WKY-TV Collection

Background:

Pioneering WKY was the first radio station in Oklahoma City. Crackling to life in 1921, the station dominated Oklahoma City radio for over 20 years. In 1949, the station received the first television cameras in the state and established studios in the Municipal Auditorium. Originally WKY-TV broadcast shows from all four major networks but they soon affiliated with NBC for national programming. However it was their original programming that won a permanent place in the hearts of many Oklahoma Cityans – especially the coonskin hat-clad and hoola-hooping Baby Boomers – including favorites like 3-D Danny, Count Gregor, and Foreman Scotty (To learn more about Foreman Scotty, visit www.foremanscotty.com or the Foreman Scotty page on www.facebook.com, both sites hosted by his son Cliff Davis).

WKY-TV pioneered many television innovations. Retired executives report WKY-TV was the first station to provide local programming in color and they were among the first to have dedicated staff for weather forecasting. By rebroadcasting a tornado warning from Tinker Air Force Base in 1954, the station quite possibly was the first television station to warn the public of impending danger from a twister. WKY-TV was also in the vanguard of the use of radar in weather forecasting and broadcasting live remotes. The station was the first in Oklahoma to hire a female reporter when news director Ernie Schultz hired Pam Henry. While at WKY-TV she became the first female to anchor a news broadcast in Oklahoma.

This collection from the golden era of the station was compiled by long-time station employee Bill Thrash and made available to Retro Metro OKC by member (and former WKY-TV employee) Jon Spence.

– Buddy Johnson
Scanning by Jon Spence