This dissertation has been 63-39 microfilmed exactly as received

BUELL, Stephen David, 1910— THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF WSAZ-TV, CHANNEL 3, HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1962 Speech-Theater

University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan COPYRIGHT

BY

STEPHEN DAVID BUELL

1963 THE HISTORY AMD DEVELOPMENT OP WSAZ-TV

CHANNEL 3, HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA

DISSERTATION

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University

Stephen David Buell, B. S., M. S

x x -x x x -x

The Ohio State University 1962

Approved by

Adviser Department of Speech PREFACE

This dissertation will cover the history and development of

WSAZ-TV, Channel 3, Huntington, West Virginia, from its first broadcast in 19^9 to the end of i9 6 0. Some of the data to be found in this work cannot be found elsewhere. While WSAZ-TV is not typical of the average station in the United States, its experiences are typical of other stations.

Oils is a changing civilization, changing from the ox-cart era, through the railrood-autamobile-jet plane era to an age of space travel.

Bae change is so rapid that man is hard pressed to keep up with it.

The last decade, for instance, has seen the astonishing development and improvement of the electronic device. These devices are altering the normal life of man at a pace never before known in the history of civilization. As recent as five years ago, most educated men would have thought it the mad ravings of a lunatic scientist to be told that man would soon be traveling in space at the rate of once around the earth in eighty-eight minutes in a satellite space-ship. Yet the

Russian, Gherman Titov,'*' did just that for more than twenty-four hours.

Electronic devices were an important pent of that flight. It was about five years ago that the newspapers began articles on the Geophysical year, during which time objects were to be thrown into the air by rock­ ets at such speeds that they would go into orbit and stay there for long periods of time. Then, men laughed at the idea; today few question

News item in The Coffeyville Dally Journal, August 7, 19&1.

ii iii the prediction that man will reach the moon during the current i960

decade or early in the 1970’s. An article on such a trip sets the

cost to place teams of cosmonauts, with materials to live there and materials to build rockets to return to earth. This estimate given by

experts at General Electric is $7-9 billions at present prices, and a

further prediction is that the moon colony station can be maintained

for only $920,6 0 0 ,0 0 0 each year.^

The field of electronics is many-sided, while the above para­

graph shows some of its scope, the part which has made considerable

change in our way of life may be observed in the area of telecasting.

We are concerned only with the materials sent from a television station

to the American heme by way of the electronic device. This paper will

deal with the telecasting by one station WSAZ-TV, Channel 3, Huntington,

West Virginia. It will enccspass the history and development of this

station and its Impact on a small segment of the United States.

This topic was chosen because the writer has had close and

friendly association with the station since September 1955, while serv­

ing as Director of Educational Radio and Television at Marshall Uni­

versity in Huntington. The writer further feels he is uniquely

qualified to write such a history because he has had unusual oppor­

tunities to become familiar with different phases of the operation of

WSAZ-TV on a personal basis a& an employee of the station during the

summers of 1956, 1957* and 1953* During these summers of work the

author was given complete freedom of movement about the station and

2 "On to the Moon," Time, UCVIII, No. 5> August 4, 1961, p. 62. iv all fellow employees were generous in explaining their duties.

This subject should be of interest because of the rare oppor­ tunities of WSAZ-TV to expand in a market free of competition. The station was the last one in the nation to be granted a construction permit before the television freeze by the Federal Communication

Commission on September 28, 19^8. It was unique in that it was the only station in as small a market as Huntington as early as 19^9*

It, also, was the only station in West Virginia. Its nearest com­ petitors in Ohio were located in Columbus and Cincinnati. The nearest station in Kentucky was in Lexington. Thus, because of its location in West Virginia, and the nearness to Ohio and Kentucky, it has been called the Tri-State Station.

The size of the market, the freedom from competition, and the steps taken by management to expand the market and increase availability of sets should be of interest to any other group proposing to start a television station in as small a market elsewhere. Questions arise

Immediately: How did the station create enough listener appeal to persuade the public to buy television sets? How does a station pro­ gram to fill the day in a limited market? How did a new station obtain sponsors in its early(days? How could a small station, isolated far from the large cities, make use of network programs? How can a station located in a small market increase the size of the narket to compete with stations in large markets for national spot sales? The solution of these problems and many others should be of Interest to other stations, proposed or established.

Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr., fanner President and General Manager V of WSAZ stated: "In our early days there vas no guide or precedent to help in making decisions to further the interests of the station. Ve had to depend entirely on our own Judgment.

Ho other historical research has been done an WSAZ-TV; hence this work will serve to present the special problems in growth en­ countered by this station in growing "from modest transmitter-studio facilities on Eight Street Hill to its present $500,000 plant at

Hinth Street and Second Avenue." From this modest beginning the station grew until the Goodwill Stations paid more than $6,000,000 to acquire full ownership.

