WPTV and WSM to become ABC affiliation in the 80s

[DucNguyen0131]

March 3, 1987

The Sega Graphic Board, for the Sega Master System is out today on stores. It was allow a drawing game to work properly, and outputs 16 colors on screen, with the graphic board could develop their technologies with a game Draw and Learn, a redesigned version of the Terebi Oekaki game.

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Anchor: Well the Sega Graphic Board is out today! We have a new game that kids could draw and how to learn, in a Kmart store in Connecticut. We can learn how to kids draw and learn to use a stylus pen that came with it and decided to trace the images, that they would work with the existing Master System video game technology, as well as the MasterVision, now the Sega Master System, and we are proud to draw that was aimed at kids.

-excerpted from the WTNH 5pm Action News newscast on March 3, 1987

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The Sega Graphic Board cost $49.99US at launch day. It was successful, so Sega of Japan could use another Graphic Board game for the Mark III/Master System units.

It is reported that Nintendo and Sony could jointly develop Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Cassette System, with anime cutscenes from Hideo Takayashiki that would play between each level.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

March 10, 1987

It is reported that newer games for the NES is in release. These are the three Nintendo publications Pro Wrestling, Slalom and the Disk System floppy Volleyball. Slalom is the first videogame to be developed by Rare Ltd.

It is reported that the Famicom Cassette System would be released in May 1987 with the launch title Stealth Attack, a FMV game produced by Sony and Family Kid, another Sony-produced FMV title.

Harmony Gold's shareholders decided to chose to approve the deal for Harmony Gold to be acquired by Sony Corporation of America for $965 million. Harmony Gold is getting Robotech III: The Odyssey 100% clearance to all stations.

The Nintendo Cassette System, a VHS-run NES adapter would be demonstrated at the Summer CES 1987 with the FMV games, to be produced by Sony, including Fascination, a reworking of the game Nintendo made back in 1974. Sony told they would not censor any Sony-produced title or third-party games to be available for the Nintendo Cassette System. The competitors Action Max and Atari 10800 would also be demonstrated at the Summer CES 1987.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

March 16, 1987

It is reported that WTOG would expand its news operation in order to increase the strength of how the newscasts worked, eventually adding a 5pm newscast to compete with WXFL's highly successful newscasts.

Robotech III: The Odyssey, by Harmony Gold, gained 100% clearance on all stations, and Hints & Plays gained only 75% to all stations.

Fox was in the process of launching on April 5, 1987 with several new programs.

Nintendo came close by demonstrating the NES, the Disk System and the new Cassette System at the Summer CES of 1987. Other demonstrations include the Atari 10400 with the titles Night Trap and Sewer Shark, which was in the process of filming, as well as a development title Citizen X.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

March 24, 1987

The Fox Broadcasting Company were announced that Joan Rivers would stay on as host of The Late Show (despite her flaws), and hoped that, according to a viewer on WLVI-TV in Boston (which was a station owned by TVX of New England, Inc.), claims that Rivers is the most profitable host.

It is reported that TVX would launch a news department on WCAY-TV in Nashville, to be modeled after The News at Ten format used by TVX's stations.

To all affiliates, Fox Broadcasting Company is launching the first full primetime schedule on April 5, 1987 by Sunday.

It is expected to NBC that The Tonight Show would let Johnny Carson retire, and let David Letterman to replace it, seeking Jay Leno to sign on as new host of NBC's Late Night, by October 1, 1987. It is reported that The Pat Sajak Show on CBS would be butterflied away.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

March 30, 1987

The Fox affiliate WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, an owned-and-operated TV station property of Fox Television Stations Inc., is getting the news department finished, under the title The 10 O'Clock News.

The 10 O'Clock News hired lured-away anchors from WCPO-TV in Cincinnati and WKRC-TV in Cincinnati. It featured the same VTS Productions theme as the Fox O&Os.

It is expected that WBNG-TV would move to channel 13 in a frequency swap with CBS station WAST-TV in Albany, which is now on channel 12, and gained first-time viewers in the New York City area.

