75 Years On News On 6: First KOTV Test Pattern Aired

It is a big anniversary in the history of our station, KOTV. In 2024, we are celebrating 75 years on the air.

October 15 is the anniversary of the first time we showed a test pattern on TV and the first time an image was shown on TV ever in Tulsa. Younger viewers may not know what this is, but a test pattern is a slide that would air late at night instead of programming.

On October 15, 1949, we showed this as the first-ever image on our station. It was a picture of the first bank building, where the station's antenna was located. Engineers at the station used a device called a monoscope—a long, skinny tube—that allowed the station to broadcast without turning off its transmitter.

As time went on and programming switched to 24/7, most monoscopes were thrown away. Three years ago, News On 6's Jonathan Cooper did a story about one of our engineers finding that original monoscope with the slide still inside.

This is what engineer Mike Lins said at the time: "You look down the side of the tube; you could actually see a cut metal plate with the test pattern in it."

Related: Piece Of Oklahoma History Lives Again After Original KOTV Test Pattern Discovered

Mike found a guy on the internet who builds old television equipment. He sent them our monoscope and test pattern and was able to show the image once again all these years later.

You may also recognize the image from being in the background of the 1983 movie The Outsiders.