DuMont Television Network
| DuMont Television Network | |
|---|---|
| Launched | April 13, 1939 |
| Owned by | DuMont Media Group |
| Picture format | 2180p |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Upper Montclair, New Jersey, United States |
Search DuMont Television Network on Amazon.
The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or incorrectly Dumont) is an American commercial broadcast television network that is the flagship property of DuMont Media Group, a subsidiary of DuMont Laboratories. It began operation in the United States in 1946. In the 1940s, the network was hindered by the prohibitive cost of broadcasting, by regulations imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which initially restricted the company's growth, and even by the company's partner, Paramount Pictures. Despite several innovations in broadcasting and the creation of one of television's biggest stars of the 1950s (Jackie Gleason), the network never found itself on solid financial ground. Forced to expand on UHF channels during an era when UHF was not yet a standard feature on television sets, DuMont fought an uphill battle for program clearances outside of their three owned-and-operated stations in New York, Washington and Pittsburgh, resulting in the network creating a turnaround plan, which marked the launch of bigger hits that staved off the financial problems which nearly forced it off the air, and made DuMont a major player in the TV industry, a position which continues as of 2016.
DuMont is headquartered in New York City, NY, with additional offices in Los Angeles, CA and, as of July 2015, has a growing number of owned-and-operated stations and a growing number of affiliates throughout the United States and its territories, some of which are available in Canada via pay television providers or in border areas over-the-air.
History[edit]
DuMont Laboratories was founded in 1931 by Dr. Allen B. DuMont with only $1,000, and a laboratory in his basement. He and his staff were responsible for many early technical innovations, including the first consumer all-electronic television set in 1938. The company's television sets soon became the gold standard of the industry. In 1942, DuMont worked with the Army in developing radar technology during World War II. This ended up bringing in $5 million in capital for the company. Early sales of television sets were hampered by the lack of regularly scheduled programming being broadcast. A few months after selling his first set in 1938, DuMont opened his own New York area experimental television station (W2XVT) in Passaic, New Jersey. In 1940, the station moved to Manhattan as W2XWV on channel 4. Unlike CBS and NBC, which reduced their hours of television broadcasting during World War II, DuMont continued full-scale experimental and commercial broadcasts throughout the war. In 1944, W2XWV became WABD moving to channel 5 in 1945, (the calls were taken from DuMont's initials), the third commercial television station in New York. On May 19, 1945, DuMont opened experimental W3XWT in Washington, DC. A minority shareholder in DuMont Laboratories was Paramount Pictures, which had advanced $400,000 in 1939 for a 40% share in the company. Paramount had television interests of its own, having launched experimental stations in Los Angeles in 1939 and Chicago in 1940, and DuMont's association with Paramount ultimately proved to be a mistake. Soon after his experimental Washington station signed on, DuMont began experimental coaxial cable hookups between his laboratories in Passaic, New Jersey, and his two stations. It is said that one of those broadcasts on the hookup announced that the U.S. had dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. This was later considered to be the official beginning of the DuMont Network by both Thomas T. Goldsmith, the network's chief engineer and DuMont's best friend, and DuMont himself. Regular network service began on August 15, 1946, on WABD and W3XWT. In 1947, W3XWT became WTTG, named after Goldsmith. The pair were joined in 1949 by WDTV (channel 3, now KDKA-TV on channnel 2) in Pittsburgh.
Although NBC in New York was known to have station-to-station television links as early as 1940 with WPTZ (now KYW) in Philadelphia and WRGB Schenectady, NY, DuMont received its station licenses before NBC resumed its previously sporadic network broadcasts after the war. ABC had just come into existence as a radio network in 1943 and did not enter network television until 1948, when it signed on a flagship station in New York City, WJZ-TV (now WABC-TV). CBS also waited until 1948 to begin network operations because it was waiting for the Federal Communications Commission to approve its color television system (which it eventually did not). Other companies – including Mutual, the Yankee Network, and Paramount itself – were interested in starting television networks, but were prevented from successfully doing so by restrictive FCC regulations; however, the Paramount Television Network did have some limited success in network operations in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Despite no history of radio programming or stable of radio stars to draw on, and perennial cash shortages, DuMont was an innovative and creative network. Without the radio revenues that supported mighty NBC and CBS, DuMont programmers relied on their wits and on connections with Broadway. Eventually, the network produced original programs that are remembered more than 60 years later. The network largely ignored the standard business model of 1950s TV, in which one advertiser sponsored an entire show, enabling it to have complete control over its content. Instead, DuMont sold commercials to many different advertisers, freeing producers of its shows from the veto power held by sole sponsors. This eventually became the standard model for U.S. television. Some commercial time was sold regionally on a co-op basis, while other spots were sold network-wide. DuMont also holds another important place in American TV history. WDTV's sign-on made it possible for stations in the Midwest to receive live network programming from stations on the East Coast, and vice versa. Before then, the networks relied on separate regional networks in the two time zones for live programming, and the West Coast received network programming from kinescopes (films shot directly from live television screens) originating from the East Coast.
