Customer Reviews

Milwaukee Television History: The Analog Years

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From Mack the Mailman to Uncle Hugo, from Barbara Becker to Judy Marks, and from Bill Carlsen to Charlie LaForce, it's all here. Those names may be a mystery to most people, but they're legends to Milwaukee television fans. Name a personality from the early years of television, and that person is probably in this book. Start by checking out the treasure trove of photos of personalities, studios, tower sites, etc. Then start reading the book. You'll learn how the stations were created and evolved, including the legal battles that took place between competitors. Dick Golembiewski has created a richly detailed book that anyone interested in the history of Milwaukee television will want to own.

I lived in Milwaukee from 1960 to 1972, and this book provides a great resource for remembering our time in Milwaukee. The author provides pictures and history of about every TV personality I can remember. It was a real pleasure to revisit that period of time through this book.

If you grew up in the 1950s and you are a native of southeastern Wisconsin, this is a book that you should have on your library shelf or coffee table, your choosing. It is a large book, not just in size, but in scope. Except for a three and a half year sojourn in the United States Navy, I have lived in this region of the world for over seventy years. Golembiewski covers things that I never knew before. I am more of an early radio fan than an early television fan, but many radio personalities segued into television during its infancy. They are all covered in this volume. Golembiewski covers it all, from the first ideas of television up to the conversion to digital. And he does it in such a way so that non-technical people, of which I am a charter member, can understand the points that he is making. If you are into television, until you get this book your library is incomplete. Each chapter of the book covers a television station, starting with the oldest and working his way up to stations that were formed just a few years ago. When reading you can pick and choose chapters, for each chapter is complete. You can start with your favorite station and work towards your least favorite station. You would think a book like this would be dry and boring, but the way that Golembiewski presents the material, it is not. He actually makes you thirst for more. After I finished reading about WTMJ-TV I ran to my computer to see what more I could find on the internet. And, there are pictures, lots and lots of pictures. This is a book that is of particular interest to people from the Milwaukee area, but I think it would of interest to anyone who is interested in television.

This was a big hit at Christmas! My dad's a big fan of Milwaukee television having grown up in Milwaukee. He loved this gift. I would recommend to anyone who loves the history of the TV, especially those living in Milwaukee because they've lived and breathed it.

What is not generally known is that Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the first applicant to receive a commercial broadcast television license from the Federal Communications Commission in 1938. It was Milwaukee television that had the first female program direct and the firms female news director in a major television market. Milwaukee was also the city in which the VHF vs UHF controversy broke out in the 1950s. Milwaukee was also a pivotal site for the development of an educational TV station (WMVS-TV) and the first to regularly telecast in color. It was Milwaukee's own WMVT that was chosen as the site of the first long-distance test of a digital over-the-air signal in a technological evolution that was to ultimate replace analog television with digital television throughout the country. "Milwaukee Television History: The Analog Years" is a profusely illustrated 510-page compendium that showcases the complete and definitive history of Milwaukee's contributions to the television industry and culture. Of special note is the chapter dedicated to 'Low-Power, Class-A and Translator Stations'. Enhanced with a profusion of anecdotal stories and quotations from on-air talent, engineers, and station managers, "Milwaukee Television History: The Analog Years" is a unique and core addition to both academic and community library collections, as well as a recommended reading for anyone with an interest in Milwaukee history in general, and the history of American television broadcasting in particular.

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Great pictures.

Amazing facts.

One of the best books on television...ever!

Dick's book is a real treat for anybody with memories of Milwaukee TV over the years. Sadly, his death on 29 March 2009 means he won't be updating it for "The Digital Years." Thanks to Dick for everything.

The author has produced a very scholarly, thoroughly researched, yet very readable record of the birth and maturation of television in the Milwaukee, WI broadcast area. The fact that the book was published by the Marquette University Press is evidence that it is a scholarly work. The contents are indexed and amply footnoted referencing the sources of the data. What makes this history book unique is the fact that, besides being readable, there are hundreds of relevant photographs covering early TV experiments, TV milestones, and especially TV personalities. There are many interviews with TV personalities. For this reviewer, who is 72 years old, the author has provided a very enjoyable trip down Memory Lane. The young reader of today will gain an appreciation of how different the TV viewing experience was in the early days.

Disclosure Statement: This reviewer and his wife are personal friends of the author, and have assisted him by providing historic materials and other assistance for the publication of this book. We have not and will not receive any monetary compensation.

Addendum: March 31, 2009

Dick Golembiewski passed away unexpectedly in Milwaukee, WI on March 29, 2009. May he rest in peace!