DuMont Television Network

DuMont Television Network
Company type	Commercial television network
Industry	Broadcasting, Television
Predecessor	Allen B. DuMont Laboratories
Founded	1940
Founder	Allen B. DuMont
Defunct	1956-08-06
Fate	Discontinued operations
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Allen B. DuMont
Products	Television programming and broadcasting
Owner	Allen B. DuMont Laboratories (majority), Paramount Pictures (40% minority share)
Parent	Allen B. DuMont Laboratories

The DuMont Television Network—frequently referred to as the DuMont Network or simply DuMont—was an early American commercial television network owned by Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, a company specializing in the manufacture of television equipment and receivers. Established in 1940, DuMont began its broadcast operations on August 15, 1946, entering the market alongside established giants such as NBC and CBS.

Although DuMont introduced several innovations and helped launch the careers of stars like Jackie Gleason, financial difficulties plagued the network. These challenges stemmed from the high costs associated with broadcasting, the 1948 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) freeze on new television licenses, and complications arising from its partnership with Paramount Pictures. The network primarily used Ultra High Frequency (UHF) channels before UHF tuners became common in television sets, which limited its ability to distribute programming beyond its three owned-and-operated stations: WABD in New York City, WTTG in Washington, DC, and WDTV in Pittsburgh. DuMont ultimately discontinued operations on August 6, 1956, leaving the three major networks unchallenged until the emergence of Fox in 1986.

Much of DuMont's historical footprint was obscured due to the destruction of a significant portion of its program archive by the 1970s. This loss led historian David Weinstein to dub it the "forgotten network." Nonetheless, several of its notable shows—including Cavalcade of Stars, Captain Video, and the Emmy-winning Life Is Worth Living—continue to be recognized in television history. Some of this content is currently accessible via the Roku streaming channel under the DuMont label.

Origins

Allen B. DuMont Laboratories was founded in 1931 by Allen B. DuMont, who began operations with just $1,000 in his basement laboratory. The company was a pioneer in producing the first consumer-ready electronic television receiver in 1938 and significantly extended the lifespan of the cathode-ray tube, increasing it from 24 hours to about 1,000 hours—an advancement that made television sets practical for household use. This breakthrough positioned DuMont’s television receivers as industry benchmarks.

During World War II, DuMont contributed to U.S. Army efforts by developing radar technology, generating revenue of $5 million in 1942 alone.

At that time, television sales were constrained by a lack of programming. After selling his inaugural set in 1938, DuMont launched his own experimental station (W2XVT) based in Passaic, New Jersey. The station relocated to Manhattan in 1940 as W2XWV on channel 4 and began broadcasting on April 13 of that year. Unlike competitors such as CBS and NBC, which curtailed TV broadcasts during wartime, DuMont maintained both experimental and commercial transmissions throughout this period. In 1944, W2XWV transitioned into commercial station WABD, switching to channel 5 in 1945. On May 19, 1945, DuMont inaugurated an experimental station in Washington, DC, W3XWT, which later became commercial station WTTG.

In 1939, Paramount Pictures purchased a 40% minority share in DuMont Laboratories by providing $400,000 in funding. Paramount also operated its own television stations located in Los Angeles (since 1939) and Chicago (since 1940). This investment later introduced complexities into DuMont’s business operations.

Following the launch of W3XWT, DuMont developed experimental coaxial cable connections between its Passaic laboratories and broadcast stations. One notable transmission over this link was the announcement of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945—a broadcast regarded by chief engineer Thomas T. Goldsmith and Allen B. DuMont as marking the official inception of the DuMont Network. Regular network transmissions commenced on August 15, 1946, involving WABD and W3XWT. By November that year, W3XWT secured a commercial license as WTTG, becoming Washington’s first commercial TV station. These were later joined by Pittsburgh’s WDTV (channel 3) on January 11, 1949.

While NBC had established station-to-station links since 1940—connecting New York’s WNBT with Philadelphia’s WPTZ (KYW) and Schenectady’s WRGB—DuMont obtained its station licenses before NBC resumed full network broadcasts after World War II. The ABC launched its network television service in 1948 with flagship station WJZ-TV (WABC-TV) after initially operating as a radio network beginning in 1943. CBS postponed launching its network until 1948 while awaiting FCC approval for its color broadcasting system; however, this system was ultimately rejected due to incompatibility with existing black-and-white televisions. Other organizations such as Mutual Broadcasting System, Yankee Network, and Paramount also attempted to establish television networks but encountered regulatory barriers; Paramount managed a limited operation known as the Paramount Television Network during the late 1940s and early ’50s.

