This is why CBS 2 New York signs off on Weekends, now it is on the air 24-7-365, and this WCBS-TV test card during off hours surely brings back a memory.
By 1988, WCBS' tone which accompanied this apparently monoscope-based test pattern, had gone to 1 kHz. It had been 400 Hz for years. In this layout, it had been in service since 1955-56; the basic pattern itself dated to at least 1948 if not earlier; and would be used at sign-off through the end of 1993 (as well as on one of the monitors of the Channel 2 News set in 1995-96).
I have been looking for this WCBS Movie intro/outro for YEARS. It has never been here until now. Although I must agree with everyone else, I didn't start seeing it on until 1990 when they revamped the Picture for A Sunday Afternoon intro (and replaced The Early Show with Picture for a Saturday Afternoon on Saturdays)
That's The Late Late Show I was looking for! Reminded me of The Late Show with a smooth opening after they took out the "disco syncopated" version of The Late Late Show back in 1988. They did discontinued it for a modern type of version. But thank you for that one, I was looking so hard just to find the ending of that version. Looks like if the beginning intro from WCBS 2 N.Y. had to do a different version but the intros & bumpers were so rare at that time.
Most likely a weekly “Transmitter maintenance” period sign off. WCBS, especially by 1988, was as close to 24-7 as you can get without being 24-7. They had a small sign-off period early (pre-dawn) Sunday or early (pre-dawn) Monday morning to conduct essential transmitter work. This was right when your commercial stations (in the largest markets) really started to go 24/7, or at least 24/6, with the one night a week period for maintenance. PBS stations didn’t do so until the mid to late 1990s, and in some smaller markets, they had commercial stations signing off as late as 1998-1999.
Shoot, there were some major-market TV stations signing off on the weekends as late as 2015 or so. WFOR-TV in Miami did “Weather/Radar” according to the guides. Was a period for transmitter maintenance, but as transmitters improved in the digital era they would show a radar scan with NOAA radio in the background. Was anywhere from 15min-2hrs long. They had been doing this since the late 80’s for sure.
hey bro thanks uploading I haven't seen this in so long thanks for bringing it back this took me back to Jr high and high school I will be 40 next Thursday
I was expecting a longer sign off message. They must have made it ultra-short by then (I lived in Saddle River and then Fair Lawn, New Jersey from 1983 to 1986. By the time this aired, I had moved back to Michigan; I remember the longer sign off also).
This feels like a rushed signoff as right after the end of the late show it throws you at the Aim High America National Anthem and after that just 4 or 5 seconds of "New broadcast day at 6.30am" before throwing viewers to the then around 42 years old test pattern with the 1000hz tone (previously at 400hz)
Right on! You are very knowledgeable and observant. i found the sigh off on one of my old VHS tapes and added the National Anthem to show my journalism students what a sigh off looked like. They didn't believe television and radio ever went off the air. :)
Mykki Newton There are two complete sign-off sequences from WCBS-TV from 1977 and 1980 on YT, with a religious message and SSB film, followed by the black-and-white test pattern. The station went to those rushed sign-offs on weekends starting in the mid-'80s; they went 24/7 during the week with the launch of CBS News Nightwatch in '82.
WBBM-TV in Chicago aired the same SSB film at not only sign-off but also sign-on; their print was considerably less faded, color-wise, than WCBS's by the late 1970's and early '80's.
I remember Channel 47 used that same SSB film, too. It seems to bring back nice memories of when my family and I lived in Saddle River, New Jersey in late 1983 (I was then 21), I was halfway through my sophomore year at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, my Dad (may he rest in peace) just bought a brand new white 1984 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (with a blue velour interior and blue vinyl top) and I just had braces put on my teeth. Sometimes when I was up late I would watch Channel 47 sign off (delivered by Eusuavio Vals in English with a heavy Spanish accent), and then they ran this SSB film. What memories!
@@PurpleTheTapricorn915 - Even many people who worked as engineers at these TV stations thought the 1 kHz tone irritating. They much preferred it at 400 Hz.
