SAN DIEGO — KFMB TV is dedicated to telling San Diego's stories, but in 1949 our TV station was was the story and we made front page news. In this Zevely Zone, I visited the U.S.S. Midway Museum to read about our chapter in San Diego history. The USS Midway Museum is a floating history lesson with its own library of books and memorabilia. Most of the items are donated by the public.
"We try to document every donation," said Bonnie Brown, the ship's librarian. She receives all sorts of donations. "Videos, books, newsletters," said Bonnie.
But one item in a box of goodies made by an anonymous donor didn't seem to fit. "He donated a box of old newspapers," said Bonnie. One of the newspapers had a headline written for land instead of the sea. "It has KFMB TV there and we thought well, they would be interested," said Bonnie.
The USS Midway Museum delivered that paper to KFMB's managing editor, Barbara Richards, who carefully pulled it out of a large envelope. "Look at this Jeff, Sunday, May 15, 1949," said Barbara. The newspaper is yellow, fragile, and so old it was flaking away. "Oh my," were the only words that tumbled out of my mouth.
On that day in history in 1949, KFMB TV was front page news. "Oh, look at this, Mayor Knox welcomes television to San Diego," said Barbara reading one of the headlines. KFMB TV was the first television station in San Diego and the entire front page was about us. With a transmitter site located on Mount Soledad, KFMB broadcasted from a building on 5th and Ash, before moving to our current Kearny Mesa location in 1977.
"50,000 may view Monday premiere," said Barbara reading another headline. To our surprise in 1949, KFMB didn't just make the front page, but every page of the paper. "It just goes on and on. This whole thing is about television," said Barbara.
Article after article described how television could change American society. One article stated only one in one hundred San Diego families owned a television set. Another article offered tips on how to decorate your living room and position your furniture for a television. The San Diego Union Tribune newspaper that day was suddenly filled with TV advertisements. One of the ads showed an Easy Vision Television for $945.
News 8's Senior producer, Lou Weiner, hopped on his computer and did a little math to adjust for inflation. "$945 dollars in 1949? It says it equals $10,213 today," said Lou.
A new era was emerging in San Diego. Residents would later watch and grow to love personalities such as Bob Dale who was the host of the popular show Zoorama. In the 1960's, San Diegans woken up in the morning with the show SunUp San Diego and watched the news with notable anchors such as Harold Keen and Ray Wilson.
Rachael Welch and Regis Philbin also graced our air along with so many famous faces that followed such as Michael Tuck, Allison Ross, and Ted Leitner. "I don't know who had this in their garage for that many years or why they put it in that box of donations but it's wonderful," said Barbara. Memory lane is fun but as always, our newsroom was on a deadline for news in 2021, so it was time to get back to work.
"We thought, that is a piece of history you may like to see," said Bonnie Brown from the USS Midway Museum. Leave it to a librarian to not only preserve this old gem but place it right where it belonged at KFMB TV.
"We sure are thankful that you sent this to us," I said. Barbara Richards and I handled the old newspaper with protective gloves. KFMB TV plans on preserving the paper in our archives for many years to come.
WATCH RELATED: Raquel Welch returns to KFMB more than 50 years after she worked at the station (2010)