Programming

Although DuMont lacked experience in radio programming, did not have established radio personalities, and frequently struggled with financial limitations, it distinguished itself as an innovative network by utilizing its Broadway connections to source content.

Rejecting the prevalent 1950s model of single-sponsor programs, DuMont opted to sell advertising time to multiple sponsors. This approach liberated producers from exclusive sponsor influence and ultimately became the dominant format for television advertising in the United States. Some commercial spots were sold regionally through cooperative arrangements, while others were broadcast network-wide.

The debut of WDTV facilitated live network programming exchanges between the Midwest and East Coast, replacing earlier regional networks and broadcasts delayed by kinescope recordings. On January 11, 1949, the coaxial cable linking these regions—referred to as "the Golden Spike"—was inaugurated during a ceremony hosted jointly by DuMont and WDTV and aired on all four major networks. This connection completed the East Coast–Midwest broadcast chain, enabling simultaneous live programming across both areas, which laid the groundwork for contemporary American television. The West Coast followed suit two years later.

DuMont’s initial transmissions originated from its headquarters at 515 Madison Avenue. The network later expanded production facilities to include studios within Wanamaker's department store and leased venues such as the Adelphi and Ambassador Theatres for variety program tapings. In 1954, DuMont inaugurated the $5 million Tele-Centre at 205 East 67th Street, converting the former Central Opera House into a state-of-the-art television production center.

As a trailblazer in televised film productions, DuMont presented Talk Fast, Mister (1944), broadcast the first television situation comedy Mary Kay and Johnny, and aired the first soap opera on a TV network with Faraway Hill.

Jackie Gleason’s Cavalcade of Stars introduced the beloved The Honeymooners sketches; Gleason later recorded classic episodes at DuMont’s Adelphi Theatre studio. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s religious program Life Is Worth Living successfully rivaled Milton Berle’s variety show in viewer ratings and earned Sheen an Emmy Award in 1952.

Other prominent shows featured on DuMont included:

Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour
The Morey Amsterdam Show, a comedy-variety production
Captain Video and His Video Rangers, a popular children’s science fiction series
The Arthur Murray Party, focused on dance
Down You Go, a panel game show
Detective dramas such as Rocky King, Inside Detective and The Plainclothesman
Live boxing and professional wrestling events from Chicago’s Marigold Arena
The Peabody Award-winning educational series The Johns Hopkins Science Review
Cash and Carry, recognized as the first network game show
The comedy-variety program The Ernie Kovacs Show
Children’s series The Magic Cottage, starring Patricia Meikle
The Goldbergs, portraying an immigrant Jewish family

DuMont also broke new ground with minority-centered programming, including The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, starring Anna May Wong—the first American television series led by an Asian American—and The Hazel Scott Show, hosted by the first African American woman to front a network TV series.

Although videotape technology had not yet been developed, many DuMont broadcasts were preserved using kinescope recordings produced by Eastman Kodak. These recordings were reportedly stored until the 1970s when a significant number were discarded. Actress Edie Adams testified that numerous kinescopes were dumped into Upper New York Bay because they were deemed to have no value. Nonetheless, some DuMont programs remain preserved at institutions such as The Paley Center for Media, UCLA Film and Television Archive, University of Georgia’s Peabody Collection, and Museum of Broadcast Communications. A selection of these has been made available on DVD.

Many surviving shows either lacked formal copyright protection or lost their copyrights when Metromedia, DuMont’s successor, chose not to renew them in the late 1970s.

Among notable surviving episodes are numerous installments of Life Is Worth Living, which continues to air weekly on the Catholic cable channel Eternal Word Television Network and is accessible on DVD. Selected episodes of Cavalcade of Stars, The Morey Amsterdam Show, Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and Rocky King have also been commercially released but seldom rebroadcast despite no licensing fees due to limited extant material.

Awards

Due to DuMont's limited budget for programming, its recognition within the television industry was relatively modest, especially when compared to the more financially robust NBC and CBS, both of which benefited from established radio broadcasting backgrounds throughout the 1950s.

In the 1952–53 television season, Bishop Sheen secured an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Personality, surpassing competitors from CBS such as Arthur Godfrey and Lucille Ball. Additionally, Sheen received nominations for Public Service Emmy Awards in 1952, 1953, and 1954.

DuMont garnered an Emmy nomination for the game show Down You Go during the 1952–53 season and was twice recognized for its professional football broadcasts in the 1953–54 and 1954–55 seasons.

