Cable television

Home Box Office (HBO) is the first television broadcaster in the United States to be designed from the outset for cable systems and its oldest and longest-running pay television service.

Launched on November 8, 1972, HBO has been a trailblazer in pay TV, but also cable TV overall.

Some HBO innovations include the first national satellite delivery for a cable TV service, sparking the cable revolution.

For HBO, its success and popularity are built on its strategy: airing films, original series and sports.

SuperStation WTBS is the national version of the local WTBS signal, but also a trailblazer in the cable television industry, like its future sister service HBO.

One of the notable innovations for SuperStation WTBS is the first national satellite delivery for a local independent television station, sparking the basic cable revolution, like HBO as a whole.

MTV: Music Television is the first television channel in the world to present music videos around the clock.

The MTV style is a visual form that emerged during the music video boom.

A cinematic style which features fast-paced, non-linear editing, dynamic camera angles and a visually slick, flashy and glossy look, the MTV style is also used in films, television and commercials.

Having started its operations in 1981, MTV has had a significant impact in popular culture around the world, influencing music, fashion and youth trends.

Cable News Network (CNN) is the first television network in the world to offer live and uninterrupted news coverage around the clock, also one of the world's major news providers.

The CNN effect is a theory of television news.

For the CNN effect, television networks, utilizing their ability to provide live 24-hour television news coverage from around the world, play a role in deciding the actions and outcomes of events.

Headline News is CNN's spin-off channel.

While CNN blends newscasts with specialized topical and feature programs, Headline News formerly strictly focused on rolling news coverage, featuring half-hour newscasts 24 hours a day.

On television, online or in other sources, CNN is one of the world's most successful and trusted media sources for news and information.

CNN has had a significant impact in pop culture across the globe, influencing news trends.

Your 24-Hour News Source is a testament to short news updates at the top and bottom of the hour.

Inspired by CNN and CNN Headline News, Your 24-Hour News Source belongs to viewers who keep tuning in to the television set at home and who want fast-paced news coverage.

ESPN is the first television network in the world to provide live and uninterrupted coverage of sports around the clock, also one of the world's major sports providers.

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of the cable television business, active in both the United States and the world.

John Walson, Milton J. Shapp, Bill Daniels, Robert Rosencrans and Hubert Schlafly are notable cable television pioneers.

Charles Dolan, Ted Turner, Kay Koplovitz and Joseph M. Cohen are likewise notable cable television pioneers.

Bob Tarlton, Bob Magness, John C. Malone and Ken Gunter are also noted cable television pioneers.

For years until the 1980's, cable television had relied on microwave relays, local antennas and coaxial cables to improve reception in remote areas.

In fact, until the 1980's, cable TV was on a regional and rural basis.

Plus, until the 1980's, video tapes were used at the headend for programs specially-produced for a local cable company, commercial insertion and playing back content sent down the cable network.

Satellite technology in the 1980's nationalized cable TV, becoming a diverse, multi-channel platform.

What satellite technology means is that cable TV captures high-quality feeds with dish-shaped antennas and offers them to subscribers in any local geography.

The Anik A satellites, in particular Anik A1, are the world's first domestic communications satellites in geostationary orbit to receive television transmissions.

Meanwhile, Westar 1 and Satcom 1 are innovative American-made domestic satellites.

Westar 1 is the first domestic geostationary communications satellite in America, while Satcom 1 is the primary vehicle for the cable television expansion.

Service Electric was the first company for community antenna television (CATV).

Innovations from Service Electric include community antenna television systems, cable lines on utility poles, a five-channel system, distant signal importation, local programming and others.

When John Walson's own Service Electric company was founded, television reception was poor due to mountain ranges blocking the signals.

To solve this problem, in June 1948, John Walson erected a big antenna on top of a nearby mountain.

In spring 1949, John Walson also added amplifiers to the cable system and started offering household connections for a fee.

Having moved to Philadelphia after WWII, Milton Shapp, in 1948, founded Jerrold Electronics, whose name was taken from his middle name.

Kenneth Alden Simons was the chief engineer at Milton Shapp's own Jerrold Electronics company.

Jerrold Electronics had innovations, like the first equipment designed for CATV systems.

For Bob Tarlton, in 1950, he created the first cable television system in the United States to gain both publicity and commercial success, using equipment from Jerrold Electronics.

General Instrument purchased Jerrold Electronics in the late-1960's.

Bill Daniels, not long after WWII, happened upon a Denver bar, where he saw a television set, which offered a boxing match from out-of-state.

This encounter made Bill Daniels interested in technologies bringing television over long distances.

Having gained experience from a boxing match in a Denver bar, Bill Daniels set up a microwave feed sending programs from Denver, Colorado to Casper, Wyoming in the early-1950's.

For Bill Daniels, his Casper system was the first to send broadcast signals to a microwave system.

Having been a pioneer in cable TV financing, Bill Daniels was a key figure in the business side of the industry, facilitating crucial deals and investments.

Meanwhile, Bob Magness masterminded two early cable TV companies: Western Microwave Inc. and Community Television, Inc., both preceding Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI).

John C. Malone, hailing from Jerrold Electronics, was TCI's president from 1973 to 1996.

American Cable Systems is a former corporate spin-off of Jerrold Electronics, sold in the mid-1960's period to businessman Ralph J. Roberts and his partners Daniel Aron and Julian A. Brodsky.

Incorporated in 1969, Comcast is, like Service Electric and Jerrold Electronics, a pioneer in the cable television scene.

Hubert Schlafly invented the teleprompter device in 1950, and alongside Broadway theatre actor Fred Barton Jr. and media proprietor Irv B. Kahn, co-founded TelePrompTer Corporation, also in 1950.

TelePrompTer Corporation also expanded to cable in the late-1950's.

Box Office Television (BOT) was a former American subscription television service, launched in July 1953 and sold not long after to TelePrompTer.

Early television star Sid Caesar backed (and invested in) Box Office Television (BOT).

With Box Office Television (BOT), closed-circuit programs, including movies and special events, were delivered via microwave or telephone lines to movie theatres across the United States.

Plus, Box Office Television (BOT) produced programming for hotels.

Some other pay television systems used broadcast signals and required a descrambler, but Box Office Television (BOT) used direct line transmission, ensuring high quality.

Bob Rosencrans entered cable television in 1953 with Box Office Television/TelePrompTer.

Having entered the cable television scene in 1953, Bob Rosencrans founded his own company named Columbia Cable Systems, based in Washington (and in the Pacific Northwest), in 1961.

