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IH Previews Iowa’s First Television Show at the 1946 State Fair

Bob Cannon

August 29, 2016

Before any TV stations were on the air in the State of Iowa, radio station KRNT-AM - Des Moines, in cooperation with RCA and International Harvester, gave the 1946 Iowa State Fair visitors a preview of television. The demonstration was staged in the International Harvester tent. Closed circuit TV programs were produced using KRNT-AM personalities & Staff. 


Bob Cannon, whose father was a KRNT engineer, supplied his fascinating picture story to the Des Moines Broadcasting.com website, which is believed to be Iowa's first exposure to television. Bob Cannon was a teenager at the time and worked as one of the camera men. Some of his presentation can be seen at http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/TV/krnt1.htm. Read the story and see all of the photos here: http://www.desmoinesbroadcasting.com/krnt/krnt-tvexp-fair-46/tv-fair-demo46.html

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