60 Years for WICU TV 12

In a few days, Erie’s oldest television station will turn 60. WICU TV 12 first hit the airwaves on March 15th, 1949 signing on as the first ever “Channel 12” in the nation. The station had it’s construction permit approved before the FCC put a freeze on additional new TV station construction permits. The next station would not come on the air in Erie until WSEE TV 35 signed on in 1954. WJET TV 24 would then follow in 1966 after that it would be WQLN TV 54 in 1967 and then WETG TV 66 in 1986 (which would later become WFXP). With the new age of television dawning in Erie, WICU would be an affiliate of all four major networks NBC, ABC, CBS and DuMont. In addition, Channel 12 carried lots of locally produced programs using just one camera at their State street studios. I was able to watch a special produced in 1989 called “WICU, The First 40 Years” thanks to Jim Griffey, who loaned me his recording of the program. To see how much research was put into that program was simply amazing. Seeing legendary names like Vance McBryde, Shirley Ramsey, Hyle Richmond, Dave Forsythe, Jean Carnes, Bill Knupp, Ned McGrath, Bill Cardille, etc. says a lot about the quality programming that was put on the WICU airwaves over the years. It’s doubtful that WICU will put together another such program to celebrate their 60th anniversary because of the ownership changes since then. Of course, you are welcome to share your memories of WICU with the PBRTV World.