KOTV-DT

KOTV-DT (channel 6) is a television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Griffin Media alongside Muskogee-licensed CW affiliate KQCW-DT (channel 19) and radio stations KTSB (1170 AM), KBEZ (92.9 FM), KVOO-FM (98.5), KXBL (99.5 FM) and KHTT (106.9 FM). All of the outlets share studios at the Griffin Media Center on North Boston Avenue and East Cameron Street in the downtown neighborhood's Tulsa Arts District; KOTV's transmitter is located on South 273rd East Avenue (just north of the Muskogee Turnpike) in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

History

Early history

On March 24, 1948, the Cameron Television Corporation (originally doing business as George E. Cameron Inc.) submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit to build and license to operate a broadcast television station in Tulsa that would transmit on VHF channel 6. The company was owned by George E. Cameron Jr., a Texas-born independent oil producer, broadcasting executive Maria Helen Alvarez and John B. Hill, a salesman for a Tulsa oil field supplier (both Hill, who would serve as KOTV's original sales manager, and Alvarez owned 15% stakes in the company).

The formation of the partnership traces to when Alvarez – at the time, an employee of the Tulsa Broadcasting Company, then owner of local radio station KTUL (1430 AM, now KTBZ) – conducted a study authorized by John Toole "J. T." Griffin, majority owner and president of Tulsa Broadcasting and Muskogee-based wholesale food distributor Griffin Grocery Company, and his sister, Marjory Griffin Leake, into whether a television venture in Tulsa could be successful. After two years of research, Alvarez suggested to the Griffins that they file a television license application as quickly as possible. The Griffin siblings ultimately decided that such a venture would be too risky at that point and planned to wait a year before going to the FCC to apply, only to have those plans stalled by an agency-imposed freeze on television station license applications instituted by the FCC in September 1948. (The Griffins and James C. "Jimmy" Leake, husband of Marjory and brother-in-law of J. T., would eventually venture into television when their Oklahoma Television Corporation signed on CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City in December 1953; J. T. Griffin would launch his second television property in September 1954, when Tulsa Broadcasting signed on Muskogee-based ABC affiliate KTVX hannel_8,_now_KTUL,_which_would_relocate_to_Tulsa_in_September_1957.html" ;"title="KTUL.html" ;"title="hannel 8, now hannel_8,_now_KTUL,_which_would_relocate_to_Tulsa_in_September_1957">KTUL.html"_;"title="hannel_8,_now_KTUL">hannel_8,_now_KTUL,_which_would_relocate_to_Tulsa_in_September_1957)_Alvarez_subsequently_resigned_from_Tulsa_Broadcasting_and_began_casting_about_for_investors_who_would_be_willing_to_get_a_station_on_the_air_right_away._At_a_social_event,_she_was_introduced_to_Cameron,_who_was_looking_to_spend_monthly_royalty_checks_he_had_saved,_totaling_$50,000,_on_a_business_venture.

The_FCC_granted_the_construction_permit_for_channel_6_to_the_Cameron-Alvarez-Hill_group_on_June_2,_1948,_as_no_other_applications_had_been_submitted_for_agency_review._However,_the_group_soon_discovered_that_they_would_need_to_re-file_the_request,_as_a_previously_unnoticed_typographical_error.html" "title="KTUL">hannel 8, now KTUL, which would relocate to Tulsa in September 1957">KTUL.html" ;"title="hannel 8, now KTUL">hannel 8, now KTUL, which would relocate to Tulsa in September 1957) Alvarez subsequently resigned from Tulsa Broadcasting and began casting about for investors who would be willing to get a station on the air right away. At a social event, she was introduced to Cameron, who was looking to spend monthly royalty checks he had saved, totaling $50,000, on a business venture.