For Columbia Cable Systems, its name came from its base along the Columbia River near the Oregon border, plus Bob Rosencrans' alma mater Columbia College, run by Columbia University.

In 1972, United Artists Cablevision, which was United Artists Theatres' cable subsidiary, merged with Columbia Cable Systems, led by Bob Rosencrans, to form UA-Columbia Cablevision.

Rogers Cablesystems, a Canadian-based cable company, acquired UA-Columbia Cablevision in 1981.

Bob Rosencrans left Rogers UA Cable Systems in 1984 to found Columbia International.

Ken Gunter founded San Angelo's first cable TV system in 1961 called International Cablevision.

Having been the first cable television company in the United States to go public and be traded on Wall Street, Ken Gunter's own International Cablevision had prospered.

Jack Cole was Ken Gunter's Washington attorney, who put with him Bob Rosencrans, whose Columbia Cable Systems had 4 West Coast services.

International Cablevision merged with Columbia Cable Systems in 1969 (with United Artists acquiring this company in 1972).

During the early-1950's, Charles Dolan worked on short sports films for television syndication.

Charles Dolan's sports newsreel business was financially unsuccessful, but its potential was successful enough to be sold to to a larger rival company.

Telenews Productions, a New York-based company held by the Hearst Corporation, purchased Charles Dolan's financially unsuccesful but potential sports newsreel business.

With Telenews purchasing his initial business, Charles Dolan moved to New York at age 26.

Not long after, in 1954, Charles Dolan joined a Telenews customer to found Sterling Movies USA.

Sterling Movies USA's initial purpose was to distribute industrial movies to targeted audiences, such as conventions and hotel guests.

For Sterling Movies USA, it was the launchpad for Charles Dolan's later ventures.

Teleguide, founded in 1962, provided tourist information, news, interviews and feature interstitials to hotels, and later, apartment and office buildings in the New York area via closed-circuit TV.

Plus, Sterling Information Services was Charles Dolan's other company.

Having gained experience with Teleguide, Charles Dolan realized that, since tall buildings prevented television broadcast signals in the air, Manhattan needed cable.

Manhattan Cable, run by Sterling, was the first cable television system in America to earn cable lines located underground in urban areas, rather than via microwave antennas or on telephone poles. 

With the financial backing made by Time-Life Inc., which serves as Time's book publishing division, Sterling Manhattan Cable was one of the company's first cable outlets.

Despite investments, Manhattan Cable suffered a loss of money.

In 1969, Sterling Communications took a 49% stake in Sterling Manhattan held by Time-Life, which, concurrently, increased its share in Sterling Communications.

Also in 1969, Sterling Manhattan Cable launched its own television service dedicated to sports events from Madison Square Garden.

Later, Charles Dolan began proposing a cable television service that would provide unedited theatrical movies from major Hollywood studios and sports events without commercial breaks.

HBO started its operations on November 8, 1972 under Charles Dolan's own Sterling Communications empire as a regional service via its microwave network across the Eastern United States.

Not long after its debut on November 8, 1972, HBO and its associated outlets were spun off into a new subsidiary called Home Box Office Inc. by Sterling Communications in February 1973.

Warner Communications acquired Time's stake in Sterling in May 1973, but failed in June 1973.

July 1973 was when Time agreed to acquire Sterling Communications (and also to assume its financial liabilities), completed on September 18, 1973.

By completing the 1973 transaction, HBO and Sterling Manhattan were transferred into Time-Life.

In exchange, Charles Dolan purchased a small cable system in Nassau Country on Long Island, which served as the foundation for his Cablevision Systems Corporation in 1973.

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania was the first place in the world to have HBO upon its 1972 launch.

Upon its 1972 launch, HBO had 375 subscribers via Service Electric Cablevision in Wilkes-Barre.

Gerald Levin was HBO's programming Vice President upon its November 8, 1972 launch; on its first broadcast, he appeared to welcome 375 subscribers via Service Electric in Wilkes-Barre.

After Time Inc. purchased HBO in 1973, Gerald Levin became its President and CEO.

Nicholas J. Nicholas Jr., who was Gerald Levin's rival, became Time's President and CEO in 1986.

Developing microwave and telephone towers all across the US was cost-prohibitive for Time/HBO; its microwave network was also expansive and difficult to maintain, especially in winter.

Geographical limits also caused difficulties for HBO's microwave network.

In the fall of 1974, executives from both Time Inc. and HBO made plans to nationalize HBO.

The use of a communications satellite to directly carry HBO to cable systems all across America, both within and outside its microwave relay system, was chosen by Time Inc.

On September 30, 1975, HBO began to carry its feed via satellite across the nation.

Westar 1 was the satellite being used by HBO for its national debut using satellite distribution to cable systems on September 30, 1975.

Satcom 1 replaced the competing Westar 1 as the satellite being used to carry HBO, coming just a few months after its national debut on September 30, 1975.

Before HBO's uplink, since its 1948 inception, cable television had been limited and regional.

HBO's satellite uplink via Westar 1, and later, Satcom 1, made it the first cable television service in the world to deliver its signal via satellite on a national basis.

Upon its launch in 1972, HBO covered northeastern Pennsylvania, before expanding to other states in America's Mid-Atlantic and New England regions, all by microwave relays.

With its satellite uplink, HBO served the Eastern, Midwest and Southern regions of the United States.

TelePrompTer extended HBO's reach to the West Coast in December 1975 through its Seattle-Tacoma cable operations, achieving coast-to-coast distribution.

By December 1978, HBO covered all 50 US states.

Delivered via satellite, HBO uses separate Eastern and Pacific feeds, ensuring that programs could be presented at consistent local times across the US.

Scientific Atlanta, led by Sid Topol, and RCA Americom, run by RCA, which also owned NBC, played roles in providing equipment for HBO's satellite plan, unveiled by Gerald Levin in 1975.

UA-Columbia, held by Bob Rosencrans, had installed the first commercial satellite earth station in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach, both based in Florida's Treasure Coast, to nationalize HBO.

Assisting Bob Rosencrans in HBO's national debut was Ken Gunter.

Kay Koplovitz was the promoter for HBO's national debut; both Hubert Schlafly and Joseph M. Cohen were likewise involved in this event.

From its 1972 inception until 1977, HBO aired games emanating from MSG, including the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Knicks (NBA).

Incidentally, games from MSG were also on Sterling Manhattan Cable, also run by Charles Dolan.

The first program on HBO when launched on November 8, 1972 was an NHL match between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks.

