Existing comment:
A Toppled Antenna Can't Stop the Flow of News:
Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center destroyed the 360-foot antenna mast atop the North Tower, which served most of New York City's television stations and some radio stations. This upper section of the antenna mast, which toppled when the building collapsed at 10:28am, once soared about 1,700 feet above the ground, making it the highest point in New York City and the world's second-tallest antenna.
Ten television stations lost their conventional transmission facilities when the mast was destroyed, but most New Yorkers were still able to receive news because stations continued to broadcast over cable lines or via satellite. Only WCBS-TV was able to continue broadcasting over the airwaves to the estimated 30 percent of New Yorkers lacking cable or satellite feeds, thanks to a backup antenna on the Empire State Building. Other stations eventually resumed broadcasting using temporary antenna systems and reduced power.
Antenna Tops Tower:
The 360-foot antenna mast atop the North Tower was constructed by RCA Corp. for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which built and owned the World Trade Center. Local broadcasters had moved their transmission facilities to the World Trade Center in the early 1980s because the height of the Twin Towers was interfering with signals from their antenna on the Empire State Building, which had previously been the highest point in Manhattan. |