WNBC (TV) signs off for good

As received over the air on 6/26/09, WNBC, New York signs off its analog transmitter on VHF channel 4.
Regular programming had ended 2 weeks earlier, on June 12, but WNBC continued to operate as a "nightlight" station, with continuous showings of the NAB's DTV instructional videos.
At 11 AM on June 26, the nightlight was turned off. This recording is the last minute of analog WNBC(TV), which included a slightly modified (the "-TV" was artistically deleted from the callsign) test pattern from the late 70s, followed by a montage of many of the logos used by NBC over the years. The music under the logo montage was used by NBC Nightly News in the early 80's.

[@MrUnidyne]

We just saw a TV station's life flash before its eyes...

[@travelsonic]

That's deep... seriously, that's a great way of looking at it.

[@soapyproductions]

+travelsonic It seems almost like an era has ended.

[@travelsonic]

Whoever decided to use the 1982-1985 NBC Nightly News theme for this was an evil genius, holy crap it helped hit right in the feels.

[@mikegallant811]

Analog life, anyway.

[@mikejohnson515]

Seventy years.....a human life according to the Bible.

[@DaveMMR]

Something so unsettling about this - almost like an "end of the world" tape they decided to use for the analog shutdown.

[@billbell48]

Exactly what I was thinking. I read somewhere a lot of stations have tapes on file just in case.

[@MrUnidyne]

Bill Bell A tape listed as "TURNER DOOMSDAY TAPE" was found in the CNN archives. It was a brass band in front of Ted Turner's mansion, playing "Nearer My God To Thee". I'm totally serious.

[@billbell48]

I saw that. Someone had posted that NBC and others had similar tapes but they were a little more secure than the CNN one was. It sure makes you wonder what they'd have in mind.

[@yoshiexploshi6892]

Goodnight. Goodbye.

[@TheEmeraldMenOfficial]

MrUnidyne And the band played on. Sorry, had to make a Titanic joke.

[@eagle-eyes777]

This video feels incredibly chilling and bittersweet to me. An analog transmitters life calmly flashes before it's eyes, before giving one final goodbye. The music ties it all together, and it is oddly beautiful. Makes me think of the innocence of my youth and the inevitability of death, but in an accepting way rather than a fearful one.

[@emmarose4234]

It’s like a really adorable Stanley Kubrick movie. 😭

[@VectraQS]

This is beautiful. It sends chills down my spine no matter how many times I watch it. This is hands down the single greatest sign off. Ever.

[@jeshkam]

Fully agreed. Like the best quality LSD trip.

[@alienc]

G O O D B Y E

[@pifatech]

Heartbreaking...

[@jayrogers8255]

You haven’t seen ATV7 in Australia’s analog sign-off then!

[@jayrogers8255]

@@TheOneFreakservo on the KZbin video of it, I like how it fades into static, like the engineers gradually reduced power until it was no more.

[@chrisjt86]

As quickly as it goes from saying "GOODBYE" to when that abyss of static ends the last creative statement to ever come from that analog transmitter... That's how quickly you and I will go from being alive to dead.

[@TheSpark717]

+chrisjt86 deep.

[@musicom67]

+lamsorz . . . +chrisjt86 very deep!

[@capitalcities1996]

Dear god that's deep.

[@BigSCTVfan]

Frightening!

[@cludyy3093]

That’s Deep-

[@rushfari]

I have had insomnia my entire life (I'm 56) and TV at night was always my friend. But up through the 1970's, stations stop broadcasting not too long after midnight. NBC would go dark after Johnny Carson, ABC about the same time and CBS after the late movie around 1:00 a.m. You'd hear the National Anthem and then *poof* all you saw was snow. On weekends our local CBS station (I was in DC) would play Laurel & Hardy movies until 3:00. Things changed around the time SNL came on the air.

[@kittymama9186]

A little earlier than that,Depending on the day of the week and station area.We used to watch late night scary movies in the late 60s and early 70's, Especially on the weekends. Anyone out there remember the wonderfully terrifying voice of the German host of "Plenty scary movies ", And Gaillard Sartain's groundbreaking satire "Mazzeppa's Uncanny camp show and film festival"? It was a huge boon for all of the late night people!