Sometimes a Great Notion was the first film aired on HBO after the Rangers-Canucks match.

HBO World Championship Boxing is HBO's former offering of live boxing matches since 1973.

The first ever boxing match being televised on HBO was between George Foreman and Joe Frazier in January 1973, seen on a tape-delayed basis via its regional microwave network.

Howard Cosell famously yelled "Down goes Frazier!" three times after the first knockout of the 1973 George Foreman-Joe Frazier bout on ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Plus, this 1973 George Foreman-Joe Frazier bout was seen live via closed-circuit television in venues around the world, mainly movie theatres.

One of the most famous matches on HBO World Championship Boxing is the Thrilla in Manila, which emanated from the Araneta Coliseum, based in Quezon City in the Philippines.

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier competed against each other for the heavyweight championship in the Thrilla in Manilla, which the earlier won in the 14th round.

For its coverage of the Thrilla in Manila, HBO used the Westar 1 satellite to deliver its signal to cable systems across the country.

Inside the NFL, which HBO originated in 1977, had been cable television's longest-running program until 2021.

Gulf and Western Industries, which had owned Paramount Pictures Corporation since 1966, assumed a stake in Madison Square Garden in 1969, taking complete control in 1977.

Jack M. Rice Jr., who owned locally-based pay television companies in Atlanta, launched a television station with the call letters named in his honour.

Operating on UHF channel 17, WJRJ-TV ran on a shoestring budget and suffered technical issues.

Initially, WJRJ-TV aired a few off-network reruns, vintage films, cartoons and a local newscast.

As Atlanta's first new commercial television station in 13 years and its second indie overall, WJRJ-TV emanated from its West Peachtree Street Northwest studios, once held by WAGA-TV.

WQXI-TV launched its operations on December 18, 1954 as the first independent television station in Atlanta, having operated on UHF channel 36, but a few months later, was shut down.

Relaunched in 1969 after 14 dark years on channel 36, WATL-TV originated The Now Explosion.

Created by Bob Whitney, The Now Explosion was a concept that mixed top forty hit music tunes with video and film techniques, an early experiment in music videos before MTV.

As for the WQXI-TV call letters, they were previously used since the late-1960's era by a former ABC station (now WXIA-TV) under the Pacific & Southern Broadcasting empire.

Pacific & Southern Broadcasting had its origins in Hawaii, where KHON-TV was its flagship.

In 1973, Pacific & Southern merged with Combined Communications Corporation (CCC).

Formed in the late-1960's era, Combined Communications Corporation was based in Phoenix, Arizona, where the KTAR stations served as its flagship outlets.

John J. Louis Jr., whose father was one of the founders of the Needham, Louis and Brorby advertising agency, ran the KTAR stations that his father had purchased years ago.

Karl Eller., meanwhile, already had experience in the outdoor advertising scene in Arizona, notably as Needham, Louis and Brorby's account supervisor.

Altogether, John J. Louis Jr. and Karl Eller, both experienced at Needham, Louis and Brorby, were key figures at Combined Communications Corporation.

Gannett merged with Combined Communications Corporation.

Turner Communications Corporation, a media empire run by the eponymous Ted Turner, who was an Atlanta entrepreneur, announced an agreement to merge with Rice Broadcasting in July 1969.

Upon the FCC's approval in December 1969, the calls WTCG were chosen to replace WJRJ-TV.

When his media empire agreed to merge with Rice Broadcasting in July 1969, Ted Turner had run the billboard advertising business founded by his deceased father, plus a few radio stations.

However, for Ted Turner himself, WTCG was the first television property.

The WTCG call letters reportedly stood for "Watch This Channel Grow," although the TCG in its calls officially stood for Turner Communications Group.

During its first years under Ted Turner, WTCG retained its low-budget programming format, which its precursor WJRJ-TV used.

However, one of the main changes for WTCG under Ted Turner's ownership was its focus on financial stability and technical upgrades, like colour, which WJRJ-TV lacked.

WTCG assumed the rights to air The Now Explosion from its recently-closed originator WATL-TV.

In July 1972, WTCG obtained the broadcast rights to air Major League Baseball games involving the Atlanta Braves, effective in the 1973 season.

Plus, in 1972, WTCG obtained the broadcast rights to air NBA games involving the Atlanta Hawks.

Both the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks were later sold to Ted Turner to air match-ups for his station and keep his sports franchises in Atlanta.

Furthermore, Ted Turner purchased WCTU-TV, which began earlier in the late-1960's period as North Carolina's first independent television station, around the same time he bought WTCG.

Under Ted Turner, WCTU-TV became WRET-TV, using the initials of his full real name.

When Ted Turner began to own WTCG, most American cities below the top 20 media markets lacked independent television stations with a general entertainment format.

For this reason, most American cities below the top 20 television markets largely have access to three stations affiliated with the Big Three networks and a non-commercial educational station.

In addition, cable systems in most US cities below the top 20 media markets also carried three stations affiliated with the Big Three networks and three PBS stations.

One PBS member station was available over local cable systems from within the home market in most American cities below the top 20 media markets, two from neighbouring markets.

Under Ted Turner, WTCG started delivering its signal to cable systems using microwave antennas in middle and southern Georgia and surrounding areas in the Southeastern United States.

17 Update Early in the Morning is a former newscast on WTCG with a humorous tone.

Short news updates on WTCG, under the name WTCG Update, have a more serious tone than the 17 Update program.

Inspired by HBO's 1975 national satellite uplink, Turner planned to do the same for one of its television stations in December 1975, since it lacked coverage outside the Southeastern United States.

Although WTCG was the preferred choice for distribution to cable providers, WRET was a backup.

Like its future sister network HBO, Scientific Atlanta provided equipment for the satellite transmission proposal for WTCG.

Just before 1977 arrived nearly a month later, WTCG, having been selected over WRET-TV, started to distribute its signal via satellite to cable systems across the United States.

Satcom 1, used by its future sister network HBO to replace Westar 1, was being used by WTCG for its national debut using satellite distribution to cable systems.

Before its satellite uplink, WTCG used microwave relays to carry its signal on a regional basis.

However, WTCG's national satellite uplink via Satcom 1 made it the first local independent station to deliver its signal via satellite on a national level.

For WTCG, its national satellite uplink was the launchpad for basic cable, like HBO's national satellite uplink was for the satellite-delivered cable business as a whole.

With its national satellite uplink, WTCG became a superstation.

In North American broadcasting, superstation is a term used to describe independent television stations based in their originating media market being delivered via satellite on a national level.

