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WSWO-TV
WSWO-TV (channel 26) was a television station in Springfield, Ohio, United States, which operated from 1968 to 1970 and for less than six months in 1972. An independent station for its entire existence, WSWO-TV suffered from financial difficulties throughout its existence, both times failing for that reason.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Southwestern Ohio Television, Inc., a construction permit for a new television station to operate on channel 66 in Springfield on September 15, 1965. The 1965 UHF allocations revision, in Docket 14229, changed the channel from 66 to 26.
WSWO-TV signed on July 14, 1968, at 3 p.m. Channel 26's programming would be primarily syndicated fare as opposed to the movie-heavy lineup on WKTR-TV (channel 16). The station's programming included a local live version of Bozo the Clown (portrayed by announcer Dave Eaton, formerly of WKTR-TV). There were also two daily newscasts.
On January 1, 1970, ABC moved its Dayton affiliation to WKTR-TV. However, in the face of a massive bribery scandal involving the station, the network announced in March that it would rescind WKTR-TV's contract and invited all three Dayton UHF stations—WKTR-TV, previous affiliate WKEF (channel 22), and eventually WSWO-TV—to pitch the network. The network later rescinded its invitation to WKTR-TV. In early May, a federal injunction awarded a 70-percent share of the ABC affiliation back to WKEF, as it had previously held prior to 1970 when WLWD held the remaining 30 percent; the order was then revised two weeks later to give the entire affiliation to WKEF.
Channel 26 held out as its bid for ABC affiliation, along with that of WKEF, remained pending with the network. However, financial problems had emerged by late May, when the station cut its broadcast hours, laid off 17 of its 37 employees, and canceled its movie matinee and Bozo's Big Top programs for lack of commercial support. Southwestern Ohio Television, Inc., advertised an offering of new shares in the company.
On June 16, ABC selected WKEF to be its full affiliate for the Dayton market, giving it first call rights to all ABC shows for the first time in station history. Three days later, on June 19, WSWO-TV went off the air, citing "severely declining revenue" and saying its inability to secure the affiliation was the last straw; an employee was quoted as saying that president Joseph Sheridan instructed the board to close channel 26 as soon as the affiliation went to WKEF. Three weeks later, Southwestern Ohio Television presented a bankruptcy petition.
In 1972, bankruptcy trustee Thomas Taggart sold WSWO-TV for $452,184 to Lester White. White owned a Springfield-based production firm, Mid-American Teleproductions, which had fed sports broadcasts to major networks; Mid-American rented studios and offices from WSWO for its own use. Nearly two years to the day of signing off, WSWO returned to southwest Ohio screens on June 17, 1972. Programming included live wrestling from the studios alongside a heavy diet of local sports programming, as well as a 10 p.m. local newscast, several ABC network shows, and two shows to be hosted by White. The local newscast was noteworthy for being anchored by a Black man, 21-year-old news director Oney Temple, one of the first Black news anchors in the Midwest.
However, it took scarcely over a month for the first cutbacks to begin at the newly relaunched channel 26. In late July, it laid off some staff and moved its afternoon sign-on from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The local newscast was canceled after the August 18 edition, unable to compete with Dayton stations and having lost its news and sports directors. White fired more than half the staff in August, arguing they were not doing the job.
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WSWO-TV
WSWO-TV (channel 26) was a television station in Springfield, Ohio, United States, which operated from 1968 to 1970 and for less than six months in 1972. An independent station for its entire existence, WSWO-TV suffered from financial difficulties throughout its existence, both times failing for that reason.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Southwestern Ohio Television, Inc., a construction permit for a new television station to operate on channel 66 in Springfield on September 15, 1965. The 1965 UHF allocations revision, in Docket 14229, changed the channel from 66 to 26.
WSWO-TV signed on July 14, 1968, at 3 p.m. Channel 26's programming would be primarily syndicated fare as opposed to the movie-heavy lineup on WKTR-TV (channel 16). The station's programming included a local live version of Bozo the Clown (portrayed by announcer Dave Eaton, formerly of WKTR-TV). There were also two daily newscasts.
On January 1, 1970, ABC moved its Dayton affiliation to WKTR-TV. However, in the face of a massive bribery scandal involving the station, the network announced in March that it would rescind WKTR-TV's contract and invited all three Dayton UHF stations—WKTR-TV, previous affiliate WKEF (channel 22), and eventually WSWO-TV—to pitch the network. The network later rescinded its invitation to WKTR-TV. In early May, a federal injunction awarded a 70-percent share of the ABC affiliation back to WKEF, as it had previously held prior to 1970 when WLWD held the remaining 30 percent; the order was then revised two weeks later to give the entire affiliation to WKEF.
Channel 26 held out as its bid for ABC affiliation, along with that of WKEF, remained pending with the network. However, financial problems had emerged by late May, when the station cut its broadcast hours, laid off 17 of its 37 employees, and canceled its movie matinee and Bozo's Big Top programs for lack of commercial support. Southwestern Ohio Television, Inc., advertised an offering of new shares in the company.
On June 16, ABC selected WKEF to be its full affiliate for the Dayton market, giving it first call rights to all ABC shows for the first time in station history. Three days later, on June 19, WSWO-TV went off the air, citing "severely declining revenue" and saying its inability to secure the affiliation was the last straw; an employee was quoted as saying that president Joseph Sheridan instructed the board to close channel 26 as soon as the affiliation went to WKEF. Three weeks later, Southwestern Ohio Television presented a bankruptcy petition.
In 1972, bankruptcy trustee Thomas Taggart sold WSWO-TV for $452,184 to Lester White. White owned a Springfield-based production firm, Mid-American Teleproductions, which had fed sports broadcasts to major networks; Mid-American rented studios and offices from WSWO for its own use. Nearly two years to the day of signing off, WSWO returned to southwest Ohio screens on June 17, 1972. Programming included live wrestling from the studios alongside a heavy diet of local sports programming, as well as a 10 p.m. local newscast, several ABC network shows, and two shows to be hosted by White. The local newscast was noteworthy for being anchored by a Black man, 21-year-old news director Oney Temple, one of the first Black news anchors in the Midwest.
However, it took scarcely over a month for the first cutbacks to begin at the newly relaunched channel 26. In late July, it laid off some staff and moved its afternoon sign-on from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The local newscast was canceled after the August 18 edition, unable to compete with Dayton stations and having lost its news and sports directors. White fired more than half the staff in August, arguing they were not doing the job.