This is the ABC Network section of
The Broadcast Archive
Maintained by:
Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer
It would be a kindness if you'd just send a
short note to let me know who you are, and what your interests
are. Thanks.
ABC debuted in 1943.
After the FCC began in 1937 to
devise a way to separate NBC's two networks, RCA sold NBC-Blue to
Edwad Noble (Lifesavers) for $8 million. In 1945 The Blue
Network, Inc, bought the name "American Broadcasting
Company" from George Storer.
ABC merged with Paramount Theaters February 12,
1953.
ABC was merged into Capital Cities in 1986.
ABC was merged into Disney in 1994.
The ABC "Circle" Logo
was adopted in 1962 to replace the "A" logo used
previously. Today the old "A" logo is used by all ABC
owned and operated TV stations.
Programming:
On January 1, 1968, ABC split its
operations among four "networks": ABC - Information,
ABC - Entertainment, ABC - Contemporary, and ABC-FM.
- ABC-I ran at the top of the hour
- ABC-F ran at :15 past the hour.
- ABC-E ran at the bottom of the hour
- ABC-C ran at 55 past the hour
Paul Harvey was moved to ABC-E.
Interesting milestones in the ABC
timeline:
1942: The NBC Blue network was reincorporated as The Blue
Network Inc. by RCA in anticipation of its being spun off under
FCC orders.
1943: The Blue Network Inc. was purchased by Edward Noble, of
Lifesavers fame, in 1943 for about $8 million. He bought the
rights to the name American Broadcasting Company in 1945 from
George Storer.
2/12/53: merged with United Paramount Theatres Inc. (spun off
from Paramount Pictures Corporation in 1950) after a 20 month set
of FCC hearings which, combined with the Paramount
Pictures/Dumont Network issues, determined the future of
television for 30 years.
1962: United Paramount-American Broadcasting Company, Inc.
changed its name to American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. and
adopted the now-famous circle logo.
1986: Acquired by Capital Cities Communications becoming
Capital Cities/ABC Inc.
1996: Acquired by The Walt Disney Company.
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