Plus, WTCG's superstation status transformed the small-town Atlanta Braves baseball club, run by Ted Turner, into a team with a national presence, nicknamed America's Team, starting in 1977.

Meanwhile, the nickname America's Team is most famously associated with the Dallas Cowboys. 

Southern Satellite Systems (SSS) was a independent company founded by Ted Turner to distribute his Atlanta television station WTCG on a national level.

FCC regulations forbade Ted Turner from running both a television station and a satellite carrier.

Ed Taylor, hailing from Western Union, which launched the Westar 1 satellite that distributed the HBO signal nationally when uplinked in 1975, took SSS from Ted Turner for a dollar.

The SSS purchase by Ed Taylor from Ted Turner was done to comply with FCC regulations.

Not long after its national satellite uplink, WTCG changed its call letters to WTBS.

Since 1961, the WTBS calls have been used by a college radio station in Massachusetts.

According to the changes of its call letters, the TBS in the WTBS calls stood for Turner Broadcasting System, the name its parent company adopted.

For this purpose, the station began branding itself as SuperStation WTBS.

However, until October 1980, the national WTBS signal continued to sporadically use the same on-air branding as the Atlanta signal (which was referred to as WTBS Channel 17).

The short news updates on WTBS were renamed TBS NewsWatch.

In 1981, Turner decided to have all programs carried by WTBS continue on locally and nationally, but separated the feeds.

By spliting the feeds, local commercials being seen on WTBS in Atlanta were substitued with separate national commercials, direct response ads and public service announcements.

For the local Atlanta feed, by 1981, WTBS became SuperStation 17.

Meanwhile, on the national signal available outside Atlanta, by 1981, references to WTBS' over-the-air channel number were removed.

On June 29, 1981, SuperStation WTBS began using a specialized program scheduling format allowing programs to begin 5 minutes later, both past the hour and the half-hour.

This format, informally called Turner Time, was reduced in 1997 and completely ended years later.

While other broadcast and cable networks generally have programs begin at the top and bottom of each hour, SuperStation WTBS decided to have programs begin 5 minutes later.

The W being used in the SuperStation WTBS name was dropped, and SuperStation TBS was utilized to emphasize its national reach, both in the late-1980's or after 1986.

In September 1989, this SuperStation TBS on-air brand was swapped for TBS SuperStation (in order to further emphasize the strong national standing of this channel).

Just one year later, in September 1990, after the swap of its on-air branding, TBS SuperStation became simply known as TBS.

For TBS, its 3-letter branding being utilized for the national feed lasted until December 1996, when, in celebration of its 20th year on a national basis, the Superstation name, lost in 1990, was reinstated.

Super-branded blocks were also aired on TBS Superstation since December 1996.

For instance, Super TV offered weekday daytime films and series, Super Prime for primetime films and Super Weekend for films on Saturdays and Sundays, all on TBS Superstation.

Plus, WTBS was carried north of the border in Canada from 1985 to before 2008.

Both HBO and TBS began on a regional basis, but became nationalized through satellite delivery.

Conversely, 1977 was when both the CBN Satellite Service and an unrelated Madison Square Garden Network began on a national satellite-delivered basic cable basis.

Initially, upon its April 29, 1977 launch, the CBN Satellite Service was commercial-free.

However, upon its September 1, 1981 relaunch, the CBN Cable Network began accepting advertising revenue.

MSG, which Gulf+Western had run since 1969 (totally since 1977), joined forces with UA-Columbia Cablevision, led by Bob Rosencrans, to start the unrelated MSG Network in September 1977.

Since April 9, 1980, the USA Network has been the name of a cable TV network that Madison Square Garden and UA-Columbia Cablevision have launched in 1977.

Besides Bob Rosencrans, Kay Koplovitz masterminded the USA Network from 1977 to 1998.

Upon its April 29, 1977 launch, the CBN Satellite Service was a dedicated religious service.

On September 1, 1981, the CBN Satellite Service became the CBN Cable Network and began to offer secular programs, aside from religious ones.

This secular-religious programming mix being used by the CBN Cable Network mirrored the concept being used by CBN-owned independent stations.

Meanwhile, upon its September 1977 debut, the USA Network aired mostly sports events.

Just one year after its 1977 debut, in 1978, the USA Network broadened its scope to include children's programming, and with its April 1980 relaunch, general entertainment.

C-SPAN, of which Bob Rosencrans was an early financial backer, was seen during the daytime on the USA Network until the early-1980's.

With C-SPAN no longer being carried, the USA Network began to offer a full 24-hour service.

Between 1984 and 1986, the USA Network phased out sports in favour of general entertainment.

However, the USA Network still aired athletics, specifically pro wrestling (WWF/WWE), which was a major portion of its programming line-up.

In 1981, Rogers took UA-Columbia, which, in 1977, along with MSG, began the USA Network.

MCA/Universal and Paramount Pictures Corporation, two of the Hollywood film studios, acquired the USA Network in 1981, as well as Time Inc., which held HBO.

Gulf+Western transferred its stake in the USA Network from MSG to Paramount in 1981.

Six years after its 1981 entry, in the late-1980's, Time Inc. exited the USA Network ownership, leaving MCA/Universal and Paramount as its equal partners.

ABC had become the top-rated television network in the United States by 1978, and wanted a stronger Charlotte station.

On July 1, 1978, WSOC-TV broke with the stodgy NBC and instead joined the higher-rated ABC.

WSOC-TV is one of the two television stations held by Cox Enterprises in the Southern United States making the switch from NBC to ABC, along with its flagship station in Atlanta.

Still in Charlotte, NBC went to former indie WRET-TV, which Ted Turner ran.

For WRET-TV, it was the sole television station owned by Ted Turner to be affiliated with a Big Three network.

Having gained the NBC affiliation, WRET-TV launched its news operation called Action News, which WPVI-TV pioneered.

On July 13, 1948, United Press announced an agreement with 20th Century-Fox's Movietone News to shoot newsfilm for local television stations across the United States.

United Press Movietone (UPMT) introduced crucial innovations and procedures in the newsgathering business for television.

With the BBC as its first European client, UPMT was the first television news agency to operate on a truly international level.

In the mid-1960's, UPI ended its partnership with Fox-Movietone, the latter remaining in the newsreel business, also resulting in the loss of its contract with the BBC.

Meanwhile, UPI set up a new entity of its own called United Press International Newsfilm (UPIN).

The BBC's rival Independent Television News (ITN) joined United Press International to form United Press International Television News (UPITN) in the late-1960's era.

