W3XE in 1939

This photo from 1939 is of W3XE, the "experimental" television station owned by Philco and operated from their plant at C and Tioga Streets in Philadelphia. This broadcast took place outdoors. Probably on the roof of the factory.

W3XE became WPTZ. In 1956, ownership changed from Westinghouse (who purchased the stations a couple of years before) to NBC. The call letters were changed to WRCV-TV. In 1965, the federal government ordered the 1956 transfer void and Channel 3 went back to Westinghouse ownership, this time using the call letters KYW-TV.

From the archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photo courtesy of Mike Femyer and the Broadcasting 101 Website
Original material from the collection of John Malarkey, a former Channel 3 engineer
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All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com