The public affairs series The Johns Hopkins Science Review was honored with a Peabody Award in 1952 under the Education category. These accolades—Sheen’s Emmy and the Peabody Award—represent DuMont’s only national-level honors. While the network continued to receive local television awards, by the mid-1950s it had lost much of its national prominence.

Ratings

13 14 15

Videodex 62 City Ratings
First week of August 1950
Rank	Series	Network	# of cities	% TV homes
1	Toast of the Town	CBS	34	37.2
2	Stop the Music	ABC	50	28.4
3	Kraft Television Theater	NBC	34	27.5
4	Ford Star Revue	NBC	45	26.9
5	The Garry Moore Show	CBS	19	26.4
6	The Big Story	NBC	32	25.6
7	The Original Amateur Hour	NBC	54	25.3
8	Break the Bank	NBC	42	24.2
9	The Lone Ranger	ABC	39	23.9
10	Your Hit Parade	NBC	18	23.7
11	Cavalcade of Stars	DuMont	20	22.2
12	Mama	CBS	16	22.0
Wrestling	DuMont	15	21.4
Beat the Clock	CBS	33	20.7
Masterpiece Playhouse	NBC	32	19.2

Initial audience tracking by C.E. Hooper highlighted DuMont’s strong ratings performance; notably, during the 1947–48 season, The Original Amateur Hour ranked as the top program. Two years later, Variety listed DuMont’s Cavalcade of Stars among the ten most popular shows.

Following A.C. Nielsen's acquisition of Hooper in February 1950, DuMont programs ceased to appear in Nielsen’s top-20 rankings, although Bishop Sheen’s Life is Worth Living achieved ratings as high as 11.1, attracting over ten million viewers and competing successfully against NBC’s Milton Berle Show. This program was broadcast on approximately 169 stations and outperformed competing time slots on ABC and CBS.

Several other DuMont offerings also drew considerable audiences; for example, in 1952, Down You Go reportedly reached sixteen million viewers, while in the summer of 1954, replacement series The Goldbergs attracted roughly ten million viewers. Despite these achievements, DuMont’s overall ratings were modest relative to leading programs on NBC and CBS.

In addition to Nielsen, audience measurement firms such as Trendex, Videodex, and Arbitron provided television ratings data. The table above reflects Videodex’s August 1950 ratings as published by Billboard magazine.

Conflicts with AT&T and Paramount

DuMont encountered significant obstacles in broadcasting its shows across the country due to technical constraints related to network infrastructure controlled by the telephone company AT&T Corporation. During the 1940s and 1950s, television signals were transmitted through coaxial cable and microwave systems managed by AT&T, which did not possess enough circuits to accommodate all networks simultaneously. In 1950, AT&T allocated more than 100 hours of live prime time network access each to NBC and CBS, but restricted ABC to 53 hours and DuMont to only 37. Furthermore, AT&T mandated that networks lease both radio and television lines; since DuMont lacked a radio network, it had to pay for unused radio circuits. DuMont lodged complaints with the Federal Communications Commission, ultimately negotiating a settlement.

A significant corporate hurdle involved DuMont’s contentious relationship with its partner Paramount. The discord began in 1939 when Paramount initiated experimental television stations in Los Angeles and Chicago without involving DuMont. Dr. DuMont maintained that a 1937 acquisition agreement obligated Paramount to develop television interests exclusively "through DuMont," a position later substantiated by a 1953 examination of original documents.

Seeking growth beyond its three existing stations, DuMont applied for licenses in Cincinnati and Cleveland in 1947, potentially reaching the FCC’s limit of five stations per owner. However, Paramount’s two stations—KTLA in Los Angeles and WBKB (now WBBM-TV) in Chicago—did not broadcast DuMont content and instead competed against DuMont affiliates. The FCC determined that Paramount exercised effective control over DuMont due to its voting stock majority, thereby restricting DuMont’s ability to acquire additional stations. Paramount declined to sell its stations, effectively blocking DuMont’s expansion plans.

In 1949, Paramount established the Paramount Television Network, distributing filmed shows to local stations that directly competed with DuMont’s programming. Paramount had ended financial backing for DuMont in 1941 and failed to deliver promised programs or technical support. The hostility between the companies intensified during the 1953 FCC hearings on the ABC–United Paramount Theaters merger when Paramount executive Paul Raibourn openly disparaged the quality of DuMont television sets.