Along with other broadcasters in the British Commonwealth, the BBC also formed Visnews in 1957 to compete against United Press International Television News.

From 1957 to 1993 (36 years total), Visnews was a television news agency based in London.

UPI suffered financial difficulties, and in the early-1980's, sold its stake in UPITN, whcih was renamed Worldwide Television News (WTN) in 1985.

Stakes in WTN, which ITN partly owned, were by ABC (America) and the Nine Network (Australia).

Television News Inc. (TVN) is a short-lived syndicated news service, offering daily newsfilm feeds to independent television stations in the United States and Canada from 1973 to 1975.

Joseph Coors, a Colorado businessman with conservative views, owned a majority stake in Television News Inc., a conservative alternative to the Big Three networks, whose news output was liberal.

Visnews, a UPITN rival formed by the BBC and others, held a minority stake in Television News Inc.

Robert Pauley, a former ABC Radio executive, was the chief executive for Television News Inc.

In January 1975, Television News Inc. disclosed plans to shift newsfilm distribution from long lines to satellite delivery using Westar.

Having suffered financial difficulties and having not executed a proposed satellite distribution plan that would have made it a pioneer, TVN closed in 1975 after Coors withdrew its financial support.

Earlier, Television News Inc., which Visnews partly owned, acquired the American business of its rival UPITN in 1974.

After TVN's closure, Reese Schonfeld founded the Independent Television News Association (ITNA), successfully using satellite technology that TVN had envisioned, but failed to materialize.

Not to be confused with the UK-based television news provider ITN, which partly owned UPITN, for whom Reese Schonfeld worked, ITNA provided newsfeed to indie stations using Westar.

WIth ITNA's successful satellite plan, Reese Schonfeld joined Ted Turner to start Cable News Network (CNN).

Distancing itself from the comedic 17 Update on Ted Turner's Atlanta outlet, CNN was a service with a serious, dramatic and hard-hitting tone.

Ted Turner sold WRET-TV, which had NBC, to Group W/Westinghouse to raise the capital needed for  CNN; under Group W, it was renamed WPCQ-TV.

Bernard Shaw came from ABC News, where he worked under Roone Arledge, to CNN as its first main news anchor upon its launch.

Don Farmer and Charles Bierbauer also came to CNN from ABC News, the latter in 1981.

The husband-and-wife anchor team from Sacramento: Dave Walker and Lois Hart, delivered the first actual newscast from CNN upon its launch.

CNN's faster-paced service CNN2, later known as CNN Headline News, started operations 19 months after its original launch.

The Satellite News Channel (SNC) was a joint venture between ABC Video Enterprises and Group W Satellite Communications, doubling as the first rival to CNN.

Just over one year after its launch, SNC, together with its transponders, was bought and shut down by Turner Broadcasting System.

With Turner's purchase of SNC, many cable providers carrying SNC would carry either CNN or, more frequently, CNN Headline News.

CNN produced an hour-long weeknight newscast for WTBS called the TBS Evening News.

At 10 p.m. Eastern Time, the TBS Evening News delivered national and international news stories, plus national weather forecasts and sports, due to the national superstation status held by WTBS.

In July 1984, the TBS Evening News made the move to CNN and was relaunched as the CNN Evening News.

Meanwhile, CNN Headline News assumed production responsibilities for TBS NewsWatch.

At first, TBS NewsWatch was produced in-studio with an on-screen anchor format by WTBS, but with CNN Headline News, changed to video content with voice narration.

The CNN Headline News simulcasts were also aired on SuperStation WTBS.

By loosening the public affairs programming requirements held by the FCC, both the TBS NewsWatch segments and the CNN Headline News simulcasts were phased out in 1996.

Under Tom Johnson as its third president, CNN won unprecedented success with the first Gulf War.

During its first decade, CNN lagged behind the established evening newscasts being aired on network television in the United States.

However, the first Gulf War turned CNN into a major force in 24-hour television news coverage.

SSS launched the Satellite Program Network (SPN), which became Tempo Television.

Tempo Television's transponder space was sold by SSS to NBC in the late-1980's, and NBC used it to launch the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) in 1989.

Roger Ailes started his television career at Group W/Westinghouse Broadcasting in both Cleveland and Philadelphia, the two cities in which The Mike Douglas Show was produced.

One of the most notable guests on The Mike Douglas Show was Richard Nixon, for whom Roger Ailes became the media consultant during his successful second presidential election campaign.

Having been a pioneer in framing campaign issues, Roger Ailes' efforts in Richard Nixon's successful presidential campaign marked his first venture into politics.

An anti-telegenic presence, Richard Nixon had assembled media experts like Roger Ailes to help him master television's visuals.

For Richard Nixon, this successful political comeback in his second presidential campaign was 8 years after his 1960 presidential election loss, and 6 years after his 1962 gubernatorial election loss.

Some major factors for Richard Nixon's 1960 presidential election loss are cited, one of them being his poor performance being suffered in the first of the 1960 presidential debates.

The successful second presidential election campaign for Richard Nixon was the first foray into media with a conservative slant for Roger Ailes.

Roger Ailes was hired by NBC in August 1993 to be the President of CNBC, tasked by NBC CEO Bob Wright to turnaround this then-ailing channel.

During Roger Ailes' short reign as its president, CNBC made its turnaround; its spin-off channel called America's Talking, which Roger Ailes created, had low-budget discussion programs.

In January 1996, NBC announced plans to partner with Microsoft to begin MSNBC, both on cable and online, with the satellite transponder that America's Talking used, ending the latter network's life.

Having disagreed over NBC's decision to partner with Microsoft to start MSNBC, Roger Ailes left and moved from NBC to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation empire to launch Fox News Channel.

Both MSNBC and Fox News Channel were the first rivals to CNN since SNC folded.

Incidentally, Roger Ailes was involved in MSNBC's precursor America's Talking, as well as Fox News Channel.

Plus, Roger Ailes briefly worked at Television News Inc, an indicator for Fox News Channel.

Since 2002, Fox News has been the top-rated news channel in the United States with a few exceptions.

For HBO, TBS and CNN, they are pioneers in satellite-delivered cable television.

Charles Dolan did to cable infrastructure in urban areas and non-commercial pay television what Ted Turner did to superstations and 24-hour news channels.

In October 1996, Turner merged with Time Warner, which ran 20% of the earlier's stake in the past.

HBO, Cinemax, TBS, CNN, CNN Headline News and TNT became sister channels with the 1996 Time Warner/Turner merger.

For Dave Garroway, his television programs, including Garroway at Large and Today, have developed many innovations that reshaped television.

