Here’s the schedule for station WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the week starting Sunday, February 22nd, 1948, straight from the weekly television listings printed in The Milwaukee Journal [1].
Unfortunately, I don’t have access to television listings for the previous five weeks (Sunday, January 18th through Sunday, February 15th). The most recent schedule I posted was for the week of Sunday, January 11th. Were any unusual programs broadcast during those missing five weeks? I doubt it.
As always, the station was off the air on Mondays and Tuesdays. This week, a new half-hour program, The Sportsman, debuted on Sunday, February 22nd. Bob Heiss hosted the show, which featured both interviews and demonstrations. His guests for the premiere were Dick and Tom Theland, Milwaukee Golden Gloves champions, and their coach, George Stupar [2].
Missing from the schedule was Schuster’s Open House with Carla Van Eweyk, which was the very first commercial program to air on WTJM-TV when it officially began broadcasting on Wednesday, December 3rd, 1947. I can’t say exactly when the show last aired due to the aforementioned missing weeks. An advertisement published in The Milwaukee Journal on February 22nd focused on WTMJ-TV and its programming, including questions from viewers [3]. One of these questions asked why the station aired so many sporting events. The answer? Based on viewer feedback (cards and letters) the majority of viewers actually wanted more sporting programs.
Another question asked about seeing the Grenadiers (members of the WTMJ orchestra) on television. The response stated that the American Federation of Musicians did not permit its members to appear on television, meaning WTMJ-TV would not be presenting any live bands in near future [4]. The ban, instituted by James Petrillo, began in February of 1945. Ironically, it was lifted only weeks after this question was published.
Sunday, February 22nd, 1948
8:00PM – Choral Concert: Milwaukee Urban League Male chorus.
8:15PM – Newsreel.
8:30PM – The Sportsman: Bob Heiss.
8:45PM – How to Do It.
9:00PM – Sunday Theater.Wednesday, February 25th, 1948
2:00PM – Dedication of new Journal press.
2:15PM – Meet Your Neighbors.
2:30PM – News.
2:40PM – Travel Film: Cambridge.
3:00PM – Surprise Package, film.
3:15PM – Movie Matinee.
7:45PM – News and Views.
7:55PM – Film: Jack Kilty.
8:00PM – Film program.
8:15PM – Shrine Circus, from Milwaukee Auditorium.Thursday, February 26th, 1948
2:00PM – Meet Your Neighbor.
2:30PM – News.
2:40PM – Newsreel.
2:50PM – Film program.
3:15PM – MOvie Matinee: Man, One Family.
7:45PM – News and Views.
7:55PM – Musical Film: Our Waltz.
8:00PM – Armchair Travels: Flight to the Sun.
8:20PM – NBC Newsreel.
8:30PM – Wrestling from South Side Armory.Friday, February 27th, 1948
2:00PM – Meet Your Neighbor.
2:30PM – Let’s Look at the News.
2:40PM – Film: Redwood Saga.
3:00PM – Surprise Package.
3:15PM – Movie Matinee.
7:45PM – News and Views.
7:55PM – Basketball, Shorewood regional tournament, two games.Saturday, February 28th, 1948
2:30PM – News.
2:45PM – Your Attention, Please.
3:00PM – Teen Canteen.
3:30PM – Western Movie, Lucky Boots.
7:45PM – News and Views.
7:55PM – Sports Thrills.
8:00PM – Basketball: Detroit vs. Marquette at Marquette gym.
Works Cited:
Another reason there were so many sporting events on WTMJ (and virtually every local TV station at that time) was because it was also cheaper to produce; all you had to do was to focus a camera or two in a stadium, gymnasium or armory, turn it on, and let the event unfold. As I’ve stated before, other than live sports, variety, cooking, and news/interview/demonstration programs, hardly any filmed programs were available. NO syndicated series or recent Hollywood feature films were being offered, although this would change with the early efforts of Jerry Fairbanks (“PUBLIC PROSECUTOR”) and Frederick W. Ziv, later that year.
Petrillo would not allow AFM musicians to perform live on TV until he figured out what the new medium had to offer (in terms of financial returns- as he proclaimed, “We want to find out where TV’s goin’!”). His union finally struck a deal with local and network stations in April 1948 [even while Petrillo had pulled “his boys” out of the recording studios because of another showdown with the major record companies over royalties he felt they deserved- THAT dragged on, until early ’49].