Initial Difficulties

DuMont was at a distinct disadvantage because, unlike NBC, CBS, and ABC, it did not possess a radio network to provide established performers, affiliate loyalty, or revenue streams necessary to sustain its television operations until TV itself became profitable. Early television licenses predominantly went to established radio broadcasters who transferred their relationships into the new medium. CBS and NBC capitalized on their radio stars such as Lucille Ball and Milton Berle, whereas DuMont relied on lesser-known talents like Jackie Gleason and Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. In smaller markets with limited station availability, DuMont and ABC typically served as secondary affiliates whose programs aired only when primary networks were off-air or delayed through kinescope recordings.

Further complicating matters was the FCC's 1948 moratorium on new television license applications, imposed to manage the surge of requests and update technical standards. This freeze persisted until 1952 when the FCC opened up the UHF band but did not mandate that TV manufacturers include UHF tuners. Consumers needed expensive converters to receive UHF broadcasts, which often suffered from poor reception depending on geographic location. Additionally, VHF channel assignments were limited in medium-sized and smaller markets. It was not until the All-Channel Receiver Act of 1964 that all televisions were required to tune both VHF and UHF channels.

Attempting expansion via UHF proved financially burdensome; numerous DuMont stations underperformed due to low audience numbers. In 1954, DuMont acquired the struggling UHF station KCTY in Kansas City but shut it down after only three months at a considerable loss, unable to compete with established VHF broadcasters.

FCC official Hyman H. Goldin remarked in 1960 that had four VHF channels been accessible in major markets, DuMont would have survived and eventually turned profitable.

Network decline and final closure

During television's formative period, the four leading U.S. networks collaborated to some extent. Yet, as TV turned lucrative, intense competition arose—especially between NBC and CBS—leaving DuMont and ABC underfunded and unable to compete effectively. According to author Dennis Mazzocco, NBC pursued a tactic with ABC and CBS aimed at weakening DuMont by providing ABC with popular shows only after their initial broadcast on the larger networks, relegating ABC to reruns while excluding DuMont entirely. ABC president Leonard Goldenson declined this approach but chose not to report it to the Justice Department.

DuMont managed to endure through the early 1950s primarily because of WDTV in Pittsburgh, then the sixth-largest U.S. market, which held an effective local monopoly due to minimal competition and FCC licensing freezes. WDTV’s secondary ties with other networks enabled DuMont to obtain program clearances in key markets.

By 1953, despite facing financial difficulties, DuMont was establishing itself as a third national network with 16 live stations and seven primary affiliates, including its three owned-and-operated stations (O&Os). Meanwhile, ABC operated five O&Os supplemented by nine primary affiliates and maintained a radio network legacy inherited from NBC's Blue Network. Still, ABC remained smaller than CBS and NBC, possessing only 14 primary stations compared to over 40 for those two rivals. ABC teetered on bankruptcy until its 1953 merger with United Paramount Theaters (UPT), which brought vital funding and Hollywood studio connections under Leonard Goldenson’s leadership.

DuMont set itself apart by permitting advertisers to target specific markets for their commercials, potentially saving millions—unlike ABC’s method of bundling large must-buy station packages despite its smaller footprint. Recognizing ABC’s stronger financial position, DuMont’s executives considered a merger proposal facilitated by Goldenson for an "ABC-DuMont" network that could have competed with CBS and NBC by owning stations in five of the six largest markets and controlling ABC’s radio network. However, Paramount rejected this plan due to antitrust concerns amid FCC investigations into Paramount’s influence over DuMont.

With no viable financial alternatives, DuMont sold WDTV to Westinghouse for $9.75 million in late 1954, forfeiting its leverage for program clearances and causing advertising revenue to drop below half of its 1953 level. By early 1955, DuMont ended network operations to concentrate on its stations WABD and WTTG as independent outlets.

On April 1, 1955, most entertainment programming concluded; Bishop Sheen’s show transitioned to ABC later that month. By May, only eight low-budget or sports programs remained on air. The network largely abandoned expensive intercity coaxial cable connections used for shows without station clearance but maintained them for live sports events and studio productions utilizing its Electronicam system—later notable for producing Jackie Gleason's The Honeymooners on CBS.

In August 1955, Paramount solidified control over DuMont Laboratories, and shareholders approved separating manufacturing from broadcasting activities. Sponsored network programs ceased; What's the Story was the last non-sports show broadcast on September 23, 1955. The final program attributed to DuMont was a boxing match aired on August 6, 1956, though some sources list dates ranging from late 1955 through 1958. This boxing event was shown on only five stations nationwide and was likely syndicated independently afterward.