Dave Garroway's relaxed style, which had its roots in radio, was adapted for television.

Plus, the first studio ever built for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall had influenced modern broadcast design, like the newsroom and the windowed concept in downtown cores.

WBBM-TV pioneered the concept of delivering the newscasts from the newsroom on a regular basis in early-1973.

KCBS-TV followed WBBM-TV's example in 1973.

Starting in 1973, both WBBM-TV and KCBS-TV used the newsroom-as-set trends, the earlier lasting longer than KCBS-TV.

McClurg Court, a rink, became a television studio in the mid-1950's, but also a testing ground for the regular newsroom-as-set trend that WBBM-TV had pioneered in 1973 until the early-1990's.

Columbia Square, a radio studio, also housed the KCBS-TV newsroom studio based on WBBM-TV.

Just before its half-hour expansion, Walter Cronkite and the News used an isolated soundstage.

During the Walter Cronkite era, the CBS Evening News used the studio with a fishbowl-like desk, the newsroom and a world map.

In the late-1960's, a chroma key backdrop was added, replaced by a box over the shoulder in 1977.

Studio 33 at the CBS Broadcast Centre served as a testing ground for the Walter Cronkite-era studio set being used for the CBS Evening News until 1986, when it moved 14 studio numbers up.

The Graybar Building, adjoining Grand Central, was the testing ground for the CBS Evening News, the first half-hour evening newscast on network television.

In 1981, after Dan Rather took over the anchor position, the studio set used by Walter Cronkite for the CBS Evening News at Studio 33 was revamped with a world map backdrop.

After moving 14 studios up from 33 in August 1986, the CBS Evening News set was revamped with a world map backdrop recoloured and a deeper blue background.

For the 1990 midterm elections, the CBS Evening News introduced the newsroom-as-set trend, which became permanent during the Gulf War and was revamped in 1996 by BDI.

NBC innovated a futuristic, space-age, multi-monitor control room-like studio set for NewsCentre.

Ever since its inception in 1974, elements of the futuristic, space-age, multi-monitor control room-like studio set for NBC's NewsCentre concept have been used.

Global, which began its operations in January 1974 as a regional network, with CIII-TV as its flagship station, broke from tradition by using the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Canada.

Upon its launch in January 1974, Global used a news studio using elements of the Walter Cronkite-era studio set of the CBS Evening News, including a fishbowl-like desk and a world map backdrop.

81 Barber Greene Road, a factory, became a television studio in 1974, but also a testing ground for the newsroom studio combo for Global, which lasted until 1998.

Also in Canada, BCTV (CHAN-TV) used the newsroom-as-set trend being synonymous with the Tony Parsons era, lasting from 1975 until September 20, 2010, nine months after his last News Hour.

Enterprise Street, which is located in the Lake City Industrial Park, housed a purpose-built building for BCTV, and served as a testing ground for its own innovative newsroom-as-set trend.

While some other television stations used converted studios as testing grounds for the newsroom-as-set trends, BCTV used a more innovative and purpose-built one.

For Expo 86, BCTV operated a broadcast pavilion, further emphasizing this newsroom-as-set trend.

Before Roone Arledge turned around the ailing ABC News, both NBC and CBS have maintained more traditional formats in their news presentation, while not entirely plain.

Under Roone Arledge, ABC News put newsroom-as-set trends on the network news map.

During its first 30 years, CNN had used the newsroom as a studio backdrop from its two main hubs in Atlanta.

Just before CNN's June 1980 debut, co-founders Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld were trying to find a model for the newsroom backdrop being used for its first studio set.

Some of the local television stations in North America, like WBBM-TV, were early testing grounds for CNN's first studio set, doubling as its innovative newsroom-as-set trend.

BCTV (CHAN-TV), which used its newsroom-as-set trend at its purpose-built studios during the Tony Parsons era, was the main inspiration for CNN's first studio set and its newsroom-as-set trend.

Using the Tony Parsons-era BCTV (CHAN-TV) newsroom-as-set trend for CNN, Turner Broadcasting System took over a country club at Techwood Drive in Atlanta called the Progressive Club.

Established in 1913, the Progressive Club is a red brick structure with white columns; its ballroom was renovated to become the first newsroom-as-set trend for CNN.

Carl "Bunky" Helfrich, a friend of Ted Turner, adapted the BCTV newsroom studio elements for CNN.

By 1985, years after its June 1, 1980 launch, CNN had outgrown its original Techwood Drive hub, and Ted Turner acquired the Omni International complex in downtown Atlanta from Tom Cousins.

With Ted Turner acquiring this Omni complex, CNN incorporated its BCTV-inspired newsroom-as-set aesthetic established at its original hub.

Not until the late-1980's did CNN officially move to the Omni complex, which became CNN Centre.

Eleven years after its official move to this former Omni complex, in October 1998, CNN renovated its studio set, but still incorporated its BCTV-inspired newsroom-as-set trend.

Rene Lagler supervised the scenic design for the renovated CNN newsroom studio, which lasted from October 1998 until May 2010, and Robert Dickinson did its lighting construction.

From its launch in the early-1980's (which came 19 months after the original CNN started), to February 2005, CNN Headline News used a multi-monitor control room-like set.

In 1993, CNN Headline News introduced its constant SportsTicker, and 6 years later, in the late-1990's, CNN Headline News introduced a newsroom-as-set trend to facilitate four watches.

On August 6, 2001, a revamp for CNN Headline News came with an internet-inspired presentation.

By turning the Omni complex into CNN Centre, Ted Turner revived Atlanta's ailing downtown core.

The newsroom-as-set trend was pioneered by Today (NBC) under Dave Garroway (who was a former radio disc jockey in Chicago, where WBBM-TV also pioneered this trend on a regular basis).

Later, the newsroom-as-set trend was popularized, refined and cemented by ABC News (under Roone Arledge) and CNN.

In turn, the newsroom-as-set trend for CNN during its first 30 years was based on BCTV.

Before ABC News (under Roone Arledge) and CNN, network newscasts featured a solo anchor being seated at the news desk; sets were isolated, with a logo or simple backdrop behind the host.

With ABC News (under Roone Arledge) and CNN, the busy newsroom was a solver to this format.

In South Florida, WSVN has two news studio sets, both built a few months before its 1989 switch: one with a control room backdrop, the other featuring the newsroom.

But in the mid-1990's, WSVN began building the Newsplex project, bringing two sets together.

