WKBG/WLVI-TV composite

These are a few video memories of Boston's late, lamented WLVI-TV/Channel 56. The station ended its long run of independence in 2006 when it was acquired by Sunbeam Television and operated as a duopoly with Channel 7. WLVI was then moved from its longtime headquarters on Morrissey Boulevard and merged with Sunbeam's WHDH in Government Center.
Channel 56 signed on the air as WKBG in 1966 under the joint ownership of Kaiser Broadcasting and The Boston Globe newspaper. The call letters were changed to WLVI in 1974.
Excerpts in this sequence:
* WKBG-TV inaugural sign-on, 1966
* 1970s "Creature Double Feature" bumper
* Open from the first half-hour "News at 10" broadcast, 1984
* "Living 56" promo donut, 1985

[@VintageTelevision]

The song is titled "That Happy Feeling" by Bert Kaempfert. It is available on CD. Another version is published on iTunes.

[@VintageTelevision]

1. The music you hear is part of the original broadcast. Incidentally, WKBG-TV often used this tune as background music during their morning test pattern. 2. WKBG was a fresh startup in 1966. 3. I have not seen the complete inaugural broadcast, and do not know whether it has been preserved.

[@wmbrown6]

Was curious as to the music at the start - I remember hearing it on many a beautiful music station in the '70's.

[@jehobden]

I have great memories of watching WKBG/WLVI-TV when I was a kid visiting my grandparents, who all lived N. of Boston. I'd love to see the promo which had kids singing "Here in Boston, the kids' choice is, Channel 56", as well as the bumper that stated "This is Field Communications in Boston". I saw the same Field Communications bumper on WKBS-TV, ch. 48, mentioning Philly instead of Boston, when I visited my aunt & uncle in PA back in 1981.

[@jgc760]

In Los Angeles the Kaiser station was KBSC 52. It struggled as LA already had 4 indies and they were the 5th. They brodcast from 3- midnight with shows like felix the cat, uncle waldo, kimba, speed racer, Three Stooges, Little Rascals and the Addams Family. Travel shows from 8 PM to sign off.

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

I love WKBG-TV channel 56 in Boston, Massachusetts!

[@dukes0916]

I become more nostagic as I get older, and posts like these so take me back to old times. (Not that they were always 'better' times.) But TV back then had a way of making you feel like you were part of a community. Modern TV doesn't even try to do that! Thanks for the post!

[@MSTS1]

I remember the old WKBG-56, and its' sisters: WCAS-740 AM, and WJIB-FM Stereo 97. (at first Kaiser-Globe Broadcasting; I knew them as General-Electric). And KFOG Stereo 104-5. And about WXHR... (before my time...)

[@tomservo56954]

I never realized that tune went all the way back to the beginning of Channel 56. Long into the WLVI years, it was part of the audio accompanying the test pattern before sign-on.

[@NEPatriot]

Talk about classic Boston TV!

[@nanlisa]

I was in Los Angeles when WKBS TV, Channel 48 here in Philadelphia, went off the air back in 1983. In fact, it went off the air on my very first night there. The last broadcast on there I believe was the Penn State-Nebraska football game. Therefore, I missed the final sign-off. Channe 48 went off the air because Field Communications sold all of their the stations, and Channel 48 just couldn't find a new buyer. Sadly, there are no more independent stations in this country today.

[@KidAJonni]

That would be "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" doing the music for Creature Feature

[@antoniod]

I was glued to 56 all afternoon in the late 60s, watching the OUR GANG comedies, SUPERMAN, ASTRO BOY, etc.(When I wasn't watching 38). I remember when Children's host "Bunker Hill" left, to be replaced by Devotion School(Brookline)science teacher Bob Glover. Authors keep insisting "Bunker Hill" died at that time, but he wasn't really an old Man, he only played one. Can somebody clear that up for me?

[@NEPatriot]

In radio there is also something called a donut. Usually a commercial jingle starts it out, then instrumental space for the announcer to read the text and the closing jingle.

[@dgendvil]

I grew up watching Julie Emry in Portland. Jerry Brown also worked for KVVU in Las Vegas, too.

[@wmbrown6]

I've since found out it was indeed a Kaempfert piece - "That Happy Feeling (Eyi Wala Dong)", released in 1962 on Decca single #31388 and on the album "That Happy Feeling" (DL [7]4305). I think it was the same LP that contained the original "Match Game" theme, "A Swingin' Safari."

[@wmbrown6]

Probably . . . however the typeface (of which I am in the dark about its name) used for WLVI's logo (and WFLD's - and WKBS's, KBHK's and WKBD's) is post-1977/78, after Field bought out Kaiser.

