in Fresno. McClatchy owns KMJ -AM -FM and meant WWDB picked up a tab in excess there as well as , the city's of $2,000. only newspaper. Tanks for The price was even cheaper in Cleve- The agreement to sell the NBC affiliate, the memories land when WBBG(AM) there underwrote however, will not completely satisfy the gas at 10 cents a gallon with a free car wash FCC. Norman Goldstein, an FCC at- Radio stations find promotion thrown in. Gas at the filling station had torney, said that although the comparative angle in gas shortage, offering been priced up to 83.9 cents a gallon. The part of the proceeding will be held in cheap or free fuel to listeners promotion cost $3,300 to make 378 abeyance, basic qualification issues con- motorists happy, even though it took them cerning both McClatchy and San Joaquin Radio station promotions, intended to take three hours to work their way through a have been raised and must be resolved. listeners back to the days of moderate long line that snarled Friday afternoon According to Charles McKerns, Mc- prices at the gas pumps, have also taken traffic. Clatchy's Washington attorney, the deci- them back to the long lines of 1974 at fill- The price plunge continued to 11.5 sion to sell was based on the belief that the ing stations. cents a gallon in Baton Rouge, courtesy of hearings could drag on for five or six more There was 26.9 cents a gallon, courtesy WJB0(AM) there. The station's 1150 khz years. He said $13.5 million was "a fair of KPOL(AM) Los Angeles, which checked frequency was tied into the price, the total price" and that McClatchy would be able and found that was the 1964 price of the of 1,150 gallons dispensed by station per- to take advantage of a provision of the IRS gas station across the street. "It was tied sonalities and the start of the giveaway at code that grants tax certificates to compa- into a 'May Day! May Day!- Crisis on Gas 11:50 a.m. Program Director Joe London nies that voluntarily break up newspaper - Prices' promotion with the reduced price said it's cost WJBO around $2,500 and to broadcast crossownership situations. offer to listeners," according to Michael, pacify those who didn't make it through KMJ -TV survived a similar license O'Shea, program director. It cost KPOL the line, there are periodic drawings by challenge in 1976 when the FCC rejected a about $2,700 for 3,339 gallons of gas and WJBO and area 7 -11 stores until June 1 in Justice Department petition to deny. The created a mile -long traffic jam on Sunset which free gas is being awarded. government's petition was one of many it Boulevard. Originally, WBBG had intended to un- filed in 1974 during a fit of antitrust ac- To the suggestion that problems created derwrite gas at 25 cents a gallon on a Tues- tivity (BROADCASTING, OCt. 4, 1976). by such promotions might offset their day. But when it learned that wwwE(AM) San Joaquin is composed of 14 in- value, O'Shea explained KPOL had Cleveland was set to promote its 1100 khz dividuals, most of them in business, farm- carefully analyzed the possibility of such frequency with an 11- cents -a- gallon offer- ing and ranching. R.W. Millard is presi- complications, computed lane traffic and ing on the preceding Saturday, WBBG dent; Carolyn Peck is vice president. retained former traffic policemen to han- switched to 10 cents and a Friday pumping McClatchy is principally owned by dle the flow of cars and other potential date. Eleanor McClatchy, who has transfered problems. WWWE called off its promotion and, in- her control, subject to FCC approval, to The next step downward in broadcast- stead, held drawings every half hour on her nephew, Charles, and other family ing's war on inflated gas price was in Phila- weekdays for two weeks in which cards members (BROADCASTING, Nov. 27, delphia where 24.9 cents -a- gallon buys from listeners were drawn and a full tank 1978). In addition to its Fresno interests, were subsidized by WWDB(FM) there dur- of gas awarded free. WwwE's Paul Aaron McClatchy owns KBEE -AM -FM Modesto ing a two -hour period. The price selected said his station capitalized on the rival's and KFBK(AM)- KAER(FM) -KOVR(TV) Sacra- was a rollback to gas costs of the 1950's efforts by "giving away gas with no waiting mento, both California, and KOH(AM) Reno, Nev., and publishes two other California newspapers, the Modesto Bee and .

WLS -TV eavesdropping suit goes to discovery stage

A federal judge has sustained two counts of a $2- million eavesdropping suit filed by four employes of WLS -TV Chicago against the station, its parent company, ABC, and former general manager, Phil Boyer (BROAD.CASTING. Aug. 7, 1978). Judge John Grady directed all parties to proceed with discovery (making informa- tion pertinent to the case available to at- torneys). The judge dismissed two other counts in the suit, and denied an ABC re- quest to remand the case to state court. FINALLY! An experienced Media Broker with a proven success record The plaintiffs -Frank Bianco, John is now available to CATV owners. Harkins, John Kochan and Gordon Preuss, all former directors at WLS -TV- charged the station had violated their pri- vacy by taping, without their knowledge, directions and responses given over station intercom systems during news broadcasts. ABC insisted, however, that private con- GTED SEM983 versations were not recorded and that no attempt was made to conceal the taping. GOoH The plaintiffs also seek actual and punitive P.O. Box 42401. Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 damages, claiming their freedom of Phone (513) 791.8730 speech was infringed upon and their THE EXPERIENCED ALTERNATIVE! careers seriously sidetracked, if not ruined.