Jason Remington
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TV stations suspend commercials and programming for non-stop coverage after Kennedy assassination
Kennedy assassination coverage in Canada and southwestern BC
Steve • August 26, 2026
All private radio stations in Canada carried the coverage from the CBC, so it was the same program on each radio station. As to television, the CBC had its own coverage and would cut-in with coverage from CBS and Walter Cronkite. The private CTV network had its own coverage, which might have included a young Peter Jennings, with cut-ins of the the NBC feed with Huntley and Brinkley. In our household, we watched KVOS channel 12 all weekend. Channel 12 carried messages from the Canadian prime minister (Pearson) and the leader of the official opposition (Diefenbaker) at one point from a CBC feed. I was very surprised at the time when I saw Canadian politicians and the CBC logo on American television.
Concerts, instant documentaries, and more.
Jeffrey Boice • August 25, 2026
The network evening news was one hour long. There were instant documentaries- biographies of the life of JFK and LBJ which used network videotape. On the 25th CBS ran a 3 hour recap called Four Dark Days. And many concerts. The Tonight Show on the 22nd and 25th was replaced with Skitch Henderson conducting the NBC Orchestra. Sunday the 24th, CBS had 90 minutes of the New York Philharmonic led by Leonard Bernstein. Also on the 24th ABC had a two hour program – A Salute to JFK from the Performing Arts- with Charlton Heston, Fredrick March, Marion Anderson and others that featured dramatic readings from Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Abraham Lincoln as well as songs. The CBC also aired the ABC program. Finally NBC &CBC ran (and reran) the BBC tribute a.k.a. That was the Week That Was.
The Way We Were
Jason Remington • August 26, 2026
TV had more class in those days.
Jeffrey Boice • November 22, 2024
Across the border, the CBC and CTV networks suspended regular programming on Friday and Monday. They both aired regular programing over the weekend ( with occasional preemptions). So Hockey Night in Canada went on as usual, and the CFL Western and Eastern finals were shown (but the Western final was blacked out in Vancouver because the Lions were the host team). I remember that Sunday Dad turning the TV on and a football game appears- Mom is appalled and Dad replies “Canadian station”.
One last item- on CFUN the Pick Hit of the Week for 11/30/1963 was “She Loves You” by the Beatles.
Temporary format changes
Jason Remington • August 26, 2026
Most Top 40 stations toned down the music that week. Patriotic tunes, classical music or leaning into instrumentals.
Dick Ellingson • November 22, 2024
I was working nights at Sunbeam Bakery and got to bed about 4:00 AM. I got up a little after ten that Friday morning and was in the shower listening to KAYO when they broke in with a bulletin and then immediately switched to the Mutual network. I don’t know just what time Mutual announced JFK’s death.
When I went to work that night, I remember one of my co-workers walked in grinning and said, “Well, they finally got him.”
Two days later, it was quite an amazing thing to be watching as Jack Ruby pulled a gun and killed Lee Harvey Oswald on live TV.
Michelle • November 22, 2024
Does anyone remember what this was like? Was it a lot of dead air time or were they able to come up with enough to talk about? From Nov 22nd to the funeral on the 25th, that’s a lot of time to fill up in 1963. I doubt the stations were able to put together retrospective specials very quickly like they do now.
T.K. • November 22, 2024
There is a channel on YouTube by David Von Pein that has all the network coverage available.
I’m not sure about the other networks, but after coverage wound down for the day, NBC had a camera fixed on the body lying in state in the Capitol rotunda until deep into the overnight hours when they finally signed off.
This article is interesting in that it clarifies KTVW continued to run their regular schedule. I thought they may have just stayed off the air.
Lou Robbins • November 22, 2024
There were noticeable and lengthy times where the network reporter just let the pictures tell the story. Especially during the funeral procession and ceremonies (casket in the rotunda, etc.).
The initial coverage in Dallas was a scramble to get still photos developed and propped up in front of a camera, bringing up the sound of a phone call from the hospital, technical glitches — though we didn’t turn away and hung on every word and through the silences.