This topic is important because telecasting has changed the hab­ its of millions of Americans and influenced the economy of other media of comnunl cations. This station, being first in the state, was in a posi­ tion to initiate some of the many changes which television has made in the United States. The buying customs of the public have been changed as commercial advertisements shortened the Interval between the inventor and the purchase of his new creation. The sale of products have been greatly stimulated by the viewer seeing them advertised on television.

This led to a greatly expanded economy in this nation; business and manufacturing boomed in a manner never experienced before. Proof of the influence of telecasting is aptly demonstrated by the "Buy How"

campaign launched by the advertising agencies to aid automobile manu-

L. H. Rogers, Jr., Statement In Interview, September 1959- k Custer Holliday, "WSAZ-TV Marks Tenth Tear; Oldest in State," The Herald Advertiser (Huntington), Hcrvember 1 5, 1951, p. 14. vi facturers when the economic slung) of 1 9 5 8 backed up the stockpiles of new cars. The canpalgn, mostly over television, cleaned out the back­ log and aided economic recovery.

So enticing are television programs today that the national average for viewing is five hours and fifty-five minutes per home each day.** This altering of family habit has kept individuals at home in­ stead of going to church on Sunday evening, but of more immediate interest to industry economically, television has kept them from attending the movie theatres. Millions of former theatre-goers have stayed at home, causing great loss of revenue for the movie industry.

Theatres continue to go out of business. Only three downtown theatres and two or three drive-in theatres remain in the Huntington area.

From the above statements it may be seen that television has already had tremendous Influence in the coaaamlty. How this has re­ acted on Huntington and the Tri-State area is of Importance.

The subject will be limited to WSAZ-TV with little, if any, comparison to WHTH-TV, Channel 13, Huntington, West Virginia, or to

WCHS-TV, Channel 8, Charleston, West Virginia. The latter stations

cover about the same area, limited by the highness of frequency as well as by terrain.

The material for this dissertation has been obtained mainly

from the personnel of WSAZ-TV. Some has been obtained from the files

? • "TV viewing per home per day," Broadcasting Yearbook, i9 6 0 , p. F-78, of the station which were not complete when the investigation was begun and were farther greatly depleted by the discarding of materials by employees. Two large folders of network correspondence used by the author, some of which were saved by notes and some by duplication, were destroyed by a clean-up spree of station employees. Other in­ formation, such as program listings for the early years was obtained from the local newspaper files as the station retained program logs only for the three years required by the Federal Communication Com­ mission. Program ratings have been obtained from rating services subscribed to by the station, although many of the years' ratings were discarded. Additional information was obtained by recording interviews with station personnel, among whom were T.C. Garten, vice- president and general manager; Jack Williams, promotion and merchandis­ ing head; John Clay, chief engineer; David Bond, film director; Fritz

Lightner, production manager; Mickey Roth, program director; Leda

Lewis, secretary and continuity writer; Lew Click, controller. The

Marshall University library has been used for specific information on other research in this field and for magazine articles used as il­ lustrations.

This dissertation will cover many phases of the station's operation. Chapter I will deal with the history and background of

WSAZ-Radio with same brief history of WSAZ-TV. Chapter II is con­ cerned with network relations, a n d with the station's influence on the FCC and its relations to the FCC. The files from 19^9 to 1953 were scant, but information has been obtained from Mr. Rogers, former viii president; and general manager; and Tom Garten, vice-president and

general manager. Chapter III will show the growth in finances. A

table will show major income and expenses for eleven years. ThiB

information as well as statistics on personnel came from Lew Click,

controller. Chapter IV is in the area of the market. Information

for this has been gathered from Jack Williams, head of promotion and

merchandising and from the Broadcasting Yearbook. This chapter is

also concerned with the expansion of the market area. Chapter V

covers the programming of the station through the use of live pro­

gramming and its decline; film and network programs. Chapter VI dis­

cusses personnel, the number of workers, their pay ranges, and the

turnover of personnel. Chapter VII deals with the heart of commercial

television: sales. Here will be found information and data on time

buyers, local buyers, national spot and revenues. Chapter VIII will

expand on facilities, the equipment used, when major items were ac­

quired, and when outmoded equipment was replaced. Chapter IX will

cover the limited information available on ratings; and finally,

chapter X will give the summary and conclusions.

This study proposes to show how one station in a small, market

grew and developed into a very profitable organisation: Hew it ex­

panded its market by location and height of tower and by use of newer,

more refined, equipment.

