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Why Does Bloomington Have Zero TV Stations?

MyTeamIsOnTheFloor

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I think one reason Memorial Stadium does not sell out is because Indy TV tries to be all things to IU, the Colts, Notre Dame and Pee Ewe, and that Bloomington needs a hometown pro-IU TV presence.

Is Bloomington government still backassward about all things new and not Woodstocky? Now that there is almost a real road into and out of town, will Bloomingstan maybe get a functioning media outlet?
 
I think one reason Memorial Stadium does not sell out is because Indy TV tries to be all things to IU, the Colts, Notre Dame and Pee Ewe, and that Bloomington needs a hometown pro-IU TV presence.

Is Bloomington government still backassward about all things new and not Woodstocky? Now that there is almost a real road into and out of town, will Bloomingstan maybe get a functioning media outlet?
Well they do have a PBS outlet in WTIU...

Maybe we convince them ((WTIU)) that INDIANA FOOTBALL is some sort of endangered species and get them to do a biweekly series about its resurgence...😉
 
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I think one reason Memorial Stadium does not sell out is because Indy TV tries to be all things to IU, the Colts, Notre Dame and Pee Ewe, and that Bloomington needs a hometown pro-IU TV presence.

Is Bloomington government still backassward about all things new and not Woodstocky? Now that there is almost a real road into and out of town, will Bloomingstan maybe get a functioning media outlet?
TV towers in Bloomington, not likely unless it is a giant dope plant.
 
Back in the day, WTTV channel 4 was based out of Bloomington. They are the ones that always had the Sunday IU coaches shows. I don’t think the market supported it and eventually they migrated to Indy.
Yep. My grandmother (may she rest in peace) worked for Sarkes Tarzian in Bloomington for many years. She and my grandfather (RIP), a former University employee, had Assembly Hall season tickets (Section J, Row 2, Seats 3 and 4) for about the first 20 years of the Hall's existence. They had Memorial Stadium season tickets for much longer. The number of times they spoiled me with their tickets over the years is well into the triple digits. My first football game was as a 7-year-old kid in 1965. It was easier to get them to give up the football tickets because they were in the East stands and my grandmother hated the frequent sunburned face.

I moved to Japan in 1991 and have never been able to get back Stateside in the fall for a football game. I have seen a few hoops games over that span when occasionally visiting home for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. For a couple years now I've been telling my buddies to be ready to meet me in Pasadena when we go to the Rose Bowl.
 
We need one. We’re the fringe of both Louisville and Indy TV networks in Bedford. Believe Terre Haute lacks one of the major networks in their “district.” Perfect opportunity.
 
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I think one reason Memorial Stadium does not sell out is because Indy TV tries to be all things to IU, the Colts, Notre Dame and Pee Ewe, and that Bloomington needs a hometown pro-IU TV presence.

Is Bloomington government still backassward about all things new and not Woodstocky? Now that there is almost a real road into and out of town, will Bloomingstan maybe get a functioning media outlet?
I'm trying to decide if you are serious about this or "just playin'". On the chance that you are serious, consider a couple of things. Major media are all private, not government, enterprises. Apart from PBS, they receive no government funding. Consequently, if it made economic sense for someone to place a TV station in Bloomington, then someone would. While there is a lot of legitimate fodder served up from the Bloomington city government, this issue isn't in its purview.

Independent tv is largely dead in America, save for those originating from major US cities like NY, Chicago, Atl, where there have been historic connections. Nobody is going to start a TNT or WGN-style network in Bloomington, IN.

None of the major networks is going to license an affiliate in a market where they already have reach. Terre Haute serves a geographical area out of reach for over-the-air broadcasts anywhere else. Bloomington is within easy antenna reach of the network affiliates in both Indy and TH.

It's the same reason there are no longer small-town, single location, car dealerships or shoe repair businesses, or Sears Roebuck stores anchoring malls. The market won't support it.

WTIU does some IU programming and would likely do more if it had the financial wherewithal to do so. But things being what they are, it has to air what the national network provides it because that content is not costing WTIU money to produce or acquire.
 
