NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1945)

14 NBC Transmitter EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS MADE FOR NBC’S NEW PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT NEW YORK.— Janies M. Gaines, Philip I. Merryman, William S. Duttera and Harry F. McKeon have been named hy William S. Hedges— NBC vice-president in charge of the newly formed planning and develojnnent department — to positions on his executive staff. On October 1, (jaines left his post as assistant director of the NBC advertising and promotion dejiartment to become manager of the new department; Merryman, director of facilities develojnnent, has been transferred from the stations dejiartment; Duttera was moved over from the engineering dejiartment to become allocations engineer; while McKeon, controller, will serve as financial advisor to the jdanning and develojnnent department. Gaines joined NBC in February of 1942 in the stations department, becoming assistant director of advertising and promotion in January, 1944. Merryman came to the network in 1927, and assumed the director of facilities develojnnent jrost in 1940. Duttera came to NBC’s engineering dejiartment in 1931. Creation of the jdanning and develojrment dej)artment was announced July 20 hy Niles Trammell. j)resident of NBC. Vice-President llerlges was transferred from the stations dej)artment to take charge, hut did not name his key jjersonnel until Sej)temher 13 because he left immediately with other radio executives for a survey of broadcasting in Furoj)e. The j)lanning and (leveloj)ment dej>artment was formed hy NBC to meet changing conditi(Jiis in radio broadcasting and to introduce new services made j)ossihle hy scientific develoj)ments in the field of radio. The various departments and divisions of the network will coordinate their ojrerations with the new dej)artment insofar as the j)lanning and develojnnent of future broadcasting oj)erations are concernc'd. ’I’he ollice location of the newest NBC dejjartrnent at Radio City was not immediately selected. Three key advancements in the NBC advertising and jjromotion dej)artment involving James 11. Nelson, Charles B. 11. Vaill and Charles Philij)s were announced recently by Director Charles Hammond. On October 1, Nelson, former network sales jrromotion manager, became assistant director of the advertising and jjromotion dejjartrnent. He took o\er the jjost vacated hy James M. Caines, who had been named manager of the new jjlanning atid develojjment dejjartrnent. Vaill, WEAF jjromotion manager, assumed the jJost vacated by Nelson. Philijjs, jjromotion manager of KOA, NBC owned and ojjerated station in Denver, came to New York to take the WEAF jjromotion tnanagershijj. Nelson joined NBC in 1942 as assistant jjromotion manager of the national sjjot sales dejjartrnent, and became network sales jjromotion manager in iVlay of 1944. Vaill came to the network as audience pronjotion manager in May of 1944. Philijjs has been connected with KOA for several years and handled jjress as well as Jjromotion assignments. HIGH LIVING NEW YORK. — Antieijjating the strike of the elevator operators in the Empire State Building, two engineers of the NBC television station, WNBT, found their way early Sejjtemher 24 to the 8.5th floor where the station’s transmitter is located. Stranded in the highest jjlace in New York City during the strike, the two engineers gave their version of how the strike affected the building in a tw(j-way interview with Don Goddard over Station WEAF. The NBC engineers, Thomas J. Buzalski and Josejjh J. Lombardi, were jjrejjared to remain in their 8.5th floor oflices for three (jr four days. I'hey had two beds, a stove, an iceb(jx and a hjcker full of food, much of wbich they brought ujj with them before the strike was called. “We hojje,” said Buzalski on the WEAF broadcast “that we will not be stranded here too long because Joe and 1 like peojjle.” Hurricane Coverage Wins Public Praise for WOAI SAN ANTONIO, TEX.-Following the jjeak of the Texas Gulf Coast hurricane, the Texas Highway Patrol teletyjje carried this wire from Colonel Homer Garrison, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety: “HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO BUD THORPE AND HOXIE MUNDINE OE WOAI, RANGER NAYLOR, AND CAPTAIN CONNOR EOR A JOB WELL-DONE.” The freak hurricane, which caused damage estimated between .$20,000,000 and .$30,000,000, was followed along the coast by WOAFs special events director, Bud Thorpe, and Engineer H. M. Mundine, who sjjent four days with little food and sleep. The WOAI crew carried remote equijjinent and a wire recorder, and was allowed the use of Ranger Naylor’s two-way short wave radio. By telejjhone or short wave, WOAI received reports on the storm’s progress and damage. The course of the hurricane, the wind velocity and estimated time of arrival at various points along the Texas coast were broadcast. Since many telephone lines were down, WOAI provided an invaluable service in evacation. When the storm was at its height, Thorjje and Mundine originated a broadcast from Corpus Christi, bringing in Ranger Naylor by slnjrt wave from Arkansas Pass, some 30 miles distant. Highway Patrcjhnen, Red Cross representatives, and others were interviewed. Thus, once again, radio jjroved its jjuhlic service value in an emergency. COVERING THE H II R R I C A N E-Bud Thorpe, If OAI special events director, and Texas Ranger U alter Naylor, aiding in evacuation and coverage of the recent Texas Gulf Coast storm.