Now THIS Is RARE! NBC Studio 5HN…TK41 Equipped
Now THIS Is RARE! NBC Studio 5HN…TK41 Equipped
This is the only photo that I know of that shows a camera in NBC’s 5HN. I’ve searched my files for this photo for weeks and just found it last night. This is the breaking news studio on the 5th floor at NBC NY.
After the Kennedy assassination in November of ’63 caught all of the networks unable to go to air with a live, on camera report, NBC decided to make Studio 5H a full time, always hot studio and renamed it 5HN. I think it may have originally been equipped with at least one RCA TK30 which was always on and ready.
It was probably sometime after 1965 that the studio got an RCA TK41 color camera which would be replaced around 1967 with one of the two RCA TK43s RCA left behind after their one time use on the November ’66 midterm election coverage from 8H.
Although it’s use on the network was occasional, WNBC used this studio nightly for a 2AM news update. I don’t remember where this photo came from, but there was a note with it that says this was taken in 1973. If that’s true, I would imagine that once the TK43 wore out, it was replaced by one of the many surplus TK41s NBC had in storage. If you know more and are able to add to this, please do! Enjoy and share!
…I seem to recall the WBAP cut ins a couple times in color and also b&w.
C-SPAN aired two hours of the breaking JFK assassination coverage and six hours of the funeral coverage last year. Interestingly, I don’t think the WBAP coverage was in color on that showing.
…from that A & E special from NBC, did y’all notice that when they switched to WBAP-TV in Dallas the live video was in color ! ? ! ! ..WBAP had TK-41’s in studio but not mobile ..the video of the program director smoking on camera was more than likely the WFAA-TV coverage and they used Marconi Mark IV’s in studio and mobile ..again, very fascinating video !
…I had taped the A & E special with Edwin Newman years ago ..used EP speed, 6 hours, one tape ..can’t find my tape but I know it’s somewhere ..so interesting how an actual event live, late breaking, news alert was done in the 60’s ..how coverage progressed over the years is truly fascinating ! !
http://www.statter911.com/2013/11/22/november-22-1963/
Does NBC still have a “hot studio” or is this no longer necessary with modern cameras?
Judging by the longish hairdos and sideburns those guys have I would agree it was taken in 1973
Here’s the RCA TK43 story from a few weeks ago.