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The NTA Film Network was an early American television network

Television network

A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...

founded by Ely Landau

Ely Landau

Ely Abraham Landau was an American producer and production executive best remembered for films of plays in the American Film Theatre series....

in 1956

1956 in television

The year 1956 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1956.-Events:*January 28 – Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on CBS on Stage Show, the first of six appearances on the series....

. The network was not a full-time television network

Television network

like CBS

CBS

CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

, NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

, or ABC

American Broadcasting Company

The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

. Rather, it operated on a part-time basis, broadcasting films and several first-run television program

Television program

A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...

s from major Hollywood studios. Despite attracting over 100 affiliate

Affiliate

An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...

stations and the financial support of Twentieth Century-Fox (which purchased a 50% share of NTA in November 1956) the network proved unprofitable, and was discontinued by 1961. The NTA Film Network's flagship station, WNTA-TV, is now WNET

WNET

WNET, channel 13 is a non-commercial educational public television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey. With its signal covering the New York metropolitan area, WNET is a primary station of the Public Broadcasting Service and a primary provider of PBS programming...

, one of the flagship stations of the Public Broadcasting Service

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

(PBS).

Origins

Parent company National Telefilm Associates

National Telefilm Associates

National Telefilm Associates was an independent distribution company that handled reissues of American film libraries, including much of Paramount Pictures' animated and short-subjects library.-History:...

was founded by producers

Film producer

A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...

Ely Landau

Ely Abraham Landau was an American producer and production executive best remembered for films of plays in the American Film Theatre series....

and Oliver A. Unger

Oliver A. Unger

Oliver A. Unger was an award-winning film producer, distributor, and exhibitor who participated in every phase of the motion picture business including production, distribution, marketing, promotion, and exhibition during a 45-year career...

in 1954 when Landau's film and television production company, Ely Landau, Inc., was reorganized in partnership with Unger and screenwriter and producer Harold Goldman. NTA was the successor company to U.M.&M. T.V. Corp

U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.

U.M.&M. T.V. Corp. is best known as the original purchaser of Paramount Pictures' pre-October 1950 shorts and cartoons...

, having purchased U.M.&M. in 1956.

In October 1956, NTA launched the NTA Film Network, a syndication service which distributed both films and television programs to independent television stations and stations affiliated with NBC

NBC

, CBS

CBS

, or ABC

American Broadcasting Company

(DuMont

DuMont Television Network

The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...

had recently gone out of the network business). The ad-hoc network's flagship station was WNTA-TV

WNET

, channel 13 in New York. The NTA Network was launched as a "fourth TV network

Fourth television network

In American television terminology, a fourth network is a reference to a fourth broadcast television network, as opposed to the Big Three television networks that dominated US TV from the 1950s to the 1990s: ABC, CBS, and NBC....

", and trade papers of the time referred to it as a new television network.

Unlike the Big Three television networks

Big Three Television Networks

The Big Three Television Networks are the three traditional commercial broadcast television networks in the United States: ABC, CBS and NBC...

, the local stations in the NTA Film Network were not connected via coaxial cable

Coaxial cable

Coaxial cable, or coax, has an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis...

or microwave relay. Instead, NTA Film Network programs were filmed and then mailed to each station in the network, a method used by television syndicators in the 1950s and 1960s. However, many local stations agreed to broadcast NTA Film Network programs in pattern (simultaneously). Landau's claim to network status was based on the simultaneous airing of the programs.

The NTA Film network launched on October 15, 1956, with over 100 affiliate stations. In November 1956, it was announced that 50% of the network had been purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox, which would also produce original content for the network. The film network grew to 128 stations. In September 1957, the network purchased KMGM-TV (now Fox

Fox Broadcasting Company

Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...

O&O KMSP-TV

KMSP-TV

KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...

) in Minneapolis.

Affiliates

The following is a list of NTA Film Network affiliate stations in November, 1956.

Ada, OK: KTEN KTEN KTEN is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southeastern Oklahoma and North Texas that is licensed to Ada, Oklahoma. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 26 from a transmitter north of Milburn, Oklahoma along OK 7. Owned by the Lockwood Broadcasting Group, the station...	Green Bay-Marinette, WI: WBAY-TV WBAY-TV WBAY-TV is the ABC television affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, broadcasting on UHF digital channel 23 from a transmitter located in the town of Ledgeview, Wisconsin, and master control based in its building in downtown Green Bay...	Peoria: WTVH WHOI (TV) WHOI is the ABC-affiliated television station for West Central Illinois licensed to Peoria. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter on North Stewart Street in Creve Coeur. Owned by Barrington Broadcasting, the station is operated by the Granite...
Allentown-Bethlehem, PA: WGLV	Harrisburg: WCMB-TV	Phoenix: KPHO-TV KPHO-TV KPHO-TV, channel 5, is a CBS-affiliate television station located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. KPHO-TV is owned by the Meredith Corporation, and has its studios located on Black Canyon Highway in the Alhambra Village section of Phoenix, with its transmitter located on South Mountain in Phoenix...
Anchorage: KTVA KTVA KTVA, channel 11, is a station in Anchorage, Alaska. The station is the only television station owned by the MediaNews Group newspaper chain until a reorganization plan forced MediaNews to move the station to Affiliated Media, a holding company....	Hattiesburg: WDAM-TV WDAM-TV WDAM-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Pine Belt area of Southeastern Mississippi that is licensed to Laurel. It broadcast a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter at its studios on US 11 in Moselle near the Jones and Forrest County line. The station...	Portland, ME: WCSH WCSH WCSH is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire. Licensed to Portland, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter on Winn Mountain in Sebago. The station can also be seen on Comcast and Time Warner Cable channel 6...
Ashville, NC: WLOS WLOS WLOS is the ABC-affiliated television station for Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina licensed to Asheville, North Carolina. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter on Mount Pisgah in North Carolina. The station can also be seen on Charter...	Henderson-Las Vegas: KLRJ-TV KVBC KSNV-DT, channel 3 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the flagship station of Intermountain West Communications Company...	Portland, OR: KPTV KPTV KPTV is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Portland, Oregon market, which includes most of the state of Oregon and portions of Southwest Washington. KPTV is owned by the Meredith Corporation in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate KPDX , with its studios located in Beaverton and...
Atlanta: WAGA WAGA (TV) WAGA-TV, virtual channel 5.1 is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Television Network and based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...	Houston: KTRK-TV KTRK-TV KTRK-TV, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Houston, Texas...	Providence: WJAR WJAR WJAR is the NBC-affiliated television station for the state of Rhode Island and Bristol County, Massachusetts licensed to Providence. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 51 from a transmitter in Rehoboth, Massachusetts...
Austin, MN: KMMT KAAL KAAL is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Driftless Area of Southeastern Minnesota and North-Central Iowa. Licensed to Austin, Minnesota, the station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 33 from a transmitter southeast of Grand Meadow, Minnesota in Eastern Mower...	Indianapolis: WFBM-TV WRTV WRTV, channel 6, is the ABC television affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana; it is owned by McGraw-Hill. Its transmitter is located on the northwest side of Indianapolis at 8001 Township Line Road. Its studios are found at 1330 N...	Raleigh-Durham: WTVD WTVD WTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
Bakersfield: KERO-TV KERO-TV KERO-TV is a television station serving Bakersfield, California. It is an ABC affiliate owned by McGraw-Hill, and transmits its digital signal on VHF channel 10. Syndicated programming on KERO includes: Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Ellen....	Jackson, MS: WLBT WLBT WLBT, virtual channel 3 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Jackson, Mississippi, and it is owned by Raycom Media. WLBT transmits its signal from an antenna, 624 meters in height, located near Raymond.-History:...	Richmond: WTVR-TV WTVR-TV WTVR-TV, virtual channel 6, is a CBS television affiliate based in Richmond, Virginia owned by Local TV, the broadcasting arm of Oak Hill Capital Partners...
Bangor, ME: WABI-TV WABI-TV WABI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central and Eastern Maine licensed to Bangor. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter on Peaked Mountain in Dixmont. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 6 and in high definition...	Jefferson City, MO: KRCG KRCG KRCG Channel 13 is the CBS affiliate television station for the Columbia/Jefferson City, Missouri television market. The station is licensed to Jefferson City, with studios in the nearby town of New Bloomfield.-History:...	Roanoke, VA: WDBJ WDBJ WDBJ is the CBS television network affiliate station serving the Roanoke/Lynchburg television market. It transmits its digital signal on UHF channel 18. It is owned by Schurz Communications of South Bend, Indiana...
Birmingham, AL: WBRC WBRC WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...	Johnstown, PA: WARD-TV	Rock Island: WHBF-TV WHBF-TV WHBF-TV, channel 4, is a television station licensed to Rock Island, Illinois, which serves as the CBS affiliate for the Quad Cities television market...
Bismarck ND: KBMB-TV KXMB-TV KXMB-TV, channel 12, is the CBS affiliated television station for Bismarck, North Dakota. The station serves the southern half of the Western North Dakota television market....	Juneau: KINY-TV KJUD KJUD, virtual channel 8 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Juneau, Alaska. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC.-Digital television:KJUD-DT broadcasts on digital channel 11.- History :...	Rockford, IL: WREX-TV WREX-TV WREX, channel 13, is the NBC television affiliate serving the Rockford, Illinois area. It is the market's only full-powered VHF station and is Rockford's second oldest television station. Its studios and transmitter are located at Auburn and Winnebago Roads, west of Rockford and north of...
Carlsbad NM: KAVE-TV	Kansas City: KMBC-TV KMBC-TV KMBC-TV virtual channel 9 is a television station affiliated with the ABC television network, located in Kansas City, Missouri. KMBC-TV is owned by Hearst Television and its studios are located on Winchester Ave. near Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri. The station's high guyed mast broadcast...	Salt Lake City: KSL-TV KSL-TV KSL-TV, virtual channel 5, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. KSL-TV is owned by Bonneville International Corporation, which is in turn owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
Cedar Rapids-Waterloo: KWWL	Kearney, NE: KHOL-TV KHGI-TV KHGI-TV, channel 13, is the ABC-affiliated television station for most of central and western Nebraska. The station is licensed to the town of Kearney....	San Angelo, TX: KTXL-TV KLST KLST is the CBS affiliate serving San Angelo, Texas, in the United States. It is owned by the Irving, TX based Nexstar Broadcasting Group. KLST was purchased by Nexstar Broadcasting in 2004 from the Jewell Television Corporation....
Charleston, WV: WCHS-TV WCHS-TV WCHS-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River and consists of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southern Ohio...	Knoxville: WBIR-TV WBIR-TV WBIR-TV, channel 10, is the NBC affiliate television station in Knoxville, Tennessee. The station is licensed to the Gannett Pacific Corporation, a subsidiary of the Gannett Company...	San Antonio: KENS-TV KENS-TV KENS is the CBS affiliate television station in San Antonio, Texas owned and operated by The Belo Corporation. Prior to late April 2010, KENS also managed UPN, later The CW, affiliate station KCWX through a local marketing agreement...
Charleston, SC: WUSN-TV WCBD-TV WCBD-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Lowcountry area of South Carolina licensed to Charleston. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter in Awendaw. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 2 as well as Knology and Comcast...	Lafayette, IN: WFAM-TV WLFI-TV WLFI-TV, channel 18, is the CBS television affiliate in West Lafayette, Indiana that serves the Lafayette, Indiana metropolitan area. It operates on digital channel 11. Its transmitter is located in Rossville, Indiana...	San Diego: XETV XETV XETV is a television station licensed to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, serving as the CW Television Network affiliate for the San Diego, California area across the international border in the United States...
Chattanooga: WDEF-TV WDEF-TV WDEF–TV channel 12 is the CBS affiliate television station for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned by Morris Multimedia. Its transmitter is located in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Syndicated programming on...	Lafayette, LA: KLFY-TV KLFY-TV KLFY-TV, channel 10, is a CBS affiliated television station in Lafayette, Louisiana. Broadcasting on DTV 10.1, its transmitter is located in Maxie, Louisiana...	Savannah: WSAV-TV WSAV-TV WSAV-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Coastal Empire of Southeastern Georgia and the Lowcountry of Southern South Carolina. Licensed to Savannah, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter in Pooler, Georgia...
Chicago: WGN-TV WGN-TV WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...	Lincoln: KOLN KOLN KOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...	Seattle-Tacoma: KTNT-TV KSTW KSTW is a television station serving the Seattle, Washington media market. It is owned by CBS Corporation, and is a part of The CW Television Network. It broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 11...
Cincinnati: WKRC-TV WKRC-TV WKRC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tri-State area of Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana that is licensed to Cincinnati. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter at its studios on Highland Avenue in the Mount...	Little Rock-Pine Bluff: KATV KATV KATV, channel 7, is an ABC affiliated television station serving the Little Rock television market and central Arkansas. The station is owned by Allbritton Communications Company....	Sioux City: KTIV KTIV KTIV is an NBC television station in Sioux City, Iowa, broadcasting on digital channel 41.KTIV also carries The CW Television Network, which replaced The WB network in September 2006, on its 4.2 digital subchannel.-History:...
Cleveland: WJW-TV	Los Angeles: KTTV KTTV KTTV, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Los Angeles, California. Serving the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, KTTV is a sister station to KCOP , Los Angeles' MyNetworkTV station...	South Bend-Elkhart, IN: WSJV WSJV WSJV is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Michiana area of Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan that is licensed to Elkhart. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 28 from a transmitter in Mishawaka, Indiana. Owned by Quincy Newspapers, the station has...
Columbus, GA: WDAK-TV WTVM WTVM is the ABC-affiliated television station for Columbus, Georgia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11 from a transmitter in Cusseta. The station can also be seen on Charter, Knology, and Mediacom channel 10...	Lubbock: KDUB KLBK-TV KLBK is the CBS network affiliated television station, serving the Lubbock, Texas metropolitan area. KLBK is owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and through a local sales agreement the station also provides services to ABC affiliate KAMC 28 , owned by Mission Broadcasting.The station...	Spokane: KREM-TV KREM-TV KREM is the CBS television station affiliate serving the Spokane, Washington–Coeur d'Alene, Idaho market. Its digital signal is seen on UHF channel 20. The station is owned and operated by the Belo Corporation, and is sister station with KSKN-TV, The CW affiliate in the market. The two...
Columbus, OH: WTVN-TV WSYX WSYX, channel 6, is an ABC-affiliated television station located in Columbus, Ohio. WSYX is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates Fox affiliate WTTE through a local marketing agreement...	Madison: WISC-TV WISC-TV WISC-TV is the CBS affiliate television station for Madison, Wisconsin. The station is the flagship of Madison-based Morgan Murphy Media, and has been affiliated with CBS since its launch on June 24, 1956...	Springfield, MA: WHYN-TV WGGB-TV WGGB-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter on Mount Tom in Holyoke. The station can also be seen on Charter and Comcast channel 4...
Columbus, MS: WCBI-TV WCBI-TV WCBI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Northern Mississippi and Northwestern Alabama licensed to Columbus. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter in Northwestern Clay County. The station can also be seen on Cable One channel 7 and Comcast...	Memphis: WMCT WMC-TV WMC-TV is the NBC affiliate television station for the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The station serves roughly the western third of Tennessee, northwestern Mississippi, northeastern Arkansas and the southeastern corner of Missouri over the air on satellite and on various cable systems. Its...	St. Joseph, MO: KFEQ-TV KQTV KQTV, digital channel 7 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in St. Joseph, Missouri. Owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group, it is the only local commercial broadcast television station serving the St. Joseph area; though TBN affiliate KTAJ , which primarily serves the northern portion of...
Dallas-Ft Worth: KFJZ-TV KTVT KTVT, virtual channel 11, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, and serving the Dallas-Fort Worth designated market area. The station is co-owned with independent station KTXA , and the two stations share facilities in Dallas and Fort Worth...	Miami: WGBS-TV	Sweetwater, TX: KPAR-TV KTXS-TV KTXS-TV is the ABC television affiliate for the Abilene/Sweetwater/Brownwood market. The station is licensed to Sweetwater, and broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a broadcasting tower near Trent, Texas....
Decatur, IL: WTVP-TV WAND WAND, virtual channel 17, is an NBC-affiliated television station serving the Decatur–Springfield–Champaign area. It is owned by Block Communications...	Milwaukee: WITI	Tampa: WSUN-TV WSUN-TV WSUN-TV was a television station in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1953 to 1970 and was the first TV station in the Tampa/St. Petersburg television market.-Early history:...
Decatur, AL: WMSL-TV WAFF (TV) WAFF is the NBC television network affiliate in Huntsville, Alabama. The station broadcasts on UHF channel 49 and serves the northern portion of Alabama and several counties in southern Tennessee.-Decatur years, 1954 - 69:...	Minneapolis: WTCN-TV KARE KARE, digital channel 11, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota and portions of western Wisconsin. It also operates KARE WX NOW, formerly known as NBC Weather Plus on its second digital subchannel...	Tucson: KVOA KVOA KVOA is a full-service NBC-affiliated television station serving Tucson, Arizona. It broadcasts in digital on UHF channel 23 from its transmitter on Mount Bigelow, northeast of Tucson. Per FCC regulations, the station identifies itself on television tuners as channel 4 through PSIP...
Denver: KTVR KWGN-TV KWGN-TV, virtual channel 2 , is a television station in Denver, Colorado, owned by the Tribune Company and affiliated with the CW Television Network...	Minot: KCJB-TV KXMC-TV KXMC-TV, channel 13, is the CBS affiliated television station for Minot, North Dakota. The station serves the northern half of the Western North Dakota television market...	Tulsa-Muskogee: KOTV
Des Moines-Ames: WOI-TV WOI-TV WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...	Mobile: WALA-TV WALA-TV WALA-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southern Alabama, Southeastern Mississippi, and the Western Florida Panhandle that is licensed to Mobile. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter in Spanish Fort, Alabama...	Twin Falls, ID: KLIX-TV KMVT KMVT is the CBS affiliated television station in Twin Falls, Idaho. Its digital signal is broadcast over Channel 11. Its transmitter is located on Flat Top Butte near Jerome.-History:...
Dickinson, ND: KDIX-TV KXMB-TV KXMB-TV, channel 12, is the CBS affiliated television station for Bismarck, North Dakota. The station serves the southern half of the Western North Dakota television market....	Monroe, LA: KNOE-TV KNOE-TV KNOE-TV, Channel 8, is the CBS affiliate television station for Monroe, Louisiana. The station is owned by Hoak Media Corporation, which also controls ABC affiliate KAQY, Channel 11 through a local marketing agreement.-History:KNOE-TV went on the air in 1953...	Washington: WMAL-TV WJLA-TV WJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia...
Dothan, AL: WTVY	Montgomery: WCOV-TV WCOV-TV WCOV-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt area licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter southeast of Grady along the Montgomery and Crenshaw County line. The station can also be seen on...	Waterloo-Ft Wayne, IN: WINT WANE-TV WANE-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Northern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 31 from a transmitter at studios on West State Boulevard in Northwest Fort Wayne/Tower Heights section of the city. The station can also be...
Duluth-Superior: KDAL-TV KDLH KDLH is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Iron Range area of Northeastern Minnesota that is licensed to Duluth. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 33 from a transmitter west of downtown in Hilltop Park. Owned by the Malara Broadcast Group, the station is...	Muncie: WLBC WIPB WIPB digital channel 23 is the local Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station for Muncie, Indiana and East-Central Indiana. The station and its studios are located on the campus of Ball State University...	Watertown, NY: WCNY-TV WWNY-TV WWNY-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Upstate New York's North Country region, licensed to Carthage. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter along State Street/NY 126 in Wilna's Carthage section. The station can also be seen on Time Warner...
Eau Claire: WEAU-TV WEAU-TV WEAU-TV is the NBC affiliate for much of western Wisconsin, including Eau Claire and La Crosse. WEAU is licensed to Eau Claire and its transmitter is located in Fairchild, Wisconsin. WEAU is currently broadcasting from a tower near the station's studio in Eau Claire due to a collapse of its main...	Nashville: WSIX-TV WKRN-TV WKRN-TV, virtual channel 2.1 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Nashville, Tennessee. It is owned by Young Broadcasting under the operation of Gray Television. Its transmitter is located in Brentwood, Tennessee....	Wichita Falls, TX: KSYD-TV KAUZ-TV KAUZ-TV, digital channel 22 , is the CBS affiliate television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls and has a low-power translator in Bowie...
El Paso: KROD-TV KDBC-TV KDBC-TV is the CBS affiliate in El Paso, Texas. The station is owned by the Titan TV Broadcast Group. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 18. Its new digital subchannel carries My Network TV...	New York: WPIX WPIX WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...	Wichita-Hutchinson: KTVH KWCH-TV KWCH-DT is the CBS-affiliated television station for Wichita, Kansas that is licensed to Hutchinson. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter in Colwich. The station can be seen on Cox cable channel 12 and in high definition on digital channel 2012...
Fairbanks: KTVF KTVF -History:The station signed on the air in February 1955 as the first television station serving what at the time was the smallest television market in the United States...	Norfolk: WVEC-TV WVEC-TV WVEC is the ABC affiliate television station for the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which includes Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, and the surrounding area. It is licensed to Hampton, with its main studio in downtown Norfolk. Its transmitter is located in Suffolk, Virginia...	Wilkes Barre-Scranton: WILK-TV WNEP-TV WNEP-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for northeastern Pennsylvania licensed to Scranton. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter on Penobscot Knob in Mountain Top...
Fargo-Valley City: KXJB-TV KXJB-TV KXJB-TV is a CBS affiliated television station in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, serving Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. It broadcasts on ATSC channel 38, which redirects to former NTSC channel 4 via PSIP. It is licensed to nearby Valley City...	Oak Hill, WV: WOAY-TV WOAY-TV WOAY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southern West Virginia and Southwestern Virginia locally-owned by the Thomas Broadcasting Company. Licensed to Oak Hill, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter at its studios on Legends Highway/WV...	York, PA: WNOW-TV
Grand Junction: KREX-TV KREX-TV KREX-TV, digital channel 2 , is the CBS affiliate for most of western Colorado, USA. Based in Grand Junction and owned by Hoak Media Corporation, it operates digitally on VHF channel 2.-History:...	Oklahoma City: KGEO KOCO-TV KOCO-TV, virtual channel 5 , is the ABC affiliate in the Oklahoma City television market. The station is owned by Hearst Television, Inc., but uses "Ohio/Oklahoma Hearst Television, Inc." as their end tag during their newscasts, the same licensing purpose corporation as sister Cincinnati, Ohio...

Later affiliates included KOOK-TV

KTVQ

KTVQ is the CBS TV affiliate in Billings, Montana, USA. It broadcasts on channel 2 and is owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company...

in Billings, Montana (circa 1958-1959), KONO-TV

KSAT-TV

KSAT-TV channel 12 is the local ABC affiliate television station in the greater San Antonio area. Its transmitter is located in Elmendorf, Texas. The station calls itself KSAT 12, pronounced as "K-Sat"....

in San Antonio (circa 1958–1959), WISH-TV

WISH-TV

WISH-TV, virtual channel 8, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Indianapolis. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, WISH-TV is part of a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV and the two share studios on North Meridian Street at the north end of Indianapolis'...

in Indianapolis (circa 1958–1959), and KTVU

KTVU

KTVU, virtual channel 2 , is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Licensed to Oakland, California, the station has been owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises since 1964, making it the largest Fox affiliate by market size that is not owned and operated by the...

in San Francisco (circa 1959–1960). The network purchased KMGM-TV

KMSP-TV

KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...

in Minneapolis, in September 1957.

Programs

The NTA Film Network aired both films and television series. Among its 1956–1957 offerings were 52 Twentieth Century-Fox films. Premiere Performance, a prime time

Prime time

Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...

block of Twentieth Century-Fox films, aired from 1957–1959. Other film blocks included TV Hour of Stars and The Big Night (both 1958–1959).

The network's television programs included:

How to Marry a Millionaire
How to Marry a Millionaire (TV series)
How to Marry a Millionaire is an American sitcom that aired in syndication from 1957 to 1959. The series was based on the 1953 film of the same name which starred Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Lauren Bacall.-Synopsis:...

, which aired from 1957 to 1959, was based on the popular 1953 film of the same name

How to Marry a Millionaire

How to Marry a Millionaire is a 1953 romantic comedy film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Jean Negulesco and produced and written by Nunnally Johnson. The screenplay was based on the plays The Greeks Had a Word for It by Zoe Akins and Loco by Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert. The music score...

. The series starred Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden is an American film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early years:...

, Merry Anders

Merry Anders

Merry Anders is an American actress who has appeared in a number of television programs and films since the 1950s. In 1954, she succeeded Ann Todd as Stuart Erwin's daughter in the final season of his TV series, The Stu Erwin Show.In the 1955-1956 season, she joined Janis Paige in the 26-week CBS...

, Lori Nelson

Lori Nelson

Lori Nelson is an American actress born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on August 15, 1933. She began as a performer, dancing at the young age of 4, as well as winning a Little Miss America title. Many of her early auditions were unsuccessful. However, in 1952, she made it into her first role as Marjie...

(1957–1958), and Lisa Gaye

Lisa Gaye

Lisa Gaye is a former American actress, singer and dancer.She was born Lezlie Gae Griffin in Denver, Colorado. The family moved from Denver to Los Angeles in the 1930s to be close to the developing film industry. Her mother, actress Margaret Griffin, was determined that Gaye and her siblings would...

(1958–1959). The final episode aired in August 1959.

Man Without a Gun
Man Without a Gun
Man Without a Gun is a western television series produced by 20th Century Fox television and presented in first-run syndication in the United States from 1957 to 1959...

, a western

Western (genre)

The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...

series starring Rex Reason

Rex Reason

Rex Reason is an American actor.He is the brother of actor Rhodes Reason, who is two years younger...

and Mort Mills

Mort Mills

Mort Mills was an American film and television actor who had roles in over 200 movies and television episodes. He was often the town lawman or the local bad guy in many popular westerns of the 1950s and 1960s. From 1957-1959 he had a recurring co-starring role as Marshal Frank Tallman in Man...

, aired from 1957 to 1959. The series portrayed Reason as a newspaper editor who brought criminals to justice without the use of guns.

This is Alice
This is Alice
This is Alice was an early American television program starring nine-year-old Patty Ann Garrity. The program aired from 1958 to 1959 on the NTA syndicated network....

, which aired from 1958 to 1959, starred nine year old Patty Ann Gerrity as Alice Holliday, a girl who lived in the fictional town of River Glen, Georgia. The series was directed and produced by Sidney Salkow

Sidney Salkow

Sidney Salkow was an American film director , screen writer, and television director....

for NTA and Desilu Productions

Desilu Productions

Desilu Productions was a Los Angeles, California-based company jointly owned by actors Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, who were married to each other from 1940 to 1960....

.

Play of the Week
Play of the Week
Play of the Week is an American anthology series of televised stage plays which aired in NTA Film Network syndication from October 12, 1959 to May 1, 1961...

, which aired from 1959 to 1961, was a series of 67 televised plays. The program was well-received by critics, and received a Peabody Award

Peabody Award

The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...

. The series ended its run on May 1, 1961.

Other, lesser-known NTA series included The Bill Corum Sports Show, Man's Heritage
Man's Heritage
Man's Heritage is an early American television series which aired in NTA Film Network syndication in the 1950s. It was a religious program featuring prolific American actor Raymond Massey. Few details about this little-noted series have been recorded. According to McNeil , the series aired during...

, and The Passerby (all circa 1957), Official Detective
Official Detective
Official Detective is an early American television series which aired in NTA Film Network syndication from 1957-1958. It was a detective adventure series hosted by veteran film actor Everett Sloane....

(1957–1958), Open End (1958–1961), William Tell (1958–1959), Assignment: Underwater
Assignment: Underwater
Assignment: Underwater is an early American television series which aired in NTA Film Network syndication in 1960. It was an adventure series starring prolific B-movie actor Bill Williams and Diane Mountford. Williams played Bill Greer, the skipper aboard a charter boat named The Lively Lady...

(1959–1960), Q. T. Hush
Q. T. Hush
Q.T. Hush is an American animated cartoon produced in 1960 and appearing in syndication, beginning on 24 September 1960. The show's 100 five-minute episodes, all in color, were directed by veteran animator Ken Southworth, and produced by a company called Animation Associates. The main character was...

(1960–1961), Sheriff of Cochise
Sheriff of Cochise
Sheriff of Cochise , renamed U.S. Marshal , is a 58-episode syndicated western-themed crime drama set in Arizona and starring John Bromfield as law enforcement officer Frank Morgan. In the first two seasons, Morgan was sheriff of Cochise County...

/U.S. Marshall (1956–1958), Alex in Wonderland (1959), Newsbeat (1959–1961) Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury was a musical panel show which originally ran on BBC Television from 1 June 1959 until December 1967. The programme was based on the American show Jukebox Jury, itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series....

(1958–1959), The Best of Bishop Sheen (1958–1963), Danger Is My Business (1958), Divorce Court
Divorce Court
Divorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest...

(1958–1961), Glencannon (1959), Grand Jury (1959), Mantovani
Mantovani (TV series)
Mantovani is an early American television series which aired in NTA Film Network syndication during 1959. It was a music program featuring British orchestra leader Annunzio Paolo Mantovani and his 46-piece orchestra, and hosted by John Conte....

(1959), Henry Morgan and Company (1959), George Jessel's Show Business (1959), The Mike Wallace Interview
The Mike Wallace Interview
The Mike Wallace Interview is a series of 30-minute television interviews conducted by host Mike Wallace in 1957-60. Before The Mike Wallace Interview was televised nationally on prime-time in 1957, the host of the show had risen to prominence a year earlier with Night-Beat, a television interview...

(1959–1961), The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...

(1960–1961), The Oscar Levant Show (1960), Confidential Portrait, Crime Reporter, and Probe
Probe (TV series)
Not to be confused with Probe Probe is a 1988 American television pilot and subsequent TV series, created by television mystery writer William Link and noted science fiction author Isaac Asimov. It aired on ABC. Michael B. Wagner, a veteran television writer, wrote the two-hour pilot, and became...

(1962).

In October 1956, the NTA Film Network also announced provisional plans to telecast live sporting and special events (using network relays) by the 1959–1960 television season

1959 in television

The year 1959 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1959:For the American TV schedule, see: 1959-60 American network television schedule.-Events:...

Timeline of programs

Below is a timeline showing the airdates of the NTA Film Network's programs and later NTA offerings. The number of episodes that each series aired is given in parentheses. Some dates are tentative, as accurate records for filmed television series were not always kept.

Schedule

Friday 1958–1959

7:00	7:30	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
Local	Man Without a Gun Man Without a Gun Man Without a Gun is a western television series produced by 20th Century Fox television and presented in first-run syndication in the United States from 1957 to 1959...	This is Alice This is Alice This is Alice was an early American television program starring nine-year-old Patty Ann Garrity. The program aired from 1958 to 1959 on the NTA syndicated network....	How to Marry a Millionaire How to Marry a Millionaire (TV series) How to Marry a Millionaire is an American sitcom that aired in syndication from 1957 to 1959. The series was based on the 1953 film of the same name which starred Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Lauren Bacall.-Synopsis:...	Premiere Performance (20th Century Fox movies)

Note: This schedule was announced in May 1958; according to the announcement, 17 television stations would follow this schedule for the 1958–1959 television season; other NTA Film Network affiliates aired the programs out of pattern.

End of network

In January 1959, Ely Landau was succeeded by Charles C. Barry, who took over as president of network operations. Landau continued to chair National Telefilm Associates. Despite the 50% ownership of Twentieth Century-Fox, the film network never developed into a major commercial television network on a par with the "Big Three" television networks

Big Three Television Networks

The Big Three Television Networks are the three traditional commercial broadcast television networks in the United States: ABC, CBS and NBC...

; several modern TV historians regard the NTA Film Network as a syndication service rather than a major television network.

By 1961, WNTA-TV was losing money, and the network's flagship station was sold to the Educational Broadcasting Corporation that November. WNTA-TV became WNDT (later WNET), flagship station of the National Educational Television

National Educational Television

National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...

network, a forerunner of PBS. NTA network operations did not continue without a flagship station, although parent company National Telefilm Associates continued syndication services; four television series (Probe, Tintin
Tintin
Tintin, Tin-Tin or Tin Tin may refer to:* The Adventures of Tintin , the series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist Hergé...

, The Fair Adventure, and A Day With Doodles) were syndicated by NTA between 1962 and 1966.

External links

Ask Mr. Pop History (Contains short history of the NTA Film Network)
"New Voice on Channel 13" Time article about NTA Fim Network, from 1958)