This dissertation will present information of importance to

the field of broadcasting because it is of value to the entire field

of broadcasting to garner every bit of experience witnessed by any ix part of the camminication area. Seldom will all. experience the same

set of circumstances and certainly not 1 will have them at the same

time. Thus the solution of one station's problems will serve as a

guide to those who follow.

Hew material is being presented because the station has been

most co-operative in revealing financial figures not readily avail­

able from most stations. Salary ranges for specific Individuals

have been exposed to show a more comprehensive picture of television .

station paying policies.

To the writer's knowledge these two areas alone are not covered

specifically by any other source. Since the area of how much a man

earns is often a sensitive subject, it is usually Impossible to get

comparative figures on salaries. Information contained in this dis­

sertation should provide a spring board for comparison with other

stations.

The author wishes to acknowledge special appreciation to Dr.

Harrison B. Summers, his adviser, for continual, encouragement in pre­

paring this work. He would like to thank Dr. Donald Riley for his

patience in reading and correcting the dissertation. Further special

acknowledgment of gratitude must be given to Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr.,

former president and general manager, and C. T. Garten, vice-president

and general manager of WSAZ, Inc. This work would not have been

possible without their active assistance in providing information

through personal interview and correspondence. X

Others contributing hours of time to look up details were Lew

Click, controller; Robert White, sales manager; Mrs. Leda Lewis,

assistant production director; Jack Williams, director of promotion;

John Clay, chief engineer and David Bond, film director. The

author is indebted to William Kelley, Mrs. Virginia Lee Owens, Mrs.

Lucille Seese, Mrs. Evelyn Brandenburg, Harold Black, John B. Davis,

Howard Mays, Earl May, John KLlloran, William Kinnaird, George Par-

nicza, Daisy Lucas, Shawkey Saba, Benny Schaeffer, and George Woody,

all members on the WSAZ, Inc. staff. CONTENTS

CHAPTER PACK

I. HISTORY OF WSAZ ...... 1

II. WSAZ-TV RELATIONS WITHTHE FEDERAL COMMUNICATION

COMMISSION AHD WITH THE REWORK ...... 10

Federal CcnmunicatianCcnmlBslan Relations .... 10

Network Relations...... 22

IH. FINANCE ...... 3^

IV. THE M A R K E T ...... 56

V. PROGRAMMING...... 67

VI. PERSONNEL ...... 91

VII. SALES ...... 101

VIII. FACILITIES...... 120

IX. PROMOTION AHD RATING ...... 151

X. CONCLUSION...... 181

B3BLIOC21APHY ...... 187

AUTOBIOGRAPHY...... 191

xi TABLES

TABLE PACK

1. WSAZ-TV Revenue...... 39

2. WSAZ-TV Expense ...... 1(0

3. Taxes far WSAZ, Radio-Television...... hj

If. Sunmary of S a t e s ...... If9

5- Payroll Information, Radio-Television...... 5k

6 . WSA2l-TV Finance Compared to Typical TV Station .... 55

7- Market Information for WS A Z - T V ...... 60

8. WSAZ-TV Set Count...... 63

9* Other WSAZ-TV Set Counts ...... 6h

10. Cross Section of Total Program Hours ...... 71

11. Annual Report of Film Use ...... 82

12. Saturday Right Jamboree— Costs per half hour show . . . 83

13. Film Costs ...... 8 6 llf. Film Department Expenses, May, 1 9 5 6 ...... 87

15- 1957 Film Contract Condensation for Mr. Rogers .... 90

16. Employment Fi g u r e s ...... -.. 92

17. Humber of Enployees leaving WSAZ, 19^9-1960 ...... 93

18. Salary Scales...... 9 8

19. September I9U9, Equipment Purchase, RCA #P-83,Q28-C . . 122

20. May 1950, Microwave Relay System, Television Associates 127

21. July 1952, Equipment Purchase, RCA £BCD-22lf38-A .... 129

22. July 1952, Equipment Purchase, RCA jffBCD-23838-B .... 132

xii xiii

TABLE PAGE

23. April 1953, Equipment for New Building, RCA#BCD-30538-B 133

2k, 1955* Color Equipment, RCA#BCD-42238-A 135

2 5. 1956, Equipment for Charleston Studio ...... 1^5

26. Equipment not Contracted...... 1^8

27. November ll*-l8,195 5, WSAZ-TV Live Sh o w s ...... 163

28. November 15-21,1956 , WSAZ-TV Live Shows ...... 166

2 9. February 8-lU, 1 9 5 7, WSAZ-TV Live Shows...... 168

30. November 12-18, 1 958, WSAZ-TV Live S h o w s ...... 170

31. November 8-14, 1959, WSAZ-TV Live Shows...... 172

32. November 10-16,i 9 6 0, WSAZ-TV Live S h o w s ... I7U

33* Station Share of Sets In Use Summary ...... 178 EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT PAGE

1. Profit and Loss Statement Breakdown...... 1*3

2. Counties Claimed by WSAZ-TV, 1952 ...... 58

3. Counties Claimed by WSAZ-TV, 195? ...... 59

4. One Day's Program-Frlday, November 25, 19 ? ? ...... 72

5. Live Shows on WSAZ-TV...... 77

6 . Filmed Shows used on WSAZ-TV ...... 00

7* 19?? Sumaary of Film Contents...... 8 8

8 . 19?9 Rgyloyoe Roster ...... 9?

