Dial Position, Call Letters and Location All Changing
WTVI, Channel 54, has purchased the antenna and transmitter and leased the tower of Channel 36, formerly KSTM, St. Louis, owned by Broadcast House, Inc., subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission. WTVI will operate on Channel 36 from the studios and offices adjoining the antenna and tower on Berthold Ave., just east of Hampton Ave.
Also subject to Commission approval, the station proposes to change its call letters from WTVI to KTVI. This is in accordance with FCC regulations which allocate “W” call letters to stations east of the Mississippi and “K” call letters to stations west of the Mississippi.
Before the 1955 baseball season begins, WTVI intends to increase its power at the St. Louis site to one-half million watts, double its present power and twice the power of any UHF station in the entire midwest. An application for the power increase will be filed with the Federal Communications Commission in due course.
The move to the St. Louis site can be accomplished within one week of Commission approval, according to John D. Scheuer, executive vice-president and general manager.
(Originally published in the Ad Club Weekly 2/21/1955).