WIRK-TV
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NBC (1953–1954)
ABC (1953–1955)
Independent (1955–1956)
| |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | CBS (1953–1954) NBC (1953–1954) ABC (1953–1955) Independent (1955–1956) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | WIRK-TV, Inc. |
| History | |
First air date | September 13, 1953 |
Last air date | February 29, 1956 |
| Technical information | |
| ERP | 18.6 kW[1] |
| HAAT | 220 ft (67 m)[1] |
| Transmitter coordinates | 26°42′43.4″N 80°3′6.1″W / 26.712056°N 80.051694°W |
WIRK-TV, UHF analog channel 21, was a television station licensed to West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It was the first television station in the Palm Beach area, signing on September 13, 1953. However, it was quickly overshadowed by new VHF stations, which took away its network affiliations, and ceased telecasting February 29, 1956.
The owners of WIRK radio (1290 AM), organized as WIRK-TV, Inc., filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build a new television station in West Palm Beach—on channel 12—on May 21, 1952.[2] However, as two other applicants also pursued the channel, WIRK-TV opted to amend its application in November to specify UHF channel 21, also allocated to West Palm Beach, instead,[3] and thus get a head start on the VHF stations whose fates would be determined by lengthy comparative hearings.[4] The change allowed WIRK-TV to get its construction permit on December 18, 1952—the first such permit in West Palm Beach.[5]
While WIRK originally planned to house the television station at an expansion of its Phillips Point facility, channel 21 instead took up residence on the 12th floor[6] of the Harvey Building downtown in a 10-year lease agreement.[7] However, channel 21's film department was in the Remington Rand Building, one floor below the WIRK radio studios.[8] That summer, construction began for the new WIRK-TV studios and a maximum-height tower topping the Harvey Building.[6] Though West Palm Beach was already served by coaxial network lines, the new station would not be interconnected immediately because of the time needed for the telephone company to make the connection.[9]