9* 19?3 Network Programs and Sponsors ...... 105

10. 1953 U v e and Film Programs and Sponsors...... 109

11. Programs Sponsored by Local Business ...... 110

12. National Business Handled Locally...... 113

13* National Spot Advertisers on WSAZ-TV ...... 115 lA. September 1 9 6 1 ...... 157

15« September 1 9 6 1 Report on Promotion-Merchandising

Services to the Owners, Goodwill, Inc...... l6 l

16. Ranking of Top Programs In the Huntington-Charleston

a r e a ...... 1 7 6

xlv CHAPTER X

HISTORY OF WSAZ

Glenn Chase, who lived in Pomeroy, Ohio, began experimental radio work In 1923* His finances were extremely United in those early days and by 1926 he realized his market was too small. Thus he packed his equipment and came to Huntington, West Virginia. He brought with him his license to broadcast and his call letters,

WSAZ. These unusual letters were selected because he said it would be the Worst Station from A to Z.

Mr. Chase accepted a job as radio service manager for W. C.

McKellar, the owner of one of the first radio equipment shops in

Huntington. In the McKellar shop, WSAZ equipment was set up in the front window to attract attention while broadcasting. Chase broadcast Huntington's first radio program, using old phonograph records.

The aerial was located on top of the Professional Building on

Fourth Avenue by 1927, the station having been purchased by the

Huntington Publishing Company. The station operated a four-hour schedule dally except Sundays. The Halted States Department of

Commerce assigned WSAZ the 1230 kilocycles frequency with one hundred watts transmission power. Each one of the hours had a sponsor and these four, Minter Homes Corporation, Kenny Music

Company, Graves-Thomton Hardware Company, and Tjunb and Love

Electric Company, were loyal advertisers for many years. The

1 cost to the sponsors was four dollars per hour, a total of twenty-four dollars a week each.

These were the days when a loud voice often put the station off the air. On one occasion the announcer told the sportscaster, Carl

"Duke" Ridgley, to talk about sports until he returned from an errand.

Ridgley talked for two and a half hours. Talent in those early years was anyone who could talk, sing, or play an instrument, in fact, any­ one willing to try his hand at entertainment was put on. Among the early local talent will be found the names of such well-known Hunting­ ton residents as Fred Burns and Katherine Bliss Enslov of the edi­ torial staff of the Huntington Publishing Company, and Mrs. Walker

Long, daughter-in-law of Colonel J. H. Long, President of the

Huntington Publishing Company, which later owned WSAZ.'*'

WSAZ was destined to move many times and the second move came in 1928, when the station left McKellar's window for the eleventh floor of the Prichard Hotel. During 1931 a third move occurred as two new studios, a control room, and several administrative offices were occupied on the third floor of the Keith-Albee theatre building.

A new large antenna was built on a plateau above Gimlet Hollow, out­ side the city limits. The fourth move came in 19^6 as the station moved to 912^ Third Avenue and moved their antenna to West 28th

Street. FCC authorized a power of 5000 watts. The last move was made

■k’WSAZ Began on 'Shoestring' in Pomeroy, Ohio." The Herald.- Advertiser, August 23> 1953* P« 1« August 23f 1953, to a completely renovated building at 201 Hinth

Street. The radio was joined, at last, to the television operation under the sane roof. Radio had two sound proof studios, two control rooms, a music room and recording space In the music room.

From 19>»0 to 19^3* WSAZ operated as a CBS bonus station.

Their signal was fed by WCHS In Charleston, Vest Virginia. These four years found WSAZ a member of a four station West Virginia net­ work. The network Included WSAZ, Huntington; WCHS, Charleston;

WEAR, Parkersburg; and WBUC, Clarksburg. The latter three stations 1 were owned, In part, and operated by John A. Kennedy, editor and publisher of the San Diego Journal, San Diego, California. He ac­ quired an Interest in WSAZ In 1939; the majority of stock being owned by the Huntington Publishing Company, which acquired a controlling

Interest In 1927, a year before the station's second move. The station became an ABC affiliate in 19^5. However, in 19^9, Colonel

J. H. Long succeeded John A. Kennedy as president of WSAZ, and t Marshall Rosene became the station manager In the place of Howard L.

