Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

VTMJ-TV Milwaukee and KSD'V St. Louis. Even though it perated experimentally, the staion was granted FCC permission o carry three World Series games rom Cleveland Oct. 8, 9 and 10, 948. Reception reports were reeived from Green Bay and s[eenah. Wis., 190 and 170 miles iorth. Ij In December 1948 WNBQ was j;arrying about four hours of programming weekly. Two remotes lelecast were the International Livestock Exposition and Horse Show from the International Amjphitheatre and the annual SunTimes Harvest Moon Festival, a rariety show from the Chicago Stadium. Regular programming began Ian. 9, 1949. Fifteen hours were telecast the first week starting at 3:50 p.m. daily, Sunday through Friday. When the cable opened Jan. 12, the station began carryingeastern originations. On Jan. 12, also, it demonstrated use of the jsplit-sereen technique for the first time in Chicago at a Radio Manlagement Club luncheon. NBC in New York and Washington collaborated on a news show from both points. On Jan. 16 the schedlule was expanded to 20 hours weekly, Sunday through Friday, and on Feb. 28 the station began ijsigning on at 4:30 p.m. daily. After one remote telecast of the consecration of three Roman Cath olic bishops from Holy Name Cathedral, the station and network received more than 5,000 cards and letters of commendation. Saturday programming was added in March, increasing air time to 35 hours weekly, seven days a week. In March also, telecast of the International Kennel Club Dog Show from the International Amphitheatre was sponsored by the Ken-L-Ration Division of Quaker Oats. In May 1949 programming time was upped to about 40 hours per week, with four hours of transmission Saturday and Sunday and until 10:50 p.m. weekdays. A daily hour of Projectall newscasts was signed last May, from 3:30 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and another hour of afternoon programming was added in September. On Dec. 1 the schedule called for 41 hours weekly: Sunday, 3:30 to 9:35 p.m.; Monday and Friday, 2:45 to 11 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 3:15 to 11 p.m., and Saturday, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. THE most farsighted planning in the station's history, however, took place back in 1929 when there was barely a Central Division. At that time, with network studios under construction in the Merchandise Mart, a few NBC technicians decided TV would be coming along one day. They wired a major studio with heavy-duty cables and PROGRAM MANAGER Ted Mills, who was an Army information and education section movie producer four years and who joined NBC New York as a video producer in 1946, confers with Howard Luttgens (I), chief engineer at NBC's Central Division, and Paul Moore (r) television operations supervisor. Mr. Mills created the Garroway at Large network show, which was purchased recently by Congoleum-Nairn for a reported $5,000 weekly. provided outlets for TV lights. It took 20 years for fulfillment, but both installations are being used now. Last January when the station was still experimenting with new show ideas, program personnel originated what is thought to be the first network daytime TV serial. These Are My Children. Written by Irna Phillips, the show was staged daily, five times weekly. Never sponsored, it was finally dropped in March when Mr. Showerman learned American Telephone and Telegraph was cancelling all east-bound TV shows before 6 p.m. because of long-distance cable requirements. It was also in March that program stafl'ers started telecasting experiments in children's dramatic education from suburban Evanston, 15 miles north along the lake. Erection of a microwave tower ONE of the few TV executives who is admittedly "unI confused" by television is Jules Herbuveaux (r), chief of TV operations at the Central Division. Known for his ability to select and develop fresh talent, he chats here with some WNBQ stars who appear in formats designed especially for them. They are (I to r) Singer Jack Haskell, Dave Garroway, laconic m.c. of Garroway at Large; Connie Russell, who sings, dances and acts, and Pianist Herbie Mintz, long-time radio star who now recalls oldtime musical favorites on TV. atop a school enabled transmission of a weekly half-hour series in which a teacher outlined a story, theme with children then acting it out. The format, similar to the adult Crisis now on the network, called for interpretation, with a maximum of imagination and a minimum of props and costumes. TOPS among local shows which have been developed are Clifton Utley's News Commentary, five nights weekly, 10:10-10:25 p.m.; The Weatherman with Clinton Youle (Ceresota Flour), 10 to 10:10 p.m., five times weekly; But Not Forgotteyi with Pianist Herbie Mintz (participation), 10:3010:45 p.m., five weekly; Lincoln Park Zoo with Zoo Director R. Marlin Perkins and Jim Hurlbut, Sunday, 6-6:30 p.m.; Walt's Workshop with Walt Durbahn (Edward Hines Lumber Co.), Friday, 7:30-8 p.m.; The Pet Shop with Gail Compton (Evanger Kennel Foods), Tuesday, 5:30-6 p.m. Why TV sponsorship comes so high is seen in the expense involved in Mr. Utley's 15-minute news show every night. An ace NBC AM commentator for many years, Mr. Utley in radio uses only two other persons to put a show on the air — an announcer and an engineer. For his TV stint, which involves use of charts, graphs, pictures and innumerable other visual aids, he needs a staff of 18 persons. In addition to himself, there are a director, script girl, technical director, audio engineer, video engineer, artist, research man, three cameramen, dolly pusher, boom mike man, sound effects and turntable man, two stage hands, floor director and electrician. Lincoln Park Zoo, a sustainer, is telecast from the zoo on the Near North Side each Sunday. "Phenomenal" response, in the opinion of Promotion Director Harold A. Smith, was tabbed last month after a one-time mention on the Dec. 4 show. Viewers were asked to identify correctly five of 15 animals telecast. In exchange, they would get an autographed picture of Bushman, 550-pound gorilla who daily consumes 22 pounds of fresh vegetables and vitamin pills before (Continued on Telecasting H)