[@johnerwin9024]

ditto, except our ABC local affiliate would play 'All Night Movies'-

[@JustJaidenism]

@Joshua Agaid Sometimes It Would Be The Color Bars, Which Fits Under The Drama And Romance Category.

[@TheProGam3r]

Nowadays it's not a problem because of the existence of smart TV. You could watch KZbin, Netflix (if you have a subscription), and much more.

[@TheProGam3r]

@@JustJaidenism For PAL it also has some shapes.

[@inkwelltigress6178]

NBC definitely nailed the analog to HD transition. We basically see the network's history flash before our very eyes! Kudos, NBC!

[@WildDiamond07]

It would've been twice as great if they also included the other pre-1956 NBC logos (from the xylophone logo to a still of the 1926 NBC logo) before the "Goodbye" screen shows up, with the 1982 NBC news theme repeating itself as the NBC chimes play during the Snake logo, finishing off with an old school type announcer saying "This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company" in the 1926 logo still.

[@leejoe86686]

Actually, Channel 7 Australia literally beated WNBC's analog shutdown transition.

[@WildDiamond07]

I think both of them are as cool.

[@ObjectFiller]

1:02

[@MrUnidyne]

We just saw WNBC's life flash before its eyes.

[@tinaclaxton5818]

WNBC IS HERE TO STAY DIGITALLY

[@travelsonic]

0:27 - 0:42 something about the composition of the Nightly News theme from 1982-1985 or so that is just ... beautiful... hard to describe.

[@HarmonicVector]

travelsonic Maybe it's because of how slow it is, as the world around it fixates its gaze to how Analog dies.

[@joerouse7908]

I liked how the chimes with the snake logo blended in perfectly with it there at the end

[@broganhogan3469]

As a 90's kid, I recall the days of analog TV with fond memories... I remember picking up Fox5 from the WTC antenna, and twisting my "bunny ears" in all sorts of directions trying to watch Seinfeld and Simpsons. This video feels like the ultimate goodbye to those memories, to times when I didn't know the evils of the world and when life was plain and simple.

[@0111pokemon]

Brogan Hogan what year were you born?

[@BenKirb]

@hawkturkey That's called DXing!

[@Firetech2004]

I’m a 2010’s kid but I still remember adjusting the antenna in by bedroom tv so many times to get clear signal. I used to hate analog tv because it would never get a clear picture. I finally upgraded to digital cable tv by 2017. Analog tv still exists in India, mostly used by village people because they don’t have access to digital tv. But unlike analog tv in us, we receive about 90-100 channels and it’s uhf. VHF antenna is used for analog Fm radio, still existing in India. Idk if us has analog radio, but India still has analog fm and am. Old single channel analog tv is long gone in India, but analog cable that gives about 100 channels still exists.

[@JustJaidenism]

@@Firetech2004 Digital Antennas: Am I A Joke To You?

[@Firetech2004]

@@JustJaidenism digital channels do exist in India, but our tvs do not have a digital tuner. Even new tvs in India have analog tuner, because there aren’t many digital tv channels available in India. There are only about 20 digital govt channels, which is very less compared to still existing 200 analog channels. Unlike in us where analog signals got shut down on 2009, analog tv still exists in India. Although they tried many times to digitise, there are many people who still watch tv without set top box, about 40%. My bedroom tv still has analog cable, I only have set top box on my main living room tv

[@richartrod]

A very simple but classy analog shutdown for America's first and oldest commercial TV station. The early 80's "NBC Nightly News" theme song with the teletype was a nice touch. Too bad nobody saw it as the audience moved on to WNBC-DT two weeks earlier. "Goodbye" may be a little creepy, but this is how regular network satellite feeds to affiliates end, with "Goodnight" before the scheduled feed ends and another feed on the same sat channel begins.

[@TheEmeraldMenOfficial]

The last screen, saying “Goodbye” reminds me of the ORACLE teletext system’s shutdown: it started with the outer layer turning back, then over the last fifteen minutes the black moved further and further in until five seconds before midnight, when it was replaced by a small white square in the centre and the words “ORACLE GONE 1978-1993”. They shut it all down at midnight and replaced it with a new system immediately. Incidentally, the last ads were for the British versions of Sonic 2 and Streets of Rage.