Chamoff. Lawrence "Bud" H. Rogers, Jr. became general manager an

August 1, 1931* He had served since 1 9 ^ 8 as promotion manager and 2 radio-station manager.

WSAZ-TV's history is much shorter but filled with more change and excitement than the radio station. A decision to build a tele­ vision station was reached by the Board in early 19)16 and application

2 Ibid. was made to FCC. There was great haste to complete the application as rumors of an FCC freeze were flying about. Hie construction per­ mit was granted September 28, 1S&8, two days before the October 1st freeze. WSAZ-TV was the last station In the United States to be granted a permit before the freeze. It was necessary to ask for an extension of time for construction as many problems came to complicate the new endeavor. The Federal Comnunlcation Commission had already given a show-cause order demanding that the organization turn In the construction permit through lack of "due diligence." Rogers and

Leroy Kilpatrick, chief engineer, supplied the evidence of due ll diligence and an extension of time was granted for construction.

A letter dated July 23, 19^9, from John A. Kennedy, editor and publisher of the San Diego Journal, and owner of 1*8 percent of WSAZ, raised many questions concerning the practical aspects of venturing into television. He was doubtful of the advisability of entering the television field with no personnel trained In the Industry to

guide them because so much money must be invested before any returns may be expected. Furthermore, he felt that the Huntington market was too small to support a television station. Also, telecasting was store complicated than radio and there could be all kinds of

Federal. Communications Commission, Docket no. 9262, File no.: BMP CT-45^* k Letter to author from Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr., vice-president of Taft Broadcast Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, August 8 , 1 9 6 1 . mistakes when the programs were put on the air.'*

The questions and objections raised In Kennedy's letter were brought up to prevent the building of the television station, since he also owned WCHS radio, Charleston, Vest Virginia, and wished a channel of his own for the other market. He feared the Federal

Coomunications Commission would not allow It because of his 1(8 per­ cent Interest In WSAZ. This attitude was revealed In a letter from

Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr. to the author. He reported that the station was built over the objections of Mr. Kennedy, by the support of two men In their eighties, Colonel Long and Dave Gideon, co-owners of the Huntington Publishing Company. The Hupco Board voted to proceed with the construction of the station.

Construction was completed and equipment Installed. Their test pattern of WSAZ-TV, Channel 5, was aired on October It, 19^9.

Dils took place In the first studio, a building fifty feet by fifty feet located at the transmitter site on Eighth Street Hill. The cost of the building was about $20,000. Test programs of kine­

scope films of "Kukla, Fran, and 03.11 e" and "Godfrey and Friends" were run from the transmitter studio at first. On October 19, 19^9, an endless loop of film was transmitted for the benefit of four­ teen set distributors and a few Individual set owners. Regular

^Letter from John A. Kennedy, Editor and Publisher, San Diego Journal to Walker Long, Huntington Publishing Ccnpany, July 23, 19^9* programming did not begin until October 2k, 19^9 with an NBC kine­ scope film of "Stop the Music" sponsored by the R. H. Kyle Company of Charleston. The station ran film from 1:30 to 2:30 and 3:30 to

4:30 dally except Sundays. Studios were Immediately available on the ■ top floor of the Vest Virginia Building and were occupied by Nov­ ember 8, I9U9. The 310-foot tower on Eighth Street Hill was capped by a 50-foot bat-ving antenna from a 5 kilowatt transmitter. By

November 15, 19^9, programs originated from the new facilities on the lllth floor of the Vest Virginia Building.

When It was realized that network programs were needed to build a large market, as TV set sales were lagging, WSAZ initiated a request for private microwave facilities to pick up network shows.

In July 1950, FCC granted permission to construct a microwave relay system to Cincinnati. One relay station was located at South Ports­ mouth, Kentucky, a second at Macon, Ohio, and a third at Grassy Knob,

Ohio. This permitted the feeding of live network programs from Cin­ cinnati (Ohio) stations: VLV-TV (NBC), VKRC-TV (CBS), and VCPO-TV

(Dumont and ABC). However, station personnel often forgot to make the connections. Then it became necessary to Initiate a microwave relay system from AT&T's coaxial cable in Columbus, Ohio. By Sept­ ember 3 , 19^2 , this system costing $110,0 0 0 .0 0 was put In use, and the Cincinnati system was abandoned. Now relay points were located

In South Portsmouth, Kentucky; GhlUcothe, Chio; and the top of the

Loveque-Idncoln Building In Columbus, Chio. Live network programs came with fewer interruptions, and other improvement programs were launched.

John A. Kennedy sold his interest, March 1952, to the Hunt­ ington Publishing Company and Mrs. Eugene Katz.

