''Patrolling the Ether'' is a short film made in 1944 depicting

amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency radio spectrum, spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emer ...

operators aiding the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

in monitoring the airwaves for

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

spy transmissions. It is notable as the first film ever broadcast simultaneously on more than one television station; on 10 April 1944, it was shown on three stations: WNBT, New York (now

WNBC WNBC (channel 4) is a television station in New York City that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship of the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Linden, New Jersey� ...

), WPTZ Philadelphia (now KYW) and

WRGB WRGB (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Schenectady, New York, United States, serving the Capital District as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside CW affiliate WCWN (channel 45). The two station ...

Schenectady, New York, marking a milestone in the history of network television. The film was directed by Paul Burnford, and starred Emmett Vogan.

References

* American World War II propaganda shorts 1944 films American black-and-white films American short documentary films 1944 short documentary films 1940s American films {{short-documentary-film-stub