Having taken cues from the newsroom studio used by CNN, based on BCTV, the WSVN Newsplex is characterized by its fast-paced approach, bold graphics, techno music and on-screen visuals.

During its initial years, CityPulse used a traditional format being.

Upon its relocation to 299, CityPulse changed its format to a desk-less open working newsroom.

This desk-less CityPulse newsroom was based on the open-plan area for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall, in turn, the basis for CHUM-City's entire 299 Queen Street West headquarters.

Meanwhile, having completed the March 2013 move of its news operations from Television Centre to Broadcasting House, the BBC began using a newsroom-as-set trend.

The newsroom studio is not new for BBC News, however, as it was already used from the late-1980's period until 1993 physically for the Nine O'Clock News.

Virtually, the newsroom backdrop was used for the domestic BBC News programs for four years since 1972, and again from the late-1990's to 2013.

During its initial years, ITN was based at Television House at Kingsway in London, which also housed Associated-Rediffusion's administrative headquarters and transmission facilities.

In 1969, ITN relocated to its new headquarters at 48 Wells Street in London's West End.

As for Associated-Rediffusion's successor Thames, it moved to its purpose-built studios and offices at Euston Road.

Upon its move to its new hub at 200 Grays Inn Road designed by Norman Foster, ITN used a working newsroom for its newscasts on ITV until the mid-1990's.

Whereas some news programs from ITN emanated from 200 Grays Inn Road, others like News at Ten (ITV) still emanated from ITN House, based at 48 Wells Street, for a period after its move.

For Australia's three commercial television services, their news operations have enclosed and isolated studio sets comprising of a world map backdrop with a blue hue until the late-1990's.

In late-1985, National Nine News in Melbourne/Victoria broke from tradition with the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Australia.

Similar to the newsroom-as-set trend that ABC World News Tonight used during its initial years in New York as its main hub, this trend for National Nine News in Melbourne/Victoria lasted until 1993.

National Nine News in Brisbane/Queensland started using the newsroom set in the late-1980's.

In 1996, a revamped studio set for National Nine News in Brisbane/Queensland was first used, being similar to the Dan Rather-era CBS Evening News studio designed by BDI, also since 1996.

With the relocation to its new headquarters in Pyrmont in 1997, Ten News in Sydney/New South Wales began using the newsroom-as-set trend.

The newsroom studio is not new for Ten News in Sydney/New South Wales, however, as it was already utilized in the late-1980's as the last one from North Ryde.

During Brisbane's World Expo, Ten News in Brisbane/Queensland used the newsroom-as-set trend.

From the mid-noughties to the mid-2020's, Seven News in Sydney/New South Wales used a street-side studio at Martin Place, based on Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza used by Today (NBC).

Televisa began using the newsroom-as-set trend designed by BDI in the mid-noughties.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Televisa, as it was already used shortly after the April 1997 death of Emilio Azcarraga Milmo until 1998 for 24 Horas with Jacobo Zabludovsky.

Plus, Televisa's local stations, like XEWT and XHBC, use the newsroom-as-set trend.

Rival TV Azteca used the newsroom-as-set trend for some Hechos editions from the late-1990's to the noughties.

ECO, which is television's first all-news service in both Latin America and the Hispanic world, used a control room set similar to CNN Headline News.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese-language answer to Mexico's Televisa, run by Silvio Santos, pioneered the working newsroom-as-set trend through its newscast by Boris Casoy in the late-1980's.

For the newsroom studio set used by the Portuguese-language answer to Televisa, which Silvio Santos owned, it was based on ABC News' Washington hub, with the Walter Cronkite-era news desk.

Earlier on, the national television service, owned by Jewish businessman Adolpho Bloch, pioneered the futuristic space-age control room-like news set, based on one for NBC's NewsCentre brand.

The national television service from Adolpho Bloch broke from tradition by using the newsroom-as-set aesthetic, the first of its kind in the Portuguese-language world.

Oscar Neimayer's modern structure served as the testing ground for the newsroom-as-set trend, which Adolpho Bloch's own television network used.

Incidentally, the two national television networks arose from the first television network in both South America and the Potuguese-speaking world.

During its first 12 years, from 1990 to 2002, 24 Horas (TVN) utilized a small newsroom-as-set trend.

Teletrece (UCTV) used the newsroom-as-set trend from the 1990's to the noughties.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Teletrece (UCTV), as it was already used for its secondary editions (afternoons/late-nights) during the 1980's.

QAP broke from tradition by using the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Colombia.

Based upon the newsroom-as-set trend for CNN, in turn, inspired by BCTV, the newsroom-as-set trend made for QAP conveyed urgency and transparency that other newscasts in Colombia have not.

Since QAP, the newsroom-as-set trend has usually been used by privately-owned television channels in Colombia, like RCN, Caracol and CityTV, the latter being based on the original Toronto version.

From the early-1990's to 2017, Uruguay's Canal 4 used the newsroom-as-set trend called the Centro Monte Carlo de Noticias, translated into English as the Monte Carlo News Centre.

The Centro Monte Carlo De Noticias was based on CNN, in turn, inspired by BCTV.

Staying in Uruguay, Teledoce used newsroom-as-set trends, including the one being based upon CNN International from the late-1990's to the mid-2010's.

TROS Aktua (formerly Aktua-TV) used a newsroom-as-set trend, which was one of the first to do so in Europe, upon its debut in 1974 until 1985.

VTM used newsroom studios, including one designed by BDI from 1996 to the mid-noughties. 

Zeit Im Bild (ORF) and Tagesschau (SF DRS) have both used studio sets with the open newsroom as a backdrop during the mid-1980's, the earlier starting in 1984, the latter in 1985.

24 Ur (Pop TV) used a newsroom-as-set trend upon its debut in the mid-1990's, the first of its kind in a former Yugoslav nation

Rediffusion (Hong Kong) was a pioneering broadcaster, and used a newsroom-as-set trend, styled after American networks, the first in East Asia.

In the mid-1980's era, NHK General TV began using the newsroom-as-set trend for News Centre 9, the first of its kind in Japan, which lasted until its demise in the late-1980's.

This newsroom studio for NHK's NC9 program had a dynamic and authentic feel.

Also in the 1980's, with colour, KBS' news division began using newsroom-as-set trends.

Still in South Korea, MBC used the newsroom-as-set trend similar to the BDI-designed CBS Evening News studio, which lasted during the first half of the noughties.

ITV, which was the first television service to be operated independently on the UHF band in Thailand, adopted the newsroom-as-set trend, based on CNN, in the mid-1990's.