[@wmbrown6]

As of 1966, the VT equipment available included the Ampex VR-2000 and RCA TR-22. The TR-70 didn't come out until 1967 (and the TR-70B, until 1969), and I believe the TCR-100 was introduced around 1971. Maybe in later years WKBG/WLVI had some or all of this newer equipment on hand. Or maybe Ampex; I've heard of TV stations simultaneously using equipment from both companies.

[@1L6E6VHF]

Very cool!! Questions: 1) Was "That Happy Feeling" in the original WKBG feature, or was it added to this YT feature later? I heard this song on the radio when I was about 7, and my dad completely surprised me by buying the album a days later - I wore that LP out but listen to another copy I found regularly! 2) Was WKBG built from the ground up, or was it a reactivation of the defunct WATO channel 56? 3) By any chance, is the whole 30 minute documentary saved anywhere?

[@bossradio930]

Channel 52 had a nightly movie feature called "Hollywood Movie Classics" from 8:00pm-10:00pm featuring films from Warner Bros., MGM, etc. at 10:00pm weekends it was "The Lou Gordon Program". Not sure about what they had weeknights at 10:00. 52 would sign on from either 3:30 or 4:00pm until 11:00pm. I loved all the Kaiser logos but would love to see one from channel 52 on the 'net somewhere.

[@KidAJonni]

That would be "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" doing the music the Creature Double Feature

[@bossradio930]

No local station has bothered to air "Kimba: The White Lion" since. Only on channel 52. There's a complete set on DVD of the original 1960s series on Amazon.

[@wmbrown6]

Google for "WKBS final signoff 1983" to find what you're looking for. Alas, from what I could tell, it's only available in audio. Also, type "WKBS" in the search box of this site.

[@wmbrown6]

August of 1983, actually, was when Field pulled the plug on WKBS and then returned its license to the FCC.

[@dylaninpieces2]

Awesome audio clarity.

[@burbank]

I remember this promo as a kid. I liked the jingle! Thanks for posting this! If you have any more, please post.

[@parkman35]

WFLD CH 32 in Chicago was started in '66 and was part of Field Communications who then sold the station to the Kaiser Brothers, who in my opinion darn near ruined everything with their terrible programming choices & policies...FLD is now Chicago's Fox affiliate...Good stuff here..It's neat to see how TV has progressed over the years...

[@aleks1939]

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 destroyed good TV and good Radio. RIP WLVI :(

[@sararushing1990]

LVI is 56 in Roman numerals hence the call letters WLVI.

[@jdrukman]

Wow, this really brings back memories. How do you have this stuff in such good quality?

[@wmbrown6]

Well, for starters, WKBG became WLVI in May of 1974 - after The Boston Globe sold its 50% stake in the station back to Kaiser, which had already owned the other half. (The test pattern seen on the clip designated watch?v=mMoY5fAcd84 evidently was post-'74.) As for the cameras used at the time of the station's start-up in 1966, five'll get ya ten it was likely RCA's TK-60.

[@VintageTelevision]

A promo donut consists of an recurring open and close with a center section that is filled with changeable content. I don't have the I.D. that you mentioned.

[@wmbrown6]

I'd settle for the point in May 1974 whereby WKBG became WLVI ;)

[@StingBorden64]

Hey Vintage Television love this. Can you post the whole song on the 56 intro. My brothers and I remember this song growing up watching 56 in the 60`s. Hope you have the whole song. Thanks for the post. Awesome Job.

[@18tbeout]

does anyone remember in the early 80's just before they went on air, when the off air screen was on, just before the national anthem, they played a song everyday, it was a very goofy live band type of song with funny sound effects. anyone know what that was?

[@frankvogel8607]

Little did they know their true spawn... Creature double feature!

[@jmac5058]

This makes me miss the Bay Area Bombers and Crazy Luke Graham .

[@WLVI56]

I loved the old WKBG/WLVI years! Curse you Google+ and Ansin's SUNBEAM!!

[@agardnahh]

Does anyone know who performed the music for the creature double feature segment? It sounds like Atomic Rooster, but I'm not sure, rockin' stuff!

[@wmbrown6]

P.S. Sounds to me like one of Bert Kaempfert's numbers - am I correct in that assumption?

[@stokepogue]

Using ELP for creature double feature theme?

[@DanConroy78]

Yep. A song called "The Barbarian".

[@VintageTelevision]

What you see is pretty much the extent of it.

[@mdgeist012002]

they where on zion hill in woburn ma the Signal was always poor then they moved to newton.

[@VintageTelevision]

@aleks1939 How very true!

[@VaultMasterDBT]

LVI is part of LiVIng..not lame, but a fact :P

[@CelesteK]

Ooh what the fuck is that starting at 1:19?

[@GSking4Ever]

LoL