Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

APITAL CEREMONIES Radio, Video Coverage Unprecedented By JOHN OSBON WITH THE added impetus of television's eyes and ears supplementing aural radio, the 41st Presidential Inauguration last Thursday was carried first-hand to more viewers and listeners than on any previous occasion in the nation's history. To assist TV, AM, FM, assorted devices were utilized. NBC used a plane for aural commentary; CBS had a helicopter, and also employed walkie-talkies. Serving as an adjunct to television were syndicated newsreel cameramen, on the shooting line to record events for client video stations across the country. And shortwave broadcasts were beamed overseas by State Dept.'s "Voice of America," the British Broadcasting Corp. and French Broadcasting System. Independent stations also took an active part. Sets Record On the Presidential Stand alone, 30 separate feeds from microphone equipment set an alltime record for pickups, according to Keith Williams, NBC field supervisor. And personnel-wise NBC estimated it used more staff members (250 in all) for the Inaugural than for any previous Washington event. More than half were from New York. Inaugural pool telecasts did not identify any network by name, only commentators, merely informing televiewers the spectacle was carried "through the combined facilities of the television industry." Notwithstanding its initial Inaugural effort, televiewers and industry observers felt TV had handled NERVE CENTER of the pooled Inaugural TV coverage is a maze of equipment' and people. Seated is Bill Garden, NBC's expert on remotes; Ben Grauer is standing in foreground; at controls Robert Galvin, engineer; standing, (I to r.) Adolph Schneider, NBC special events man; F. A. Wankel, NBC TV engineer, John Irvine and Charles College. Location is Washington's telephone company building. itself commendably (see separate story page 63). Even the veterans leaned on television's broad shoulders. H. V. Kaltenborn, NBC, used a video monitor to coordinate his own AM broadcasts. Scanning the screen, he would call for NBC aural pickups at selected points. Mr. Kaltenborn spoke from WRC-NBC studios. Schneider Supervises Pooled telecast operations, with a budget of $25,000 on the side were under the supervision of Adolph DUMONT TV Network crew goes over plans for its contribution to the pooled 'decast coverage of Inauguration events, which included the parade and the Ic and Inaugural Balls. Gathered for a conference in the office of Walter on, assistant general manager of WTTG Washington, DuMont outlet, Iyer's; Ss^ated (I to r) — Mr. Compton and Roger Coelos, WTTG program operations manager; standing (I to r) — Clarke Thornton, announcer; Leslie Arries ir^, DuMont special events director, and Bob Wolff, announcer.. Mr. Thornton and Mr. Wolff handled DuMont coverage at the Treasury BIdg. Schneider, NBC-TV's news and special events director, who coordinated the efforts of the industry through network feeds from various locations. . Mr. Schneider watched five main video receivers in quarters at the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. and focused the attention of an estimated 10 million televiewers. William Garden, also of NBC, assisted him in actual TV field direction, while Charles Christensen directed Hill action. Five camera positions were located at the Capitol (NBC), Treasury Dept. (DuMont), Post Office Bldg. (CBS), and the Esso Bldg. (WMAL-TV-ABC) and the White House off Lafayette Park (ABCNew York). Each had previously drawn straws for positions. Three main cameras for each vantage point comprised TV coverage. NBC used one camera on the Presidential platform, at Mr. Truman's back looking out over the multitude, and two facing the platform. The former caught the oath-swearing ceremony, peering down at an angle at the bible under the President's hand. Control booths were beneath the Capitol steps. Grauer Doubles Ben Grauer, NBC's ace TV commentator, divided his chores between Capitol commentary and later a running account (from the master control center) of Ihe parade for which he supplied audio for TV pickups at different centers. At the Capitol he was aided by John Cameron Swayze and Robert McCormick. Other TV announcing duties were handled by Douglas Edwards and Ken Evans (for WOIC-TVCBS), Bob Wolff, Clarke Thornton and Bill Gold (DuMont), Charles Edwards and Gordon Fraser, (Esso Bldg) and Jackson Weaver and Jack Beall, (White House). For ABC-TV's two camera centers, Bryson Rash, WMAL-ABC Washington special events director, doubled between locations. Wednesday's Gala, with its interviews and comments on entertainment acts, was handled by CBS' Mr. Edwards starting at 9 p.m. and running through midnight. Mr. Edwards interviewed guests including FCC Commissioner Frieda Hennock, Talent array consisted of radio stars Lum 'n' Abner, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Jane Froman, Lionel Hampton's orchestra, and a host of others. Program emanated from Washington's National Guard Armory. Uses Gala Film New York's Paramount Theater used video transcriptions of Wednesday night's Gala fes'tivities, and showed them on its screen from 10:20 to 10:45. Recordings were made up until 10 p.m., with intervening time spent in editing the Paramount video transcriptions. Thursday's Inaugural from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. was shown in the theatre as it occurred, without editing. Same held true for Thursday night's Inaugural Ball. Paramount films were to be flown to KTLA Los Angeles and WBKB Chicago for use a day after each of the films was made. The television pool, under Mr. Schneider's direction, also had the assistance of Michael Rishkind TWO KEY members of special CBS TV team take time out to relax after talking over their plans for coverage of Inaugural events: Doug Edwards (I), CBS commentator, and Ken Evans, WOlC (TV) Washington news director. Mr. Edwards came down from New York to attend the opening of the new Bamberger television station Jan. 16, and appeared on ceremonial program during which he and Mr. Evans discussed CBS-TV special events. Page 24 • January 24, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting