Television Comes to Oklahoma

Crowds came by the thousands to Municipal Auditorium in Oklahoma City to see the first television images in Oklahoma at a demonstration sponsored by WKY Radio on November 13, 1939. Despite television being a financial drain on broadcasters who had tried it before, E.K. Gaylord believed Oklahoma deserved it, so he applied for a license and was granted the first station in Oklahoma. On June 6, 1949, at 7 p.m., WKY-TV went on the air. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss how the new technology was embraced by the Gaylords, the popular shows and personalities on WKY-TV and later KFOR, and the impact television has made on Oklahoma. Their guest is Wes Milbourn, vice president and station manager at KFOR.