I assume this station was run on a shoe string budget at the time? Also, why would I be told to stay tuned to the station when they were signing off? Even for such a small DMA like Hazard/Eastern KY, you'd expect some more quality.
No matter how low your station's art budget is, you've got to do better than cutting your call letters out of construction paper and tacking them to the wall. With each WKYH clip I watch, I wonder if the people running the place had ever left Hazard and viewed a real TV station.
Tkaye was right. When WWII began, stations did start playing the Anthem in support of America and the war effort and kept going from there, making it a tradition for most stations.
The soundtrack of this "SSB" was used for a custom-made film that went with sign-ons and -offs of WPIX New York (with a crossfade that was right out of their production values for "The Yule Log") up to 1979, per: watch?v=B6Aq6fhIVzk
Based on the pitch, it appears that the audio of this particular Army "SSB" film as used by WKYH (and also KBIM in Roswell, NM as of 1978), was also used for New York station WPIX's own film (seen from the late 1960's to about 1979) which had a loop of a 50-star flag flying in broad daylight, along the lines of: watch?v=fCw2Q-t8g5o watch?v=TG-ZHsBfWvQ . . . only without the lyrics printed below.
It was the same recording of the U.S. Army Band "SSB." The audio as presented here, however, was more reminiscent of the SSB clip used from the late 1960's to the late 1970's by WPIX in New York.
"Sign Off WKYH TV:" "At this time, WKYH TV in Hazard, Kentucky, has come to the end of another broadcast day. Channel 57 operates on 728 to 734 megacycles, our power is 214 kilowatts visual maximum, and 28.9 kilowatts aural maximum. Our tower height is 442.2 ft which is 800ft above average terrain. It is 2,118 ft above sea level. Channel 57 is owned by Kentucky Central Television in Lexington, Kentucky. Channel 57 is an affiliate of the NBC Television Network. Be sure and join us in the morning at 7 AM for the best in programming from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky on WKYH TV, in Hazard. Now for the staff and management, we would like to wish you a pleasant good evening. Ladies and Gentlemen, our National Anthem."
Well, this is more than I ever thought about, for sure. I do find it odd that these sign-off national anthem movies dwell on war, violence and images of death, along with some other images that are a bit more uplifting. Welcome to America's true nature, I guess.
Very nice! Plus, for the courtesy of you and others who view this, the words of our national anthem were penned by Francis Scott Key in the aftermath of the Brittish attack on Fort McHenry during the war of 1812 and below are Mr. Key's words if you want to read them while listening or sing along as you stand with your hand over your heart. The anthem begins at the 1:07 mark. O say, can you see? By the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Sign Off WKYH TV: At THIS TIME, WKYH TV in Hazard Kentucky Has come to the END of another Broadcast Day. Channel 57 operates on 728 to 734 Mega Cycles, our power is 214 kilowatts visual maximum, and 28.9 kilowatts aural maximum. Our Tower height is 442.2 ft which is 800ft above average terrain. It is 2,118 ft above sea level. Channel 57 is owned by Kentucky Central Television in Lexington, Kentucky. Channel 57 is an affiliate of the NBC Television Network. Be sure and join us in the morning at 7 AM for the best in programming from the mountains of eastern Kentucky on WKYH TV, in Hazard. Now for the Staff and Management, WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU A PLEASANT GOOD EVENING!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, Our NATIONAL ANTHEM.
Given that Kentucky Central (who bought channel 57 and converted it into WYMT) abandoned WKYH's studio and tx facility outright, I wouldn't be surprised if that news set is still there!
Was the newscast prerecorded, or did they signoff outright at 11:30PM this night? Note, too, that the signoff message already noted Kentucky Central Television as the new owner, meaning the change to WYMT was very, very close. Nice aerial shot of the tower, by the way.
I believe one of tkaye2's comments below may explain this occurrence (the one with the "call letters out of construction paper" and "real TV station" thing).
Perry County, actually. This ain't the Duke Boys' Hazard. (Although Ironically, the Dukes of Hazzard aired on CBS, whom WKYH, Rechristened as WYMT, would affiliate with.)
