Birth of the Superstation
October 1978
The broadcast signal
of Chicago's Channel 9
is uplinked to satellite
making it available to
cable television subscribers
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"You're from Chicago? Oh, I just love your commercials."
Oklahoma television viewer
June 1980
Note--
We had just met this woman at a Tulsa backyard barbeque,
and did not know what she was talking about. When she told us
she watched WGN-TV regularly, we were amazed to learn that an
ordinary Chicago station was offered to cable subscribers in the
Sooner State.
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What We Knew Then
We didn't want PAY TV!
We wanted FREE TV!
Hardly anyone had cable. . .
and we knew little about it!
And the word "Superstation"
was not yet in our vocabulary!
But of course. . .
All That Would Change!
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Personal Learning Experience
We watched cable TV for the first time on this trip!
We loved what we saw! We took in a few movies. . .
. . . and saw our own Karla DeVito on something called MTV!
We also watched TV stations from New York and Atlanta and LA!
But we didn't watch Channel 9 from Chicago. . .
We'd already seen it! And its commercials!
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Corporate Learning Experience
The Tribune Company knew all about this woman in Tulsa. . .
. . . and all the others who were tuning in to watch WGN!
At this time, the Cubs were still owned by the Wrigley family!
But you can bet that the burgeoning size of the Channel 9. . .
. . . nationwide viewing audience was a huge factor. . .
. . . in the Trib decision to purchase the Cubs in the coming year!
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