September 19, 1952…This Was The News Of The Day On NBC
September 19, 1952…This Was The News Of The Day On NBC
Here is a 64 year old time capsule…a look at the news on this day in 1952. This is the full 15 minute broadcast of “The Camel News Caravan” live from Studio C of NBC’s Uptown Studios at 105 East 106th Street. A location NBC leased from Pathe, as they worked closely on film processing and kinescope production.
This live feed of John Cameron Swayze in Studio C, plus film inserts from Studio F at Uptown was sent to Master Control at 30 Rock via coaxial cable, and there, modern technology allowed live reports from Los Angeles, Washington and Chicago to be inserted. Since the coast to coast television linkage had only become possible the year before, this was still novel and quite impressive to viewers.
As you watch, you’ll notice that not much has changed! The democrats and republicans are butting heads over Nixon, and there are even a couple of fluff pieces here on fashion and portable swimming pools. Enjoy! -Bobby Ellerbee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK_3NBHJyBk
kinescope of a live network news broadcast. News items include Richard Nixon, Charlie Chaplin (at 13:14), fashion, missiles and more, plus original commercia…
Check the closing credits – future NBC News president Reuven Frank is listed as the features editor.
The “CAMEL NEWS CARAVAN” aired on NBC at 7:45pm(et).
Chaplin, in effect, “thumbed his nose” at the United States, and stayed in Europe (and Switzerland) for the rest of his life- returning only once, in April 1972, to accept an honorary Academy Award.
I would assume after Camel News Caravan became The Huntley-Brinkley Report, that’s when NBC’s newscasts started originating from 30 Rock, right?
This is worth viewing, even though it was a very slow news day. Where were you on September 19, 1952? I was a freshman at Ohio University, living in Scott Quad, then a men’s dorm, looking forward to my 18th birthday in just two days.
That building is still there, and it’s still a television studio. BET had it for years.
great time capsule
At CBS, there was a debate whether there was enough news to fill 15 minutes every day. Today news is manufactured just to fill time.
Interesting that both John Wayne & Dennis O’ Keefe, hawking Camel cigarettes, died of lung cancer.
I got a lung tumor with all the ‘Camel’ talk, and then shuddered at the sight of Nixon.
We didn’t get our first TV until January of 1953, so this very interesting.
Some things never change. The propaganda ministry always waits until just before election time to bring up sensationalist dirt.
About three weeks before I was born. One of my earliest TV memories was seeing that opening montage. 🙂