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===Live and local for Long Island=== WSNL-TV began broadcasting to Long Island on November 18, 1973.<ref name="News731119">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-ch-67-lis-fi/135882302/|date=November 19, 1973|pages=4A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-ch-67/135882336/ 5A]|first=Leo|last=Seligsohn|title=Ch. 67: LI's First Commercial TV Station Is Born|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Mon --> It represented a $4 million investment by Suburban Broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite news|page=47|title=Long Island's New WSNL-TV Gears Up In Toughest Market|first=Frank|last=Meyer|date=April 10, 1974|work=Variety|id={{ProQuest|1505777275}}}}</ref> Programming included ''The Fairchilds'', a soap opera featuring a family that moved from California to [[Oyster Bay (hamlet), New York|Oyster Bay]]; the amateur variety show ''Toast of Long Island''; a late-night variety show, ''Long Island Tonight''; ''Chef Nicola'', a live cooking show; ''Black Metamorphosis'', a public affairs program; exercise program ''Trim and Slim''; children's programs ''Captain Ahab'' and ''Ahab and Friends''; and sports coverage and two daily editions of ''67 Action News''.<ref name="News730921">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-theres-a-trend/135882805/|date=September 21, 1973|pages=3A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-a-trend-for-eve/135882831/ 36A]|first=Leo|last=Seligsohn|title=There's A Trend For Everyone|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Fri --><ref name="NYT731111">{{cite news|first=Jane|last=Chekenian|date=November 11, 1973|title=Channel 67 to Go on Air Next Sunday|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/11/archives/channel-67-to-go-on-air-next-sunday-need-for-station-cited-a-daily.html|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=June 8, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107115646/http://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/11/archives/channel-67-to-go-on-air-next-sunday-need-for-station-cited-a-daily.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="News731219">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-the-marvin-kitm/135882398/|date=December 19, 1973|page=180|title=M-m-m-m...|first=Marvin|last=Kitman|author-link=Marvin Kitman|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Syndicated programs included ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]''.<ref name="pullout">{{Cite news|date=November 18, 1973|type=Advertising pullout|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-wsnltv-channel/136064716/|work=Newsday|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-is-long-island/136064658/ 2/3]|title=WSNL-TV Channel 67 UHF is Long Island's own...and it's really something to watch!|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The principal operating challenge for WSNL-TV was that it was an [[ultra high frequency]] (UHF) station. The quality of the station's local programming and many viewers' trouble tuning it in became regular fodder for [[Marvin Kitman]], the television critic and satirist for Long Island's daily ''[[Newsday]]''. Over the course of 1974, Kitman published several columns making light of channel 67's poor signal—hobbled by installation difficulties—and production values. In April, Kitman wrote,<ref name="News740417">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-the-marvin-kitm/127368335/|date=April 17, 1974|page=67A|first=Marvin|last=Kitman|author-link=Marvin Kitman|title=The Marvin Kitman Show: New directions|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> {{blockquote|The morning of March 6, a large crane went to the site of a leading cultural landmark on Long Island, the Ch. 67 transmitter and antenna off the expressway in Central Islip. The riggers turned the tower in a new direction. Since then, there have been bitter complaints from the Russian trawler fleet. ... By twisting the antenna very early that morning in March, Ch. 67 may have damaged the [[détente]].}} Kitman ran a survey asking for readers' comments on WSNL-TV's reception and programming in February 1974.<ref name="News740217">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-testing-ch-67/135883823/|date=February 17, 1974|page=II:7|first=Marvin|last=Kitman|author-link=Marvin Kitman|title=Testing Ch. 67's visible impact|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sun --> Based on the survey, Kitman published "ratings" for the station's various local programs.<ref name="News740509">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-news-is-tops-wi/135883911/|date=May 9, 1974|pages=108A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-news-is-tops/135883887/ 107A]|first=Marvin|last=Kitman|author-link=Marvin Kitman|title=News is tops with Ch. 67 viewers|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --> He also published alleged reader comments as to the station's receivability. A man from [[Far Rockaway]] told Kitman, "Yes, I saw Channel 67. In ''[[TV Guide]]''."