Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

RADIO STATIONS HOT ITEM IN SALES MARKET continued rangement which saw WIBC withdraw from its battle to secure the Crosleyoperated WLWI (TV) channel in Indianapolis; WEAU-TV Eau Claire, Wis., bought by the Appleton (Wis.) Post-Crescent for $2.1 million; KFACAM-FM Los Angeles, bought by the Cleveland Broadcasting interests (Ray T. Miller) for $2 million. ■ In the $1-2 million class — KODEAM-TV Joplin, Mo., bought by James S. Gilmore Jr., for $ 1 ,850,000; WDOKAM-FM Cleveland, bought by Transcontinent Television Corp. for $1.4 million; KYA-AM-FM San Francisco, by Golden West Broadcasters (Gene Autry), for $P/4 million; WAPA-TV San Juan, P. R., by Screen Gems Inc. for $1.5 million; WHAM and WHFM (FM) Rochester, N. Y., by Communi cations Industries, for $1.3 million; and a trio of Kansas area stations [KCKT (TV) Great Bend, KGLD (TV) Garden City, and KOMC (TV) McCook, Neb.], by George M. Brown and associates (KARD-TV Wichita), for $1 million. Other major station ownership transfers: KGHL-AM-TV Billings, Mont., bought by Paul Crain and associates, for $745,000, after which KGHL was sold to George Hatch interests for $204,285; KFBB-TV Great Falls, Mont., by Harriscope Broadcasting group for $610,000; KEX Portland Ore., by Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters for $900,000; KTVT (TV) Fort Worth, Tex., by WKY Television System, for $800,000. Three Threes ■ Interestingly, in three cities a trio of stations changed hands during 1962: In Chicago, WGES (now WYNR) was bought by Barton and Gordon McLendon for $2 million; WAIT by Maurice Rosenfield and associates, for $1 million; and WHFC Cicero and WEHS (FM) Chicago by record distributors Louis and Phil Chess for $1 million. In Louisville, WAKY went to Fred Gregg and associates for $1,350,000; WINN to Garvis Kincaid for $500,000' and WKYW to Producers Inc. for $305,300. In Tulsa, KAKC was bought by Public Radio for $575,000; KRMG by the Swanco group for $500,000 and KFMJ by the Oral Roberts organization for $300,000. New Group ■ Through the purchase of four tv stations in 1962 (three in North Dakota), Producers Inc. became a major group owner. A combination of Ferris Traylor and family and the Polaris Co., a diversified investment company, Producers Inc. bought WTVW (TV) Evansville, Ind. (in which Mr. Traylor had an interest), for $514,800; KXGO-TV Fargo for $390000; KCND-TV Pembina for $190,200 and KNOX-TV Grand Forks for $90,279. Pending FCC approval is its latest purchase, that of KXOA Sacramento Calif., for $750,000. New Year Deals ■ These levels are still being maintained in 1963. The following stations have been sold and are awaiting FCC approval: KTTV (TV) Los Angeles, bought by Metromedia for $10 million. WREC-AM-TV Memphis, purchased by Cowles Magazines & Broadcasting, for $8 million. ■ WDBO-AM-FM-TV Orlando, Fla., bought by The Outlet Co. (WJAR-AMTV Providence, R. I.) for $6 million. ■ WREX-TV Rockford, 111., sold to Gannett Co. for $3,420,000. KSYD-TV Wichita Falls, Tex., purchased by Paul Harron and associates for $2,350,000. ■ WMAZ-AM-FM-TV Macon, Ga., bought by WMRC Inc. (owner of WFBC-AM-TV Greenville, S. C, and of WBIR-AM-TV Knoxville, Tenn.) for $2,094,750. ■ KKTV (TV) and KFMH (FM) Colorado Springs, and KGHF Pueblo, both Colorado, bought by Tele-Broadcasters, for $1 million. And already approved by the FCC a short month ago were the transfers of KOAT-TV Albuquerque and KVOATV Tucson to the Steinman Stations group for $3,250,000 and of KCPXAM-FM-TV Salt Lake City, to Screen Gems Inc. from Columbia Pictures for $2,400,000— but Columbia Pictures owns 89% of Screen Gems. These indicate a pretty good start for 1963 in station sales. Oregon governor reports A Report to the People by Oregon Gov. Mark O. Hatfield (R) is being carried bi-weekly on a six-station statewide tv network. The program, which originates in the studios of KOIN-TV Portland, began Monday, Jan. 14, and will continue for the duration of the current state legislative assembly, probably until midspring. The series is similar to one conducted four years ago by Gov. Hatfield's predecessor, Gov. Robert Holmes (D). The opening program dealt with the governor's inauguration and the opening of the legislature. Last Monday's (Feb. 11) program had Gov. Hatfield in an informal conversation with three newsmen. Subsequent shows will deal with items of legislative interest and talks with to people on tv department heads. A request for equal time to present the Democratic-controlled legislature's point of view on the governor's comments was given a qualified reply by C. Howard Lane, managing director of KOIN-TV. Mr. Lane told State Sen. Walter Pearson "if specific programs necessitate, in our judgment, the application of the principle of fairness, we will be glad to make time available to responsible representatives of the legislature so that their viewpoint can be represented." To date, no such rebuttal programs have been presented. Other stations carrying the governor's program are: KVAL-TV Eugene, KCBY (TV) Coos Bay, KPIC (TV) Roseburg, KBES-TV Medford, KOTI (TV) Klamath Falls. 106 (PERSPECTIVE '63) BROADCASTING, February 18, 1963