Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1963)

OUR RESPECTS to Robert Blair Ridder Third generation 'publisher' is electronic journalist Considering the Ridder family penchant for individuality, it was not only logical but quite inevitable that Robert B. Ridder would lead the way in diversification of the publishing family's interests in the broadcast field. Six of his cousins and his brother had picked newspaper careers. Not Bob Ridder. He was attracted by radio and television and it was he who foresaw new growth potential in these highly effective advertising and public senice media. As president of partly Ridder-owned wcco-am-tv Minneapolis-St. Paul and head of the Ridder family's other radioTV interests, including wdsm-am-tv Superior, Wis.-Duluth. Minn., and ksdn Aberdeen. S. D.. Bob Ridder has maintained that quality of complete individuality among the broadcast properties too. Each also is entirely distinct and separate from any of the Ridder family newspaper holdings, an autonomous status he guards zealously. This matter of broadcast autonomy is not quite the problem it might seem to be. he observes, since the managers of the stations actually are reporting to a Ridder who is in no way connected to the family's newspaper operations. In :he case of wcco-am-tv, policy is set by an executive committee which includes Mr. Ridder. Local Image ■ Station individuality naturally follows from the differing characteristics of each market. Mr. Ridder explains, as each outlet participates in local affairs and serves the various needs of its community. Mr. Ridder considers the local station manager to be the key to the success of a station since the manager heads the day-to-day operation and is in tune with his area and its business and civic leaders. .Always "very interested" in local community affairs — an interest which is well established by his personal example— Mr. Ridder has given the station managers full autonomy with respect to editorializing. Color television is the coming thing. Mr. Ridder believes, even though not all programs have to be in color. WDSMtv. an NBC affiliate, is heavy in color while wcco-TV, although a CBS affiliate, does a great deal of local color programing. Mr. Ridder is watching the development of FM closely too. but he does not think FM will ever replace AM radio. Challenge To Grow ■ Robert Blair Ridder was born in New York July 21, '.919. the third generation of the highly successful Ridder newspaper family. His grandfather had been publisher of the city's well-known German language Jail v. the Staats-Zeitung unci Herald. which his father and his two uncles took over in 1915. Bob Ridder's father, Victor F. Ridder. who died just 10 days ago (June 14), shared the responsibility of helping to expand the family's publishing interests in the years following 1915. Bernard H. and Joseph E. Ridder are the brothers of the late Victor Ridder. In the 1920's they acquired the New York Journal of Commerce, Long Island Daily Press and St. Paul PioneerPress and Dispatch. In the 1930"s they added the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald. Aberdeen (S.D.) American-News and Duluth Herald and News Tribune. After World War II they added several California papers: San Jose Mercury-News. Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram. Pasadena Independent Star-News and Garden City News. In 1933 the Ridder family acquired a 50"^ interest in \vtcn MinneapolisSt. Paul. The other half-owner was the Minnesota Tribune Co.. headed by William J. McNally who today is board chairman of the wcco properties. In subsequent years the McNally group merged its newspaper interest with the Cowles family group but continued independently in broadcasting. This evolution also has included a complex series of purchases, sales and joint ventures. In summary7: wcco was acquired from CBS. WTCN was sold and the early channel 4 wtcn-tv became wcco-tv. wcco-am-tv today is licensed to Midwest Radio-Television Inc., which is owned 47^ by Cowles's Minneapolis Mr. Ridder Individualism is his forte Star and Tribune Co. and 53% by MidContinent Radio-Television Inc. MidContinent is owned equally by the Ridder family's Northwest Publications Inc. and the McNally group's Minnesota Tribune Co. The Spark To Speak ■ As a youngster. Bob Ridder was educated in Manhattan at St. Bernard's school. After high school at Portsmouth (R.I.) Priory, he enrolled as a language major at Harvard but had to drop out at the end of his junior year due to a collapsed lung. Mr. Ridder recalls that the field of communication always has been second nature to him. He speaks German well, some French and Russian too. During school years he was parttime reporter and music critic on the Staats-Zeitung. In 1941 Mr. Ridder went to Duluth as promotion manager for the family's paper there and took advantage of an opportunity to do the 10 p.m. news each night for two years on webc Duluth. He also obtained radio experience during his public relations work as a lieutenant (J.G.) for three years in the temporary reserve of the U. S. Coast Guard. After World War II he began expanding the Ridder broadcast interests, and in 1946 wdsm was acquired. He managed wdsm until 1948 when he moved to the Twin Cities. That year kilo Grand Forks. N. D.. was acquired and he built both weve Eveleth. Minn., and ksdn. In 1949 he became president of the then WTCN property, weve was sold in 1949 and kilo in 1962. Hockey Expert ■ A life-long interest in ice skating and hockey, plus his knowledge of Russian, combined to give Mr. Ridder a rare combination of talents as manager of the U. S. Olympic ice hockey teams in 1952 at Oslo. Norway, and in 1956 at Cortina. Italy. He was a member of the 1960 Olympic committee at Squaw Valley. A member of the national board of governors of the American Red Cross. Mr. Ridder accompanied ARC's president. General Alfred M. Gruenther. on a Red Cross mission to Russia and Poland in 1960. On the local scene Mr. Ridder is past chairman of the St. Paul chapter of the Red Cross, director of the Greater St. Paul United Fund and director of St. Paul's Riverview Memorial hospital and the Urban League there. Mr. Ridder married Kathleen Oilman of New York in 1943. Mrs. Ridder. an accomplished figure skater, shares her husband's interests in sports. They live in suburban St. Paul and have four children: Kathleen 19. Robert B. Jr. 15. Peter 10 and Christopher 3. Like other parents they have one family rule — no TV until all homework is done. BROADCASTING, June 24, 1963 117