Ready to uncover the secrets of Detroit’s Broadcast House? This is where television history was made. This building at 20777 West Ten Mile Road in Southfield houses the studios of WXYZ-TV and WMYD. It’s more than just a TV station. It’s a landmark.
Broadcast House has been a hub of broadcasting innovation since 1959. Before Broadcast House, WXYZ radio and television operated from the Maccabees Building in midtown Detroit. The station needed more space. It moved its operations to this custom-built facility. The site of Broadcast House was once a farm. Now, it held three television production studios. It also had its own broadcast tower with a single-person elevator.
WXYZ-TV first signed on the air on October 9, 1948. It was Detroit’s second television station. It was the third of ABC’s five original owned-and-operated TV stations. WXYZ-TV was born from ABC’s radio station WXYZ. This radio station was famous for The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. WXYZ radio personality Dick Osgood hosted WXYZ-TV’s first broadcast.
In the 1950s, WXYZ-TV began creating many popular programs. These shows featured WXYZ radio personalities. The station’s success helped the ABC network financially. In 1962, WXYZ began broadcasting network programs in color. Local programs and newscasts followed in color around 1964.
By 1978, WXYZ-TV was a top television station. This was due to ABC’s prime-time ratings and Channel 7 Action News. In 1979, ABC appointed Jeanne Findlater as WXYZ-TV’s general manager. She was the first woman in that role at a major market station.
In May 1985, Capital Cities Communications acquired ABC. To comply with FCC rules, they sold WXYZ-TV to the E. W. Scripps Company in February 1986. Scripps used WXYZ-TV’s popularity to get cable providers to carry HGTV.
WXYZ-TV has a long history of community service. The station won the National Community Service Award in 1989. It partners with organizations like the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.
WXYZ-TV has been involved in Detroit traditions. It has aired coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Woodward Dream Cruise. Special coverage has also included victory parades for Detroit sports teams.
WXYZ-TV’s newscasts were dominant for decades. Longtime anchor Bill Bonds was a key reason. The station gained credibility for its coverage of the 1967 Detroit race riots. By 1973, WXYZ-TV’s newscasts were the highest-rated in Detroit.
In 2001, WXYZ-TV debuted a 7 p.m. newscast. In 2006, WXYZ became the first station in Michigan to broadcast its newscasts in high definition.
Today, Broadcast House continues to be a vital part of Detroit’s media landscape. It stands as a testament to the power of local broadcasting. It reflects its commitment to the community. Its legacy lives on through its ongoing broadcasts and community involvement. Take a moment to appreciate the stories that have emerged from this very spot. They have shaped Detroit’s cultural identity.