The company was started in 1948 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania by John Walson, who owned a General Electric appliance store. At the time, the surrounding mountains in Schuylkill County made over-the-air reception from Philadelphia television stations difficult. Walson was interested in selling television sets through his store, and solved the problem by building an antenna on top of the mountain overlooking the town.
The company was initiated in 1948 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania by John Walson, who managed a General Electric appliance store. The surrounding mountains in Schuylkill County impeded TV reception from Philadelphia at that time, prompting Walson to sell TVs through his store and resolve the issue by constructing an antenna on top of the mountain.