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

Wow....

[@mercystreet1]

I was fortunate enough to be on vacation the week the local New York City tv stations made the switch to digital. I saw the NBC analog signoff as it happened. It had me mesmerized as it played, and then when it was over it took a few seconds for me to fully take in what I had witnessed: the end of the only type of tv I had ever known to that point in my life. Sentimental, sad...but in my opinion, a nicely done, heartfelt goodbye. : )

[@theplaylistmaker1846]

Im british and honestly. This. This wins my personal reward for the best analog sign off i've seen so far. Props to you americans for making this absolute beauty ♥︎

[@syxepop]

An image is worth 1000 words, but this is worth A MILLION and not a word was wasted in telling parts of a back then 70 year history (as far as the experimental* predecessor that began a fixed schedule in the 1939 World's Fair). * Did start as an experimental TV station - supposedly 2nd in history worldwide after the predecessor to WRGB in upstate New York - on 1 July 1928, about a year before John Logie Baird did his experimental transmission on what later became BBC One.

[@TMTF2022]

It Says Goodbye

[@chomper1994]

This is the best final sign-off to an analog station I’ve ever seen. Literally goes from 2009 to the 60s one last time before saying goodbye and cutting the signal off. Chilling and beautiful.

[@crazyrabbits]

Classy, eerie and strangely beautiful.

[@siri6049]

*_This is so sad... Saying goodbye to a memorable era..._*

[@dogman15]

Out of all the analog sign-offs I've watched on KZbin so far, this one had the most emotion in it, and the strongest one was sadness. Think about it: Analog TV has gone out FOREVER. It's never coming back. How does that make you feel? On the other hand, I realize that digital is much better, and I fully support it. But you can't help but feel sad for analog. It's like a good friend you've known for decades who just died of old age.

[@ACTD_Official]

you can hack your tv to show analog

[@nasanierulastname2997]

0:21 The last time the transmitter would say its own name. WNBC NEW YORK

[@NathanPlays395]

Nasanieru Lastname *cries*

[@newstarcadefan]

I actually like how TV stations 4 years ago at least tried to make a short mention of their history. all of the Youngstown, Ohio stations went cold. As for the Trapezoid N for the NBC logo...that's an interesting history as Nebraska's public broadcasting system raised a stink about it. Though, RCA (then owners) decided to settle it and was able to keep it.

[@florencechestnut2270]

this has a surreal feeling to this.

[@florencechestnut2270]

like the end of it all.

[@crazycoollady]

For some reason, watching this makes me cry.

[@MediaArchive53]

me too.

[@WWMT_AERO]

@@MediaArchive53 me three

[@Glenn1967ful]

In England analog television ended finally in 2012 when London became the last place to move from the old four channel world. Currently everyone in England receives 18-60 channels on Freeview, 200 if you have a satellite subscription. I've had digital for 8 years, my town was the first in the country to abandon analog.

[@Whtxombi]

For those of us who cant afford cable, the conversion is a great deal. For just the price of one converter box, my number of stations multiplied by a factor of ten. Not only that but the quality is better than cable and it never cuts off plus no monthly fees. Honestly, I really like it.

[@TNTMusic5757]

Analog TV was more reliable, in hindsight of Rural areas.

[@POKEMANZZ3]

What a nice way though for nbc to say good bye showing off all the logos they used to use back in the analog days

[@KuroKegawa]

For those curious, the logos go from 2010 to 1956. In order, 1986-2010, 1979-1986, 1975-1979, 1956-1975, then 1958-1975. I'm not too sure about the weird jump from 1975 to 1958, but it just fits.

[@onyx8231]

This reminds me of my favorite radio station signing off during my high school years. I recorded it and literally cried for hours when it happened. It became something that we already had 4 of. A Top 40 pop music station called Mix 96.1.

[@syxepop]

Was that the one in San Antonio, TX? That one is now called 96.1 Now. And since it is now an IHeart (corporation I rather call No❤) station is one of many boring Top stations they one, all being in reality "one and the same"

[@onyx8231]

@@syxepop It WAS in San Antonio TX. It's weird how you know that!

