Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1953)

Birt Hawkins and Barney Boyle, cost analysts, have been transferred from the engineering department to work under Mr. Wallen. Milton Burgh will be responsible for all news and special events for both stations, in addition to his Mutual duties, and will report to Mr. Gaines in WOR-AM-TV matters. In the engineering division. Earl M. Johnson, vice president of General Teleradio, will continue to head engineering for both stations, with Charles H. Singer as chief engineer and Leslie Learned in charge of engineering assignments. Robert Schmid, vice president of General Teleradio and Mutual, will continue to head advertising, research and press information for WOR-AM-TV. Supervising similar functions at the stations will be the following Mutual department directors: James Tyler, advertising; Richard Puff, research, and Frank Zuzulo, press information. On specific assignments are Robert Sullivan, manager of WOR promotion and advertising: Joe St. Georges, manager of WOR-TV promotion and advertising; Bob Hoffman, manager of WOR-AM-TV research, and Henry Wilson, manager of WOR-AM-TV press information. LEE NAMED NO. 2 IN FETZER COMMAND CARL E. LEE has been appointed managing director and a member of the board of Fetzer Broadcasting Co., it was announced last Friday by John E. Fetzer, president and general manager. Mr. Lee assumed his new duties last Saturday, becoming second in command of all radio-TV operations of the Fetzer company. He is charged with the execution of company policy and assumes broadcast responsibilities on an assignment basis. It was further announced by Mr. Fetzer that Arthur Covell, with the company since 1937, has been named chief engineer of WKZO Kalamazoo. Mich., and WKZO-TV KalamazooGrand Rapids; Francis Morse, who joined the Fetzer organization in 1942, has taken over the post of assistant chief engineer at WKZO-AMTV, and Bruce Glycadis, with WJEF Grand Rapids since 1945, has been appointed chief engineer of that station. Mr. Lee joined Fetzer in 1939. In 1945, as Fetzer chief engineer, he built WJEF and in 1950 completed the installation of WKZO-TV. In 1951 Mr. Lee became administrative assistant to Mr. Fetzer. In addition to being licensee of the aforementioned stations, Fetzer Broadcasting Co. is buying KOLN-AM-TV Lincoln, Neb., subject to FCC approval [B*T, July 20]. Mr. Lee Standard Renews Gridcasts STANDARD OIL Co. of Indiana, for the seventh consecutive year, will sponsor the entire 10-game football schedule of the U. of Colorado on KOA Denver. Schedule opens Sept. 19 with the play-by-play descriptions handled by sportscaster Starr Yelland, assisted by Bill Day, KOA news and sports director. PITTSBURGH'S SECOND TV SCHEDULED WITH 8 OTHER DEBUTS OVER WEEKEND Pittsburgh's second television station is the first uhf among the nation's eight top markets. With eight other outlets set to start over the past weekend, U. S. stations now total 208. PITTSBURGH'S second TV station was scheduled to go on the air over the last weekend, which saw a flurry of nine commercial outlets slated to commence operation. WKJF-TV Pittsburgh, on Ch. 53, is the first uhf station in that city. Since 1949 the only TV outlet there has been WDTV (TV), vhf Ch. 2. WKJF-TV also is the first uhf station to go on the air in any of the nation's eight top markets. KLAS-TV Las Vegas, Nev., began programming July 22. Late last week, the nine stations (all have been airing test patterns) were "hopeful" of making their Aug. 1 and 2 target dates. Assuming they did, commercial TV outlets now total 208. Here are the 10 new stations: KLAS-TV Las Vegas, Nev., vhf Ch. 8, July 22. KBES-TY Medford, Ore., vhf Ch. 5, Aug. 1. KMBC-TV Kansas City, Mo., vhf Ch. 9, Aug. 1. KMO-TV Tacoma, Wash., vhf Ch. 1.3, Aug. 1. KTVE (TV) Longvievk', Tex., uhf Ch. .32, Aug. 1. WGVL (TV) Greenville, S. C, uhf Ch. 23, Aug. 1. WHB-TV Kansas City, Mo., vhf Ch. 9, Aug. 1. WKJF-TV Pittsburgh, Pa., uhf Ch. 53, Aug. 1. WISE-TV Asheville, N. C, uhf Ch. 62, Aug. 2. WTVU (TV) Scranton, Pa., uhf Ch. 73, Aug. 2. George J. Higgins, managing director of KMBC-TV Kansas City, to share time with WHB-TV there on vhf Ch. 9, said last Thursday all equipment is installed. F. G. Raese, general manager of WKJF-TV Pitttsburgh, said last week the outlet definitely would begin Aug. 1, and will carry some NBCTV programs. Mr. Raese said the station has received "wonderful reports of reception from all sections of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area." He said AT&T promised interconnection with the coaxial cable by Aug. 1, allowing live network features to be carried the first day. Extensive promotion is planned, Mr. Raese said. He said newspaper ads were to start last Friday and he has signed for 53 billboards in the area. WKJF-TV will begin operating from 6 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. daily and gradually will expand its schedule. Mr. Raese said the station plans higherpowered transmitting equipment when it is available (present effective radiated power is 19 kw visual), and color equipment. Stanley H. Durwood, president of KEDD (TV) Wichita, Kan., said the station's tower has been complete several weeks, the building is 90% complete and equipment 90% installed — but that the RCA antenna shipment was delayed. If it arrives soon a test pattern should be on the air by Aug. 15, he added. Mr. Durwood said network orders are coming in and local sales, too, are moving steadily. Tom Steensland, program director foi' KMMT (TV) Austin, Minn., expects to ht programming by mid-August with ABC-TV DuMont and CBS-TV affiliations. Nick Reyes, promotion director for WIRK TV West Palm Beach, Fla., said the 12th flooi of the Harvey Bldg. is being readied for studio; and offices and engineers hope to begin tele casting in mid-August. V/ETV(TV) Testing WETV (TV) Macon, Ga., started test pat terns July 25 and expects to begin program ming Aug. 21, John Hicks, program director reported. He said WETV has NBC-TV pri mary affiliation, plus ABC-TV affiliation. Th( uhf Ch. 47 station will have 15,000 sets in it: area, according to NBC research, he said. William E. Ware, president of KSTM-T\ St. Louis, uhf Ch. 36, said that with the enc of a steelworkers' strike, construction on th( station's tower is underway. However, abou six or eight weeks are needed, he said, so th( Sept. 1 starting date "must go by the boards.' He reported that "requests for availabilities am time still pour in." Robert F. Wright, president and genera manager of WTOK-TV Meridian, Miss., sai( the vhf Ch. 11 outlet has set Sept. 15 for tes pattern and Sept. 27 for commercial opera WTAC-TV Flint, Mich., television center will look like this architect's drawing when it goes on the air this fall. The 1 20 x 100 ft. cement-glass brick-steel structure is expected to be complete in August. Estimated cost of the Flint TV outlet, says J. R. McKinley, general manager, will be more than $350,000. WTAC-TV will be on uhf Ch. 16. Page 60 • Atigust 3, 1953 Broadcasting • TELECASTii^^