On January 11, 1949, the coaxial cable linking East and Midwest (known in television circles as "the Golden Spike") was activated. The ceremony, hosted by DuMont and WDTV, was carried on all four networks. WGN-TV (channel 9) in Chicago and WABD in New York were able to share programs through a live coaxial cable feed when WDTV signed on in Pittsburgh, because the station completed the East Coast-to-Midwest chain, allowing stations in both regions to air the same program simultaneously, which is still the standard for U.S. TV. It was another two years before the West Coast got live programming from the East (and the East became able to get live programming from the West), but this was the beginning of the modern era of network television. The first broadcasts came from DuMont's 515 Madison Avenue headquarters, and it soon found additional space, including a fully functioning theater, in the New York branch of Wanamaker's department store at Ninth Street and Broadway. Later, a lease on the Adelphi Theatre on 54th Street and the Ambassador Theatre on West 49th Street gave the network a site for variety shows, and in 1954, the lavish DuMont Tele-Centre opened in the former Jacob Ruppert's Central Opera House at 205 East 67th Street. DuMont was the first network to broadcast a film production for TV: Talk Fast, Mister, produced by RKO in 1944. DuMont also aired the first TV situation comedy, Mary Kay and Johnny, as well as the first network-televised soap opera, Faraway Hill. Cavalcade of Stars, a variety show hosted by Jackie Gleason, was the birthplace of The Honeymooners (Gleason took his variety show to CBS in 1952, but filmed the Classic 39 Honeymooners episodes at DuMont's Adelphi Theater studio in 1955-56). Bishop Fulton J. Sheen's devotional program Life Is Worth Living went up against Milton Berle in many cities, and was the first show to compete successfully in the ratings against "Mr. Television". In 1952, Sheen won an Emmy Award for "Most Outstanding Personality".
Several years after the DuMont Television Network launched its turnaround plan, former investors of the network were ready to try to help DuMont get out of its four-year ratings slump, but there was one problem: By now, with ABN and the RKO Network on the scene, and CBS, ABC, and NBC producing hit programs left and right, DuMont was struggling just to get affiliates. They did manage to regain some affiliates that they had before those affiliates left due to DuMont's falling ratings. Also they managed to make an agreement with some stations that had signed on just prior to 1960, and once again, DuMont was ready to initiate its plan. With NBC and CBS battling for no. 1, DuMont skyrocketed back to the top on Sept. 4, 1960 after four years of low ratings, with the return of Captain Video and His Video Rangers and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Because of the success of those two series, DuMont was on its way. Also added to the schedule was the return of the first televised network game show in history, Cash and Carry. By the end of the decade, DuMont started to turn a profit, and at the beginning of 1970, DuMont decided to start reaching out for the young audience. CBS started the "Rural Purge" as part of their plan to reach younger viewers. DuMont had a brand new show on Sunday nights, that was giving "The Ed Sullivan Show" fits: Big Town. By the end of Big Town's first season in 1971, Sullivan's show was gone and Fred Silverman was hired by DuMont. Under Fred's leadership, DuMont began dominating with Big Town, Rocky King: Detective, and a new daytime game show, Down You Go, paired with Cash and Carry. DuMont became the no. 1 network by 1975. However, Fred Silverman left DuMont to work for ABC that same year, knowing he wanted to "go out on top." Under Fred's control, ABC became the no. 1 network in 1976, 1977, and 1979 (CBS held no. 1 in 1978), and DuMont's ratings began to weaken. By 1979, most of the shows that were hits for DuMont were off the schedule, and DuMont suddenly found themselves battling with NBC just to stay out of the ratings basement. By 1980, DuMont was at the bottom. Affiliates were leaving and going to networks with higher ratings. Something had to happen, and soon. After avoiding a Ted Turner takeover in 1982, DuMont made a gutsy decision and hired a young unknown to help lead DuMont on a turnaround. That man was Clarence Campbell. Campbell decided that DuMont needed a new image ("Come Here to DuMont") and he decided to launch a brand new show to help lead the turnaround. My Living Doll (a remake of the 1960s CBS sitcom) was an unexpected hit and ratings for DuMont quickly began to improve. Dr. Slump (based on a Japanese manga series) and My Living Doll quickly sent DuMont to No. 3 in the ratings by 1984 (behind NBC and CBS). In 1985, DuMont added another science fiction show to its roster, Small Wonder. By 1987, DuMont was once again back on top of the ratings, but Campbell didn't want to stop there.
By 1990, Small Wonder, My Living Doll, and Dr. Slump were off the air, and DuMont was ready for more changes. Campbell took a series that everyone thought would flop, and turned it into a huge hit: The Brian Barnes Show. In 1992, DuMont took a character from the show and spun him off into his own series, The C. Carter Show. With The Brian Barnes Show and The C. Carter Show airing back-to-back, DuMont started increasing its lead as the no. 1 network in America. One more show was added by 1995, The Red Green Show (which was imported from Canada). DuMont saw Nielsen numbers no one had ever imagined for a single night. With those three shows airing back-to-back-to-back, DuMont had three shows in the Top 10, with The C. Carter Show being the no. 1 rated show in America. Wishing to leave on top, Clarence Campbell stepped down as President of DuMont Entertainment. By the year 2000, DuMont's ratings began to weaken due to NBC's and RKO Network's smash lineups. New president Hap Day decided that DuMont needed a new approach. Two reality shows entered DuMont's schedule: Big to Love, and Airport Makeover. In the year 2002, The Brian Barnes Show ended it's run. Both The C. Carter Show and The Red Green Show would end their runs in 2004. Another reality TV show entered DuMont's schedule, Dancing Search. Because of the three reality series doing well in the ratings, DuMont quickly rebounded to being the no. 1 network in 2008 (beating CBS, which was no. 1 in 2006, and FOX, which was no. 1 in 2007).
DuMont today[edit]
Today, DuMont continues to be one of the leading networks in television. With Dancing Search, Big to Love, and Airport Makeover going strong, DuMont added three more series to keep their ratings high: Starfighters (debuted in 2012), The Gene Dabbs Show (debuted in 2013) and The Curtis Frazier Show (debuted in 2013). With six shows in the top 25 by the end of the 2014-15 season, DuMont finshed at no. 3 behind CBS and FOX.
Affiliates[edit]
(TBA)