[@syxepop]

@@onyx8231 - surprising what you get when "Google is your friend". I hate when companies like No❤, Rain 🌧Cloud (Cumulus) and Cowardly (Audacy) buy a bunch of local radio stations to make "cookie cutter versions" of what they have elsewhere (look for their apps and judge for yourself). That's why most of the music I listen is either on YT, Tune In (mostly finding stations from outside the US) or curated from AccuRadio. My groove is '80s Pop Music, but I do respect other genres except the urban ones (DOWN WITH REGGAETON!).

[@njaneardude]

I'm just repulsed by another 96.1 ruining someone's teen years 😂

[@syxepop]

@@njaneardude - it happens when National Broadcasters buy local stations and make COOKIE CUTTER STATIONS in your neighborhood.

[@gregbyrne6895]

We just watched history

[@dr_weil]

History in a minute

[@gunnertheshepherdvevo356]

Man,I wish analog and digital TV were both together,not one shoved the other out of its place.People grew up on that,it was their childhood,it's really sad too.My childhood was watching Back At the barnyard and Spingebill,on a big 40 inch Sony CRT TV,it was Goliath,as my family liked to call it.

[@sillygoose635]

Percy Lou You mean spongebob, not spingebill

[@Mariofan121]

I think he's referring to a KZbin Poop.

[@sillygoose635]

@@Mariofan121 Yeah, i know.

[@freedamerican5243]

I remember having a bulky TV in my bedroom until I was 7 in 2011. I agree with you man, I wish we could have merged them together somehow

[@conroads2626]

You watched a YTP on an analog tv? Spingebill was made after the shutdown.

[@SimonVideo]

This is crazy seeing (basically) the very last analog TV signal ever broadcasted.

[@syxepop]

By that station (almost 70 years of fixed schedules at that time), yes, but low-powered stations elsewhere in US kept going until the last one was turned off in very early 2023, about 13.5 years after this sign off.

[@Zach_npc3493]

There is a theory that the last full-power station to cut their signal was the CBS station in NYC on july 13th

[@Zawmbbeh]

R.I.P WNBT TV/WNBC TV 1933-2009

[@stevevasta]

Don't forget that brief period -- a few years ending, I think, in 1960 -- when it was "WRCA-TV."

[@jayrogers8255]

Steve Vasta also W2XBS, the original callsign!

[@germ3137]

The channel still exists but only in DTV

[@syxepop]

You can use several dates for NBC New York's start... 1 July 1928 - start as an experimental station (W2XBS) 30 April 1939 - opening of the New York World Fair and start of fixed schedules 1 July 1941 - first broadcast at 130pm EST as a licensed commercial station You can use any of the dates as start rather than the 1926 of the NBC Red Radio Network as start for the TV operations.

[@chrisc1553]

so sad after the transmitter was shut down I bet everything was scrapped

[@xmttrman]

If Ch 4 had a RCA G-Line Transmitter, there was nothing there worth saving. My G-Line was sent to the scrap hauler the next week so I could get a second DTV rig ready for standby service.

[@DilanCommunications]

I'm glad NBC still remembers their history.

[@TheSaneHatter]

It might have been a little better to write, "Goodbye, New York," and even tack on a "Thank you," like the WB did. I realize that not many were watching, but it still seems a bit . . . curt.

[@noahevanbiason]

The goodbye at the end is so chilling.

[@riley1049]

0:34 NBC Nightly News, with Tom Brokaw in New York, Roger Mudd in Washington, and commentary by John Chancellor.

[@abbycollins]

This was the only memorable sign off of analog TV in the US. Wish that we did analog sign offs like Ceefax and BBC NI did. The BBC analog sign off (specifically the main channel) informed the public about the switch, told a brief history of analog TV, and explained why the switch had to take place, before saying goodbye to viewers. I'll leave a link here for the sign off if anyone is interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKayfJ6hf5uIeK8

[@syxepop]

Actually there's ANOTHER ANALOGUE SENDOFF that was worthy of mention, the one for KDKA (CBS ch. 3) of Pittsburgh, PA. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZirY5eQZdFgeLs&ab_channel=MichaelHanley This one was both an analogue send off (with what the station used for their signoffs in the 1960's) and a story of the historic images from the station going backwards, ending with their WDTV (ch. 2) DuMont Network 1946-55 era. This was a CLASS ACT in all senses.