I'm trying to decide if you are serious about this or "just playin'". On the chance that you are serious, consider a couple of things. Major media are all private, not government, enterprises. Apart from PBS, they receive no government funding. Consequently, if it made economic sense for someone to place a TV station in Bloomington, then someone would. While there is a lot of legitimate fodder served up from the Bloomington city government, this issue isn't in its purview.

Independent tv is largely dead in America, save for those originating from major US cities like NY, Chicago, Atl, where there have been historic connections. Nobody is going to start a TNT or WGN-style network in Bloomington, IN.

None of the major networks is going to license an affiliate in a market where they already have reach. Terre Haute serves a geographical area out of reach for over-the-air broadcasts anywhere else. Bloomington is within easy antenna reach of the network affiliates in both Indy and TH.

It's the same reason there are no longer small-town, single location, car dealerships or shoe repair businesses, or Sears Roebuck stores anchoring malls. The market won't support it.

WTIU does some IU programming and would likely do more if it had the financial wherewithal to do so. But things being what they are, it has to air what the national network provides it because that content is not costing WTIU money to produce or acquire.
That's what I'm saying. Can probably get the ol' WWA library for a song. How can you beat this kind of inexpensive home-grown entertainment.

 
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I think one reason Memorial Stadium does not sell out is because Indy TV tries to be all things to IU, the Colts, Notre Dame and Pee Ewe, and that Bloomington needs a hometown pro-IU TV presence.

Is Bloomington government still backassward about all things new and not Woodstocky? Now that there is almost a real road into and out of town, will Bloomingstan maybe get a functioning media outlet?


technically, WTTV 4 is still licensed as Bloomington.

that said, even were there a pure Btown station, it would be irrelevant to IU sports, as IU assigned over all sports rights to the B10, who has contracted everything out to various major networks and cable networks.

when Tarzian 1st started WTTV 4 in 1949, Bloomington was the smallest city in the country with it's own tv station.

as for starting another, one would need to acquire rights to broadcast frequencies to be an over the air channel.

while the current set up is great for IU fans who don't live in central or south central Indiana, when ch 4 did most of the games pre BTN, central and south central Indiana residents got much better IU basketball coverage than they do now, with even exhibition games being televised and coaches shows.
 
Dont know. There is +500k that live here in The Region. You'd think we would have our own news. Nope we get all Chicago news.
 
Channel 4 had “quality” shows like GLOW on Sunday nights and the IU and PU coaches shows hosted by Chuck Marlow and the Cliz, respectively (RIP to both) at various times on Sunday. Samuel Terry “ghoul” on Friday night.
 
Channel 4 had “quality” shows like GLOW on Sunday nights and the IU and PU coaches shows hosted by Chuck Marlow and the Cliz, respectively (RIP to both) at various times on Sunday. Samuel Terry “ghoul” on Friday night.
Sammy was a pioneer. Paved the way for Elvira and Svengoolie.
 
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Bloomington is part of the Indy media market. That’s why there are no local TV stations. The city government has nothing to do with it.
 
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I know from
Growing up in Columbus that it’s definitely a positive. Every major station here has something on OSU during the season. There are Friday night preview shows and the ABC affiliate has a pre game show every Saturday morning and post game in the evening . The coverage OSU gets here is even more than the Colts get in Indy. 2 or 3
Pre game radio shows outside of the stadium every game day. It’s crazy.

I am just guessing but I imagine that Omaha and Iowa City probably do the same. (Smaller scale) Harrisburg might cover PSU and Peoria probably covers Illinois. I don’t see Minneapolis, Detroit,
New York/Jersey, Baltimore or Chicago doing the same as the others. Indianapolis stations cover IU when we win, they re definitely front runners.
 
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Channel 4 had “quality” shows like GLOW on Sunday nights and the IU and PU coaches shows hosted by Chuck Marlow and the Cliz, respectively (RIP to both) at various times on Sunday. Samuel Terry “ghoul” on Friday night.
I think GLOW only ran for like 3 seasons in syndication in the late 80s - early 90s. By the way, the GLOW series on Netflix was incredible & is highly recommended. Very funny.

As a 90s kid, I thought the coolest thing on the world would have been able to appear on Hoosier Millionaire (which I think ran on Saturday nights).
 
