Television: Birth of the Video God in Bangor

Date1991

Can DescriptionsBangor High School student's video term paper including interviews with Richard (Dick) Bronson, George Gonyar and Margo Cobb about beginnings of WLBZ TV and WABI TV. Also includes NHF archival footage (excerpts from BHS/WABI Collection). NHF viewing notes: Heneker baked beans ad. Interview with George Gonyar (WABI TV). Sunday movies were first program sponsored by Freese's Department Store in 1953. First TV program hosted by H.W. Shaw, first announcer. Displayed products from Freese's. Gonyar's father and uncle involved with first test pattern. National ads. New York Times magazine story. Gonyar: describes live ads. Set up product displays around three sides of studio. Strictly local. Sometimes ran 4-5 minutes of commercials between programs. Schedule got behind. Margo Cobb: Started at WLBZ on 12 September 1954 in middle of hurricane Edna. First program was 4 pm dedication program to open TV station. City dignitaries. Margo announced commercials her first time on camera. Philco sponsored program: refrigerator door fell off. Local interviews, sports, wildlife and Eddie Driscoll, children's programs and comedy shows. No idea that there would be a daytime audience. Went on air at 4 pm. Eddie Driscoll, Saturday morning 'King Fun.' Grant's ad. Margo Cobb: Sales person for TV ads. First woman manager in Bangor. Then general manager when there were only six women general managers in the country. Dick Bronson: Bronson Ad Company) Live from old Bangor auditorium. RCA brought crew and two cameras. Their sales team was demonstrating their equiment. Eastern Maine basketball tournaments. Free films from industrial film libraries. S[?] and Company meat processors, 30 minutes to prepare them, 8:30 to 9 pm. 'The Army this Month.' Network programs and kinescopes only. Spliced together with commercials. Shipped off to next station. Finally, microwave link, next to live network programming. Ads: blouses, f[?]. Led to [?] products to top of mountain. Kruger Beer sponsored 6 o'clock news. Announcer had beer on desk.