Overmyer Network


The Overmyer Network/United Network was a television network. It was intended to be a fourth national commercial network in the United States, competing with the Big Three television networks. The network was founded by self-made millionaire Daniel H. Overmyer, who started WDHO-TV, in his birthplace, Toledo, Ohio, which signed on the air on May 3, 1966. Overmyer had construction permits for several other UHF stations that were intended to be owned-and-operated stations of the new network. Before going on the air, the majority interest in those stations was sold to AVC Corporation in March 1967. A social conservative, Overmyer decided to create a nationwide hookup, enticing existing stations with a 50-50 profit split with potential affiliates. Under the leadership of former ABC television president Oliver Treyz, the ON was scheduled to debut in the fall of 1967 with anywhere from 75 to 125 affiliates with an 8 hour broadcasting day.

From ON to UN

The network planned to offer eight hours of programming per day, seven days per week, to its affiliate stations. A daily news service, from United Press International, would provide each station with news. Cultural and sports programming, including Tales from the Great Book and regional games of the Continental Football League, were also planned. By July 1966, 35 stations had agreed to affiliate with the new network.
Before the network even went on the air, Overmyer was forced to sell a majority share to investors, although he remained the largest shareholder. In early 1967, Overmyer tried to persuade the Mutual Broadcasting System to engage in a merger of the two networks, as a way to raise more money in the venture. The Mutual board turned thumbs-down on the merger proposal, but three Mutual stockholders formed a separate group with 11 wealthy western businessmen to buy out Overmyer. Rechristened The United Network, which used an upper-case U inside a television screen as the network's logo, the net hit the air on May 1, 1967 with The Las Vegas Show on 106 stations. Hosted by Bill Dana from the Hotel Hacienda in Las Vegas, the two-hour late-night show featured regulars Ann Elder, Pete Barbutti, Danny Meahan, Joanne Worley, Cully Richards and Jack Sheldon.
The network itself, except for a few independent stations in the larger markets, was mostly made up of CBS stations who aired The Las Vegas Show at 11:30 local time, tape delayed from the 11:00 start seen on United-only east coast stations. The network called WPIX in New York City and KHJ-TV in Los Angeles their flagship stations, even though neither was owned by Overmyer/United. Additionally, the WPIX broadcast was often delayed until the weekend due to their commitment to New York Yankees baseball. The network also lacked clearance in some large cities, including San Francisco.

The end

The average viewership for The Las Vegas Show was 2.6 million. Despite the hype, initially good reviews and high-caliber guest stars, the network quickly started to bleed money; the transmission lines leased from the Bell System, which was the main carrier for television network transmissions at the time, proved to be too expensive. Sources close to the network also claimed that the network launch was too close to the end of the traditional broadcast season, when major sponsors were near the end of their advertising budgets. Both show and network disappeared after the June 1 broadcast.
A notice was sent to the network's 107 affiliate stations the first week of June. The notice stated:
At the time of the company's bankruptcy declaration, the United Network had accrued a nearly $700,000 debt.

Overmyer / United affiliates

The Las Vegas Show was aired in the following markets as verified by citations:
StationCity and Network Affiliation
WPIX 11New York Independent
KHJ-TV 9Los Angeles Independent
WGN-TV 9Chicago Independent
WPHL-TV 17Philadelphia Independent
KEMO-TV 20San Francisco Independent; original affiliate but did not sign on until 1968, The Las Vegas Show did not air in San Francisco
WKBD-TV 50Detroit Independent
WBMO-TV 36Atlanta Independent; original affiliate but did not sign on until 1969 as WATL-TV, Las Vegas Show actually aired on WAGA-TV Ch. 5
WDHO 24Toledo, Ohio Independent
KTNT 11Seattle-Tacoma, Washington Independent
KZAZ 11Tucson, Arizona Independent
KWGN-TV 2Denver Independent
WECO-TV 53Pittsburgh Independent; original affiliate but did not sign on until 1969 as WPGH-TV, Las Vegas Show actually aired on WIIC-TV Ch. 11
WMET-TV 24Baltimore Independent
WTTG 5Washington, D.C. Independent
KPHO-TV 5Phoenix, Arizona Independent
KICU-TV 43Visalia, California Independent