Our PBS station here in Detroit, WTVS 56, also did a very classy analogue shut-off. After the typical messages on how to continue to receive their regular programming, they signed off with not only “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but “O Canada,” also. They conducted their shut off a couple of months early, in April 2009, as their old transmitter had been repeatedly breaking down.
WCBS-TV was to be one of the first 2 TV stations to begin regular broadcasting, but I think WNBT did best them to the air because their transmitter wasn’t ready at the appointed time (I think 13:00 local on July 1st 1941).