[@abbycollins]

@@syxepop I saw that as well. It was classy as it can be

[@jordandavis4615]

Dun, Dun, Dun. NBC Analog TV will be missed.

[@gidzmobug2323]

Jordan Davis If that was an analog signoff, than this video is mislabeled. WNBC still exists; it just that it now has a digital signal.

[@nikkcade4481]

Katheryne Koelker Digital channels dont sign off like analog. so in technicality, it really is the final regular sign off of WNBC. Any other kind of sign-off would be due to the studio catching fire or something.

[@Moviesxp]

You will if you don't live in New York, so WNBC still exists, but with a digital signal.

[@catslegacy11]

It meant to say “WNBC (ATV) signs off for good” because it is a Analog sign off and not a Digital, Digital TV can be written as DTV, so Analog TV can be written as ATV. Either way it’s still sad

[@Gamerappa]

@Josiah Sanders you do realize that these are not actual television stations

[@efan2011]

This is in my opinion the best Nationwide Along Signoff. Even if it is good it is really sad to watch, I agree with what CrazedComposure said 100%. This really was the end of an era. My local stations waited until the final day to make the switch over, and they handled it well. WGHP and WFMY's are actually on You Tube. The other stations did either crappy ones or not one at all.

[@Beechcraft-vz6qn]

0:26: NBC Nightly News intro from 1980's 0:31: NBC Old Logos 0:57: Final Word before Static Appears 1:02: Static

[@littlemartincito]

Thank you for capturing and sharing this. It seems that something incredibly significant took place without an ounce of notice. I feel a pang as I watch and wish I could explain it.

[@JHollowayNetwork]

WNBC-TV 1976 testcard.

[@geo386]

One of the most eerie videos I have watched.

[@musickeys8]

Interesting final sign off of WNBC analog, didn't see this one, glad you have it here

[@HarmonicVector]

And so, WNBC-TV fades into history, venturing into the night. Never to return.

[@basilchapmanlft]

The NBC Chimes at the end hit way harder then it used too.

[@spxmet]

Of all the analog signoffs I've seen here, this is certainly the most dramatic, and the most respectful. What would you expect out of NBC's flagship station? It's just a shame the NBC has become a victim of a series of bad decisions and was put in the place it is in today. But NBC is coming back! There was a lot of men and women who worked their' asses off in the 1910s-1940s so that the U.S. could be the first country on television, and their work won't be for naught!

[@alyssamurray6306]

Thumbs up if this video made you cry.

[@daawsumericson4082]

Alyssa Murray so sad

[@minihoot]

This is. The best. Final sign off. I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!

[@richartrod]

When WNBC radio signed off in 1988, WNBC-TV legally dropped its TV suffix but kept using it in on-air promos until 1992. History repeated itself in June when the analog TV signal finally said "goodbye". WNBC-DT legally dropped the DT suffix (but still used in on-air promos) as plain ol' WNBC migrated from radio to analog TV to digital TV. The suffixes are for multiple stations with the same letters, like WCBS-AM (889), FM (101.1), HD (digital radio) and DT (channel 2).

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

Thanks for the memories.

[@NikkiBrown75official]

Wven tho it looked so great

[@ApartmentKing66]

...and all the transmitter's meter needles fall to the left, never to awaken again...

[@Vin917]

*Why is this so scary yet also beautiful?*

[@ObjectPresents]

In Vietnam, our analog ended in December 29th, 2020. However, no station did the end have like this, they just straight up shut down without anything (although we have a warning during programs). But it is actually good for me. The reasons is because little amounts of people don't use digital. Government propagates the people, and poor people got free converter box. So, there's no need for stop the programming then do something like US nightlight station did. (Plus, no memories idents or anything played either) For VTV, since the station is nationwide (plus analog end in 4 stage) that means this station can't be like US nightlight ends. Local TV (not broadcast in 24/24) do have memories ends too, but that's because it is almost the same how it ends when it's 1990s/2000s and the analog feed (almost) look the same of digital feed, only difference is how it broadcast. That's why. But even though they don't add any memories, they are still miss it and even post about it. If you want to see how analog end on Vietnam look like, here is the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKSkYZ1rd5pneKc

[@Vitor-gi5xo]

This has such a weird feeling It's like being forgotten

[@Josephdapro08]

I was only 2 months old when this Happened! Almost 11 years ago, old times....

