Remember WGPR Channel 62?

smark21 · 08-16-2010, 07:32 PM

This may be more appropriate for the Clubhouse but anyone remember Channel 62 in Detroit before CBS took over? Shows like New Dance Show, Late Night with RJ Watkins [[especially when he hosted the show from a hot tub?), the Arab Variety show and the Yugoslav music program? And the commercials and the less than big budget production values? Found this at youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE_ns...eature=related

**marv2** · 08-16-2010, 10:15 PM

Oh hell to the YES! LOL! Do I remember WGPR Channel 62? I got to see their very first sign on broadcast in 1975! The first black owned and operated television station in the country. Way before the New Dance Show with R.J., we had "The Scene" with Nat Morris, "Fast Freddie", Cheryl Peoples and the gang...... I watched Channel almost daily after school.

Marv

**marv2** · 08-16-2010, 10:19 PM

This is how we looked and dressed in Detroit in 1976......this is a bit before it became "Geek Town" hehehehehe...

**marv2** · 08-16-2010, 10:21 PM

By 1978, things got sped up a bit! Check them out doing the "Detroit JIT" to Detroit's own Ms. Carolyn Crawford and Mr. Hamilton BOHANNON!!!

**marv2** · 08-16-2010, 10:25 PM

Remember "Big City News" with Lloyd Gite and them?

**marv2** · 08-16-2010, 10:31 PM

Everybody remembers "the roach" commercial.......LOL!

I remember that Arab Community Program and the Yugoslavian Music Program too. I remember when R.J. Watkins hosted a short lived program from a skating rink that came on Saturday afternoons during the first season [[1975-76). I also remember that it was on Channel 62 that I first saw this goofy chick perform on "The Scene" she went on to become famous with the name "Madonna" or something.......hehehehehehe.....

smark21 · 08-17-2010, 07:07 PM

The embedded videos are disabled by request. Can you post links instead?

It seems 62 was undercapitalized as they never invested in new equipment until CBS took over. Of course low budget UHF stations could be fun and those days are gone. Channels 20 and 50 had their moments too!

**marv2** · 08-17-2010, 08:25 PM

Oh sure. I think Nat did that, but here is the first clip from 1976 from above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiENS...os=9dAXQRuy5Sw

**marv2** · 08-17-2010, 08:26 PM

and doing the "Detroit JIT" from 1978, here we go.........:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brW7Wmxetgc&feature=fvw

**marv2** · 08-17-2010, 08:34 PM

Channel 62 was also robbed! They were ALWAYS low balled when it came to the Nielsen Ratings which over time cost them advertising dollars. "The Scene" alone pulled in a huge share of viewers 16 -24 throughout the region [[Michigan,Ohio and Canada).

Note that the clip from 1978 was during the era of the "Saturday Night Fever" film and phenom. They couldn't dance like this in that film starring Travolta! LOL! I can remember going to see the movie and being mildly amused knowing all along that the real throwin' down was going on in the Motor City!