Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

85-foot EGA batwing antenna carries the 5 kw signal from the RCA transmitter out over a vast area with a kick of 31 kw. Reports of "very regular reception" cover spots as far away as Alexandria, La., 150 miles to the northwest, and consistent reception over an area including parts of Mississippi and Alabama. During its first year, WDSU-TV had to get along with a converted office on the top floor of the bank building as the main studio. Another office was converted into stairs leading to the penthouse transmitter and control rooms. Crowded into this space were workshop, TV and FM transmitters and a small annouilce studio. The penthouse even had a balcony. All this squeezing and pigeonj holing will be avoided in the new I plant. Control equipment is cusj tom-built. High-perched producers I will have a view of the entire main studio. Dual switching units are provided for rehearsals while other programs are on the air. This ingenious use of limited space is an old story in the television industry. WDSU-TV was blessed with a substantial quota of ingenuity and the results surprise even those who sweat and toiled during the difficult early days. They're glad the elbow-bumping days are about over and what they can do in the wide-open spaces of the new studio building may surprise even themselves. To handle its local remotes, "WDSU-TV has a custom-built Lynn mobile unit with two cameras along with accessory station wagons. ANYONE familiar with the com. mercial, educational and recreational facilities of New Orleans knows that the citizenry wouldn't put up with inferior TV programming. Messrs. Stern and Swezey were quite aware of the community's tastes so they have followed up a history-making debut with this simple program policy — Let's do a solid job on the inside; then we'll get set sales on the outside, and sponsors, too. The four-network package has given a solid foundation of national program fare. It might have been simple to get by with occasional local programming and a lot of cheap film, but the management committed itself to high-quality production. It has gone in heavily for community telecasting. In early 1949 a list of sports events was lined up. It included basketball, baseball, wrestling, horse racing and similar events. Professional baseball wasn't available but the American Legion games developed a heavy following. Last fall WDSU-TV telecast the whole Tulane football schedule on film. And the Sugar Bowl football games for the past two years have been telecast by Gillette. Maison Blanche, a local depai'tment store, and the Seven-Up Bottling Co. were sponsors for the balance of the Sugar Bowl events. The Mardi Gras — well, there's nothing to match it in all American community life, and New Orleans television has been all over the town filming pre-Mardi Gras events. As was the case last year, the whole package of parades, balls and simliar events is sponsored by the General Electric distributor. In spite of extremely cramped facilities, studio programming at WDSU-TV has been intensive. Single-camera operation has provided an excellent challenge to program builders, who offer distinctive and novel presentations, both sustaining and commercial. It has been the proving ground for the new major operation. The development of local talent has been proceeding steadily. The Dixieland bands, of course, are heard frequently. A talent show titled New Voices, originating in the Roosevelt Hotel, has developed a roster of good local talent. Local professional talent such as Fats Pichon and Claire Nunn formed the basis for sound local shows. Miss Nunn plays the piano as well as sings, and does her own commercials. Joyce Smith's Floral T7~ails, a weekly garden show, and her A La Mode, on which she presents interesting people and unusual events, with something for every member of the family, and Sharkey's Dixieland music further stimulate the local picture. With this backlog, WDSU-TV is about ready to move into daytime programming. Lena Richard's late afternoon show, a participating program with pictorial chatter on Creole cooking, will be a vital factor in the new daytime schedule. Still other shows will feature dishes from New Orleans' famous restaurants. A daily Shopper's Guide is slated for programming, along with another newcomer to the afternoon stanzas, Man About Home, with tips for the harried housewife on household repairs and maintenance. Fashion shows have already proved themselves, and it is hoped that a new format will solve the disc jockey-TV problem. THERE'S nothing too novel for WDSU-TV's programmers. Recently they completely rebuilt a fat woman. With the TV camera on her, the lady went on a diet and took a course of massage and beauty treatments. They really remade her for the TV audience and when the series ended she had shed some 60 pounds. Fortunately, New Orleans in early TV days was blessed with courageous sponsors. Maison Blanche department store and Seven-Up jointly sponsored boxing and wrestling. Public Service and Coca-Cola signed up for basketball. Motorola put on horse racing. Outdoor sports are on a yearround basis and Jax Beer has sponsored a hunting and fishing chatter program, Outdoors in Louisiana. D. H. Holmes department store sponsored the Korda film series, as well as live variety shows. Brown's Velvet Ice Cream picked up the Telekids juvenile show. Regal Beer buys sports and Dixie Beer sponsors Telenews as well as five minutes of stills depicting local and national news, using photos WDSU-TV's antenna from the Neiv Orleans Item. With all this programming, what do sponsors think? The answer to what sponsors think can be found around the sales department of the TV station. WDSU-TV has a bulging file of success stories. Just a few days ago, for example, Salem Fluorescent Maintenance Service sponsored two five-minute programs, its TV debut. From a $100 time-talent budget, Salem received calls that netted over SI, 000 in new business. Last month D. H. Holmes Co. sponsored a 15-minute musical program, Concert Miniatures, 7:307:45 p.m. One commercial was devoted to Schiffer Prints draperies, only promotion for the Nil-Art Co. product. During the week following the program 72 persons went to the Holmes drapery department and specifically asked to see the TV-promoted draperies, resulting in sales totaling $1,565.60. Another time Maison Blanche sold its entire stock of 14 outboard motors through a lone TV spot. And at Holmes they recall the time a basketball interview with Cliff (Continued on Telecasting 16) Mr. RIDDLE Page 55 • BROADCASTING Mr. READ Mr. RICH February 13, 1950 Mr. MULLER Mr. HOLIDAY TELECASTING • Page 5