Stanley Hubbard

Broadcast Executive


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his nearly three-hour interview, Stanley Hubbard recalls his father's creation of Hubbard Broadcasting Inc. as a local radio and then television company. He speaks of his own early years at the company, working to expand the television station's group. Hubbard touches on the company's many innovations, including color broadcasting, the use of a weather radar, and the implementation of innovative news-gathering techniques. He explains the importance of the network/affiliate relationship. Finally, he recalls the company's large-scale projects, including the creation of a direct broadcast satellite company, the use of satellite news-gathering, and the then-recent adoption of digital broadcasting. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on October 14, 2002 in St. Paul, MN.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"The best decision I've ever made is to not put up with anybody who's dishonest. I won't put up with anybody who mistreats employees. If I know about it, that's it, they're gone. I won't put up with anybody who cheats our customers or cheats the viewing public." 

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Stanley Hubbard on the rise of color television and cable
01:38
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Kennedy Assassination
01:49
Stanley Hubbard on his family's role in Hubbard Broadcasting
01:25
Stanley Hubbard on working with Leonard Goldenson at ABC
00:51
Stanley Hubbard on the key to his success
04:06
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his father's radio station; on growing up around the radio and television business
On radio shows he listened to as a child; on the radio community's reaction to early television and Jack L. Warner's reaction to television; on the first time he saw television
On why his father got into television; on the pause in the development of television during World War II and his father's early radio stations; on his father making the transition from radio to television and the early transmission and technology of television

Chapter 2

On the rise of color television and cable; on the early local news on his father's television station KSTP; on his father's radio and television stations competing with newspapers
On joining the news division of his father's company, Hubbard Broadcasting, in 1951; on becoming the head of the radio division of Hubbard Broadcasting; on KSTP's ratings in the '50s and wrestling on the station
On the programming on KSTP in the '50s; on Hubbard Broadcasting acquiring television stations in the '50s; on KSTP News' weather radar

Chapter 3

On his father pursuing technological innovation in television, and the stations making the transition to color; on becoming Vice President of Hubbard Broadcasting in 1962, and his increasing responsibilities at the company; on KSTP's coverage of the Kennedy Assassination
On KSTP's coverage of the Vietnam War; on hiring Frank Magid as a consultant for his news broadcasts; on the technological advancement of using videotape in news broadcasts and Electronic News Gathering (ENG)
On his stations being affiliated with NBC

Chapter 4

On his stations switching affiliations from NBC to ABC; on working with Leonard Goldenson at ABC; on the relationship between the network and the affiliate, and affiliates dealing with demographics and ratings
On ABC's then-problems with ratings and the terms on a standard network-affiliate contract; on the then-current state of HBO and Hubbard Broadcasting's acquisition of United States Satellite Broadcasting Company and Direct Broadcast Satellite; on the growth of satellite television in the '80s and '90s
On his 1991 agreement with DIRECTV; on the death of his father and creating a satellite news gathering truck

Chapter 5

On creating a satellite news gathering truck (CONUS); on KSTP starting to broadcast a digital signal in 1999; on the technical aspects of switching over to digital television and the then-future of interactive television
On the then-current state of television advertising and DVR technology; on the then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television; on the government's role in broadcasting and dealing with FCC regulations
On the then-current push toward deregulation in broadcasting; on the then-current state of Hubbard Broadcasting; on his family's role in Hubbard Broadcasting

Chapter 6

On his then-current life and career and the key to his success; on his most important business decisions and greatest personal accomplishments; on his mentor, David Sarnoff and some personal anecdotes 
Topics

Advertising and Sponsorship

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of television advertising and DVR technology
03:32
Stanley Hubbard on the then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television
03:05

Creative Influences and Inspiration

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on his mentor, David Sarnoff
01:19

Criticism of TV

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the government's role in broadcasting and dealing with FCC regulations
05:11

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the pause in the development of television during World War II and his father's early radio stations
02:35
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Kennedy Assassination
01:53
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Vietnam War
04:52

Interactive Technology

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the technical aspects of switching over to digital television and the then-future of interactive television
04:31

JFK Assassination and Funeral

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Kennedy Assassination
01:53

Media Consolidation

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on Hubbard Broadcasting acquiring television stations in the '50s
07:39
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current push toward deregulation in broadcasting
02:36

New Media

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television
03:05

Sex & Violence

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the government's role in broadcasting and dealing with FCC regulations
05:11