The FCC granted the construction permit for channel 6 to the Cameron-Alvarez-Hill group on June 2, 1948, as no other applications had been submitted for agency review. However, the group soon discovered that they would need to re-file the request, as a previously unnoticed typographical error">typo in the application had assigned KOVB as the call letters for the new station, rather than the calls that Cameron had requested, KOTV (for "Oklahoma Television"). The FCC would approve the change to the KOTV calls in March 1949. While this was happening, Alvarez negotiated a leasing agreement to utilize an International Harvester dealership and repair shop at West Third Street and South Frankfort Avenue in downtown Tulsa to serve as KOTV's studio building, and converted it into what became the largest television studio facility in the United States at the time (a second floor was added to the existing facility in the fall of 1954). The station's transmitter antenna and dish, which was built in the backyard of chief engineer George Jacobs, was eventually hoisted to the top of the National Bank of Tulsa Building on East 3rd Street and South Boston Avenue. Alvarez had spent a year convincing National Bank of Tulsa officers that the tower would be safe and, in time, become a local landmark. While the tower was being installed, a workman's wrench fell from atop the building, fatally striking the head of a woman who was passing below the construction site. Detractors of the station – who took to calling the accident, "Cameron's Folly" – jumped on the story, proclaiming it as a sign that KOTV was "jinxed" from the start. A local radio executive who spoke at a Tulsa Chamber of Commerce luncheon said that anyone investing in KOTV or buying a television set was "foolish"; Cameron Television continued on, however, with Alvarez (who served as president of Cameron Television and general manager of KOTV) handling all aspects of the station's development, while Cameron himself primarily focused on supervising his many oil properties in California. Alvarez and her company co-partners invested nearly $500,000 into developing the station; in an interview with the ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' shortly before the station signed on, she made the bold statement that KOTV would be operating in the "black" within six months of its sign-on, a comment dismissed by many of its detractors. Alvarez also visited 42 of the 89 existing television stations already in operation throughout the United States to study the intricacies of running a television station.

KOTV first began test transmissions on October 15, 1949; the pattern signal was seen by a handful of viewers among the 3,500 northeastern Oklahoma residents that owned television receivers, carrying as far away as Enid and Eufaula, Oklahoma, Monett, Missouri and Fayetteville, Arkansas. The station started regular broadcasts on October 22. It was the first television station to sign on in the Tulsa market, the second to sign on in the state of Oklahoma (after WKY-TV ow_KFOR-TV.html"_;"title="KFOR-TV.html"_;"title="ow_KFOR-TV">ow_KFOR-TV">KFOR-TV.html"_;"title="ow_KFOR-TV">ow_KFOR-TVin_Oklahoma_City,_which_debuted_five_months_earlier_on_June_6)_and_the_90th_to_sign_on_in_the_United_States._More_than_one_month_later,_on_November_23,_KOTV_broadcast_its_first_locally_produced_program:_a_live_meeting_by_the_Tulsa_Chamber_of_Commerce_at_the_Tulsa_Club_(on_East_5th_Street_and_South_Cincinnati_Avenue),_which_was_attended_by_many_of_the_station's_original_critics._One_week_later,_on_November_30,_the_station_commenced_regular_broadcasts_at_7:00 p.m._with_a_"Special_Dedication_Program"_that_featured_guests_such_as_Governor_of_Oklahoma.html" "title="KFOR-TV">ow_KFOR-TV.html" ;"title="KFOR-TV.html" ;"title="ow KFOR-TV">ow KFOR-TV">KFOR-TV.html" ;"title="ow KFOR-TV">ow KFOR-TVin Oklahoma City, which debuted five months earlier on June 6) and the 90th to sign on in the United States. More than one month later, on November 23, KOTV broadcast its first locally produced program: a live meeting by the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce at the Tulsa Club (on East 5th Street and South Cincinnati Avenue), which was attended by many of the station's original critics. One week later, on November 30, the station commenced regular broadcasts at 7:00 p.m. with a "Special Dedication Program" that featured guests such as Governor of Oklahoma">Oklahoma governor