Television’s First News Cast, 1939
Picture Parade #3…Television’s First News Cast, 1939
W2XBS would not become WNBT until 1941, but in 1939, Lowell Thomas began to simulcast his NBC Radio news report there. Since sponsors were not allowed on experimental television, he continued with news stories on TV while radio inserted an ad in the middle.
This is in NBC’s experimental Studio 3H. Notice the pith helmet on the back of the center camera dolly, the hat on top of the right camera and the towel on top of the left camera…they were all used to protect the cameramen’s heads from the immense heat the lights generated. This show was not too bad, light wise, but dramatic productions had to have a lot more hot lights for the Iconoscope cameras. Enjoy, share and Happy New Year! -Bobby Ellerbee
And check the size of the camera cable!!
I’d love to figure out the orientation of this layout; how it lines up with the way the studio exists today. Is that door in the background the back of the studio or what we consider today the front?
Also, with lights so low to the floor, there were lots of face shadows in the video, I’m sure.