In 1975, the television landscape was dominated by just a handful of broadcast networks, leaving viewers with limited choices for programming. During this period, Gustave Hauser, who served as the CEO of Warner Cable — a subsidiary of Warner Communications — began formulating a bold new concept. Hauser envisioned a future where themed channels, such as those dedicated to sports, news, or children’s programming, would be packaged together and delivered to audiences via cable. This innovative idea signaled a major turning point in how television could be experienced, setting the stage for viewers to access specialized and diverse content.
Recognizing the transformative potential of Hauser’s vision, Warner Communications decided to act on the idea. The company assembled a team of forward-thinking engineers and creative minds, sending them to Columbus, Ohio. Their mission was to bring this ambitious concept to life and test its feasibility. To achieve this, a new production studio was established, equipped with several large computer banks designed to operate and manage the experimental cable system. This significant undertaking required a substantial investment, with costs reportedly ranging between $10 to $25 million.
The result of this pioneering effort was the creation of QUBE, an interactive, two-way cable television system. QUBE was remarkable for its lineup of 30 distinct channels, far exceeding the options available on traditional broadcast TV. However, what truly set QUBE apart was its interactive capabilities: it allowed customers to “talk back” to their television sets, creating a dynamic and engaging viewing experience. QUBE represented not just an expanded range of channels but a fundamental shift in how audiences could interact with and personalize their television experience.
Kicking off the launch of QUBE on December 1, 1977, was a live broadcast celebration that captured the excitement surrounding this innovative cable system. The event featured Flippo the Clown, a beloved local television personality, who entertained viewers alongside a local marching band. This festive broadcast marked the beginning of QUBE’s journey into households across the Columbus area.
With an initial reach of approximately 100,000 homes in Columbus already serviced by Warner Cable, QUBE was poised to showcase its groundbreaking interactive capabilities. The system promised a new, high-tech way for viewers to engage with television content, setting it apart from traditional broadcast networks.
Regarding the origin of the name “QUBE,” Gustave Hauser, the driving force behind the project, clarified that the name holds no particular meaning or acronym. Instead, QUBE was selected from a lengthy list of potential names after much deliberation. Hauser explained, “I chose QUBE. The name didn’t mean anything, but of the choices it appeared to be the best.”
The QUBE package consisted of community, educational, and TV channels that were included with a paid monthly subscription of $10.95, including stations from regional cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Indianapolis. It also featured premium channels that played movies, rock concerts, and even ballets and operas. The premium channels were a new “paid-per-view” concept where subscribers could select what to watch for a fee that would be added to their monthly bill. For example, first run movies could be rented and watched in the home for a cost of $2.50 – $3.50, whereas $2 could purchase a pay only sporting event.
Another innovative feature of QUBE was its integration of adult education courses, provided through the University Educational Station based in Athens, Ohio. This platform enabled adults to participate in college-level courses directly from their homes, using the five response buttons on the remote console that was connected to the black box computer unit wired into their television sets.
Through this system, adults could not only attend classes but also take tests and submit responses in real time. All of the data and interactions were transmitted back to the large computer banks at the QUBE production studio, demonstrating the true “two-way” nature of the QUBE package. This setup allowed viewers to actively engage with educational programming, marking one of the earliest examples of interactive, remote learning — essentially a precursor to what would later become known as “online courses,” even before the internet era.
The remote console and computer box together formed the backbone of QUBE’s interactive capabilities, empowering viewers to go beyond passive watching and take part in their own educational journeys from the comfort of their homes.
One of the most innovative aspects of the QUBE system was its “talk back” feature, which enabled viewers to engage directly with local television programming and national broadcasts. This interactivity allowed audiences to have a voice in the content they watched, making television a more participatory experience.
Viewers could, for example, cast votes to help name a local newborn baby or share their emotional responses — such as feeling optimistic, pessimistic, or confused — after watching a presidential speech. On local shows like Columbus Alive, the audience could select which restaurant would be featured next, giving the community direct input into the show’s content.
QUBE also introduced a local talent show program that anticipated the format of future national sensations like American Idol and America’s Got Talent. Through the QUBE console, viewers could vote for their favorite contestants, helping to determine which acts were seen as the most impressive by the community.
Sports fans were not left out of the action; the QUBE console enabled them to score high-profile boxing matches, such as the June and November 1980 Roberto Duran–Sugar Ray Leonard fights, in real time. This allowed viewers to compare their opinions with the official judges’ scores, further enhancing the sense of involvement and immediacy that QUBE brought to television viewing.
In addition to sharing opinions and voting for talent shows, the remote console also worked as controls for interactive games, such as memory or chance. These were very basic guessing games with primitive displays, but the ability to simply play these games through a television set was unthinkable at the time. Introducing these games was the QUBE computer, named Heathcliffe, who would speak in a robotic voice saying: “Good day. I am Heathcliffe, QUBE’s computer. I am in control. I have invented some mental exercises which humans call games.” QUBE apparently had a sense of humor about its cutting-edge product. It’s important to understand that this was groundbreaking technology at the time.
A fun example of how advanced QUBE was for its time occurred on a 1978 episode of the then new talk show Donahue, which would go on to become a very popular, long running, national broadcast. Live in the QUBE studios with guest Dr. Vivian Horner, who was introduced as vice president of QUBE at the time, host Phil Donahue demonstrated how the system worked. Declaring QUBE as “the phenomenon of the television industry,” Donahue welcomed Horner and wondered aloud how many people were watching in the Columbus, Ohio area. “Let’s ask,” responded Horner. Donahue then turned around and said, “oh great, uh, computer in the sky,” which elicited some laughter from the audience, “I’m afraid to ask. How many people are watching us at this moment?” The viewers then responded with their remote consoles and 541 households came back as the answer within 30 seconds.
Donahue then said that every six seconds the computers at QUBE headquarters were able to tabulate how many people were watching any given show. He then asked several multiple-choice questions that the viewers at home answered, including, “Do you like me,” of which 89% responded yes, while 11% said no. The technology of QUBE was the star of the show that day, allowing the viewers at home to participate in the live broadcast and leaving the in-studio audience in quiet awe.
In addition to its innovative technological features, QUBE sought to distinguish itself by launching a channel exclusively focused on children’s content, with a particular emphasis on preschoolers. This vision was driven by Gustave Hauser, who recognized the importance of creating programming tailored to young viewers, a demographic often overlooked by mainstream television.
To ensure the channel was properly developed for its intended audience, QUBE enlisted Dr. Vivian Horner, a respected educator renowned for her work as director of research on the children’s educational series The Electric Company. The show, which aired on PBS for six years beginning in 1971, was produced by the Children’s Television Workshop. This influential organization was also responsible for the groundbreaking series Sesame Street, and their expertise in educational programming for children made Horner an ideal choice to lead QUBE’s efforts in this area.
Horner viewed her role as an opportunity to develop responsible programming for children, looking to create a nurturing environment over simple entertainment. “There is an incredible vacuum in children’s programming out there,” said Horner, “and the moment you come along and say you’re going to serve the young people’s market, and serve it responsibly, turning it down would be like rejecting motherhood.” Warner’s decision to involve an individual affiliated with the highly successful venture, The Children’s Workshop, in the QUBE project demonstrated their dedication to delivering quality children’s programming.
Stay tuned for chapter 2: Pinwheel!
Becoming Nickelodeon 
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