As a 90s kid, I thought the coolest thing on the world would have been able to appear on Hoosier Millionaire (which I think ran on Saturday nights).
Agreed! I think they briefly brought the show back. Mark Patrick is Drew Storen's dad/stepdad I think. I wonder how many t-shirts and hats MP was given🤣🤣🤣...and the good luck charms were also a hoot.
 
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I can’t pull any any stations in Bedford unless I put a tower up. Pretty annoying. At one time, if the weather was right I could pull channel 3 WAVE from my upstairs.
 
Up high at Briscoe with my windows facing SW, could get the couple Terre Haute stations better than the Indy stations. Walk just across the hall to any of the rooms facing NE and the Indy stations came in great and no Terre Haute stations.
 
Up high at Briscoe with my windows facing SW, could get the couple Terre Haute stations better than the Indy stations. Walk just across the hall to any of the rooms facing NE and the Indy stations came in great and no Terre Haute stations.
How long ago was this?
 
I'm trying to decide if you are serious about this or "just playin'". On the chance that you are serious, consider a couple of things. Major media are all private, not government, enterprises. Apart from PBS, they receive no government funding. Consequently, if it made economic sense for someone to place a TV station in Bloomington, then someone would. While there is a lot of legitimate fodder served up from the Bloomington city government, this issue isn't in its purview.

Independent tv is largely dead in America, save for those originating from major US cities like NY, Chicago, Atl, where there have been historic connections. Nobody is going to start a TNT or WGN-style network in Bloomington, IN.

None of the major networks is going to license an affiliate in a market where they already have reach. Terre Haute serves a geographical area out of reach for over-the-air broadcasts anywhere else. Bloomington is within easy antenna reach of the network affiliates in both Indy and TH.

It's the same reason there are no longer small-town, single location, car dealerships or shoe repair businesses, or Sears Roebuck stores anchoring malls. The market won't support it.

WTIU does some IU programming and would likely do more if it had the financial wherewithal to do so. But things being what they are, it has to air what the national network provides it because that content is not costing WTIU money to produce or acquire.
It's not like anyone can decide they want to start a TV or radio station.

Those frequencies are granted by the government. And I doubt there are any available in the Bloomington area, other than the ones already licensed there, like Ch. 4.
 
I can’t pull any any stations in Bedford unless I put a tower up. Pretty annoying. At one time, if the weather was right I could pull channel 3 WAVE from my upstairs.
I can't believe the big Louisville stations don't come in for you. WDRB???
 
Back in the day, WTTV channel 4 was based out of Bloomington. They are the ones that always had the Sunday IU coaches shows. I don’t think the market supported it and eventually they migrated to Indy.
Channel four was alive and well when I was there. I remember after a PU game Knight and the interviewer (Chuck Marlow?) did his Sunday show. They broke for commercial and Knight left and brought in a donkey with a PU hat to be interviewed by Chuck.
 
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IUXC68, ??

Not sure what you are questioning as imaginary? All I mentioned was for whatever reason up that high and the way my windows faced, the TH stations came in better for me than Indy stations. I did get Channel 4 just fine, but the Indy network stations not as well. Walk across the hall to those facing NW, they got Indy stations fine. Believe what you want.
 
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IUXC68, ??

Not sure what you are questioning as imaginary? All I mentioned was for whatever reason up that high and the way my windows faced, the TH stations came in better for me than Indy stations. I did get Channel 4 just fine, but the Indy network stations not as well. Walk across the hall to those facing NW, they got Indy stations fine. Believe what you want.

back in the day, homes in Btown had antennas on their roof, and a device that rotated the antenna, so you could get both Indy and Terre Haute stations. (but not both at the same time so much).

4b53efa0f9a705bfc2a30fec47b21a5f.jpg


that said, over the air broadcast tv used to be analog, and now it's all transitioned to digital.

the digital tv signal has less range than the analog one did.
 
back in the day, homes in Btown had antennas on their roof, and a device that rotated the antenna, so you could get both Indy and Terre Haute stations. (but not both at the same time so much).

4b53efa0f9a705bfc2a30fec47b21a5f.jpg


that said, over the air broadcast tv used to be analog, and now it's all transitioned to digital.

the digital tv signal has less range than the analog one did.
Holy cow! I haven't seen one of those since like 1993 at my grandparents' house.
 
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