Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1953)

tv news shows By Donald E. Brown. ■A 3 fff' lused first on news programs and are later iutilized for traffic safety educational purposes. This tie-in with the Miami police departiment has other important advantages. There are police radios in both station wagons, as iwell as in the WTVJ newsroom. In addition to these FM units, a speaker in the newsroom is connected to the Miami fire ; department by telephone line. Staff members in this way are able to monitor aU police and fire calls. Going Into Action When a "3-17" or emergency call is received, the news staff goes into fast action. A cameraman and a writer will make a beeline for one of the station wagons, a blinking red light flashes a warning to motorists and pedestrians, and the WTVJ crew is soon in action on the scene. Sometimes the newsmen are there in time to get a picture of the police emergency rescue vehicle just .arriving. Even late at night or in the early J hours of the morning, Mr. Renick or one of his men may get a call that will send him scurrying out on an assignment. What kind of stories does WTVJ handle with this timely coverage? One answer Aould be — largely the same major news stories that are reported by the local newspapers. Another way to answer the question is to cite briefly some of the news events covered on a recent day (chosen at random) . The best film stories on that particular day included a fire in a bridge tower that caused the electric controls to quit functioning, and later shots showing river traffic blocked and workmen cranking up a section of the drawbridge by hand; a bad traffic accident in which a woman lost control of her car and struck two small boys on a bicycle; both sound and silent film on a Georgia Day celebration at the Miami Kiwanis club with excerpts of a talk given by Gov. Herman Talmadge; reports on two local controversies involving the moving of city hall offices and the Dade County blood bank. There were several stories of lesser importance, plus a human interest feature on the Miami fire department's observance of its 55th anniversary. During the entire program, there were only two feature stories, both of which were timely and merited in clusion. There were no out-dated stories dragged into the program because of their pictorial qualities and their availability; basic content was judged strictly on its news value, but the pictorial possibilities were carefully weighed in determining how the stories would be handled. One more recent incident might be cited to show the emphasis that is given to significant news. Early on a hot July day when news was breaking slowly, a cameraman was assigned the task of working up a hot weather feature on silent film. The assignment was carried out with some originality and the finished product was reasonably interesting. As the day wore on, there were several developments with real news significance; consequently, the hot weather feature (Miami bathing beauties and aU) was left on the shelf for a hotter and duller day . . . and two weeks later it was still shelved. Cooperative Management One of the major reasons why WTVJ was able to develop a prize-winning local news operation was the enlightened attitude of its management. Lee Ruwitch, general manager, recalls that in 1950 he made a tour of TV stations and he returned home feeling that the thing most lacking in the operation of most of them was a good presentation of the news. He made up his mind there was a void to be filled. He said, "We wanted the best news operation in the country." In this aim, he had the support of Mitchell Wolfson, president of WTVJ, who urged that every effort be made to use television's news potential to the fullest. When Ralph Renick, youthful newsman, returned from a national convention of news directors, he was filled with enthusiasm. He asked Mr. Ruwitch for "just 30 uninterrupted minutes" in his office. The plan that Mr. Renick outlined sounded expensive, but it fell on receptive ears, for management already had the desire to build an A-1 news department. Details of the planning fell largely on Mr. Renick, a graduate of the U. of Miami, who had just completed a national survey of television news practices while holding an H. V. Kaltenborn Research Fellowship. In one sense, it is correct to say the WTVJ news department started from scratch, but in another sense that isn't quite true. Somewhat like many others, they started with a single Keystone camera, about $300 worth of equipment, and limited pro Broadcasting Telecasting Photographer Jack Emiey is about to take local auto dealer in exchange ror on-theoff on an assignment in one of the two air advertising in safety program telecast station wagons furnished WTVJ (TV) by a four times a week. August 17, 1953 • Page 95