Pictures on the Prairie:
The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television
$19.99 plus tax
Book Signing/
Lecture Update:
Early this year, I was starting to make arrangments to do early TV history lectures and book signings throughout mid-Illinois. The general plan was to be in Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Danville, Bloomington, and possibly Peoria.
Obviously, these plans will be delayed for the time being until this emergency is over and when it is deemed safe for all of us to do so at the various venues where these events were to be held.
Let me know if you're interested in obtaining a signed by the author copy of "Pictures on the Prairie." I have a few copies of my book that could be available for purchase. I'll work out the details of making that possible if there's enough interest.
Drop me a message from the blank at the bottom of this page. I hope to hear from you soon!
Doug
Classic TV, Illinois, TV History, Central Illinois, Doug Quick, WCIA, WICD, WICS, WAND, WTVP, WCCU, WRSP, WEEK, WTVH, WRAU, WIRL, WHOI, WMBD, WCIX, KSD-TV, KSD, KTVI, WTVI, KPLR, KMOX, KMOV, WBLN, WTWO, WTHI, KHQA, WGEM, WDBR, WLRW, WTIM, WDNL, WDAN, Jerry Slabe, Paul Davis, Judy Fraser, Mr. Roberts,
Local Television Today
Looking to "cut the cable?"
Find out what's available to you "off the air" with the use of an antenna. Some times an indoor antenna is all you need, but most of the time an attic, rooftop or tower mounted antenna will be necessary. Find out what is available absolutely free once your investment in an antenna is made.
No matter where you are in mid-Illinois, Peoria, Terre Haute, St. Louis or Chicago areas you'll see what available to you with no monthly subscription fees.
CHECK OUT THE NEW "CUTTING THE CABLE" PAGE by clicking on the link here or from the drop-down menu above under TV Today.
You can also click on the Yahoo link for a program grid of the current "over-the-air" channels in your area.
Examine the history of each of the mid-Illinois TV stations along with stations in Peoria and St. Louis
Each station has a unique history, with ownership diversity and a different path to success. Some achieved success and are now some of the oldest businesses in their respective cities of license. Others fell by the wayside.
Follow their paths from the very beginning in "Pictures on the Prairie: The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television" then catch up with the histories of each station from the early 1960s to the present on Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum.
I spotlight stations that became very special in my radio career. WTIM/WTIM-FM in my hometown and WDAN/WDNL at which I spent most of 25 years.
The select area radio stations all have something in common, in that they were all automated and I worked at two of the stations highlighted.
Legendary radio stations include in my opinion the greatest radio stations heard in mid-Illinois during the era
Automated Radio formats include those program syndicators as well as the equipment used by stations to establish many FM stations during the AM radio era.
There's audio from the companies represented of demos of many of the formats. You'll also see which local stations subscribed to each format.
See photos of many automation systems used by many radio stations from around the country as well as local stations.
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Industrial audio/video training
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Industrial video narration
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Infomercials
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TV commercials
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Public Service announcements
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Radio commercials
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Powerpoint presentations
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Telephone on-hold messages
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In-store announcements for music services
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TV Station news/promo image voice
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Website Audio narration/training
Videos of the Week
"The Flip Wilson Show" NBC 1970-74
We need some comedy this week, so I bring you a bit from the "Flip Wilson Show" as broadcast on NBC. This one skit includes Flip Wilson and George Carlin as newscasters....and George as his famous Al Sleet, the hippy-dippy weatherman.
This would have been seen on WICD, WEEK, WGEM-TV, KSD-TV, and WTWO.
TV Commercial Collection from 1970s
And now a word from our sponsor... as we go back to the 1970s. Here is a collection of a variety of commercials from candy to make-up, from razors to toys. It's all here...watch and remember.
(Source: YouTube and various posters and contributors.
They may be removed without notice)
Classic Radio
Radio Commercials from early 1970s
We'll continue with our commercial theme with a collection of classic radio commercials from the early 70s from FredFlix. Find out what happens when you returned 7-up soda bottles to the grocery store! What a concept!
(Source: YouTube and various posters and contributors.
They may be removed without notice)
Historical
Television
Highlights
Click on each Graphic/Title Below to go directly to an in depth story of each with pictures/videos of Television's Past
What's New?
February 9, 2020-Added a list of Radio Automation Program Suppliers on the Automation Radio Format page. The list was from "Billboard Magazine" published in February of 1975.
February 14, 2020- The latest on the Repack plight of WAND. Visit Mid-Illinois Television here.
February 27, 2020-Added the WAND history video produced by Sean Streaty at WAND and broadcast on February 25, 2020. Watch the video by clicking here.
March 14, 2020-Thanks to former WCIA personality from the early to late 1950s, Scott Craig. He sent me an update on his life since his early days hosting "Cartoon Time" for Channel 3. See what Scott Craig has done over the years and check out a more recent picture of him. Go to WCIA 1953-1965 and Scott Craig here.
April 12, 2020-Thanks to Pete Barrett, WCIA Production Manager for sharing an incredible collection of historical photos from WCIA. Some of which have already been added to the History of WCIA 1953-1965. They're easy to find and are displayed in galleries labeled "WCIA Archive Photos." More will be added to the more recent pages in the coming weeks. Click here to go to the WCIA, 1953-1965 page.
May 24, 2020-"Star Trek" has been added to the Historical Television Highlights page.
Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum and dougquick.com supports the work of the St. Louis Media History.
Visit their website at:
