Duration: 0:59

Views: 5549

By: fuzzymemories

Description: Here's the earliest known (to date) sign-off sequence for WMAQ Channel 5. Includes:

Bumper promo for Entertainment Tonight at 4:00pm on Channel 5 (voiceover by ??)

Meditations delivered by Rev. John F. Fahey, St. Clement Church - Produced in Cooperation with the Archdiocese of Chicago - WMAQ-TV Public Affairs - Pre-recorded - (C) National Broadcasting Company Inc., 1981 All Rights Reserved (The Charles Addams New Yorker cover that Reverend Fahey mentions can be seen here).

Station sign-off, starting with NAB Television Code "Seal of Good Practice" notice (with logo variant from 1980, same as on WGN Channel 9 sign-on from that same year, followed by "Portions of some of our programs today have been mechanically reproduced" and copyright disclaimer, and finally lead-up to good night (voiceover by ??)

National Anthem (same film as on 1984 WMAQ sign-off), followed by cut carrier

"WMAQ-TV proudly displays the Television Seal of Good Practice, as a subscriber in good standing to the Television Code as administered by the Television Code Board of the National Association of Broadcasters. This seal is your assurance of WMAQ-TV's constant efforts to maintain high programming standards in the public interest."

This aired on local Chicago TV early Sunday November 8th 1981 at 1:30am.