Cta April 22, 1952, President Rogers announced that WSAZ had applied to FCC for the world's largest, most powerful transmitter.

In July 1952, FCC granted a boost in power from 16.8 to kilowatts at a cost of $300,000. The grant also permitted a change from Channel

5 to Channel 3- Hits change of channels was the result of much work on the part of Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr., vice-presidents Thomas Garten and Leroy Kilpatrick.^

Still another big leap forward was begun with an application,

March 12, 1953* to FCC for permission to build a new tower on Baker's

Ridge. The new tower was to be 1000 feet higi topped by an antenna

which added another 102 feet. This was to be for a short time the

world's tallest tower. The new tower cost $200,000. FCC granted

permission to construct the tower. All of these improvements swelled

the original investment of about $2 5 0 ,0 0 0 to more than $1 ,2 5 0,0 0 0 .^

Added to that investment came another $500,000, the cost of

. renovating the present home which houses both radio and television

^Ccnments of Station WSAZ-TV regarding switch of Channel 5 to Channel 3 made to FCC, May 1951. 7 Rogers letter, og. clt. studios and second, floor offices with a third, floor storage, work­ shop area. This was cdepleted ««d an open house held for television and newspaper dignitaries from all over the United States. This occurred August 23, 1953* A profit sharing trust fund was set up for the benefit of all full-time employees of three years duration or longer. Some employees built up a fund In excess of $10,000 by

1961.®

In 1956, WSAZ opened Charleston, West Virginia, studios and bought WKAZ radio. Their building and facilities were greatly im­ proved In 195 6 and 1 957, until full productions could be televised from the Charleston studios to Huntington by microwave relay. Two- city news shows slmlliar to the NBC Huntley-Brinkley news show were organized, before the NBC show, and have become common place In the broadcast schedule. The station produced spectacular promotion de- o vices to attract Charleston viewers.

Colonel Lang died December 28, 195 8, resulting In a shift

In stock control. A reorganization of the Board of Directors took place In August 1959, and the president resigned In December, be­ coming vice president in charge of operations for the Taft station.

William D. Burke, heir of Dave Gideon's shares of the

Huntington Publishing Company, and Mrs. HI 1 da Lang assumed the con-

7 The Herald-Advert!ser, op. cit., p. 3» 8 Rogers letter, qp. cit. trolling interest of both the Publishing Company and WSAZ Company.

The publishing company bought the Walker Long interests and sold

WSAZ-TV and Radio to the Goodwill Broadcasting Company in February,

1 9 6 1. They assumed control, after the sale was approved by FCC on

June 1, 1 9 6 1. The sale price was quoted in Broadcast Magazine at six million dollars for both WSAZ-TV and AM.'1'0

This, briefly, is some of the history of WSAZ, Radio and Tele­ vision. There undoubtedly could have been many other interesting events recorded but the early personnel have moved on to other jobs or have died in the nearly forty years of the station's existence.

Broadcast Magazine, WJR Buys WSAZ, Vol. 60, no. 6, p. 51* CHAPTER II

WSA'V-TV RELATIONS WITH THE FEDERAL COMttJNICATICN

CQMMTSSICW AND WITH THE NETWORK

Federal Communication Ccmnlsslon Relations

WSAZ started application for a construction permit for tele­ vision facilities under the handicap of a major difference of opinion by members of the Board, stimulated by objections of l»8jt stock holder, John A. Kennedy. The road ahead was also a rough one as FCC Instituted a "freeze" an further permits for channels on September 30, I9W . Newspaper articles quoted In chapter one on the history of the station stated the construction permit was issued on September 28, 19^8, two days before the "freeze." How­ ever, in a letter to FCC, Leonard H. Marks of Cohen and Marks,

Washington Attorneys, the permit date was said to be July 29, 19^8

This letter was written on behalf of WSAZ-TV. The manage­ ment became concerned with the possible changes the Commission might make in television requirements following their deliber­ ations during the freeze. The attorney Indicated that the station was anxious and eager to complete its construction and begin public service to the Huntington area but wished a declara­ tory ruling to resolve their dllenma to proceed or to hold up.

The Ccmnrt sslan's order of September 30th hinted there would be changes In the technical phases of television allocations. The

1 Leonard H. Marks, Washington Attorney, letter to FCC, November 8, 19^3.

10 11 problems which confronted the applicants were many fold. Firstly, upon completion of the station or even before completion they might be given a channel in the "high band” instead of Channel 5 in the

"low band." This would compel the organization to make extensive modifications. Secondly, the Commissian might require a reduction in power or a reduction in antenna height on Channel 5 or another channel. Or, if a directional antenna was required of the per­ mittee, not only would the changed antenna increase the costs, but, a new site would be needed for such an antenna. Thirdly, should the Commission force the applicant to move to UHF instead of con­ tinuing on VHF, very extensive changes would be necessary in the internal technical equipment; more power would be required, and a taller antenna would be needed to provide approximately the same coverage as proposed in the application. The station requested an extension of construction time to allow FCC to complete its soul searching, before spending money for one form of telecasting only o to have the requirements changed.

The results were unfavorable. FCC issued a show-cause order demanding that the construction permit be turned in because of a lack of "due dilligence" on March 23, 19^9-^

This action called forth great efforts on the part of the management to show that "due dilligence" had been observed in its efforts to complete its construction. Other long series of cam-

- Ibid., p. 2. 3 Rogers, qp. clt., August 8, 1961. 12 ments were prepared to show the steps taken to complete the station.

The issues for a proposed hearing before an examiner on June 27, 19^9, at Washington, D. C., were as follows:

(a)To determine whether W8AZ, Inc;, has been diligent in proceeding with the construction of the television station at Huntington, West Virginia, as authorized by the construction permit granted July 29, 1 9 W (File No. BPCT-^77) • (b)To determine whether it would be in the public interest, con­ venience and necessity to grant the application of WSAZ, Inc. (File No. BMPCT-^5^) for additional time in which to construct the TV broadcast station at Huntington, West Virginia, as, authorized by the Commission on July 2 9, 19^9 (BPCT-^77)•

In support of arguments that WSAZ, Inc. had been diligent the management^gave seven specific steps taken to complete the installation of television equipment.

(a)On August 2, 19^8 - 4 days following the grant of its con­ struction permit - WSAZ, Inc. received from RCA Manufacturing Company quotations of the equipment necessary for the con­ struction, a proposal with regard to the type of equipment to be supplied and detailed engineering data in support thereof. (b)On August 13, 19^9 - 1£ days after the construction permit was granted - similar proposals and quotations were obtained by Petitioner from the General Electric Con®any for the proposed television facilities. (c)On August 16, 1949 -.18 days after the construction permit was granted - similar proposals and quotations were obtained by Petitioner from Allen B. Dumont Laboratories, Inc. for the proposed television facilities. (d)On September 7 to 15th, 19^8, Lawrence Rogers, proposed manager of WSAZ-TV, visited the manufacturing establishments of RCA and Dumont to inspect the television equipment for which quotations and proposals had been received and returned to Huntington to confer with the directors of WSAZ, Inc. with regard to the information which he had received on this in­ spection trip. (e)On September 13 and lUth, 19^9, Leroy Kilpatrick, chief engineer of WSAZ, attended a television lighting conference sponsored by General Electric Con®any at Nela Park, Cleve-

^Petition to Reconsider Grant. Docket No. 9262, File No. BMPCT - U5I4-. June 3, 19^9* P* !• land, Ohio, at which time sessions were held on lighting and technical, problems involved in the operation of a television station. (f)On September 29, 19^8, RCA submitted to Petitioner a plan for television studios and necessary studio equipment to supplement its previous proposal with respect to trans­ mitting facilities. (g)On December 1, 1948, Petitioner received from the Raytheon Manufacturing Company proposals and a bid on television equipment manufactured by that company.5

Continuing arguments, the Petitioner stated that on September 30,

19^8, the FCC had instituted a "freeze" on the granting of add­ itional facilities to make a detailed study of the allocation problem of channels in the VHF band. Since WSAZ-TV had been allocated

Channel 5 ancL it was possible the FCC study could cause a change, even to a UHF channel, the station had asked on November 8, 19^8, for a declaratory ruling of the FCC to resolve their dilemma. This was not answered until January 7, 19^9, and the reply stated "that television permittees are required to comply diligently with the terms of their construction permits and that the present uncertainty regarding television allocation was not to delay the construction of facilities.With this new ruling, the management sent Leroy Kil­ patrick, chief engineer of Station WSAZ, on January 17, 19^9, to the RCA Television Clinic for a week to learn techniques for tele­ vision operation. Then, on February 3> 19^9> because the permit was due to expire, an application was filed requesting additional time within which to complete construction. Docket No. 9262 was

to aid in a hearing on the request for extension of construction time. The petitioner contended that It should not be penalized for filing a request for a declaratory ruling and ascertaining the FCC's

attitude during the uncertain period caused by the "freeze" order.

In fact, at a press conference on September 30, 1948, Chairman Coy

stated: "The ccmmissian recognized the problem which the permittees

face as a result of the freeze order and the commission will give

sympathetic consideration to these Issues during this period of un­

certainty.