[@MarkShannonroad_videos]

Actually it was Nebraska Educational Television that was using that "N" logo. NBC gave them a boatload of money and several satellite trucks to settle a lawsuit.

[@jxnisnotfunny]

Mark's Journey - Oh. I honestly didn't know that. You see, I don't live in Nebraska.

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

I remember when on January 1,1976, just before the National Broadcasting Company was about to celebrate its 50th anniveraary, the Peacock Network announced it was retiring its two iconic logos-the original living color peacock, and the NBC "snake". Both were from the 1950s. The new logo was the "Nebraska N"; it was the motif of the Nebraska Educational Network. They were about to sue NBC for stealing, but the network ponied up money and several satellite trucks to give to NEN to avoid a lawsuit.

[@meajur]

The "N" on the testcard was the NBC logo between '76 to '79, so I'd say that's probably a late 70s testcard.

[@AliDincgor]

it's like a life flashing before one's eyes, and then, goodbye.

[@njaneardude]

Gone but not forgotten.

[@mjb784533]

I had been recording on 6/12, but only got the transition to the nightlight status, and had been checking back once in a while to see if they were still there. Great to know that someone DID get the ultimate sign off and to know that someone at WNBC cared enough to do this. How did you know this was coming? Most of the sign offs were rather crass and potentially illegal since they are required to sign off with a legal ID on either audio or video, and most I saw did neither.

[@pyuku_notmuku]

Happy 15th anniversary to this random video that appeared on my recommendations.

[@ronlevine8873]

That station started life as W2XBS in 1939, the first regularly scheduled television station. .It became WNBT, one of the charter stations that started commercial television broadcasting in 1941. It changed to WRCA in 1954 and then to WNBC in 1960.

[@JT2095]

i hope the australian tv stations do something like this when we turn our analog signals off in 2013, but the word goodbye is bloody creepy, i'd hate to be sleeping, then wake up and see "GOODBYE" before the TV signal dies

[@kirilvelinov7774]

This logo looks amazing!

[@richartrod]

To correct some typos in my post, WCBS-AM is 880 on the dial, and channel 2's suffix is WCBS-TV. But I live in L.A., so what do I know (LOL)... :)

[@johnerwin9024]

remembering the teletype sounds and NBCs 3-tone signature 👍

[@Vee_H.]

Out of all the analog shutdowns, this is the best one.

[@cellytron]

Watching this again today was a big mistake lol. I have things I need to do and instead I’m sobbing in the bathroom 😭

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

RIP,WNBT-WRCA-WNBC Analog TV,1941-2009.

[@PowerAnimationsPACStayAnimated]

No, its 1998 to 2009

[@syxepop]

You didn't start with any of the 2 experimental licenses: W2XB (1928) and W2XBS (1928-1941)

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

@@syxepop Fact of interest-When W2XBS became WNBT in 1941, the callsign stood for "NBC Television". When WRCA-TV became WNBC-TV in 1960, the station renamed the callsign from an NBC station from New Britain, Connecticut, which was also WNBC. (which stood for the name of the town, not the National Broadcasting Company.)

[@richartrod]

That's correct; I just checked the FCC's TV query database on the 1992 call sign change. WNBC-TV dropped the suffix officially on June 1, 1992.

[@DVSyoutube]

NBC Nightly News Theme from 1980s

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

From the Tom Brokaw-Roger Mudd era, 1982-85.

[@parzivalthewanderer9687]

Ugh, why do I want to cry now! This was so sad and deep.

[@SammyRenard]

y'know, the nbc snake logo was pretty smoothly animated. I wonder if it was made by computer (I doubt, but I still wonder) or if it were made by hand.

[@AbsoluteDigitalPictures]

When I first saw this as a kid I thought the entire station had signed off for good but then I realized it was just the analog signal 😂

[@tvnetdude]

Now the FCC wants to take all of the TV stations off-the-air and sell the spectrum to wireless providers. Like the term "wireless" is new. It was used by Marconi.

