Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1954)

MR. GRISHAM Grisham to Head Sales At WABT (TV) Birmingham CHARLES F. GRISHAM, local sales manager of WABT (TV) Birmingham, Ala., since November 1953, has been appointed commercial manager, the station announced last week. Prior to joining WABT, Mr. Grisham was sales manager of WLWA (TV) Atlanta and assistant program director, WLW Cincinnati. During his earlier career he was radio promotion manager, RalstonPurina Co., and southeastern manager, the Edward Perry Co., station representation firm. It was announced earlier by the station that C. P. Persons, WABT vice president-manager, had resigned to accept a similar position at KOTV (TV) Tulsa (see separate story, page 55). Fetzer Promotes Three At WKZO-AM-TV Kalamazoo THREE key staff appointments at WKZOAM-TV Kalamazoo, Mich., were announced last Tuesday by the Fetzer Broadcasting Co., stations' licensee. Carl E. Lee, Fetzer's managing director, announced the promotion of O. T. Gaston, radio account executive for seven years, to radio administrative assistant to the managing director; Robert Dye from head of radio-tv production to promotion director for WKZO-AM-TV, and Donald DeSmit from sales director to sales manager of WKZO-TV. Clarke Brown Co. Adds Six; Names Peranni Houston Mgr. ADDITION of six stations to the list of those represented by Clarke Brown Co., Dallas, has been announced by the company. Simultaneously, the appointment of Andrew E. Peranni as manager of the Houston office was announced. Mr. Peranni formerly was with the sales department of WAFB-TV Baton Rouge. Stations added were KTRH Houston, WMPS Memphis,Tenn., KLIF Dallas, KNOE-AM-TV Monroe, La., and WNOE New Orleans. KPTV (TV) Sets New Rates KPTV (TV) Portland, Ore., has issued Rate Card No. 4 which establishes a new time period, Class AA, and new rates for classes A, B, C and D. Class A A, extending from 7:29 p.m. to 10:31 p.m., will cost $120 for a 20-60 second announcement. The new card, effective Sept. 1, will not affect present station advertisers until March 1, except station break advertisers who are protected until Dec. 1. KPTV on Sept. 1 will increase its power to 204 kw, boosting its present power more than 12 times, according to the station. KLPW Construction Underway KLPW Union, Mo., near St. Louis, reports that construction has begun on its tower and that it expects to be on the air this month. The 1220 kc outlet, owned by Les Ware, former general manager of KXLW St. Louis, will be managed by Norb Moore. Scraping the Sky CONSTRUCTION of KWTV (TV) Oklahoma City's new tower has passed the high of 1250 ft. (approximate height of the Empire State Bldg. ) and now stands at 1290 ft., Edgar T. Bell, executive vice president, has announced. The structure with antenna, due to be completed this month, will measure 1572 ft. Target date of Oct. 1 has been set for operation of the new tower coupled with increase in effective radiated power to the maximum 316 kw. WGMA to WKDN Group SALE of WGMA Hollywood, Fla., by Roy M. Greene to South Jersey Broadcasting Co. (WKDN Camden, N. J.) for $25,000 plus assumption of certain obligations was announced last week. Sale was arranged through Allen Kander, station broker, and is subject to FCC approval. WGMA operates on 1320 kc with 500 w daytime. Ranulf Compton is president and Gordon Giffen, general manager, of 1 kw davtimer WKDN (on 800 kc). Sale bid has been filed with FCC. Ray Ryan Dies FUNERAL services were held Aug. 10 for Ray Rvan, who owned and operated WCNC Elizabeth City, N. C. Mr. Ryan died of a broken neck received in a swimming accident near his home at Elizabeth City. From 1948 until last year he was sales manager and announcer, WFLO Farmville, Va. He is survived by his wife and two sons. WJAR-TV Construction Starts CONSTRUCTION has begun on the new 1,059-foot tower of WJAR-TV Providence, R. I., at Rehoboth, Mass., it was announced last week, with completion date set at Nov. 1. A new 50 kw transmitter and antenna will boost the ch. 10 station's effective radiated power to 316 kw. WJAR-TV is presently operating with 225 kw. STATION PEOPLE Arthur L. Gray, sales and operations manager, WIRK-TV West Palm Beach, Fla., to WITV (TV) Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as general manager. William Wiggins, formerly account executive, Tri Arts Studio, L. A., to WTOP Washington as promotion and advertising director, succeeding Warren J. Boorom, appointed assistant local promotion manager, BAB, N. Y. [B*T, Aug. 16]. Aaron Bloom, account executive, KGO San Francisco, promoted to sales manager. Bob Walton, manager, WJBS DeLand, Fla., to WTWO (TV) Bangor, Me., as local sales manager. Dale Baum, WJTV (TV) Jackson, Miss., to WTVD (TV) Durham, N. C, as film buyer. Ralph Andrews, film programming director, WCAN-TV Milwaukee, to WBKB (TV) Chicago in similar capacity, succeeding George C. MR. WIGGINS Rice, who moves to WABC-TV New York a film director. Trent Christman, Gillham Adv., Salt Lake City' to KONA (TV) Honolulu, as program man ager; Gene Terrell, assistant to executive prd ducer, KNBH (TV) Los Angeles, to station a promotion-publicity manager Jack L. Wrenn, administration staff, Burlingtoi Mills, Burlington, N. C, to WSAZ-TV Huntington, W. Va., as sales representative; Lawrence H. Rogers, news director, WEAU-TV Eau Claire, Wis., to station as announcer. Don Murdock, WTRF TV Wheeling, W. Va., promoted to continuity chief, succeeding Robert R. Ragase, deceased. Mel Offenbach, account MR. OFFENBACH MR. WRENN executive, and Lej Castaneda, announc er, both KNGS Han ford, Calif., ap pointed sales man i ager and program di rector, respectively, j I James A. Mount formerly sales man ager, KEX Portland Ore., to KGW sam city, as commercia manager. Ervin Pinkston, sale staff, Carpenter Pa| per Co., Chicago, to KRNT Des Moines a account executive. Johnny R. Holmes, radio-tv specialist, Arm Home Town News Center, Kansas City, Mo to KSWM-TV Joplin, Mo., as sports directo upon release from active duty. John Paley, Hollywood promotion and publicit specialist, appointed promotion and publicit director, KUAM Agana, Guam, headquarters in Hollywood. John F. Hartry, promotion supervisor, CFP1 London, Ontario, promoted to public servic and market research director, CFPL-AM-TVf Harvey M. Clarke, advertising manager. Cap tol Records of Canada Ltd., Toronto, succeed Mr. Hartry. Paul R. Littto sales dept., WTVI (TV) St. Loui> Norman Nesbitt, freelance Hollywood radio-t announcer-personality, to KOA-AM-TV Denve* in similar capacity. Warren Sandy, accountant, KNBH (TV) Holly wood, father of boy, Warren Jr. Jack Harris, WBAP-TV Fort Worth, father o boy, Jack Harris Jr. Bill Tusher, commentator, KBIG Avalon, Calif father of girl, Claudia Scott. Robert Beebe, account executive, WHLI Hemp stead, L. I., N. Y., father of girl, Deane Robir Mort Hall, continuity director, WBBM Chicagc father of boy, James. Jim Reid, sports announcer, WPTF Raleigr N. C, father of girl. Freeman Cherry, 42, sales manager, WKA" Glasgow, Ky., died. Richard Lifvendahl, 26, salesman, KOVR (TV Stockton, Calif., died July 30. Page 56 • August 23, 1954 Broadcasting Telecastin