6, 10, 12 |
0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Saginaw-Bay City | 77 | Part of Flint-Saginaw- Bay City #65 |
153,388 | 3, 8, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| San Jose | 78 | San Francisco- Oak-San Jose #6 |
129,367 | 13 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fresno | 79 | Fresno-Visalia #58 | 97,504 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Bend | 80 | South Bend- Elkhart #87 |
147,022 | 1* | 1 of 1 | 1 | WSBE | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fort Wayne | 81 | Ft. Wayne #104 | 134,385 | 2, 4, 7, 9 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheeling | 82 | Wheeling- Steubenville #152 |
196,340 | 12 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Atlantic City | 83 | Part of Philadelphia #4 | 100,096 | 8* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Phoenix | 84 | Phoenix (Prescott), AZ #15 |
121,828 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 1 of 4 | 5 | KTLX →KPHO |
Phoenix Television Corp. | Dec. 4, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM |
5 | KPHO-TV |
| Waterbury | 85 | Part of Hartford & New Haven #27 |
144,822 | 12 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wichita | 86 | Wichita- Hutchinson Plus #66 |
127,308 | 2, 4, 5, 9 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Knoxville | 87 | Knoxville #59 | 151,829 | 2, 4, 8, 11 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charleston WV | 88 | Charleston- Huntington #62 |
136,332 | 7, 11, 13 | 1 of 3 | 5 | WSAZ-TV | WSAZ, Inc. | Oct. 14, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
3 | WSAZ-TV |
| Portland ME | 89 | Portland-Auburn #74 | 106,566 | 3, 8 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Beaumont- Port Arthur |
90 | Beaumont- Port Arthur #138 |
138,608 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lancaster | 91 | Part of Harrisburg-Lncstr- Leb-York #42 |
132,027 | 4* | 1 of 1 | 4 | WGAL-TV | WGAL, Inc. | Mar. 18, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
8 | WGAL |
| Huntington- Ashland |
92 | Part of Charleston- Huntington #62 |
170,979 | 5 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Evansville | 93 | Evansville #99 | 141,614 | 2, 11 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lansing | 94 | Lansing #110 | 110,356 | 6 | 1 of 1 | 6 | WJIM-TV | WJIM, Inc. | May 1, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WLNS-TV |
| Erie | 95 | Erie #142 | 134,019 | 12 | 1 of 1 | 12 | WICU | Erie Dispatch, Inc. | Mar. 15, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
12 | WICU-TV |
| Shreveport | 96 | Shreveport #81 | 112,225 | 2, 4, 6, 8 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Racine-Kenosha | 97 | Part of Milwaukee #32 | 135,075 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Little Rock | 98 | Little Rock- Pine Bluff #57 |
126,724 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charlotte | 99 | Charlotte #28 | 112,986 | 3, 9, 11 | 1 of 3 | 3 | WBT-TV →WBTV |
Jefferson Standard Broadcasting | July 15, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
3 | WBTV |
| Johnstown | 100 | Johnstown- Altoona #97 |
151,781 | 13 | 1 of 1 | 13 | WJAC-TV | WJAC, Inc. | Sept. 15, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
6 | WJAC-TV |
| Madison | 101 | Madison #85 | 78,349 | 9 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rockford | 102 | Rockford | 105,259 | 12 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Springfield IL | 103 | Champaign& Sprngfld-Decatur #82 |
89,484 | 8, 10 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Roanoke | 104 | Roanoke- Lynchburg #67 |
110,593 | 5, 9, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| El Paso | 105 | El Paso (Las Cruces) #100 |
115,801 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Austin | 106 | Austin #54 | 106,193 | 8, 10, 12 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sioux City | 107 | Sioux City #143 | 87,791 | 4, 9, 11, 13 |
0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stockton | 108 | Part of Sacramento- Stockton-Modesto #19 |
79,337 | 8 | 1 of 1 | 8 | KGDM | E.F. Peffer | never signed on | — | — | — |
| Lincoln | 109 | Lincoln & Hstngs- Krny Plus #103 |
88,191 | 38637 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton- Middletown |
110 | Part of Cincinnati #33 | 112,686 | 9 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Altoona | 111 | Part of Johnstown- Altoona #97 |
114,094 | 9 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kalamazoo | 112 | Part of Grand Rapids- Kalmzoo-B.Crk #38 |
77,213 | 3 | 1 of 1 | 3 | WKZO-TV | Fetzer Broadcasting Co. | June 1, 1950 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
3 | WWMT |
| York | 113 | Part of Harrisburg-Lncstr- Leb-York #42 |
92,627 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Savannah | 114 | Savannah #98 | 117,970 | 3, 5, 9, 11 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cedar Rapids | 115 | Cedar Rapids- Wtrlo-IWC&Dub #88 |
73,219 | 7, 11 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Terre Haute | 116 | Terre Haute #149 | 83,370 | 4 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Columbia | 117 | Columbia, SC #83 | 89,555 | 2, 4, 8 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Manchester | 118 | Part of Boston (Manchester) #5 |
81,932 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mobile | 119 | Mobile-Pensacola (Ft Walt) #63 |
144,906 | 3, 5, 9, 11 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Waterloo | 120 | Part of Cedar Rapids- Wtrlo-IWC&Dub #88 |
67,050 | 3, 6, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Corpus Christi | 121 | Corpus Christi #129 | 70,677 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Decatur | 122 | Part of Champaign& Sprngfld- Decatur #82 |
