George C. Hatch
Encyclopedia
George C. Hatch was an American
businessman who owned several communications businesses and helped pioneer cable television. He also championed the preservation of outdoor wilderness areas in the western United States.
newspaper. Glasmann had become enthused about the future of radio and television, and in the late 1930s had acquired Ogden
radio station KLO
. Glasmann hired Hatch to manage the station in 1941.
In 1945 Hatch moved his family from Ogden to Salt Lake City, Utah
to found radio station KALL
(910 AM). In 1946, John F. Fitzpatrick
, publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune
(owned by the Kearns Corporation) representing the Tribune, purchased fifty percent interest in the station from the owners. The Tribune's interest (Kearns-Tribune, Corp.) sold its interest in 1954 to permit its owner (Kearns-Tribune, Corp.) to apply for a license to buy a television license and to purchase a fifty percent ownership in KUTV Channel 2.
These two stations (KLO and KALL) eventually became the base for the Intermountain Network, a loose association of some 90 western US radio stations which shared the cost of leased circuits for the purpose of exchanging news and programming.
KUTV originally signed on in 1954 as Utah's ABC
affiliate (in 1960 an NBC
station), trading affiliations with KCPX-TV (now KTVX). The original co-owners were Frank C. Carman & Associates and the The Salt Lake Tribune owned by the Kearns-Tribune Corporation. The deal was spearheaded by Tribune publisher John F. Fitzpatrick after his experience with two successful investments in local radio, including KSL (radio) and KALL
. In 1956 the Carman group sold its interest to A.L. Glassman for the Ogden Standard-Examiner
and his son-in-law and daughter, George and Gene Hatch. In the reorganization the Kearns-Tribune Corporation retained thirty-five percent interest until 1970.
In 1956 the Hatch family having established control of Salt Lake City television station KUTV joined with two partners including The Salt Lake Tribune and publisher John F. Fitzpatrick again to establish Western Microwave Inc. in Elko, Nevada
, a forerunner to Tele-Communications Inc.
(TCI), which became one of the largest cable-television providers in the US. The partners also established the TeleMation Inc.
company in Salt Lake City, to manufacture equipment for the cable television industry.
Hatch was an avid supporter of Utah's open areas (known as "redrock country"). Using his radio and television stations as their pulpit, Mr. and Mrs. Hatch fought to preserve the canyons and plateaus of southern Utah. They worked with U.S. Senator Frank Moss to establish Capitol Reef National Park
and Arches National Park
. They also worked to expand Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
in northern Arizona
, and to create Antelope Island State Park
in the Salt Lake Valley.
Former SL Tribune publisher John W. Gallivan
remembers Hatch as "one of the most intense business personalities" he ever met. He said "Hatch was a very, very serious person, all business. We had a great deal of trouble getting George to relax from business." Son Jeffrey Hatch stated, "He was very future oriented and very hard driving in terms of working toward the things he wanted to achieve. He was always working toward a vision of what he thought could be - rather than today's problems."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman who owned several communications businesses and helped pioneer cable television. He also championed the preservation of outdoor wilderness areas in the western United States.
Early years
Hatch married into a Utah family headed by Abraham Lincoln Glasmann, owner of the Ogden Standard-ExaminerOgden Standard-Examiner
The Standard-Examiner is a daily morning newspaper published in Ogden, Utah. With 63,000 subscribers, it is the third largest daily newspaper in terms of circulation in the State of Utah after the Salt Lake Tribune and The Deseret Morning News...
newspaper. Glasmann had become enthused about the future of radio and television, and in the late 1930s had acquired Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
radio station KLO
KLO
KLO is a news/talk radio station broadcasting out of Ogden, Utah to the Salt Lake City area. The stations airs syndicated conservative talk shows, including Bill Bennett, Laura Ingraham, Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager. When startup 97.5 FM Talk changed its format in late 2006, KLO added Michael...
. Glasmann hired Hatch to manage the station in 1941.
In 1945 Hatch moved his family from Ogden to Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to found radio station KALL
KALL
KALL, "ESPN 700", is an all-sports radio station in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. The listed owner is Utah Radio Acquisitions, LLC.Program highlights include live play-by-play of University of Utah football and basketball and Real Salt Lake soccer, Mike and Mike in the Morning, The Herd with...
(910 AM). In 1946, John F. Fitzpatrick
John F. Fitzpatrick (publisher)
John Francis Fitzpatrick was the publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune from 1924 to 1960. He created the Newspaper Agency Corporation in 1952.- Early life :...
, publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune is the largest-circulated daily newspaper in the U.S. city of Salt Lake City. It is distributed by Newspaper Agency Corporation, which also distributes the Deseret News. The Tribune — or "Trib," as it is locally known — is currently owned by the Denver-based MediaNews Group....
(owned by the Kearns Corporation) representing the Tribune, purchased fifty percent interest in the station from the owners. The Tribune's interest (Kearns-Tribune, Corp.) sold its interest in 1954 to permit its owner (Kearns-Tribune, Corp.) to apply for a license to buy a television license and to purchase a fifty percent ownership in KUTV Channel 2.
These two stations (KLO and KALL) eventually became the base for the Intermountain Network, a loose association of some 90 western US radio stations which shared the cost of leased circuits for the purpose of exchanging news and programming.
KUTV originally signed on in 1954 as Utah's ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate (in 1960 an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
station), trading affiliations with KCPX-TV (now KTVX). The original co-owners were Frank C. Carman & Associates and the The Salt Lake Tribune owned by the Kearns-Tribune Corporation. The deal was spearheaded by Tribune publisher John F. Fitzpatrick after his experience with two successful investments in local radio, including KSL (radio) and KALL
KALL
KALL, "ESPN 700", is an all-sports radio station in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. The listed owner is Utah Radio Acquisitions, LLC.Program highlights include live play-by-play of University of Utah football and basketball and Real Salt Lake soccer, Mike and Mike in the Morning, The Herd with...
. In 1956 the Carman group sold its interest to A.L. Glassman for the Ogden Standard-Examiner
Ogden Standard-Examiner
The Standard-Examiner is a daily morning newspaper published in Ogden, Utah. With 63,000 subscribers, it is the third largest daily newspaper in terms of circulation in the State of Utah after the Salt Lake Tribune and The Deseret Morning News...
and his son-in-law and daughter, George and Gene Hatch. In the reorganization the Kearns-Tribune Corporation retained thirty-five percent interest until 1970.
In 1956 the Hatch family having established control of Salt Lake City television station KUTV joined with two partners including The Salt Lake Tribune and publisher John F. Fitzpatrick again to establish Western Microwave Inc. in Elko, Nevada
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
, a forerunner to Tele-Communications Inc.
Tele-Communications Inc.
Tele-Communications, Inc. or TCI was a cable television provider in the United States, for much of its history controlled by Bob Magness and John Malone....
(TCI), which became one of the largest cable-television providers in the US. The partners also established the TeleMation Inc.
TeleMation Inc.
TeleMation Inc was a company specializing in products for the television industry, post production and Film industry. Was Located in Salt Lake City, Utah. TeleMation started with a line of B&W video equipment and later manufactured Color Video Products. Lyle Keys was the founder and President of...
company in Salt Lake City, to manufacture equipment for the cable television industry.
Personal life
Hatch married Wilda Gene Glassman (who went by the name "Gene") in 1940. They had four children, all of whom survived him. His wife died in 2005. She had been an active partner in the family's business development, and was generally recognized as Hatch's business partner as well as his wife. From 1955 to 1993 she was Director of the Standard Corporation, which included the Odgen newspaper, the Salt Lake radio station, the Salt Lake television station, and other media-related businesses.Hatch was an avid supporter of Utah's open areas (known as "redrock country"). Using his radio and television stations as their pulpit, Mr. and Mrs. Hatch fought to preserve the canyons and plateaus of southern Utah. They worked with U.S. Senator Frank Moss to establish Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. It is 100 miles long but fairly narrow. The park, established in 1971, preserves 378 mi² and is open all year, although May through September are the most popular months.Called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s...
and Arches National Park
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a U.S. National Park in eastern Utah. It is known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations....
. They also worked to expand Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service that encompasses the area around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona, covering 1,254,429 acres of mostly desert...
in northern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and to create Antelope Island State Park
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
in the Salt Lake Valley.
Former SL Tribune publisher John W. Gallivan
John W. Gallivan
John W. Gallivan is an American newspaper publisher, cable television pioneer, and civic leader. A major figure in the promotion and development of Salt Lake City and Utah's ski industry, he was instrumental in starting the campaign to bring the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake City...
remembers Hatch as "one of the most intense business personalities" he ever met. He said "Hatch was a very, very serious person, all business. We had a great deal of trouble getting George to relax from business." Son Jeffrey Hatch stated, "He was very future oriented and very hard driving in terms of working toward the things he wanted to achieve. He was always working toward a vision of what he thought could be - rather than today's problems."