Early Television Stations
W2XCR/WGBS
On Aug. 20, 1930, W2XCR began broadcasting from Jersey City, New Jersey, with first demonstration of home reception of television, a half-hour broadcast. Two sets were available in public places and one in a press suite. The 48 line/15 fps standard was used. It broadcast on the new television band at 2.1 to 2.2 mHz.
In April of 1931, W2XCR moved to 655 Fifth Avenue in New
York. The station now had 5000 watts power, and began using the 60
line/20 fps standard used by other New York area stations..
Apr. 26, 1931. Jenkins Television Corp. gives a public demonstration on
W2XCR, beginning a regular schedule of four hours per day, which lasted
into early 1932. The station claimed that this was the first
"synchronized" TV broadcast, meaning that the audio was carried
simultaneously (on WGBS radio). At the inaugural broadcast, Pugilist
Primo Camera showed his primeval face. Sir Guy Standing went through
part of Mrs. Moonlight, Performers Peggy Joyce, Gertrude Lawrence.
Frances Williams did skits which were broadcast and recognized, though
distorted by static.
The station broadcast the first television marriage on May 1, 1931, when a Jenkins engineer married a Jenkins secretary in front of the television for publicity purposes. From the New York Times, May 2, 1931: Jenkins engineer Frank Du Vall married Graycee Jones on W2XCR on May 1, 1931. The Rev. Doctor A. Edwin Keigwin of the West End Presbyterian Church officiated. Rev. Keigwin was known throughout the metroplitan NYC area as being one of the first ministers to begin a radio ministry. (Thanks to Al McGilvray for that information)
The station apparently left the air in 1933. More information on W2XCR can be found at Television History - the First 75 Years.