65,764 | 2 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Topeka | 123 | Topeka #137 | 77,749 | ? | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Winston-Salem | 124 | Greensboro- H.Point-W.Salem #48 |
109,833 | 6, 8 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Springfield OH | 125 | Part of Dayton #56 | 77,406 | 1* | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Montgomery | 126 | Montgomery- Selma #113 |
93,697 | 6, 10 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charleston, SC | 127 | Charleston, SC #101 | 98,711 | 7, 10, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson | 128 | Jackson, MS #91 | 88,003 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| St. Joseph | 129 | St. Joseph #201 | 86,991 | 13 | 0 of 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greensboro | 130 | Part of Greensboro- H.Point-W.Salem #48 |
73,055 | 2, 10 | 1 of 2 | 2 | WFMY-TV | Greensboro News Co. | Sept. 22, 1949 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
2 | WFMY-TV |
| Galveston | 131 | Part of Houston #11 | 71,677 | 9, 11, 13 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Asheville | 132 | Part of Greenvll-Spart- Ashevll-And #35 |
76,324 | 5, 7, 12 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Columbus, GA | 133 | Columbus, GA #125 | 92,478 | 3, 12 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Springfield, MO | 134 | Springfield, MO #78 | 70,514 | 2, 4, 5, 9 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Augusta GA | 135 | Augusta #115 | 87,809 | 6, 12 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Amarillo | 136 | Amarillo #130 | 53,463 | 2, 4, 5, 7 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Macon | 137 | Macon #119 | 74,830 | 4, 7, 10 | 0 of 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Waco | 138 | Waco-Temple- Bryan #95 |
71,114 | 3, 6, 9, 11 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Durham | 139 | Raleigh-Durham (Fayetvlle) #29 |
69,683 | 4, 7 | 0 of 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pueblo | 140 | Colorado Springs- Pueblo #92 |
62,039 | 3, 6, 8, 10 | 0 of 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Albuquerque | — | Albuquerque- Santa Fe #47 |
~69,631 | — | 1 or 0 | 4 | KOB-TV | Albuquerque Broadcasting Co., Inc. | Nov. 29, 1948 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
4 | KOB-TV |
| Brownsville | — | Harlingen-Wslco- Brnsvl-McA #93 |
~83,202 | — | 1 of 0 | 7 | XELD† | — | Sept. 1951 | ABC CBS DuM NBC |
7 | XHAB-TV |
| Riverside, CA | — | Part of Los Angeles #2 | — | — | — | 1 or 6 |
KARO [7] |
Broadcasting Corporation of America | — | — | — | — |
* These are low-powered "community" channels, while the other channels are intended to serve the metropolitan area. Many of the community channel assignments were on Channel 1, which was eliminated from the spectrum on the day that the freeze went into effect, September 30, 1948. Only two construction permits were ever granted for Channel 1—for KARO in Riverside, California, and WSBE in South Bend, Indiana.
† XELD began broadcasting during the freeze, but it was not licensed in Mexico, not the U.S., although it served a U.S. market with U.S. programming.
[edit] Notes
- Denver, the 26th largest market in the country, had no television stations licensed before the freeze. The first television station in Denver was KFEL-TV which signed on July 21, 1952 on channel 2. This was quickly followed by KBTV which signed on October 12, 1952 on channel 9 as the first post-freeze station in channels 7-13.
- In Portland, Oregon, the 22nd largest market, two stations were granted licensed before the freeze, but neither station ever made it on the air. After the freeze, KPTV signed on September 20, 1952 on channel 27 [8]. It was the first station in the country with a channel in UHF range newly created for television after the freeze. The attempt to create a UHF market in Portland ultimately failed, when KOIN-TV took to the air on October 15, 1953 on channel 6, followed thereafter by other VHF stations. KPTV survives today on channel 12.
- CBS held only one station license before the freeze, that for its flagship station WCBS-TV New York, although it also had a partial ownership interest in KTTV Los Angeles. It thus lacked far behind NBC with the maximum of five licenses (WNBT New York, WNBQ Chicago, KNBH Los Angeles, WNBK Cleveland, and WNBW Washington), DuMont with three licenses (WABD New York, WDTV Pittsburgh, and WTTG Washington), and even ABC with five licenses (WJZ-TV New York, WENR-TV Chicago, KECA-TV Los Angeles, WXYZ-TV Detroit and KGO-TV San Francisco). (DuMont's investor Paramount Pictures and its subsidiary Balaban and Katz had ownership of two other licenses, KTLA Los Angeles and WBKB Chicago, which limited DuMont to only three.) CBS eventually purchased WBKB Chicago in 1953, KWK-TV St. Louis in 1958 and WCAU-TV Philadelphia in 1958. (It also gave up its interest in KTTV when it purchased KTSL Los Angeles in 1951.)
- DuMont's WDTV in Pittsburgh was the only station in that market, the 8th largest in the country. Thus DuMont controlled clearance for the other networks' programs in that market, and this was a major asset which helped keep the DuMont network alive. When DuMont sold the station to Westinghouse in the fall of 1954, it was the beginning of the end for that network.
- St. Louis, the nation's 10th largest market, also had only one station, KSD-TV. This lasted until August 13, 1953, when KTVI began broadcasting on channel 54.
- The last station to begin broadcasting during the freeze was WLTV in Atlanta on October 1, 1951.
