Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1955)

RADIO-TV'S HAND OF MERCY EXTENDS IN FLOOD DISASTER Public service reaches a new high as broadcasters selflessly work around the clock at scenes of destruction, epidemic and death. A HUNDRED, maybe more, people huddled around an auto early last week on a Waterbury, Conn., street listening to grim messages from WATR. Similar scenes were enacted for miles around as the residents of that stricken industrial community groped eagerly for every word from battery-powered radios, their only contact with the rest of the world. Around them were washed-out buildings and debris. Occasionally a helicopter flew over the wreckage. The transmitter of WWCO Waterbury had been washed down the Naugatuck River. WBRY had no power. A woman just beyond middle-age walked up to Sam Elman directing WATR's emergency coverage, kissed him, mumbled, "Thank you, thank you," and walked on down the street. WATR had been so busy in the first hours of the flood that nobody had bothered putting WATR-TV on the air because there wasn't any use telecasting when the power was off and only radio messages would ever reach listeners' ears, anyhow. The story of what happened last week in Waterbury was the story of Delaware Valley covering eastern Pennsylvania and western RADIO and TV played major roles in rehabilitation planning for New England flood area. Gov. Abraham Ribicoff, of Connecticut, on Waterbury visit presented his plan to rebuild stricken communities. His voice was heard frequently on the air as he devoted full time to direction of relief work. Left to right: Gene Valentino, WATR Waterbury assistant manager; Gov. Ribicoff; Mayor Raymond Snyder, of Waterbury. New Jersey, as well as several other Connecticut and western Massachusetts areas. In the best industry tradition, radio and tv broadcasters in a hundred or more cities selflessly forgot food and slumber to slosh through water, work under candlelight and mouth hoarsely into microphones the messages that offered hope and information to millions. In a sense the men and women who manned radio microphones provided a preview of what could happen in case of enemy attack. Their voices, propelled in many instances by emergency power apparatus, at times were heard only by those whose radio-equipped automobiles had escaped rushing torrents or by persons lucky enough to have portable radios that could receive emergency messages. Page 42 • August 29, 1955 Hurricane Connie had provided mild emergency warmups for broadcasters. Diane set up a dress rehearsal that developed into the real thing when the heavens dumped as much as a dozen inches in brief hours over unsuspecting valleys. At Torrington, Conn., Naugatuck River ran amok, tearing out public utility equipment and destroying many sections of the city. Edmund Waller, owner of WTOR, borrowed a gas generator and had WTOR on the air the afternoon of Friday the. 19th. Volunteers lugged gasoline in two-gallon cans, the only way of fueling the emergency transmitter power supply. By Wednesday 5,000 emergency messages had been transmitted by WTOR including the announcement that liquor, beer and wine would be dispensed once more but only in emergency cases. Facing Torrington are years of rebuilding, Mr. Waller said. "What about business, Mr. Waller?" B»T asked. "There's no time to worry about business. Most of our business clients were wiped out. We're running free commercials for any merchants hit by the flood, whether they were clients or not. We'll advertise anything they want. "Take Howard's shoe store. They just remodled at a cost of $100,000. The store was completely wiped out but they'll open in a small shop soon. Shoe factories will supply stock. "American enterprise is tremendous. You'd have to come up here to see what Americans are like when disaster strikes." "It's getting worse very day," Mr. Waller said Thursday. WLCR Torrington had its own troubles but joined the public service broadcasting as soon as it could get a signal on the air. WTOR had programmed at first with shortwave pickups and off-the-air rebroadcasts from WTIC Hartford, supplemented by reading of newspapers. 40 Hours Straight At Torrington, Waterbury, Putnam and other places the station people worked as much as 40 hours at a stretch, getting relief from volunteer workers. Ralph F. D'Andrea, directing the service of WPCT Putnam, Conn., provided roundthe-clock service although the town was split in two by the raging Quinebaug River. Putnam had spectacular troubles all its own as magnesium and dynamite at the riverside Sellers Mfg. Co. plant kept exploding for several days. WPCT was among the first to get emergency phone service and auxiliary power units. Typhoid became a serious problem as water supplies went out around the flooded communities. Friendly business houses supplied needed food and such firms as Narragansett Brewing Co. shipped in cases of bottled water. The transmitter of WWCO Waterbury was replaced Tuesday by a new one flown from RCA at Camden. A wire strung along the roof of the transmitter served as temporary antenna. WATR had eight feet of water in the groundfloor studios. Files were moved from the second floor to the transmitter where temporary studios and offices were quickly put into operation since the particular locality didn't lose its power service. At Stroudsburg, Pa., WVPO, newspaper owned station, lost only a small amount of time as Delaware Valley was devastated, according to Merle C. Ostrum, general manager. WVPO operated continuously for three days, aided by volunteer workers. "We forgot about programming and commercials," Mr. Ostrum told B«T. Though networks and stations continued to keep listeners and viewers apprised of latest developments with respect to all phases of the flood, their emphasis last week shifted toward campaigns for rehabilitation. Throughout the week, NBC-TV covered the flood on its regular news shows, using film shot by camera crews which had been sent by the network to areas where the flood had hit. The coverage included live pickups, remotes and beeper interviews. The disaster was covered over the Aug. 17-18 , weekend by NBC Radio on Monitor, the network's weekend radio service. Listeners were kept posted with frequent cut-ins and remotes on this show as well as other broadcasts during ; the week. The NBC-TV network reported that the National City Bank of New York, sponsor of a THESE baggy eyes belong to W. Joe Isenhower, Early Bird and program director of WMYB Myrtle Beach, S. C, who worked 72 hours with only six hours sleep. Myrtle Beach took Diane in stride, its third hurricane in a year. news show nightly on WRCA-TV New York, had relinquished its commercial time for appeals to be made to help flood victims. The network also sent a group of celebrities including Eddie Fisher, Matt Dennis, Bert Parks and John Reed King to WKNB-TV New Britain, Conn., to stage a telethon Aug. 24-25 on behalf of the victims of the flood. The telethon raised upwards of $147,000. Mutual broadcast news of the flood on all regular newscasts throughout the week and arranged for telephone interviews with eyewitnesses in the striken areas of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Many of its affiliated stations reported they have begun campaigns for funds for flood victims. CBS Radio continued to give reports on latest developments, and on many of its regular newscasts appeals were made for contributions to the American Red Cross. CBS-TV flew news reporters Tom Costigan, Dan Karasik and Syd Byrnes to the ravaged areas, accompanied by camera crews. Film footage and sound commentary were carried on network news shows and also used on special programs presented over the network's WCBSTV New York. These special shows over WCBS-TV were carried on Aug. 19, 20 and 21. Yesterday (Sunday) ABC-TV was to telecast a special hour-long appeal for help for the flood Broadcasting • Telecasting