September 16, 1949…ABC’s KECA TV In Los Angeles Signs On

September 16, 1949…ABC’s KECA TV In Los Angeles Signs On

On May 7, 1949, Billboard revealed that ABC would spend $2.5 million to convert the old Vitagraph/Warner East Annex in Hollywood into The Prospect Studios, and construct a transmitter on Mount Wilson in anticipation of the launch of KECA-TV, which went on the air on September 16, 1949. In 1954, the call letters were changed to KABC.

When ABC began television operations on April 19, 1948, it had what CBS, Dumont and NBC did not have…5 major market, Owned and Operated stations. Well, almost…but they did have construction permits from the FCC, and over the next 13 months, they all came to air.

On April 19, 1948, the ABC Television Network began its broadcasts on its first primary affiliate, WFIL-TV in Philadelphia. In August 1948, the network’s flagship owned-and-operated station, WJZ-TV in New York City, began its broadcasts.

WENR-TV in Chicago launched on September 17, 1948, while WXYZ-TV in Detroit went on the air October 9, 1948. KGO-TV in San Francisco went on the air May 5, 1949. Happy Birthday KABC! -Bobby Ellerbee

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