WLXT-TV
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Aurora, Illinois , United States |
Area served | Aurora and surrounding suburbs, Illinois |
| Owner | South Kane-Kendall Broadcasting Corporation |
WLXT-TV (channel 60) was an independent television station located in Aurora, Illinois, United States, with broadcasting activities spanning from 1969 until 1970. The station, owned by South Kane-Kendall Broadcasting Corporation, discontinued its transmissions in July 1970. Channel 60 did not reappear in the Chicago television market for another 12 years.
History
South Kane-Kendall Broadcasting Corporation secured the license for channel 60 at Aurora in 1968, after submitting one of two applications in late 1966. Their original concept involved a mixed educational and commercial programming schedule that included credit courses provided by Waubonsee Community College. Key investors comprised Roy Raymond, a plastics company proprietor, and Ray Sherwood, who served as general manager of Aurora’s WMRO-FM radio station. The station received backing from local government officials; notably, the city council rejected a proposed cable system out of concern it would present competition to WLXT-TV.
The station commenced operations on May 18, 1969, broadcasting from a repurposed dance studio in Aurora with its transmitter situated in nearby Naperville. To manage expenses, WLXT acquired secondhand equipment such as a transmitter originally from WCET in Cincinnati. Programming was centered on the Aurora community and surrounding suburbs, including plans to air Du Page County Board meetings alongside movies, children’s programming, local interest segments, and coverage of fast-pitch softball events.
In December 1969 and January 1970, WLXT temporarily reduced its broadcast schedule to install over $150,000 worth of new color television equipment. During this period, management transitioned to Simpson Productions. After completing the upgrade, the station’s broadcast hours were weekdays from 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and weekends from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Broadcasting operations ended suddenly on July 17, 1970; staff members were only notified upon arriving at the studio that day. By March 1971, the station was placed on the market by a trustee but failed to find a buyer; equipment was subsequently put up for sale the following year.
Although WLXT-TV’s existence was brief, it served as an early platform for several distinguished careers: news director Christine Lund later became an anchor at both KGO-TV San Francisco and KABC-TV Los Angeles; Craig Roberts moved on to become sports director at KPRC-TV Houston; and brothers Tom Skilling (future meteorologist at WGN-TV) and Jeffrey Skilling (who would become CEO of Enron Corporation) gained experience at WLXT during their high school years—Tom handling weather segments and Jeffrey working behind the scenes in the control room.