The FCC began comparative hearings for Channel 3 on October 30, 1953 in Washington. Travelers Broadcasting Service Corporation came out swinging, suggesting that rival applicant Hartford Telecasting Company had a stockholder who had unlawfully obtained a radio license in Oklahoma. Hartford Telecasting's counsel countered, saying the company was better qualified to operate a TV station.

On December 11, 1953 The Hartford Courant addressed the contenders in an editorial titled "Television Licenses and Public Responsibility." Referring to the latest motion filed by Hartford Telecasting, that alleged Travelers Insurance Company was "the dominating economic power in the Hartford area," The Courant sided with WTIC saying the charge "makes the parent company sound like some kind of octopus that envelops the entire community." The paper pointed to WTIC's lengthy record and concluded, "it hardly seems like a public service...to make what has the effect of sounding like an attack on a leading industry in the community to be served."

As history turned out, Channel 18 was the first Hartford television station. WTHT, the former radio station of The Hartford Times, combined with WONS radio (later WPOP) to form WGTH-TV. This test pattern was first seen August 4, 1954.

By April 1952, WNHC TV-6 was on the air in New Haven; it later moved to Channel 8. By the end of 1954, New Britain had WKNB TV-30 and Waterbury had WATR TV-53.

In early November 1954, WDRC moved from 750 Main Street to its Bloomfield transmitter building at 869 Blue Hills Avenue. The Hartford Courant (November 7, 1954) quoted Walter B. Haase as saying, "the move into the new quarters will not affect the planned joint operation [with] WTIC in the event WTIC is allocated a VHF television channel in Hartford. If WTIC gets the channel...WDRC will be sold and the present management of WDRC will join WTIC in the television venture."

Some of that happened. Travelers Insurance eventually won the license for WTIC-TV. Doolittle sold WDRC to Richard D. Buckley and John B. Jaegar in 1959, but never got involved in Channel 3 or any other television station.