Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

(ABC), James Caddigan (DuMont), and Robert Bendick (CBS). Rodney Chipp, DuMont engineering director, served as chairman of the committee which coordinated engineering operations. As with the other events, both the Gala and Inaugural Balls were telecast on a pooled basis, carried on all networks. WOIC (TV) had to cut away from the Gala in the middle because of a previous commitment, but picked it up again later. The Presidential Ball festivities were aired starting at 10 p.m. The pre-Inaugural TrumanBarkley dinner at the Mayflower Hotel last Tuesday was telecast in part by DuMont's Washington outlet, WTTG, and fed to WAAM (TV) Baltimore. Cameramen, producers and supervisors also played their role in TV's initial Inauguration success. Among those reportedly assigned by their respective organizations : (ABC-TV) — William Deganhardt, William Morris, Joe Lee, and Bob Doyle (producer). (WMAL-TV)— William Fowler, Gil Ennes, Laurel Egbert, George Semyan, Van DeVries (producer). (CBS-TV)— Robert Sammons (assistant supervisor, TV field Dept.), Fred Rickey ( producer ) . (WOIC-TV) — Lawrence Wilkenson Rebates for Inauguration REBATES for time and talent, resulting from cancellations of regular programs due to radio and television Inaugural coverage, cost the major networks upwards of $75,000, it was learned last week. Figures reported by the networks: NBC AM — $13,000 in time, $5,000 in talent; NBC-TV no cancellations. CBS-AM — $14,500 time, $3,500 talent; CBS-TV no cancellations. ABC-AM— $12,735 time; ABC-TV none listed. DuMont-TV— From $10,000 to $15,000 in time. MBS AM — $6,000 in time. FOLLOWING a meeting called for purpose of ironing out kinks in Inaugural radio and TV coverage plans, ABCWMAL Washington news analysts and commentators gather in WMAL newsroom for informal group shot. (L to r): Jack Henry, WMAL; H. R. Baukhage, ABC; Charles Edwards, WMAL; John Edwards, ABC; Gordon Eraser, ABC; William Neel, WMAL; Taylor Grant, ABC; Bryson Rash, WMAL-ABC Washington special events director; Jack Beall, ABC; Earl Godwin, ABC-WMAL; Harold Stepler, WMAL; Lee Dayton, WMAL; Ted Malone, ABC; Martin Agronsky, ABC; Tris Coffin, ABC, and Elmer Davis, dean of ABC commentators. (field supervisor). Jack Waldron, Norman Bailey, Harry Remmers. (WTTG -DuMont) — David Milligan, Neal Edwards, Harry Randel (remotes supervisor) . (WNBW-NBC-TV) — Warren Deem, Dodd Boyd, Vernon Swiger. CBS-AM imported 15 engineers from New York to supplement its WTOP Washington crew. Overall it utilized about 125 people. Network's aural operations were supervised by Davidson Taylor, CBS vice president in charge of public affairs, and Wells Church, its news director, who was producer. From 5 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS presented a tape resume of Inaugural proceedings. CBS headliners at the Capitol were Eric Sevareid, Charles Collingwood, Edward R. Murrow, Ted Koop, Joseph C. Harsch, Claude Mahoney; (Treasury) Richard Hottelet, Griffing Bancroft, Hazel Markel; (Apex building) Bill Shadel, Elinor Lee, Bob Lewis (with walkie-talkie); (Old Post Office) Don Hollenbeck, (CBS mo-' bile unit) Robert Nichols; (helicopter) Gunnar Back; (White House) John Daly. NBC units NBC put three mobile and 12 permanent vantage points to good advantage, using in addition a special car, station wagon and a P-54 Army plane. Jack Roney handled description from the air. Bob Trout did commentaries from the Capitol steps and Inauguration Stand. Others on the Hill were John Batchelder, A. Gillis, W. W. Chaplin, Dick Harkness and Don Cooper. Morgan Beatty, Ken Banghart, K. Ludlow, Mary Margaret McBride, Hollis Wright, Ned Brooks, Ray Henle, Frank Bourgholtzer, David Brinkley, Ralph Bergen and H. V. Kaltenborn rounded out NBC's aural battery. The network maintained two mobile units. Bryson Rash, who also appeared on video, was ABC's aural Presidential announcer, assisted at the Capitol by John Edwards, Tris Coffin, Lee Dayton, and Ted Malone, who roved the crowd. At other points were H. R. Baukhage, Pauline Frederick, Taylor Grant, Martin Agronsky, Harold Stepler and Earl Godwin. Network's station wagon was manned by George Hicks. ABC, like NBC, also had microphones atop the Washington Monument and Capitol Dome, and 'at some 12 other locations. Thursday night Mr. Rash and Miss Frederick collaborated on a special show from 11:35 to 12 midnight. Network also carried part of the Presidential Ball, and fea tured live pickups by John Edwards on his 11-11:15 p. m. news program. ABC radio personnel numbered nearly 35. A dozen engineers from its New York headquarters were assigned to Inauguration events, as were some 15 producers and announcers, and other staff members. Network activities were headed by Thomas Velotta, vice president in charge of news and special events. Mutual assigned more than 40 personalities, with Abe Schechter, network vice president of news and special events, in charge of coordinating MBS coverage. Sitting at WOL-MBS' master control board, he maintained contact with all staff members involved. Hollis Seavey and Art Feldman, of the Washington bureau, assisted in direction of overall Inaugural coverage. Featured were such Mutual commentators as Al Warner, Fulton Lewis jr.. Bill Henry, Bill Slater, Joe McCaffrey, Doug Mitchell, Cedric Foster, Bob Hurleigh, Henry LaCossitt, William Hillman, and Fred Fiske — stationed at 12 vantage points along the parade route stretching from the Capitol to the White House. Steve McCormick, MBS' Presidential announcer spe( Continued on page 63) NBC "alerted" its production staff of radio announcers and commentators for a pre-Inaugural briefing session at WRC-NBC Washington studios. Outlining network staff assignments and engineering details are (I to r): William McAndrew, assistant to the vice president, WRC-NBC Washington; Francis McCall, operations manager, NBC news and special events department, and Tom Phelan, chief engineer. BRIEFING members of Mutual's coverage crew is Abe Schecter, the network's vice .president in charge of news and special events. Receiving the plans are (front row, seated, I to r) Mel Ward, engineer; Albert L. Warner, commentator; Jimmy Dowd, engineer and Fred Fisk, commentator. Second row, seated (I to r) Don Herman, engineer; Sam Sheckels, engineer; Henry LaCossit, commentator, and Bill Hillman, commentator. Third row, seated (I to r) Sam Houston, engineer; Lee Higbie, commentator; Marilyn Folk, administrative assistant, and Robert Hurleigh, commentator. Back row (I to r) bending forward are Russ Turner, representing Commentator Fulton Lewis, jr., and Doug Mitchell, commentator. Back row, standing (I to r) Hollis Seavey, Washington director of special events; Joe McCaffrey, commentator; Porter Houston, engineer; Arthur Feldman, Washington news director; Cedric Foster, commentator; Earl Neely, engineer, and Steve McCormick, commentator. BROADCASTING • Telecasting January 24, 1949 • Page 25