THE SNOW CHANNEL

One of the first engineers hired by Barron in late 1965, Ernie Darrh, left his position at radio station WQSR to take a job in television at WCNY.  “They told me I was going to do ‘a little bit of everything,’” recalls Darrh. “One early assignment was to create a topographical map showing the microwave path from the studio in Liverpool to the transmitter.” 

Ernie explains that the transmitter site in Pompey was Channel 24’s only facility until the studio was ready six months later.  “We ran the whole station out of this tiny little transmitter building with two video tape recorders, a film chain, an audio board and a master switcher.”    Right - Channel 24's original transmitter room in 1966

ON THE AIR!  WCNY GENERAL MANAGER THOMAS PETRY (left)
WATCHES AS CHIEF ENGINEER PAUL BARRON THROWS THE POWER SWITCH ON THE TRANSMITTER

WCNY officially signed on the air December 20, 1965.  At the time there were only three commercial stations in Syracuse (WHEN – Channel 5, WSYR – Channel 3, WNYS- Channel 9) and they were formidable competitors for viewers.  1966 was a golden age for commercial television with hit programs such as Batman, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, and others all shown in full color.  Not only was Channel 24 black-and-white, it was the area’s first UHF station and not all receivers in the market were capable of UHF reception.  Due to the vagaries of Syracuse's terrain even those viewers able to receive UHF sometimes saw more snow than picture. 

In the first months of operation Channel 24 signed on at 6pm and off at 10pm.  The schedule was typically programming from N.E.T. (National Educational Television) including NET Journal, a hard-hitting documentary series, and NET Playhouse, featuring a mixture of classic and original theater productions.  N.E.T. was attracting viewers with The French Chef, hosted by the legendary Julia Child and originating out of WGBH in Boston.  MisterRoger's Neighborhood, featuring the charming low-key host, Fred Rogers, was supplied out of WQED, Pittsburgh and premiered in 1968.  The show that put N.E.T. on the map, Sesame Street, appeared on the schedule in 1969. 

In 1966 there was no satellite or coaxial link with N.E.T. in New York or Channel 24’s other partners in ETV broadcasting.  “NET was run by mail in those days,” recalls Ernie Darrh.  “The closest thing to ‘live’ was next day.”

The engineering staff grew with the addition of Dick Fortune, who was experienced with the use of two-inch quadraplex videotape.  Other new-hires were Hugh Cleland, Richard Hayes, Chuck Malone, Tom Regan and Al Scholes, who joined Ernie Darrh in engineering and maintenance and rotated duty at the transmitter.  And finally some modern television cameras were purchased. 

WCNY'S CAMERAS WERE USED ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW!

“We bought three Marconi black-and-white studio cameras from CBS,” recalls Darrh.  “They came with a little history…they had been used on The Ed Sullivan Show, including the famous appearance in 1964 by the Beatles.  When Sullivan went color, CBS sold us the cameras at a great discount.”