WTOP-TV 1972 Fall Presentation

From 1972, an election year, it's The People's Choice, WTOP-TV in Washington DC. Dan Rather opens the film, Max Robinson and Gordon Peterson preview the new shows coming this fall on Channel 9. There's lots of pre-PBS British shows, and the great sci-fi show UFO set in the far away future of 1980! Also an early look at some of the Eyewitness News reporters.

[@formerx]

This is fantastic! I returned to my youth as the news open played. My dad loved Warner Wolf's sports reporting.

[@michaelgitlin5834]

formerx

[@florencechestnut2270]

Thanks for uploading these great classic promos. I believed that is mr.warner wolf who used to be on wcbs-tv who did the sports there.

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

2019 is Channel 9's seventieth anniversary on the air.

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

That's Channel 9 still using "The Big News" set before it was being retooled.

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

Channel Nine's different call signs: WOIC (1949-50) WTOP-TV (1950-78) WDVM-TV (1978-86) W*USA (since 1986)

[@newstarcadefan]

Amazingly the WDVM calls returned to the DC area through former NBC affliate WHAG (Nextar changed the calls once they changed their focus).

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

One more fact-When Channel 9 started in 1949, the station was going have another network affiliate in addition to the CBS network. There was talk of the Mutual Broadcasting System forming a television net and scheduling programs on Nine when CBS was unable to show programs,but Mutual decided to stick to radio and scrapped the plans for television. Mutual finally perished in 1986.

[@quayzar1]

I was a little surprised to see Dr Who listed in the new programs part. I thought Dr Who was first shown in the US in the late 70s on PBS with Tom Baker but Jon Pertwee episodes were apparently offered in syndication in 1972 where it flopped.

[@darinwilkerson4124]

WTOP-TV programming in 1972 including The carol Burnett show and The Walton's.

[@ScoopNemeth]

Warner Wolf before Glenn Brenner - both hilarious sportscasters in the nation's capital

[@gregsells8549]

2:28 Dallas and Washington at the Cotton Bowl

[@facebook51ify]

Wtop is now wdvm and now wusa9 .