WTVM Editorial 01/04/23: WTVM’s 70th Anniversary

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - It’s the first week of 2023…the year WTVM celebrates 70 years of broadcasting!

WTVM signed on the air in October of 1953, as WDAK-TV - before the call letters were changed to WTVM years later. 1953 is a long time ago, a time before many of us were even born.

It’s amazing to find out that when WTVM started broadcasting in 1953, the average cost of a house was less than $10,000. Also in 1953, The first color television sets went on sale for $1,200 in the US, an enormous amount of money back then.

Luckily for viewers, demand and better technology led the price of TVs to drop and keep dropping for decades.

The cost of a gallon of gas was 20 cents and hamburger meat cost just 53 cents a pound in 1953. Dwight D. Eisenhower was sworn in as the new president in 1953…just eight years after helping win World War II as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.

WTVM underwent many changes during those 70 years, just like every business.

Some people say they don’t watch local television – but we are all just watching in different ways now: by playing video in our news app or website or streaming a newscast live.

Those options are growing and that’s exciting.

The most valuable thing about WTVM through the years is that we report the local news, local weather and local sports, something no national cable channel or network news can match.

We live and work here and we care about our community.

I’m proud to be associated with WTVM, a successful local business still going strong after 70 years. Since 1953, our success is your success.

We have you to thank for your support as viewers and advertisers since 1953.

Throughout 2023, we plan to share the stories behind WTVM’s history, 70 years in the making…always remembering it’s your history, too!

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