This is random 16 mm. film footage that was shot behind the scenes at WBZ-TV/Boston's "Eyewitness News" in 1970. The material was incorporated in a special titled "The Eyewitnesses." All rights are acknowledged.
This is Jan 1970. Still the 60's .from a cultural standpoint. The 70's as we knew them kicked in probably 73?? Just like 1980 still had the late 70's feel..as well as the 90's. Not so much with the 2k or I'm just getting old.
The Videograph (electronic character generator) seen in the clip was manufactured by A. B. Dick Company. This company is better known as a maker of mimeograph machines.
Very insightful and interesting observations re: culture. I was thinking the 70's kicked in around 72 or so, but 73 is close enough. The 70s were a fun decade except for the inflation, the 55 mph speed limit (imposed in 1973-74), and the crummy cars built at that time.
Love the good old wood paneling in the control room. It's interesting how sparse the the sets were back then compared with the elaborate studios they construct now, like the sports shows on TBS. It's like comparing someones basement with Time Square.
Interesting . . . WBZ using RCA TK-42's and TK-44A's in the same studio. I guess they were hedging their bets? And am I correct in assuming WBZ used color bars rather than slide-based test patterns, between sign-off and sign-on - or was it just for internal use?
That night on that film, they were using Tom Ellis as anchor. He also worked at WCVB, WNEV, & NECN in Boston, & also WCBS & WABC in New York. Is he retired now?
One weird example of different cameras in the same studio was in 1966 during ABC News' coverage of that year's mid-term election results. Photos of the studio layout showed a Norelco PC-60 camera placed in one area, and several feet away in the same studio an RCA TK-41C.
@747400fan Actually, that machine is a very early TR-70. Notice the RCA TO-2 waveform monitor instead of the later Tektronix 529. Also, the 70A was the only one of the series that the face of the monitor bridge was not painted RCA blue. Also, the B and C versions have a master warning indicator between the two meters right above the transport. Of the two 70As I have, One of them has the RCA logo between the reels, and the other doesn't!
At 0:27 the frame shows the 4s set bkgrd, which was used for many years (well into the mid-70's..). When WBZ decided to finally stop using it (I don't recall what year that was), I do remember that they offered on-air to break it up and give away pieces to anyone who wanted to come down to get one. I don't think it was any type of auction, just a give-away. I wanted one, but couldn't get there.. At the same time spot, I wonder if that is anchor Steve Shott.. Looks like him to me..
Two-inch quad VTRs made great pictures but they did require that operators have technical knowledge to run properly. Understanding how to read a scope was a prerequisite. Quadruplex VTRs are built upon a lot of mechanical components and discrete electronics. Also, they require an air compressor. Ongoing maintenance is required to keep these machines in service. CBS Television City has a collection of quad VTRs that are used for dubbing vintage programming to contemporary video formats.
Westinghouse Broadcasting launched WBZ-TV from the day it first went on the air (as the Bay State's first-ever TV station) until CBS took over that said company by 1995 (and changing networks in the process).
I don't have any experience of the TR70, though I'm sure that vtoldboys would be happy to answer any queries if you contact them via the website. I gather that tape damage problems were mainly due to fast spooling. There was at least one publication that covered Quad in detail but it'll be long out of print by now - probably since the early 70's.
NBC. From its sign-on in 1948 until early 1995. In that context, it figures they'd use RCA's TK-42 and TK-44A's and TR-70's (as RCA owned NBC then). Whereas KPIX in San Francisco, a CBS affiliate, used Norelco PC-70's.
@VintageTelevision Ah, I was wondering what make of CG they were using, I assumed it was one of Chyron's first models (wasn't the Videograph licensed & resold by Chyron as well?)
Looks like the original 1967 RCA TR-70. There was a slight difference in appearance between this and the subsequent updates (TR-70B - which came out in 1969 - and TR-70C - which wasn't introduced until c.1975). Certainly isn't a TR-22.
hey did you see two cameras in this video? a tk 45 and a tk 42, i dont understand why some peoples tell bad things about the video quality of tk 42, last month i restored all my tk 42,its amazing the 4 tubes pickup system called M channel independent chrominance and luminance channels, in my point of view it procuces natural colors and rich gray scales, my test was make a shot video of the street, the picture was perfect in all the senses..
I wouldn't say this is random footage. It looks more like raw footage for a documentary of what goes into a newscast. All it needs is narration and some canned music.
