PRE-1970 STATIONS (NOT O & O) STILL WITH THEIR DEBUT NETWORK

[azumanga]

Tallahassee -- WCTV 6 (CBS)

According to its Wikipedia article, WCTV was actually a primary NBC affiliate its first year (1955-1956), before flipping to CBS full-time.

[johnnya2k6]

New Orleans: WDSU 6-NBC, 1948; WWL 4-CBS, 1957

While we're in that area:

WLOX-13 (Biloxi/Gulfport, Miss.; ABC since 1962)
WKRG-5 (Mobile, Ala.; CBS since 1955)

[OhioMediaWatch]

It would have been FOUR had KLRT-16 (which debuted in 1983) aligned with FOX on day one instead of 1990!

And if Fox signed on before 1970. 

[trusty]

Little Rock, Arkansas ... This is the only market I'm aware of whose "big three" affiliates not only have kept their same networks, but also the same call letters.

This whole collection of stations is pretty extensive. I wonder how short the list would be if this thread had been named "PRE-1970 STATIONS (NOT O & O) STILL WITH THEIR DEBUT NETWORK AND THEIR DEBUT CALL LETTERS".
 

[bpatrick]

I could start in North Carolina: WFMY (CBS), WBTV (CBS),
WWAY (ABC), WITN (NBC), WNCT (CBS), WLOS (ABC)

In Virginia: WDBJ (CBS), WSLS (NBC)

In South Carolina: WSPA (CBS), WIS (NBC), WCSC (CBS),
WBTW (CBS, but not on its original channel--it started on
Ch. 8 and moved to 13 when the CP was given to WGHP)

In Tennessee: WDEF (CBS), WCYB (NBC, actually Bristol, VA),
WJHL (CBS), WKPT (ABC, just beat the deadline by signing on
in 1969)

In Kentucky: WAVE (NBC), WLEX (NBC)

[Scott Fybush]

In Maine, WCSH (NBC)

In New Hampshire, WMUR (ABC)

In Massachusetts, WWLP (NBC, but moved from 61 to 22)

In Rhode Island, WJAR (NBC, but moved from 11 to 10)

In New York, WKTV (NBC, 13 to 2); WENY (ABC, though it squeaks in with a 1969 sign-on); WKBW (ABC)

In Vermont, WVNY (ABC), but on a technicality: not only does it squeak in with a 1968 debut, it changed calls to WEZF-TV in the 70s, then returned to its original calls.

In Pennsylvania, WBRE (NBC); WGAL (NBC, 4 to ; WHP (CBS); WICU (NBC); WSEE (CBS); WJET (ABC); WTAE (ABC); WJAC (NBC, 13 to 6)

In Maryland, WBOC (CBS)

In Ohio, WFMJ (NBC, 73 to 21); WKBN (CBS); WBNS (CBS); WTOL (CBS); WHIZ (NBC, 50 to 18); WLWT (NBC)

In Indiana, WPTA (CBS); WNDU (NBC); WSBT (CBS); WTHI (CBS); WTWO (NBC); WFIE (NBC)

In Michigan, WXYZ (ABC); WJRT (ABC); WOOD (NBC, 7 to ; WPBN/WTOM (NBC); WWTV/WWUP (CBS)

Not a very long list at all so far!

[dhett]

In Vermont, WVNY (ABC), but on a technicality: not only does it squeak in with a 1968 debut, it changed calls to WEZF-TV in the 70s, then returned to its original calls.

But if we're going to include that technicality, then the original premise could have included the following stations that are the same network as at sign-on:

• KPHO-TV 5 Phoenix - CBS at 1949 debut and now, but an indie for most of its life - would also qualify for keeping its original calls since sign-on.  It was originally KTLX, but changed before signing on.
• KSWT 13 Yuma - Signed on in Dec 1963 as a CBS affiliate, took over NBC in Feb 1970 when KIVA went dark, changed to ABC in 1988 shortly after KYMA signed on, and returned to CBS in Sept 1994 when KECY switched to Fox.

Of course, you already knew these, Scott - I see you published the latter in a couple of recent "Tower Site of the Week" articles.  An enjoyable read.
http://www.fybush.com/sites/2010/site-100910.html
http://www.fybush.com/sites/2010/site-100917.html

[Bob1370]

Does a station which has its debut callsign and began as a non-O&O but later became one, count? If so, KPIX/5 in San Francisco (several owners, but CBS affiliate from the start in 1948, and only recently an O&O) and KTRK/13 in Houston (always ABC from 1954 sign-on, but not an O&O until the CapCities merger in 1986) could fit.

[cowboybud]

I thought KPRC started as a CBS primary, and that the
Hobby family switched it to NBC.

Nope, they were NBC from day one (and briefly a DuMont secondary).

And KTRK's calls were never KXYZ; KXYZ was the original call letters of channel 39 in the mid-50s. They went out of business after a few months, and the channel remained dark until 1967.

[Steve N.]

you forgot WHYN-WGGB/40 in Springfield, MA since at least the late 1960s