Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1962)

Ole Miss coverage courageous, complete $400,000 IN REVENUE LOST BY NETWORKS; STATIONS COVER NEWS WELL There were a couple of narrow escapes, but tv and radio came out of last week's "battle" of Oxford, Miss., with few scars and entered a chapter of courageous and thorough coverage in its log of service to the public. It was a two-fold story: the massive programming efforts of the radio and television networks and the equally fine job of individual stations in offering on-the-spot coverage. Tired broadcast newsmen tried to catch some sleep late last week bracing themselves for the next events in the violence-plagued saga of James H. Meredith's enrollment at the U. of Mississippi — the first such act by an apparent Negro. By Wednesday last week it was estimated that tv coverage of the campus rioting and the day-by-day story had cost the networks more than $400,000 in lost ad revenues. News stories were aired from Oxford, Jackson and Memphis in a steady flow; special reports pre-empted scheduled programming almost nightly. Sunday night in Oxford was the worst. Two men lost their lives, including a French correspondent. Lights were shot out during the rioting, and newsmen were unable to reach the improvised news center and telephones set up in the administration building. While the battle raged there, Don Stevens, news director of WMPS-AMFM Memphis, and Harvey Tate, national coordinator of news and public affairs for Plough Inc. stations, fed live reports through the height of the riots from a telephone in the chemistry building. At one point the mob broke in and grabbed up chemicals improvised in missiles hurled at troops. In one of the few reports of destruction to broadcast equipment, the WMPS news vehicle, a 1962 Ford panel truck, was overturned and burned near the campus. The men evacuated their vantage point shortly after they learned that rifle fire had killed two men, one the French newsman. In another instance, Charlie Cadwell, a WMCT (TV) Memphis cameraman, tripped and fell on his camera, breaking a rib. Earlier, he had heard someone yell from the mob, "That's Cadwell from Memphis — leave him alone." Southern newsmen reported little difficulty with the townspeople, and there was but one major report of trouble getting access to news. This was the complaint of a Los Angeles newsman (Al Wiman of KFWB) who objected to not having enough time with Mr. Meredith during a walking taped interview when he was designated as radio pool reporter on Tuesday. However, Steve McCormick of Mutual Broadcasting System said he had no trouble and that authorities were giving full cooperation to newsmen. The tv networks used Jackson and Memphis affiliates for their feeds. Remote equipment at the stations often was turned over to the networks for their own use. In Oxford Itself ■ Within the little college town of Oxford, WSUH, a day Rough going for WMPS truck in Oxford 88 (PROGRAMMING) timer, is the only station other than a wired operation on campus, WBCH. Faced with the possibility of riot at any time, WSUH, which normally follows a "swinging" format, switched to slow, music Monday and dropped all its commercials. Appeals for an end to disorder were delivered in a low key. A strange turn of events occurred in Jackson, where, as in almost the entire Magnolia State, moderate voices were unheard until the middle of last week. According to the New York Herald Tribune's Milton Lewis, a leading Jackson businessman called on Gov. Ross Barnett "to go to Oxford to stop the violence." He was William H. Mounger, president of the Lamar Insurance Co., owner of WLBT (TV) and WJDX, both Jackson. Mr. Mounger spoke for about eight minutes and said "We are part of the United States of America and must obey the laws of the United States of America . . ." At the Networks ■ By Wednesday of last week CBS-TV and NBC-TV said program pre-emptions for unsponsored reports had cost each $175,000. ABCTV's loss was smaller due to a single pre-emption of part of Voice of Firesot ne on Sept. 30 for President Kennedy's tv appeal for a peaceful admission of Mr. Meredith to Ole Miss. His address also was carried by CBS-TV, NBC-TV and all the radio networks. ABC maintained a staff of 22 persons in the Oxford area last week for tv and radio coverage. ABC-TV's first special on the crisis was scheduled for yesterday (Sunday). Editor's Choice (2:30-3 p.m.) was to tell the story through interviews with students and local residents. A second special program was planned for Howard K. Smith's News and Comment program (10:30-11 p.m.), an exploration of the causes of racial conflict in light of the unrest in Mississippi. CBS news coverage in Mississippi was launched Sept. 28 with a report on Eyewitness, followed by seven tv bulletins that weekend. President Kennedy's 10-minute address Sunday night was incorporated in a half-hour special from 10 to 10:30 p.m., pre-empting Candid Camera. Correspondent Charles Collingwood anchored a live broadcast following the President's talk, as well as on another report Monday night (10:30-11 p.m.) which pre-empted Stump The Stars. NBC News mobilized newsmen from New York, Chicago and New Orleans to cover the swift-breaking events, resulting in three NBC-TV specials on Sept. 29-30, numerous bulletins on tv and radio and live reports on NBC BROADCASTING, October 8, 1962