Cable Music Channel - Launch

Launch

The idea of music on TV was nothing new for Ted Turner. In 1970, Turner's independent TV station, WTCG-TV in Atlanta, aired an all-music program called "The Now Explosion" nights and weekends, up to 28 hours per week. In 1983, Turner's TBS network created Night Tracks, a late night weekend music video block. The success of Night Tracks led Turner to take on MTV with the Cable Music Channel.

CMC signed on during the late morning hours (afternoon in Atlanta) of October 26, 1984 with CMC President Robert Wussler at a podium in CMC's studios in Los Angeles introducing the network and the playing of The Star Spangled Banner (which was a tradition whenever a new Turner Broadcasting System network first signed on). Afterwards, Wussler introduced CMC Vice-President and General Manager Scott Sassa to the podium. Sassa quickly greeted the crowd and then introduced 13th District Councilwoman Peggy Stevenson to the podium. Stevenson presented Ted Turner a City of Los Angeles proclamation declaring October 26, 1984 as Cable Music Channel Day signed by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and herself. Turner gave a brief speech that the network is "gonna play a wide arrangement of music. We're gonna stay away from excessively violent or degrading clips towards women that MTV is so fond of running." Afterwards he pushed a big red button on the wall behind him with a defiant "Take that, MTV!" and kicked off the channel with CMC VJs Jeff Gonzer and Raechel Donahue introducing the Randy Newman music video "I Love L.A.".