WISL-TV – WISL Radio Museum

In 1952, WISL submitted an application to the FCC proposing to add a one-hundred thousand watt television station on channel 65. Radio Anthracite, parent company of WISL would eventually pull their application and WISL-TV would never become a reality. You can learn more about the story of WISL-TV HERE.

Broadcasting – Telecasting TV Application Announcement – November 3rd, 1952

In the application process, Radio Anthracite submitted their proposed tower location and through the power of technology, we can pinpoint exactly where the WISL-TV tower would have been constructed.

Here is a Google Maps view of 40°48’02.0″N 76°33’26.0″W, the proposed location of the WISL-TV tower.

Google Maps View of Proposed WISL-TV Tower Site

In 1953 WISL was celebrating five years of radio broadcasting in Shamokin. To commemorate the occasion Radio Anthracite, the parent company of WISL, took out a full page ad in the Shamokin News Dispatch. The advertisement touts an award they received from the Pennsylvania Week Radio and Television Committee, a special fifth anniversary cash contest sponsored by National Dime Bank and the first official announcement of Radio Anthracite’s intentions of opening and operating a television station in Shamokin.

The Federal Communications Commissions was assigning new UHF television stations across the country and channel 65 was to be assigned to the Central Susquehanna Valley. WISL was not the only station to throw it’s hat in the ring for the new TV License, The Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WKOK in Sunbury had already applied for the channel 65 allotment.

By early 1954, both contestants had withdrawn their applications and visions of channel 65 would never be realized.

Tag: WISL-TV

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