Senate Resolution No. 162
BY: Senator GRIFFO
COMMEMORATING the 75th Anniversary of WKTV on
December 1, 2024
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality
and character of life in this great Empire State is indelibly enriched
by the faithful and untiring efforts of those individuals who have
helped shape the history of broadcasting in their area; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 30th Anniversary of WKTV on Sunday, December 1, 2024;
and
WHEREAS, Myron Kallet was in the movie business in the 1930s before
he pivoted to radio, noticing the changes in technology and shifts in
patronage to his movie showings; he applied for and was granted a
license for a radio station in Rome, New York, and WKAL was subsequently
built and put on the air soon after; and
WHEREAS, After Myron Kallet's venture into the world of radio, one
of his friends who worked in the FCC in Washington gave him a call and
invited him to explore the new medium of television; Myron Kallet
submitted the proper application and was granted channel 13; and
WHEREAS, The new television studio, business offices, and broadcast
tower were constructed on top of Smith Hill in Deerfield, overlooking
the City of Utica on the northern ridge of the Mohawk Valley; and
WHEREAS, On December 1, 1949, WKTV went on the air and was the 93rd
television station in the country to sign on; it remains one of the
oldest members of the NBC network; and
WHEREAS, The program schedule began as a jumbled mix of news,
variety shows, and commercials, beginning late in the afternoon and
ending before midnight; most shows were 15 or 30 minutes in duration and
were done live; most of the local on-air personalities were former radio
announcers; the station later participated in hosting early versions of
telethons and then broadcasted useful public service information, such
as local news and weather; and
WHEREAS, WKTV was also host to a variety of unique programs such as
a cooking show, a "HIGH SCHOOL QUIZ" show, and an after-school show
featuring a clown named Bozo; and
WHEREAS, In the mid-1950s, a local radio announcer joined the staff
of announcers at WKTV and quickly gained a following; this new talent
was Dick Clark, world-renowned television and radio personality and
television producer; and
WHEREAS, A decade later, the station's ownership transferred to Paul
Harron of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; under his direction and under the
advice of the FCC, a new broadcast tower was constructed further east,
ultimately moving WKTV to channel 2 from channel 13; and
WHEREAS, Ownership remained the same and the station continued to
prosper through the 1970s and '80s; in the mid-'80s, the FCC came down
with several rulings concerning cross ownership of broadcast, cable, and
print media in the same communities; and
WHEREAS, Harron Communication owned both WKTV and Harron Cable TV in
Utica; it was required that they must divest themselves of one or the
other; in 1992, an agreement was reached between Harron Communications
and Smith Broadcasting of New York, Inc. and for only the third time in
its long history, WKTV's license changed hands; and
WHEREAS, In March of 2014, WKTV and its cable channel sister station
WBU were purchased by Heartland Media; WKTV became the first station in
the newly formed Heartland television group; and
WHEREAS, WKTV has a rich and proud history; that history has been a
catalyst to today's successful performance by the station and the
foundation for the future of television in the Mohawk Valley; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the past 75 years, WKTV has flourished and
broadened its programming, becoming more popular with increasing support
from the community; and
WHEREAS, The success of WKTV is in direct correlation to the efforts
of its members, whose involvement is, and always has been, characterized
by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an
uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the
community; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
those illustrious broadcasters who have diligently and consistently,
year after year, recorded the history of their communities and brought
local news and news of the larger world to their listeners and viewers;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of WKTV; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to WKTV.
