On May 24, 1958 while John Upham, the sales manager for KTNT radio looked on, Miss Tacoma, Judith Williams, pulled the winning ticket for a free trip to the Indianapolis "500" car race from a trash can stuffed with entries. The contest was sponsored by General Petroleum's Mobilgas and was open to everyone over the age of 21 except employees of Mobilgas. The 19-year-old Miss Tacoma, a graduate of Stadium High School and employee of Sears, Roebuck, was assisted in the drawing by a General Petroleum service station operator named Bud (last name unknown). The winning entry was announced on the KTNT -TV. KTNT radio, 1400 on the dial, carried the race live at 7:45 a.m. on May 30th. This photograph was taken in Studio A of the station located at 948 South Grant Avenue and the microphone is an RCA 44BX. (Photograph ordered by General Petroleum Corporation.)

Contests--Tacoma--1950-1960; Williams, Judith; General Petroleum Corp. (Tacoma); Upham, John;

Bob Gleason was master of ceremonies for the "Pantry Playhouse" on KTNT-TV, channel 11 at 3 p.m. weekdays. On September 23, 1957 a young woman named Diane, who was an employee of Van de Kamp Bakeries presented a cake to Mr. Gleason with his name on it written in frosting. The TV program featured "late TV releases from major Hollywood studios". Mr. Gleason was also co-host of the "Home Show", a popular Tacoma based talk show. Photograph ordered by Martin Gardner & Tuttle.

Television broadcasting; KTNT TV (Tacoma); Cakes--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A cooking show or segment being filmed live at KTNT TV. Two of the crew members appear as time release or reflections. Microphones hang from the ceiling & above one camera and a mirror above the performers reflects the lights. KTNT began broadcasting in March of 1953 as Channel 11, a CBS affiliate. It was owned by the Tribune Publishing Co. The station soon expanded from its original 30,000 watt power to become the most powerful, at 316,000 watts, broadcasting station in the Puget Sound area. It carried a variety of local and national programs, including the first telecast in full color in August of 1954. TPL-8237

KTNT TV (Tacoma); Television broadcasting; Television production & direction; Television programs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The film library at KTNT TV. Two employees work at preparing film for broadcast, perhaps editing and splicing. KTNT was the Tacoma's second television station. The CBS affiliate broadcast as Channel 11. The station employed between 58 - 65 persons. TPL-6403

KTNT TV (Tacoma); Television broadcasting; Television production & direction; Television programs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of KTNT TV, Tacoma, studio, as photographed on January 20, 1955. Large object in center is possibly a microwave or satellite dish used to send/receive audio/video signals. (Additional information provided by a reader)

KTNT TV (Tacoma); Television broadcasting; Television production & direction; Television programs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of KTNT TV, Tacoma, studio. At 5 minutes after five, the directors are most probably viewing the camera feed of a live news broadcast. The viewpoint of each camera can be seen and the best selected for broadcasting. The Tribune Publishing Co. was the owner of CBS affiliate KTNT which broadcast on Channel 11. TPL-8238

KTNT TV (Tacoma); Television broadcasting; Television production & direction; Television programs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of KTNT TV, Tacoma, studio. Several employees work in a technical capacity on Channel 11's broadcast. KTNT, owned by the Tribune Publishing Co., offered a wide variety of programming including Red Buttons, Burns and Allen, Jackie Gleason, the Romper Room and the locally produced Home Show. Broadcasts could be seen from Vancouver, B.C., to Portland, Oregon.

KTNT TV (Tacoma); Television broadcasting; Television production & direction; Television programs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Film lab at KTNT TV, Channel 11. Equipment includes splicing machines, projectors and a monitor displaying the logo for "cable trouble."

Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television production & direction; Television broadcasting; KTNT TV (Tacoma);

In January of 1955, announcer Bob Gleason (left) and an unidentified butcher stood behind a counter on the Shop Rite Food Centers set in the KTNT studio while the production staff broadcast a live commercial into Tacoma's homes. Bob Gleason was the program director of KTNT- Channel 11's noontime homemaker's show. To the far left is the set for Marshall Clink-a-long Clack-a-ty, television's first robot lawman. The robot debuted in 1954 as Marshal of Mechanical City. The robot was made up of dials, batteries & flashing lights and introduced cartoons and kids' movies. When KTNT, owned by the Tacoma News Tribune, went on the air in 1952, they were the second station to take to the airwaves in the Pacific Northwest. TPL-6404;

Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television production & direction; Television broadcasting; KTNT TV (Tacoma); Gleason, Bob;

The "Brakeman Bill Show" and "Pantry Playhouse" were just two of the locally produced television shows broadcast from this simple, wood frame building at the corner of South 11th and Grant. With its 289 foot tower, KTNT began broadcasting in March of 1953 as Channel 11, a CBS affiliate. By January of 1955, when this photograph was taken, the newest member of the News Tribune family was already a major Puget Sound broadcaster. TPL-8178

Television studios--Tacoma--1950-1960; Television production & direction; Television broadcasting; KTNT TV (Tacoma);

Members of the Radio Club of Tacoma, Inc. The Tacoma Club was one of the oldest radio clubs in the US, having been organized and in continuous operation for more than 35 years.The Club was relied on heavily by the Communications Division of Civil Defense and expected to facilitate communication in the case of an emergency. The Club members were fully trained and licensed amateur radio operators. The Club owned its own equipment consisting of two complete transmitting and receiving stations, one used for Civil Defense emergencies and one for Red Cross emergencies. In addition, they owned four auxiliary lighting units for nighttime emergencies and 15 members had mobile communication units in their cars. The emergency frequency band used by the Club was monitored 18 hours a day by Mrs. Irma Aufang. The constant monitoring was made possible by a "squelch" receiver, developed by Max Bice and Dick Engh- engineers at KTNT. The receiver remained silent unless activated by the "squelch" receiver signal initiated by an emergency. Members are- back row, left to right: Ernest Ripola, Roy Devigh, Sid Sowers, Engh, Dale Cook, Alex Braidwood, President of the Club, Richard McDonald & Art Paul. Row behind transmitters: Ray Estep, Bruce Ross, Dr. F.C.J. Spike, Charles Emigh & Walt King. Seated: Mrs. Aufang. In front of transmitters: Charles Aufang, Tacoma Emergency Co-ordinator, Bice, Cliff Osborne, Jr., Gene Dodge & Ralph Upright. (TNT 4/29/1951, pg. A-19)

Korean War, 1950-1953--Civil defense--Tacoma; Radio Club of Tacoma, Inc. (Tacoma); Aufang, Irma; Bice, Max; Engh, Dick; Braidwood, Alex; Aufang, Charles;