W07CB

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = W07CB
station_
station_slogan = T-V Heaven, Channel 7
station_branding = "Channel 7 Philadelphia"
analog = 7 (VHF)
digital = None
affiliations = IND
founded = 1992
location = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
callsign_meaning = None, call letters sequentially assigned by FCC| former_callsigns =
owner =
former_affiliations = Channel America/Family Net (1992-1995?)
effective_radiated_power = 100 kW/305 m Fact|date=July 2008
homepage =

Channel 7 Philadelphia, W07CB, was founded in 1992 as Philadelphia's first VHF television station in 44 years. It was the first Philadelphia-licensed VHF since May 1948. Bearing the callsign W07CB, it broadcast with significantly lower power than standard television stations did.

History

Introduction

W07CB was not affiliated with a major TV network, and instead at first showed many reruns and old B-movies. Former affiliations included Channel America and FamilyNet. General Manager Ron Joseph, who was also a part-owner and former dance-show host, telecast his 1970s-era disco shows as well. The station achieved an interesting amount of success under Joseph's stewardship. But a dispute between the four part-owners escalated, and Joseph was forced into exile by the others. He relocated to Hollywood, California, and was forced to stay silent on station issues.

Changes

Within a year, the station underwent a series of management changes. Infectious Diseases specialist Dr. Walter Moxley IV was named the new general manager. He had had no previous broadcasting experience, but had high hopes for W07CB. His son Michael was brought in as an assistant, but soon thereafter abandoned the station for a position in the U.S. Military.

By June 1994, the station's parent company, Morton Broadcasting, named George Brusstar, operator of tiny, yet profitable cable television operations in the Philadelphia suburbs, as its Director of Programming. All of the station's programming was abruptly scrapped along with the station's name ("T-V Heaven, Channel 7"). New call letters were announced, and the station's new logo became "The Bell". Brusstar later claimed the model for the new image was Philadelphia's Liberty Bell. Gone were the old disco shows, classic westerns, and vintage sitcoms. The new format was a 24-hour "two-way talk" program featuring live TV hosts sitting at a desk with telephones. Viewers could call in live and sound off on issues of the day with hosts. Brusstar hired former Philadelphia radio performer Dennis Marcucci and Modesto, California television personality Al Mario to host shows on the new lineup. In addition, Brusstar himself was a featured host, and was joined by 17-year-old Port Richmond resident Mike Phillips, who later went on to host a show on WNJC. The station achieved notoriety by featuring the first Philadelphia on-air personality to ever announce his homosexuality live on-air, in 1995. Advertising revenue picked up, and the A.C. Nielsen Company (which rates television audience size) reported viewership increased sixfold.

A contractual dispute in late 1994 resulted in Brusstar's sudden departure, and all local programming ceased. He was replaced by Mario, who hired local college students, activists, and radio personalities in an attempt to cement a stable evening line-up. Programs included music ("Dr. Soul's Radio on TV"), comedy ("A Sermon from the Reverend Spoonicci"), along with current events commentaries from Mario, homelessness activist Leona Smith, and Libertarian Sean McBride. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the following morning, programming consisted of live TV psychics from a low-power New York City station brought in via satellite. By June of 1995, infighting between owners again forced all programming off the air.

Return to the air, decline, and the End of Channel 7

When Channel 7 next appeared, it was clear Ron Joseph was back in control; for weeks on end, a two hour VHS tape loop of his recent wedding played ad nauseam. Joseph attempted to take the station back entirely via a loophole in the partnership agreement (partner Moxley was imprisoned for the assault of a family member), but was unsuccessful. He later opened a similar low-power TV channel in Atlantic City, New Jersey ((W05AX)).

In 1996, with almost no advertisers left, the company was dissolved and the FCC license for Channel 7 was sold to Shooting Star Productions. Executive Producer, Jerry Leazer created an innovative 24 / 7 music video programming format concentrating on the historical music roots of The Sounds Of Philadelphia. The programming format was an immediate success and Morton Broadcasting spent over a year trying to break the contract between Morton Broadcasting and Shooting Star Productions so they could sell it for a higher price now that Jerry Leazer had dramatically increased the value. Shooting Star Productions, which had been represented by Reed Smith Shaw and Mc Clay in Philadelphia and Richard Glanton, ultimately sold their interest to Richard Glanton to avoid any further litigation. By the end of the 1990s, Channel 7 operated at an even lower power than it originally did, and programmed modern rap music videos. It could only be seen 1.5 miles (1 km) from its Philadelphia transmitter, as opposed to a 14-mile radius just a few years before. This was to protect WABC-TV in New York, about 70 miles (112 km) away.

Claim to Fame

The station's name is best known for being featured in the 1995 Touchstone Pictures film, "Up Close And Personal" starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a television reporter at the station. (Pfeiffer never appeared on the actual Channel 7.)

Sources

* [http://citypaper.net/articles/050197/article058.shtml CityPaper.net]