[@OFFICIALSPEEB]

FCC: We're logical, we're a department of the US Gov't lmao Also FCC: fuck tv phones are superior

[@windowsme2327]

@@OFFICIALSPEEB TV channels:You what M8 We're better than phones

[@selections199]

It’s not already an goodbye, it’s just a “see you later.”

[@LuigiGodzillaGirl]

I wish I could have seen my local station sign-offs, but I was still mad with the converter boxes. We have an SDTV with a digital receiver built-in, so I could see how our other TVs would look after hooking them up, and I wasn't happy. You watch a widescreen channel airing a full screen program, you get both the letter box AND sidebars! The monitor isn't all that big to begin with, so what I saw was a waste of precious screen, and I don't think those TVs have any zoom in, like newer TVs do.

[@joeorsini6110]

At the end of the montage, there's the NBC Snake ident.

[@Valzentia]

"I can't believe he didn't cry during Titanic! Do boys even have feelings?" Boys:

[@bikebeerrun1960]

Even though It's now digital,I still like to watch on my old CRT set !

[@rachelfensom3096]

What year did it sign off?

[@tracyharper8724]

Why is WNBC Gone off air and what year did this happen

[@RustyMuck]

@SailorCallie Not to mention that NBC News theme was also the final one the old NBC Radio newscasts used, from 1981 until eventual owner Westwood One killed off the original service in 2003.

[@whitelion7976]

I miss analog tv too. My late aunt had a box with a dial next to the tv that you would turn and a motor on the roof would turn the antenna. This was to receive a German station which would never be fully clear always snowy but was for watching schlagerparade and naughty movies on ZDF 2 this was in Belgium BTW

[@RolloSmokes]

AM radio stations don't use a suffix officially. We use it to differentiate them from other stations using the same call sign. It has more to do with the heritage of the AM band more than anything else. So, officially, it's WCBS [(AM) or (Radio)] , WCBS-FM, and WCBS-TV in New York.

[@gidzmobug2323]

That was just for the analog signal, I thought.

[@mmbproductionsMHS]

Yes, wnbc and many other stations in the us switched to digital, but on DirecTV they are on there. Is it because DirecTV is a digital cable service?

[@syxepop]

MMB PRODUCTIONS - the only way in which DirecTV (or Dish) is similar to cable is that a cable connects from "the box" to the TV. Broadcast, like satellite systems, bring signals through the air, although most antennas used are quite different from a dish and not necessarily need "a box" to decode. Cable TV brings the signal home from a huge satellite dish and distributes via cables (copper or fiber optic) home. Satellite systems makes you hang a smaller dish on your roof / wall and gets home that way (the last feet / meters are through a cable to "the box".

[@KerryManderbach]

Goodbye, W2XBS....

[@jadsi]

So long...

[@tsntana]

@KyleFN New York's NBC station (Ch.4). NBC started there. It's the oldest TV station around.

[@arizona_nice]

NOOOO MY FAVORITE TV NETWORK

[@heckarockstick802]

This feels like a fever dream

[@CrazedComposure]

Was that the equivalent of NBC's life flashing before its eyes?

[@tsntana]

@KyleFN This was during the switchover. I guess their way of saying "we've come a long way". Other stations used the national anthem (ala Poltergeist) since that was the way the stations signed off before they started airing 24/7.

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

Back when?

[@TheFI4X]

What a great way to move from analog to digital 😭

[@baronbrrrrett]

This would scare me if this played in the middle of the night. It truly looks like something that would be played at the end of the world.

[@biosphere-aka-lil-v-cast]

there's something weirdly beautiful about this

[@RedStickHam]

That was interesting. I understand the DTV sentiment here. I have 2 TVs not on cable and they could get all the networks before DTV with rabbit ears and now it's a struggle to get reception on them because you either get it or you don't, there's no in between. In many areas, you almost have to have cable/satellite now to get TV now. Makes me wonder if DTV was such a good idea.

[@johnnyd63]

@BrokenHedgehog I agree...That goodbye at the end was like bidding farewell to a relationship.

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

Heheh, OK. :-) Oh, and did you see my other 2 parts of that response (cont. 1 and cont. 2)?