Most independents like WLVI-TV in Boston and WTOG-TV had established successful news operations demanded by the owner.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 3, 1987

ABC's shareholders agreed to approve the deal to sell the videogame division of ABC Video Enterprises, Inc. to Acclaim Entertainment, Inc., which was a videogame company founded in 1983 by Greg Fischbach.

Also, shareholders of Zenith and General Electric agreed to approve the deal to sell all 25% of interests in VideoGroup Inc. to Taito America Corporation, which eventually a videogame distributor.

These products, ABC Software and VideoGroup Inc. distributed and published titles for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986.

It is expected that Sony is on the way to finalizing the deal of Harmony Gold USA Inc., which is yet to awaiting Department of Justice approval.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 5, 1987

The Fox Broadcasting Company is commencing their operations with the first primetime schedule on Sunday, consisting of two programs Married... with Children, and The Tracey Ullman Show, then repeated both programs two more times.

Watch the launch video:

It was followed next week by a two-hour premiere of 21 Jump Street, then going to the regular one-hour slot by another week with the launch of another sitcom Duet, on April 26th by a preview airing of Down and Out in Beverly Hills and by May 3rd by the launch of the Carson Productions sitcom Mr. President

Fox's Saturday lineup started on July 11, 1987 with the regular premiere of Down and Out in Beverly Hills, followed by The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, the Tri-Star drama Werewolf and the sitcom Karen's Song.

(Thanks to @stratonascar on behalf of the post)

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 6, 1987

The United States Department of Justice had approved the transaction deal that saw Sony Corporation of America to acquire Harmony Gold USA, Inc. for $965 million. Harmony Gold syndicates Robotech and Robotech II: The Sentinels, the former had 85 episodes and the latter had 65 episodes.

It is reported that Tom Zito of Hasbro had secured the rights of Lois Duncan's novel Daughter of Eve and adapted it into a VHS-based game for the Atari 10400.

It is reported that Citizen X, designed by Mark Turnell had yet to be finished filming, along with two Hasbro-produced games in production, Night Trap and Sewer Shark.

It is reported that Atari Corporation is updating the details of Atari 10400, the VHS-based game system designed by Hasbro, in order to add a floppy disk adapter and a cartridge adapter, and a reverse Atari ST conversion kit, and featured backward compatibility from Atari 2600, Atari 5200 and Atari 7800.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 10, 1987

The United States Department of Justice had approved its deal transaction for a 25% of GE/Zenith out of VideoGroup to Taito America Corp, effectively shutting VideoGroup down during the Summer CES 1987.

The Justice also approved the deal for Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. to acquire ABC's video game unit, which primarily publishes Nintendo games.

This came in because there are more available software publishers to hit the Nintendo market.

THIS JUST IN: Konami is releasing Rush'n Attack to the Nintendo Disk System, as well as releasing Track & Field for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Sony says they hoped to release Final Fantasy next year (IOTL this was in 1990).

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 15, 1987

Sony Corporation of America has just finished its $950 million purchase of Harmony Gold USA, Inc., which was recently approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Department of Justice.

This would made Harmony Gold under the Sony portfolio. Carl Macek would stay with the company, joining Jerry Beck and Fred Patten (IOTL's company Streamline Pictures was however butterflied away).

Harmony Gold is planning on to dub the new anime show Zillion next year, and signed a deal with Enix Corporation to localize titles to the NES, the Disk System and the Cassette System.

Harmony Gold is now part of the Sony empire, and expected that its interactive game unit became Sony Interactive Entertainment USA Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., which was a subsidiary of Sony Corporation that was founded in 1986 to develop accessories for the Famicom, including the Famicom Cassette System.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 20, 1987

KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon, an ABC station owned by Fisher/Allbritton Television (20% of interest was in debt by The Hearst Corporation) had just branded the newscasts as "Action 2 News".

The reason cited that they promised to be the number one television newscast.

KATU-TV became an ABC television station in 1964, leaving KPTV without a network affiliation.

Sister stations KOMO-TV in Seattle and WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. had also been using the "Action News" television branding.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 24, 1987

All transactions were finalized. Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. has finalized its purchase of ABC Software, the video game division of ABC Video Enterprises, Inc., a video game publishing company known for publishing Nintendo Entertainment System titles.