<ref name="News740707">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-getting-ch-67/135882948/|date=July 7, 1974|page=II:7|first=Marvin|last=Kitman|author-link=Marvin Kitman|title=Getting Ch. 67's audience in focus|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sun --> In response, Suburban Broadcasting filed a $15 million lawsuit in [[New York Supreme Court]] against Kitman and ''Newsday'' in November 1974, claiming a "willful and malicious effort to mortally injure" WSNL-TV's chances as a "viable advertising medium".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kitman 'Canards' Are Suit-Able, Long Island UHFer Decides |page=38|work=Variety|date=November 20, 1974|id={{ProQuest|1401275291}} }}</ref> Suburban's lawsuit against Kitman coincided with a retrenchment. Channel 67 had been in talks for a loan from [[Franklin National Bank]], but the bank became insolvent and was closed in October 1974.<ref name="NYT750622">{{cite news |last=Abrams |first=John |date=June 22, 1975 |title=Channel 67 Suspends Televising Indefinitely |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/22/archives/brooklyn-pages-channel-67-suspends-televising-indefinitely.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 7, 2017 |archive-date=October 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007121413/http://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/22/archives/brooklyn-pages-channel-67-suspends-televising-indefinitely.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="News741009">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-franklin-natio/136062197/|date=October 9, 1974|pages=3, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-franklin-bank/136062229/ 4]|first=Avery|last=Hunt|title=Franklin National Is Bankrupt, International Group Takes Over|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The station's first election night coverage was almost affected by strike action among 12 unionized news employees.<ref name="News741106">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-pact-reached-at/135884013/|date=November 6, 1974|page=30|title=Pact Reached at Ch. 67|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> In October, WSNL laid off Oren Palenik, host of a women's program, and other hosts and increased its reliance on syndicated shows and films.<ref name="News741217">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-for-one-woman/135884027/|date=December 17, 1974|page=5|first=Ed|last=Lowe|title=For One Woman, the Show Is Over|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Tue --> The news programming was reduced to hourly news updates in January 1975, part of a reduction in local programming from 40 hours a week to just eight or nine hours and accompanying a layoff of one-fifth of the station's staff.<ref name="News750111">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-channel-67-layi/136061575/|date=January 11, 1975|page=6|title=Channel 67 Laying Off 20% of Staff|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sat --> In addition to filing suit against Kitman, Suburban sued equipment manufacturer [[RCA]] and tower fabricator Stainless Inc. for improper initial installation of the antenna. The company also sought new investors.<ref name="News750124">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-from-lis-ch-6/135883049/|date=January 24, 1975|pages=3A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-at-lis-ch-67/135883073/ 6A]|title=From LI's Ch. 67, Reorganization And a Major Change in Focus|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Fri --> In one last miscue, the station gave up its rights to telecast [[New York Cosmos (1970–1985)|New York Cosmos]] soccer just two weeks before [[Pelé]] signed with the team.{{r|NYT750622}} The reduction in local programming and personnel failed to turn the station's finances around. The station left the air on June 20, 1975, while signing a deal with a company to use the Central Islip studios for commercial and film production.<ref name="News750607">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-channel-67-goin/135881261/|date=June 7, 1975|page=7|title=Channel 67 Going Off Air June 20|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sat --> The suspension was described as temporary, lasting just three months.<ref name="News750619">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-wsln-tv-sic-s/136061651/|date=June 19, 1975|page=25|first=Barbara|last=Murray|title=WSLN-TV [sic] Set To Leave Air For 3 Months|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --> One broadcaster operating other UHF stations told ''[[The New York Times]]'' that Suburban failed to take its "VHF thinking" and translate it to the different economics of running a UHF television station.{{r|NYT750622}} The station lost an average of $255,931 for each of the 20 months it was in business.{{r|order|p=361}} Suburban Broadcasting Corporation filed for bankruptcy in February 1976, listing assets of $3.9 million and liabilities of $4.8 million. Creditors were told that the station was about to become profitable when two of its three largest advertisers went out of business.<ref name="News760222">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-creditors-weig/135881321/|date=February 22, 1976|page=19|first=Mitchell|last=Freedman|title=Creditors Weigh Fate of Channel 67|newspaper=Newsday |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
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