Local Connecticut Commercials Month Kicks Off

I teased this a few days ago on Twitter (@tvobscurities) and now I’m ready to reveal all the details. Today I’m launching a new project called Local Connecticut Commercials Month, which will run through November. Each day I’ll be posting a local television commercial from Connecticut, originally broadcast in 1986.

Why Local?

Until now, with a few exceptions like early television listings from New York City and other parts of the country, nearly everything I’ve covered here at Television Obscurities has been related to network television. That means it has been national in scope. There is so much more to television than the networks. Local television is in many ways far more obscure than network television. Programs aired on one station in one market, seen by tens of thousands of viewers rather than tens of millions? That’s obscure.

I’ve been trying to find a way to discuss local television in a way that will be interesting to those who aren’t locals. At one point I was seriously considering starting a separate blog dedicated to local Connecticut television, but just don’t have the time.

>Why Connecticut?

In order to write about local television, one needs to have access to local television. I happen to have a modest collection of programming recorded off WTXX between 1986 and 1994. WTXX was an independent station in Connecticut from 1982 to 1995 (now affiliated with The CW and called WCCT-TV).

Why Commercials?

I haven’t discussed commercials much, focusing instead on network programming and promotion. Commercials have played an important part in the history of television, even if most viewers are indifferent at best about having to watch them. Local commercials are often overlooked when discussing the role of commercials.

More importantly, because every state has car dealerships, restaurants and concert venues, the types of local commercials from Connecticut I’ll be posting will be recognizable to readers from outside Connecticut or who weren’t in the state in 1986, even if the specific companies aren’t.

So check back in a few minutes and every day this month for a new local commercial from Connecticut.


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