Another transaction was finalized. Taito America Corporation has finalized its purchase of Zenith and General Electric's shares in VideoGroup, a software publishing company known for publishing five Nintendo titles in 1986.

A new daytime High Rollers show was targeted for the ABC stations, which was set to star Jim Caldwell, was from Orion Television Syndication, to be cleared the fall of 1987.

It would be demanded that Sony came close to partner with Nintendo to get a preview of the Nintendo Cassette System at the Summer CES 1987. Project is led by Olaf Olafsson, as well as Ken Kutaragi and Norio Ohga of Sony Corporation, in partnership with Nintendo R&D1.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

April 27, 1987

Less than a week after KATU got the "Action News" branding, it is reported that KOIN-TV in Portland would got the "Eyewitness News" branding applied to the newscasts, because the brand makes more sense.

KOIN-TV would make the news to be upgraded in order to be more heavy.

It is reported that Portland would got more of a news and information television audience.

KOIN would drop the "Newsroom 6" branding in favor of naming it "Eyewitness News", because it appealed more viewers.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

May 4, 1987

THIS JUST IN: Lorimar-Telepictures Syndication is giving the greenlight for a second cycle of Knots Landing, that was due for the fall of 1988, and it appears on all stations that aired the first syndicated cycle of Knots Landing in 1984.

It is expected that the second cycle could have to build all young viewers around you.

Turner's Hints & Plays (in association with Fox Television Stations) had given full clearance all around television stations.

Negotiations are underway between the Fox Broadcasting Company and Pappas Telecasting for all three Pappas stations (the last two holes in the top 100).

 

[stratonapba]

June 1, 1987

And so ABC has announced they've Cancelled Double Talk with the Final Episode slated to air on July 3rd with Guests Stuart Pankin (from Not Necessarily the News) and Mary Cadorette (from The Colbys) however Double Talk will be replaced on July 6th with a New Game Show called Bargain Hunters hosted by Peter Tomarken (from The Syndicated Press Your Luck) and announced by Dean Goss however the Game Show will have Home Shopping Segments in which Viewers could purchase items featured on the show, which is a unique feature among Daytime Game Shows.

But I you think that wasn't enough...

June 15, 1987

The First Ever Home Shopping Game Show made it's debut hosted by Bob Goen and It's Called The Home Shopping Game thanks to the Popularity of Home Shopping and is syndicated by MCA Television, Bob Circosta who was the first ever host on The Home Shopping Network is the announcer and co-host.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

Rewind it to a month earlier, and there we are:

May 15, 1987

This week last Friday (May 15), was that Joan Rivers will continue with Fox Broadcasting Co.'s late night program, but it will extend as host, according to a spokesperson at our affiliate WLVI-TV in Boston, which was owned by TVX Broadcast Group. FBC announced last week that it has renewed 21 Jump Street, Married... With Children, The Tracey Ullman Show and Duet for the fall season. Fox said it's too early yet for a decision on Mr. President, with George C. Scott since that program has had only three airings. In addition, Fox officials said it will move back the start date of its Saturday night schedule from May 30 to July 11. That will allow Fox to provide original programming during the traditional network summer rerun season and give it more time to promote its Sunday-night schedule coming out of the May sweeps, a spokesman said.

--excerpted from an article on Broadcasting Magazine, May 18, 1987 (all flaws from The Late Show starring Joan Rivers was butterflied away, so it was a hit)

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May 30-June 2, 1987

The Summer Consumer Electronics Show is out! New accessories for the Sega Master System include the Master System Cassette System, as well as 3-D glasses, and new Disk Drive-based titles Alien Syndrome, Fantasy Zone II, Missile Defense 3-D and OutRun.

For the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo unveiled the Cassette System with three FMV-based titles on videocassette, which include Fascination (a Sony-produced title), Stealth Attack and Family Kid, three of the Cassette System's launch titles. Nintendo also launched the Nintendo 3D System, which would came out later this year.