DuMont spun off WABD and WTTG into the DuMont Broadcasting Corporation, later renamed Metropolitan Broadcasting Company to distance itself from the network’s failure. In 1958, John Kluge purchased Paramount’s shares for $4 million; in 1961 he rebranded the company as Metromedia. WABD became WNEW-TV (now WNYW), while WTTG continues as a Fox affiliate under its original call letters.

For fifty years, DuMont stood alone as the sole major U.S. broadcast network to cease operations until the 2006 merger of struggling networks UPN and The WB formed The CW Television Network.

Unsuccessful attempt to revive the DuMont name

On February 22, 2018, Lightning One, Inc., owned by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, submitted a trademark application in the United States for "The Dumont Network." This action appeared connected to Lightning One's possession of the "National Wrestling Alliance" trademark, a historic American wrestling organization. Nonetheless, the trademark registration for "The Dumont Network" under Lightning One expired on July 2, 2020, and is currently inactive.

Current status of former DuMont stations

The trio of stations once owned by DuMont continue operating as owned-and-operated stations (O&Os) affiliated with their respective networks, maintaining their original network partnerships. Of these, only WTTG in Washington still uses its initial call sign.

WTTG and New York’s WABD (which later became WNEW-TV and is now known as WNYW) functioned as Metromedia independent stations until 1986. That year, News Corporation acquired them to establish the Fox Broadcasting Company. Media expert Clarke Ingram has identified Fox as a direct successor to DuMont’s broadcasting legacy.

Following its acquisition by Westinghouse, WDTV was renamed KDKA-TV, aligning it with Westinghouse’s historic radio station, and switched its network affiliation to CBS. When Westinghouse purchased CBS in 1995, KDKA-TV became a CBS O&O.

Two key former DuMont affiliates later joined Fox. KTTV, purchased by Metromedia in 1963, became one of Fox’s original O&O stations alongside WNYW and WTTG. WSYX (formerly WTVN-TV), initially holding a dual affiliation after DuMont’s demise, added Fox programming on its third digital subchannel in 2021 following Sinclair Broadcast Group’s consolidation of sister station WTTE’s intellectual property.

Currently, WGN-TV and KWGN-TV (once KFEL-TV) are owned by Nexstar Media Group and serve as O&Os for The CW network.

Archive of DuMont programming

Between 1946 and 1956, DuMont produced more than 20,000 television episodes. Since these programs were created prior to the introduction of the Ampex electronic videotape recorder in late 1956, they were broadcast live in black-and-white and preserved via kinescope film recordings for West Coast rebroadcasts and reruns. By the early 1970s, the extensive collection of 35mm and 16mm kinescopes was reportedly acquired by a successor entity—likely Metromedia—and subsequently discarded into the East River in New York City to free up warehouse space for videotape storage.

Although some submerged films have been retrieved (such as The Carpet from Bagdad), no dedicated salvage operations have targeted the DuMont archive specifically. Films recovered from underwater likely suffered deterioration. Additionally, some kinescopes were chemically processed to extract silver from the black-and-white film emulsion.

Approximately 350 full DuMont programs remain today, including seven early Jackie Gleason Honeymooners sketches dating from 1951–1952. The majority of surviving episodes originate from private collections maintained by former DuMont personalities like Gleason and Dennis James.

Network affiliates

At its zenith in 1954, DuMont maintained affiliations with roughly 200 television stations. Many broadcasters selectively aired programs from various networks depending on market availability; numerous affiliates broadcast only specific DuMont shows or weekend sports events rather than the entire schedule. For example, WKLO-TV (UHF Channel 21) in Louisville divided its programming between DuMont and ABC-TV but operated merely seven months—from September 1953 through April 1954.

In its later years, DuMont was predominantly carried on low-audience UHF channels or held secondary affiliations on VHF stations. Although most operations ceased on April 1, 1955, the network fulfilled contractual obligations until August 1956.

Kinescopes

Archived kinescopes of DuMont Network shows are accessible via the Internet Archive: The Adventures of Ellery Queen, Captain Video and His Video Rangers, Cavalcade of Stars, Life Is Worth Living, Miss U.S. Television 1950 Contest, The Morey Amsterdam Show, The Old American Barn Dance, Okay Mother, On Your Way, Public Prosecutor, Rocky King — Detective, School House, They Stand Accused, along with a DuMont Network identification clip

References

External links

Clarke Ingram's Comprehensive DuMont Television Network History Website
"Golden Telecruiser" Historical Photographs
IMDb listing of DuMont programs
Dumont Television Network — Western States Museum of Broadcasting