Technological Innovation

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the early transmission and technology of television stations
04:44
Stanley Hubbard on the rise of color television and cable
01:38
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP News' weather radar
00:28
Stanley Hubbard on his father pursuing technological innovation in television, and the stations making the transition to color
05:39
Stanley Hubbard on the technological advancement of using videotape in news broadcasts and Electronic News Gathering (ENG)
04:01
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of HBO and Hubbard Broadcasting's acquisition of United States Satellite Broadcasting Company and Direct Broadcast Satellite
05:58
Stanley Hubbard on the growth of satellite television in the '80s and '90s
01:57
Stanley Hubbard on his 1991 agreement with DIRECTV
02:36
Stanley Hubbard on the death of his father and creating a satellite news gathering truck
03:22
Stanley Hubbard on creating a satellite news gathering truck (CONUS)
03:28
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP starting to broadcast a digital signal in 1999
04:41
Stanley Hubbard on the technical aspects of switching over to digital television and the then-future of interactive television
04:31
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of television advertising and DVR technology
03:32
Stanley Hubbard on the then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television
03:05

Television Industry

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on growing up around the radio and television business
02:00
Stanley Hubbard on the radio community's reaction to early television and Jack L. Warner's reaction to television
02:54
Stanley Hubbard on his father's radio and television stations competing with newspapers
01:35
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's ratings in the '50s and wrestling on the station
01:55
Stanley Hubbard on Hubbard Broadcasting acquiring television stations in the '50s
07:39
Stanley Hubbard on his father pursuing technological innovation in television, and the stations making the transition to color
05:39
Stanley Hubbard on becoming Vice President of Hubbard Broadcasting in 1962, and his increasing responsibilities at the company
03:54
Stanley Hubbard on hiring Frank Magid as a consultant for his news broadcasts
06:02
Stanley Hubbard on his stations switching affiliations from NBC to ABC
06:17
Stanley Hubbard on the relationship between the network and the affiliate, and affiliates dealing with demographics and ratings
03:45
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of HBO and Hubbard Broadcasting's acquisition of United States Satellite Broadcasting Company and Direct Broadcast Satellite
05:58
Stanley Hubbard on the growth of satellite television in the '80s and '90s
01:57
Stanley Hubbard on his 1991 agreement with DIRECTV
02:36
Stanley Hubbard on the death of his father and creating a satellite news gathering truck
03:22
Stanley Hubbard on creating a satellite news gathering truck (CONUS)
03:28
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP starting to broadcast a digital signal in 1999
04:41
Stanley Hubbard on the technical aspects of switching over to digital television and the then-future of interactive television
04:31
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of television advertising and DVR technology
03:32
Stanley Hubbard on the then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television
03:05
Stanley Hubbard on the government's role in broadcasting and dealing with FCC regulations
05:11
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current push toward deregulation in broadcasting
02:36
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state of Hubbard Broadcasting
01:37

Vietnam War

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Vietnam War
04:52

War

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the pause in the development of television during World War II and his father's early radio stations
02:35
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's coverage of the Vietnam War
04:52

World War II

View Topic
Stanley Hubbard on the pause in the development of television during World War II and his father's early radio stations
02:35
Professions

Executives

View Profession
Stanley Hubbard on the key to his success
04:06
Stanley Hubbard on his most important business decisions and greatest personal accomplishments
01:59

Television Executive

View Profession
Stanley Hubbard on the key to his success
04:06
Stanley Hubbard on his most important business decisions and greatest personal accomplishments
01:59
Genres

Commercials

View Genre
Stanley Hubbard on the then-current state and then-future of television advertising and the impact of the internet on television
06:37

News and Documentary

View Genre
Stanley Hubbard on the early local news on his father's television station KSTP
07:56
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP News' weather radar
00:28
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP and Hubbard Broadcasting's news programming
16:48

Sports

View Genre
Stanley Hubbard on KSTP's ratings in the '50s and wrestling on the station
01:55
People

Leonard H. Goldenson

View Interview Page
Stanley Hubbard on working with Leonard Goldenson at ABC
00:51

David Sarnoff

View Person Page
Stanley Hubbard on his father's relationship with David Sarnoff
01:49
Stanley Hubbard on his mentor, David Sarnoff
01:19

Jack L. Warner

View Person Page
Stanley Hubbard on the radio community's reaction to early television and Jack L. Warner's reaction to television
02:54

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