At the Disk System booth, Acclaim Entertainment unveiled The 3-D Battles of WorldRunner, which comes with the new Nintendo 3D System, as well as another Disk System title Winter Games, and Wizards & Warriors, which was made by the British development team of Rare, Ltd. Acclaim also had Star Voyager and Tiger-Heli for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Sunsoft is preparing their first Disk System with the first title Spy Hunter, and the cartridge game Spy Kid. Capcom USA, Inc. would have two disk-based games Section Z and Gun.Smoke, along with The Speed Rumbler and Side Arms. SNK would deliver the first Disk System titles Athena, Psycho Soldier and Alpha Mission, along with the cartridge-based title Victory Road. Date East would have Ring King, Kid Niki, Karnov and Breakthru on cartridge.

Bandai is showing its Super Controller, the joystick that sticks over the NES Control Pad, as well as the Family Fun Fitness exercise/controller mat and the accompanying Athletic World game pak. Two additional game paks were Family Fun Fitness: Stadium Events and Aerobics. At Konami, we have the Disk System game Double Dribble, The Goonies II and Top Gun, along with the cartridge game Stinger. Broderbund Software is having the cartridge titles Lode Runner, Raid on Bungeling Bay, Spelunker and Deadly Towers.

Irem had Sqoon, and announced Kung Fu II, both titles were distributed by Broderbund. LJN introduced five games, all on the Nintendo Disk System, these are Jaws, The Karate Kid and Major League Baseball, along with the Zapper-based Gotcha!, and Town & Country: Surf Designs. FCI introduced the two cartridge titles Zanac and Lunar Pool. Taito had Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade. Tecmo had four cartridge-only titles Rygar, Solomon's Key, Mighty Bomb Jack and Star Force.

Speaking of Sony itself, Sony's own Sony Interactive Entertainment would have the first RPG game Deep Dungeon, which was a million seller in Japan, and The Cursed Treasure of Cleopatra, all on the Nintendo Disk System, as well as a regular cartridge game King's Knight (IOTL it was released in 1989 for the NES as the first Square USA title).

 

[DucNguyen0131]

Amazing job!

 

[DucNguyen0131]

June 18, 1987

The Fox Broadcasting Company, having experienced success with The Late Show, as well as its weekend primetime lineup is planning their first foray into daytime television, Wipeout, a half-hour game show slated for 10AM.

This program was hosted by Bill Rafferty (formerly of Every Second Counts), and the hostess was Anna Rapagna, with Jim Hackett to serve as announcer.

It follows multiple answers posted on a game board, and any of the incorrect answers would receive a "Wipeout" on the board. It was conceptualized by sitcom veterans Rob Dames and Bob Fraser, of Benson, who is producing the show for Paramount Network Television.

It is reported that Wipeout is slated for debut in the fall of 1987, and designed to compete with efforts on ABC, CBS and NBC. Most stations, like WFXT (New York) and WLVI (Boston) gained full clearance of the show.

 

[DucNguyen0131]

June 23, 1987

After a month of delay, the Famicom Cassette System, along with a new combination console HardSystem (later to be succeeded in the SNES-CD by PlayStation), compromising the Disk System, Famicom and the Cassette System is launched in Japan with amazing fanfare.

Over 500,000 units of the add-on, and 150,000 units of the combination set were shipped, and most of them were in the first few days over new technology.

Three games were available at launch: Fascination, the long-lost Nintendo game in 1974 that played well with the Video Shooting Series light gun, Stealth Attack, a FMV flight simulation game, also with the light gun, and the control pad game Family Kid, also a FMV title that was filmed in 1986.

The sellouts gave well for Nintendo's plans to launch the system in the West later that year, and in Europe in 1988. The companies began the marketing and promotion campaigns for the West in the earnest. Sunsoft had plans to license from Sullivan Bluth adaptations of Dragon's Lair and Space Ace to the Famicom Cassette System later that year. News reports of the launch came on Fuji Television in Japan.

 

[CrashBandicam]

Does the Famicom Cassette System have a mascot similar to how the Famicom Disk System has Diskun as its mascot? And will there be any Super Mario games and platform games for the Nintendo 3D System?