WRAY-TV (Indiana)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Defunct | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Princeton, Indiana , United States |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
WRAY-TV operated as a television broadcaster on channel 52 in Princeton, Indiana, sharing ownership with the radio outlet WRAY (1250 AM). Its regular transmission spanned seven months, from December 1953 until July 1954, after which it resumed broadcasting once annually through 1960 to air a March of Dimes telethon.
History
On March 12, 1953, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Princeton Broadcasting Corporation permission to establish a station on channel 52. WRAY enhanced its facilities located on Broadway Street, utilizing its existing staff and directing its signal toward Vincennes and Evansville. The station's lineup featured local news coverage, wrestling events, and the "Bar 52 Theatre."
Due to inadequate advertising income, WRAY-TV ceased regular broadcasts on July 15, 1954, to undergo financial restructuring. Unlike many UHF broadcasters facing competition from nearby VHF channels, WRAY-TV contended primarily with two UHF stations in Evansville—WEHT and WFIE—within a market that could not sustain three stations.
Despite halting daily operations, WRAY-TV retained its license and annually aired the March of Dimes telethon for a duration of 30 hours. This fundraising event garnered substantial donations and showcased prominent figures such as Princeton native Gil Hodges. By 1960, the telethon involved more than 1,000 participants and attracted large audiences necessitating support from the National Guard.
Toward the end of 1960, Vincennes University purchased channel 52 equipment and petitioned to reassign the channel to Vincennes to circumvent modifications required for channel 44. The university filed an application for a channel 52 station in 1964; however, FCC channel reallocation resulted in WVUT-TV commencing broadcasts on channel 22 instead.
Subsequently, channel 52 in Evansville was reassigned to the now-defunct station W52AZ, which launched operations in 1991.