Is there a television historian in the room?

September 8, 2009 8:48 AM

When and what was the first television show broadcast from CBS studios in New York? Bonus points if you can name some guests.
posted by Felicity Rilke to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

That's a tough one, since CBS, like other broadcasters, were semi-regularly broadcasting experimentally by the mid-to-late 30's. So, the definition of the "first" CBS show is pretty fluid.
I'm fairly sure they were broadcasting commercially by 1939. Though, even then, it wouldn't have been full-day broadcasting schedule. I haven't a source for what, exactly, the shows were. Typically, they were stage musical/variety acts of short duration in those years.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:10 AM on September 8, 2009

Guiding Light- a Soap Opera.
posted by Zambrano at 9:14 AM on September 8, 2009

Are you talking about the CBS Broadcast Center as it is today, or any facility under the aegis of CBS Studios? Usually CBS Studios refers to the Television City (best! name! ever!) facility, I think.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:20 AM on September 8, 2009

Definitely not Television City, since I'm specifically looking for the first show broadcast out of the New York city studio.

I have a feeling I'm not going to get a definitive answer on this one. Guiding Light didn't appear on CBS Television until 1952, and I know there were other shows (but what?!) before then.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 9:37 AM on September 8, 2009

Current CBS Studios in NYC.

I don't know if you've found this:

"1931: CBS begins the first regularly scheduled television broadcasting in the country on experimental station W2XAB in New York City. By year’s end, CBS is broadcasting seven hours daily, seven days a week. Programming includes "Bill Schudt’s Going to Press," an interview show with correspondents, columnists and editors. It was the first regularly scheduled program to be simulcast on radio and television."

(from http://www.cbscorporation.com/our_company/timeline/index.php?year=1928-1945)

It's not as specific as you want but it might help. It's not clear from the description what studio was being used though.

Here's more on the beginnings of W2XAB but again, I didn't find info on the exact first show broadcast.more on the beginnings of W2XAB
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:05 AM on September 8, 2009

Er, borked. Let's try that again.

Here's more on the beginnings of W2XAB.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:06 AM on September 8, 2009