Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

OUR RESPECTS to William Riley Roberson Jr. He uses the 'area concept' to sell Madison Avenue Even' community has one: the native son who not only is a leading citizen but who works constantly for the betterment of his area. Such a one is Bill Roberson. a Washington. N. C, native who runs witn-am-tv there. It is because Bill Roberson has worked at putting his market on the map that virtually all advertisers who buy the NBC-TV network automatically order WTTN-TV. Yet Washington's population is only 10.000. It's the area concept that Mr. Roberson has impressed on the advertising experts of Madison Avenue Cand the similar streets in Chicago and Atlanta). WrTN-Land, as it is promoted, consists of 100 small towns and cities with over 1.6 million people whose spendable income reaches S2 billion. Bright leaf tobacco and peanuts are the major crops. Yearly Junket » Even year. Mr. Roberson is host to a group of 30 to 40 agency people from New York. Chicago and Atlanta. He tours them around the eastern North Carolina area, proudly showing the agriculture, the small industries and the potentials — one of which is the up and booming phosphate mining industry that bids fair to becoming a major business in the local economy. Along with the economy of the market, Mr. Roberson makes sure that the visiting admen see and participate in the area's recreational facilities — deep sea fishing, boating, golf, etc. He even makes local boosters of them by riding them up to the top of the new 1,523-foot TV tower. There, as they utter the enchanted words "wow" at the vista that is spread before their eyes, they are inducted into the WTTN-TV ' "To wer-Wowers. " Recently he was host at dinner for some admen who had come down to scout the area. While they were dining, someone expressed disappointment at not meeting Governor Tern,' Sanford. No sooner was the wish expressed, than Mr. Roberson looked over at one of the governor's aides who was in the audience, boomed his customary "Let's do business." and before dessert was served the governor had been reached and had agreed to see the group. Drum Beater « The business of having groups of agency executives tour the Washington area is just one of the jobs the gregarious and promotionminded Mr. Roberson does for his community. His belief in his area and his stations isn't just talk either. He's one booster who's willing to put his money where his talk is. Early next vear he will complete a two-year, SI million improvement program for his stations. This has seen a new 1,523-foot tower, transmitter and antenna and remote tape recorder, a doubling of the studio and office building, for witn-tv; and a new studio building and transmitter for witn. It was only 20 years ago that Bill Roberson found himself a broadcaster. He had been graduated from the Manland School of Accounting in Baltimore in 1938 but returned to his home without taking the certified public accountant examination. He returned home to start working in his family bottling firm (Roberson's Beverages, known throughout tidewater North Carolina as distributors for Dr. Pepper. Seven Up. RC Cola and soft drinks under the Roberson name). After he had been home for about four years, he became involved in a Chamber of Commerce project — a radio station for Washington. Plans were laid, an application filed, and in 1942 wttn (then wrrf) went on the air. But instead of the broadly-based community project that was planned, young Mr. Roberson and his father found themselves the only stockholders in the SI 9.000 enterprise. Four years later Mr. Roberson put WRRZ Clinton, N. C, on the air. Clinton is about 100 miles from Washington. This time the bill was S25.000S30.000 and again Mr. Roberson and his father put up the money. He sold wrrz a few vears later: it was time for TV. Initially, the television project envisaged the six radio stations in the Washington-Greenville area each owning one-sixth of the channel 7 outlet. But. again, when the time came to put Mr. Roberson the station up, it was Mr. Roberson and his father who found themselves honoring the entire subscription — to the extent of $360,000 in cash plus about the same amount in equipment purchase contracts. Witn-tv went on the air in 1955. Making A Market ■ Advertisers didn't just leap aboard witn-tv without work. For seven years, Mr. Roberson has scoured the country, meeting with advertising agencies and advertisers selling them first on the market and then on his station. One argument which is impressive to advertisers: In the March ARB, the network's Bonanza had more than 20 times as many viewers as there are people in Washington. "We went into broadcasting with no idea at all of ever making a profit," Mr. Roberson says. "We thought it would be a fine service for the people in the area we sen7e. We still have the philosophy that the senice to the community comes first. All of our stockholders live in the area we serve and all have a deep personal pride in our facilities and programing. We feel we render better local sen ice because our management and ownership is 100Tc local.'' William Riley Roberson Jr. was born almost five months before the Great War ended in 1918. The date: June 6 He attended the public schools of Washington and for one year was at Davidson College, Davidson, N. C. where he played freshman baseball. Mr. Roberson's interests in civic and community affairs are wide-ranging. He's a past president of the Washington Lions Club and of the Washington Yacht and Country Club: he's a past master of the Washington Masonic Lodge No. 675. He's a member of the executive committee and the board of the Bank of Washington, a member and former deacon of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington. He's also a member of the International Radio and TV Society and of the Broadcast Pioneers. In addition to his broadcast responsibilities (he's president and general manager of both stations) he's also president of Roberson Beverages. Mr. Roberson plays golf in the low SO's. "when I'm playing well." Photography has become a major hobby in recent months: his nine-monthold granddaughter. Riley Frances Potts, is his favorite subject. Riley Frances's mother is Mr. Roberson's daughter, now Mrs. Charles Zoph Potts. Mr. Roberson married the former Frances Morgan in 1940. She was his childhood sweetheart. BROADCASTING. December 30, 1 963 55