Prior to CNN's innovative coverage of the first Gulf War, television stations across the Arab world have used isolated and enclosed news studio sets.

Spurred by CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War, private television channels in the Arab world, such as MBC, adopted newsroom-as-set trends based on CNN.

London, which served as the primary base for MBC until 2002, was a testing ground for Western-made broadcast technology, infrastructure and expertise previously unused in the Arab world.

During its first years, Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 came from the Ostankino Technical Centre, featuring an enclosed and isolated studio set comprising of a world map backdrop.

However, during the 1993 events, the Ostankino Technical Centre suffered damage, which meant that Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 emanated from a makeshift studio with a plain backdrop.

Even after the 1993 events, and even with a new look featuring its high-end opening sequence and its different duratran, Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 still came from the Ostankino Technical Centre.

Some months after the 1993 events, Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 moved from the still-damaged Ostankino Technical Centre to a new and separate studio based at Yamskoye Pole.

At Yamskoye Pole, Vesti (Russia-1) had a newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Russia.

In joint cooperation with a Dutch-based company, the newsroom-as-set trend for Vesti (Russia-1) had demonstrated a worldwide influence on its design.

Based upon CNN, in turn, based on BCTV, this newsroom-as-set trend for Vesti (Russia-1) conveyed urgency and transparency that other newscasts in post-Soviet Russia have not.

Having started at the dawn of the nation's post-communist and democratic era, Panorama (TVP2) had utilized the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Poland, but via chroma key.

Not long after, Wiadomosci (TVP1) used the newsroom-as-set trend on a physical level.

Earlier on, Teleexpress used a multi-monitor control room set, emphasizing its fast-paced approach.

In late-2017, VTC introduced a physical newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Vietnam.

Many Vietnamese television broadcasters, like VTV, utilize traditional news studios, either physical or virtual, but VTC distinguished itself by using a real newsroom-as-set trend.

Whether on ABC Sports, ABC News, CNN, ESPN or many other TV channels all over the world, the innovations by Roone Arledge take news and sports to a cinematic level.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble is an iconic and famous catchphrase being used by ring announcer Michael Buffer.

The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) is the former name for an iconic and world-famous wrestling promotion.

Hulk Hogan is the former main superstar of the WWF, especially since the 1980's.

World Championship Wrestling (WCW) is the WWF's former rival.

Ric Flair had been the former main superstar of the former NWA, in particular WCW, since he won his first world championship in September 1981.

Monday Night Raw is the WWF's flagship television program since January 1993.

Championship Wrestling and Superstars of Wrestling are some of the WWF's former flagship television programs before Monday Night Raw.

Saturday Night's Main Event and Primetime Wrestling are also the WWF's former television programs.

For Championship Wrestling, it was the first WWF television program.

Due to the national superstation status being held by WTCG/WTBS, Georgia Championship Wrestling became the first NWA territory to earn a national reach via cable television.

All-American Wrestling was the WWF's first weekly television program on a national basis.

In the early-1980's or after 1981, GCW's television program became World Championship Wrestling, a name being used by Jim Barnett in Australia.

July 14, 1984 was called Black Saturday, when Vince McMahon, in an effort to expand his promotion's national reach, took over both the time slot and the television program name held by GCW.

Black Saturday (July 14, 1984) was a ratings failure for GCW (run by the WWF), and subsequently led Vince McMahon to sell its time slot to Jim Crockett Promotions.

In addition, JCP also assumed the World Championship Wrestling name from Vince McMahon.

Conversely, Vince McMahon's purchase and subsequent sale of GCW gave him capital, helping finance WrestleMania, the first flagship event for the WWF.

JCP was acquired by Ted Turner in the late-1980's or before 1989; under Ted Turner, the promotion was renamed after JCP's flagship television program.

For Black Saturday (July 14, 1984), GCW's ownership by the WWF was a major catalyst of the intense personal and professional rivalry between Vince McMahon and Ted Turner.

This rivalry between Vince McMahon and Ted Turner culminated in the Monday Night Wars.

Eric Bischoff was WCW executive in the mid-to-late-1990's.

Under Eric Bischoff, WCW had endured changes, among which were the replacement of the traditional Southern style in favour of a modern, entertainment-focused, reality-based and edgy one.

Due to the New World Order, a rebellious stable consisting of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, WCW Monday Nitro had dominated the ratings from June 1996 to April 1998.

On its April 13, 1998 edition from the CoreStates Centre in Philadelphia, WWF Raw had an advertised match between Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

This Austin-McMahon contest, whch ended in a no contest, due to interference from Dude Love, led to WWF Raw finally breaking the ratings dominance held by WCW Monday Nitro after 84 weeks.

Hailing from Rochester, Ferdinand J. Smith did on-air music for HBO.

Ferdinand J. Smith composed the orchestral cue for the HBO in Space sequence, inspired by the film scores from Hollywood's Golden Age.

The HBO in Space cue, written by Ferdinand J. Smith, was recorded with a full orchestra, giving it a powerful and cinematic quality, which was unusual at the time for cable television.

Doing the work for the orchestral HBO in Space cue was Score Productions.

In addition, Ferdinand J. Smith composed the Star Tunnel cue for ABC's movie presentations in 1981.

Bill "Troll" Tullis served as the music director for Turner Broadcasting System, doubling as one of the voices for SuperStation WTBS, CNN and CNN Headline News.

Celebrate by Three Dog Night was used in the SuperStation TBS rendition as the jingle and the music basis for the promos and interstitial music during informally-known Celebrate era.

During the 1980's, CNN used stock music cues from many labels, including De Wolfe, KPM, Bruton, Sonoton, Killer Tracks, FirstCom, Atmosphere, Match, Parry, Omni, etc.

Plus, during the 1980's, CNN created custom music for its station identifications.

In 1990, its 10th year, and with the imminent Gulf War, CNN contracted Score Productions to create custom music.

For Score Productions, it had already done music for CNN Headline News, since its merger with the defunct Satellite News Channel, for which Score Productions already did music.

The music cues being created for CNN by Score Productions are also utilized in the Turner Broadcast Music Library by Sound Ideas

Besides Turner, Sound Ideas formerly distributed De Wolfe Music and Beatbox Music in Canada.

During the Cold War, television news music themes in the Eastern Bloc sounded neutral.

With Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms (glasnost/perestroika), television news music themes in the Eastern Bloc began adopting a more modern uniform Western-influenced sound.

Meanwhile, in both mainland China and Vietnam, many news music themes utilize a modern Western sound, whereas some others sound traditional.

Some Chinese composers also do television news music in a modern Western sound.