Local TV

[Lightning Rod]

I ran across this chronicle of the history of WFAA TV in Dallas. My father was once manager of the station. I grew up in the place. TV stations are much like circuses. Everybody is always working on their act. My father (Ben January) was the star of a local kids show. I knew most of the people mentioned below. I had forgotten about some. Local TV is a wonderful thing. I grew up at Channel 8 and now I'm at Studio 8. Go figure.

WFAA, Dallas. Call letters established 3/21/1950, although Belo's operation of the station began 3/17/1950. Call letters stand for "Working For All Alike" and "World's Finest Air Attraction." Owner: Belo Broadcasting (who had originally applied for Channel 12, but 12 was reassigned to Waco.) Sister station to the Dallas Morning News, WFAA-AM, WFAA-FM/KZEW-FM. Network affiliations: Dumont (1950-1951,) NBC/ABC (1951- 9/1/1957; shared with WBAP-TV as was the affiliation for WBAP-AM and WFAA-AM,) ABC (9/1/1957-present; Belo tried to wrangle solo NBC affiliation first, but it was awarded to WBAP-TV; WFAA ended up with ABC instead.) First station in US to broadcast a digital signal on a VHF channel (2/27/1997,) first in US to broadcast a newscast in HD (2/28/1997,) first in market to regularly broadcast a newscast in HD (2/2/2007,) one of the first US stations to convert to videotape (1970s,) first station in DFW to use a video tape recorder (1958.) News nicknames: "News 8...The Scene Tonight (the sights and sounds of today,") "Hamm's Beer Evening/Final Edition," "The Spirit of Texas," "News 8...On the Move," "Your Color Station for News." (8 was also known for its trademark announcement before the 10PM news in the 1960s and 1970s: "It's 10 o'clock. Do you know where your children are?") Nicknames: “The Spirit of Texas,” “Channel 8 Pride.”

Local programs: "La Vida," "8 Country Reporter" (hosted by Bob Phillips; moved from KDFW in 1986,) "People," "Que Pasa?", "Sump'n Else" (9/7/1965-3/1968; hosted by Ralph "Ron" Chapman; originally a 45-minute afternoon show; later expanded to an hour,) "Issues and Answers," "Teen Time," "Sports Figures," "Face to Face" (hosted by Murphy Martin,) "Ask the Manager" (1961)/"Let Me Speak to the Manager"(1961-1/75)/"Inside Television"(1/75-1979) (hosted by Belo VP Myron "Mike" Shapiro; assisted by Jim Pratt and later Casey Cohlmia,) "Dallas Bandstand" (hosted by Jerry Haynes,) "Computer Corner," "Mr. Peppermint" (3/6/1961-1970; returned in 1975 as "Peppermint Place" at WFAA, then KERA-13; to syndication in 1989; final episode aired on WFAA 7/5/1996; hosted by Jerry Haynes with Vern Dailey,) "Junior Auction" (hosted by Bob White; sponsored by Neuhoff and Foremost,) "Time for Magic" (hosted by Mark Wilson and assisted by his wife Nani Darnell; began 1954; moved later to KRLD-TV and to NBC,) "News 8 Etc." (hosted by Suzie Humphreys, Don Harris, Gene Thomas, and later John Criswell, Jerry Park and Rosser McDonald,) "PM Magazine" (1980-86; co-hosted by Leeza Gibbons [1980-83,] and at various times by Candy Hasey, Bill Ratliff, David Sparks and Stan Miller,) "The Bob Stanford Show" (featuring "Agnes" and "Easy,") "The Julie Benell Show" (co-hosted by Jerry Haynes, then Ed Hogan,) "Away We Go," "Group and Harrigan"/"Group and Chapman" ("Away" and "Group" were hosted by Ralph "Ron" Chapman,) "Dollar Derby," "Al's Pals" (later renamed "Frontier Playhouse," featuring 'Horriss the Horse;' hosted by Ben January,) "Dialing for Dollars" (live program to introduce the morning and afternoon movies; first hosted by Ed Hogan, then Ross Cass, Bob Bruton and Don Norman,) "GED-Operation Lift," "Country Day Break," "Michael Brown's People," "6:30 on 8" (hosted by Scott Sams,) "Black Forum" (hosted by Ken Smith,) “Young America Speaks” (college debating show; Sarah T. Hughes was a regular judge,) “Anything Goes” (hosted by Ed Hogan,) “Science of the Mind,” “Ninja Box Office,” "Gunnysack," "The Frito Kid" (featuring Ben January as 'Alvarado;' also included character 'Snakepit Sam,') “Weekend Journal,” "Guestbook," "Haynes Almanac" ("Guestbook" and "Almanac" were hosted by Jerry Haynes,) "Good Morning Texas" (began 9/1994; hosted at various times by Scott Sams, Todd Whitthorne, Debra Duncan, Debbie Denmon, Brenda Teele, Gary Cogill, Janette Smith and Michael Rey, with KVIL's Valier Smith as fill-in,) "Webster Webfoot" (1949-9/1952; hosted by "Uncle" Jimmy Weldon,) "Daybreak." Features: "Wednesday's Child," "Contact 8."

Some names you might recognize are Leeza Gibbons and Ed Harris (who was the ABC correspondent killed in the Jonestown Massacre), Mark Wilson, who had a nationally broadcast Saturday morning magic show--The Magic Land of Alacazam, and of course Jerry Haynes (Mr. Peppermint and the father of Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers)