Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950): Difference between revisions

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{{NeedingWork|lack of refrences}}
{{InfoboxLost
{{InfoboxLost
|title=<center>Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts</center>
|title=<center>Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts</center>
|image=WFBM500colorL.jpg
|imagecaption=WFBM-TV camera at the Indianapolis 500.
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
}}  
}}  
 
It is often thought by auto racing fans that the first television broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 was in 1965 when ABC aired highlights on their ''Wide World of Sports'' program. However, the '''first broadcast was actually 16 years earlier by WFBM-TV''' (now WRTV) in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.
It is often thought by auto racing fans that the first television broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 was in 1965 when ABC aired highlights on their ''Wide World of Sports'' program. However, the first broadcast was actually 16 years earlier by WFBM-TV (now WRTV) in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.


==Broadcasts==
==Broadcasts==
In 1949, WFBM-TV began to broadcast in Indianapolis. Their first broadcast was a documentary about the Indianapolis 500 titled ''Crucible of Speed''. The documentary was followed by a live broadcast of the 1949 Indianapolis 500. There were three cameras placed along the main straightaway of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Former radio announcer Earl Townsend, Jr. served as the lead announcer, Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts served as color commentators and Robert Robbins was the pit reporter.
In 1949, WFBM-TV began to broadcast in Indianapolis. Their first broadcast was a documentary about the Indianapolis 500 titled ''Crucible of Speed''. The documentary was followed by a live broadcast of the 1949 Indianapolis 500. There were three cameras placed along the main straightaway of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Former radio announcer Earl Townsend, Jr. served as the lead announcer, Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts served as color commentators and Robert Robbins was the pit reporter.


The 1950 race was broadcast also with the same announcing team, with the exception of Robbins, who was replaced by Roberts as pit reporter.
The 1950 race was broadcast also with the same announcing team, with the exception of Robbins, who was replaced by Roberts as a pit reporter.


Each year, the broadcast reached about 3,000 households. Speedway officials decided to stop the broadcasts because they feared that they would reduce attendance. It should be noted that even after ABC began broadcasting the race, they did not air it live until 1986 and there was a local blackout that was maintained until 2016.
Each year, the broadcast reached about 3,000 households. Speedway officials decided to stop the broadcasts because they feared that they would reduce attendance. It should be noted that even after ABC began broadcasting the race, they did not air it live until 1986 and there was a local blackout that was maintained until 2016.


==Preservation==
==Preservation==
No footage of the race from either race has surfaced. Since they were live, they were not recorded by the station, like most live broadcasts of the time. Additionally, viewers would have had no way of recording the race from their television, making these broadcasts lost forever.
No footage of the race from either race has surfaced. Since they were living, they were not recorded by the station, like most live broadcasts of the time. Additionally, viewers would have had no way of recording the race from their television, making these broadcasts lost forever.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
WFBM500colorC.jpg|WFBM-TV broadcast truck at the Indianapolis 500.
WFBM500colorC.jpg|WFBM-TV broadcast truck at the Indianapolis 500.
WFBM500colorL.jpg|WFBM-TV camera at the Indianapolis 500.
WFBMpagoda.jpg|WFBM-TV camera at the Indianapolis 500.
WFBMpagoda.jpg|WFBM-TV camera at the Indianapolis 500.
WFBM Indianapolis 500.jpg|Screenshot of the broadcast, from an article in the ''Indianapolis Star''.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Video==
==Video==
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au0N3ABNG80|640x480|center|''Crucible of Speed'' documentary|frame}}  
{{#ev:archiveorg|CrucibleOfSpeed1946Indianapolis500.mp4|480x360|center|''Crucible of Speed'' documentary|frame}}


==External Links==
==External Links==
*[http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/937406speedwaybroadcast1949a.jpg ''Indianapolis Star'' article describing the test broadcast and what the actual broadcast would be like.] Retrieved 14 Mar '17


[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Historic]]

Revision as of 00:57, 21 September 2019

Lmwtan cleanup.png


This article has been tagged as Needing work due to its lack of refrences.



WFBM500colorL.jpg

WFBM-TV camera at the Indianapolis 500.

Status: Lost

It is often thought by auto racing fans that the first television broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 was in 1965 when ABC aired highlights on their Wide World of Sports program. However, the first broadcast was actually 16 years earlier by WFBM-TV (now WRTV) in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.

Broadcasts

In 1949, WFBM-TV began to broadcast in Indianapolis. Their first broadcast was a documentary about the Indianapolis 500 titled Crucible of Speed. The documentary was followed by a live broadcast of the 1949 Indianapolis 500. There were three cameras placed along the main straightaway of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Former radio announcer Earl Townsend, Jr. served as the lead announcer, Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts served as color commentators and Robert Robbins was the pit reporter.

The 1950 race was broadcast also with the same announcing team, with the exception of Robbins, who was replaced by Roberts as a pit reporter.

Each year, the broadcast reached about 3,000 households. Speedway officials decided to stop the broadcasts because they feared that they would reduce attendance. It should be noted that even after ABC began broadcasting the race, they did not air it live until 1986 and there was a local blackout that was maintained until 2016.

Preservation

No footage of the race from either race has surfaced. Since they were living, they were not recorded by the station, like most live broadcasts of the time. Additionally, viewers would have had no way of recording the race from their television, making these broadcasts lost forever.

Gallery

Video

Crucible of Speed documentary

External Links