Network TV Shows Arrive in Spokane With Little Delay

Spokane Daily Chronicle

Officials of Spokane’s two television stations came forth with a word today in an effort to correct some impressions about “network” shows.

KHQ-TV, which has TV Channel 6, already is telecasting network shows. KXLY-TV, still working on transmitter equipment on Mount Spokane, expects to be on the air soon.

“Programs carried over KHQ-TV represent some of the best network productions available,” said William A. Neilson, KHQ-TV program director.

Top-rated programs of both the National Broadcasting and American Broadcasting companies are being shown locally, he declared.

“Through newly-developed kinescope recording techniques, Spokane and Inland Empire audiences see the same shows as audiences in New York, Hollywood or other parts of the nation,” he said.

“The kinescope process results in a minimum delay and retains all the quality of the original telecast. The bulk of programs now carried on the two networks are being air expressed to Spokane immediately after their first telecast.

“On the majority of entertainment programs, the delay of a matter of hours in telecasting it to the Spokane area does not affect the timeliness of the show.”

The explanation followed recurrent reports that network shows would not be shown here until necessary telephone company installations reach Spokane.

News Events Speeded

Sports events and news events cannot reach Spokane at the time they occur until the facilities are completed.

“However,” Neilson said, “except in those instances when bad weather delays air express shipments, we expect to be able to show kinescope records of these events within 24 hours of their actual happening.”

He cited an example of the presidential inauguration which takes place in Washington, D.C., on January 20 and is due for telecast here the following day.

At KXLY-TV, W. Norman Hawkins, television manager, said similar circumstances will govern the station’s telecast of Columbia Broadcasting System network shows and of DuMont Network shows for which the station is negotiating.

Wednesday, January 14, 1953