Paul Watson, sales associate for the Greenwood Park Mall RadioShack, arranges a display of external TV antennas on the store’s sales floor in September 1993.
Daily Journal Archive Photo
News from around Johnson County as reported on Sept. 21 in the pages of the Daily Journal and the Franklin Evening Star from the last 111 years.
On this day in 1993, two of the main stories on the front page of the Daily Journal were about television antennas — specifically how they became a hot item to buy amid a spat between local television stations and cable companies.
“The fight between local stations and cable television companies had become a sore spot for consumers,” the story began.
But Eric Howland wasn’t complaining.
“I love this issue,” said Howland, owner of Total Home Entertainment in Whiteland. The satellite and antenna sales company had posted record sales for the previous six weeks.
“I think this issue was the straw that broke the camel’s back for a lot of people who were considering buying a satellite,” he said.
With an Oct. 6, 1993, deadline looming, neither side in the war between local TV stations and cable television companies was budging. Two of the five stations had or were close to having deals, the others were not.
If agreements weren’t reached soon, the stations would pull their signal from cable systems.
But many television viewers weren’t waiting to see who would win.
In addition to satellites, consumers were making a run on television-top rabbit ears, rotating roof antennas and electronic switches that allowed viewers to bounce between cable and broadcast stations.
Chris Wood, a salesman at the RadioShack in the County Line Mall, said most customers were angry at the cable companies for “taking the stations off the system.”
Local residents were split on the issue. Some told the Daily Journal they would drop cable services, while others said it would be hard to not have cable. Some hadn’t made a decision yet.
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Other memorable Johnson County stories from this day
2002
A F-3 tornado ripped through northern Johnson County the day before, causing significant damage.
1963
Greenwood police were saying a report of a missing French poodle and a $1,500 reward broadcast on an Indianapolis radio station was a hoax.
1923
10,000 people were expected to pour into Franklin for the Johnson County’s centennial celebration.