In addition to the steps taken to show good faith, WSAZ had

purchased the site for its antenna and transmitter. It had signed

a contract with RCA for $157,815.81 for equipment. It had received

quotations for a 254 - foot tower to support a 3 - bay RCA TV plus

6 - bay Collins FM antenna, also for the construction of a combi­

nation studio-transmitter building. It had, furthermore, made an

agreement with the Cabell County Recreation Commission to telecast

all events in the "Field House" Just being completed for basket­

ball games and other sporting events. This agreement was to run

for ten years, with the station mnicing annual payments for the

television rights. Other steps made included a request to the

Chesapeake and Ohio Telephone Company for microwave relay con­

nections between Cincinnati, Ohio and Huntington, West Virginia,

to bring network programs to the Huntington area. Discussions 15 had been held with the Katz Agency, New York, New York, about rate 0 cards and arrangements for national business. Refusing to grant an extension of time would deprive Huntington, West Virginia (pop- ✓ ulation of 78,000 - I9U0 census), of television facilities for a year or more argued the petitioner still further. Also other stations had been granted an extension of time for construction, and some more than one extension. The petitioner therefore re­ quested:

(1) That the Commission reconsider its action of March 23, I9U9, designating for hearing petitioner's application for add­ itional time; (2) that such extension be granted for an additional period of six months by which time petitioner hopes to be able to commence regular television p r o g r a m s . S'

On June 1 5, 1<&9> FCC ordered that the petition for reconsider­ ation was granted and WSAZ-TV was to be given an extension of con­

struction time until December 1 5, 19^9-^

Relations with the Federal Ccraninl cations Commission became

routine for about a year, then, the cemission proposed on October 5,

1950, in Amendment of subpart E of part 3 of the HrawriHRinn’n Rules

and Regulations, a ruling which drew lnmedlate reply from WSAZ-TV.

The substance of the rule may be found in an Editor's Note from the

1952 Broadcasting Yearbook.

FCC proposed additional 'tenporary' rules, 'to remain effective while the scarcity of television broadcast stations persists,' designed to balance competition among networks. FCC suggested

8 Ibid., pp. 5, 6 . 9 Ibid., p. 8.

FCC order, No. 1*9 - 832, June 1 5, 191*9. 16

this might be done by limiting the number of program hours which stations in one-, two- and three- station markets might accept from any one network, or, affirmatively, by setting a minimum number of hours to be taken from each network. -1-

This brought a strong reaction from WSAZ-TV, as they prepared comments and submitted them to the commission on November 13, 1950.

WSAZ, Inc. respectfully suggested that the adoption of the proposed rules would be contrary to the purpose of maintaining competition between television networks, or to maintain the best possible pro­ grams. Such rules would undertake artificially to vary station- network relationships and would be contrary to existing rules, policies and law as well as to the public interest.

In summary, WSAZ, Inc. conceives that rules of the type proposed by the commission will be: (a)Contrary to the public interest, based upon the experience of WSAZ-TV in serving that interest; (b)contrary to the Commission's purpose generally in that they will not further competition but will retard the development of a sound nation-wide television broadcasting industry sought by the priorities enunciated in the Commission's pre­ sent television allocation proceedings; (c)contrary to the concept of licensee responsibility and there­ fore directly contrary to law; and ^ (d)contrary to the purpose of the Chain Broadcasting Regulations.

In support of the first of the above four statements, WSAZ-TV brought out many facts observed in their efforts to serve the public interest.

For instance, after eight months of broadcasting, using local, film and kinescope shows, the community had bought no more than 8,500 tele­ vision receivers in an area broadcasting to about 275 .> 000 radio homes.

11 "FCC Rules and Regulations for Television Services," Telecasting Yearbook, Washington, D. C., 1952. pp. 209-210. 12 Comments of WSAZ, Inc. Docket No. 9^07 > November 13, 1950.

it This at a time the local purchasing power was at a per capita peak.

It became necessary to lay out a large sum of capital to build a

microwave system to bring live network shows to Huntington. In the

next four months, following network programming the sets In use grew

to about 30,000. The extremely fast pace of the last third of a

year in set circulation was directly attributed to live network ser­

vice by the station's management. This made possible the sale of

time on WSAZ-TV to national advertisers. While all networks were

offered time on the station, only SBC wade an effort to place

orders, giving two programs to one from all of the other three net­

works. Of all network commercial service carried on the WSAZ-TV

relay system during the month of October 1950, 8l.6j( was fed from

NBC. Yet, ten programs ordered by NBC were not accepted because

of preemption by other networks. Only NBC attempted to buy enough

time to meet the requirements made by FCC an this rule making. So,

If FCC rules are put Into effect, WSAZ-TV would have to drop NBC

services amounting to $2,U69.Mf In program revenue per month. The

cost to fill that time with film would cost the station $1 ,8 0 6 .0 0

per month. Then, WSAZ-TV would be forced to drop the relay sys­

t e m . ^

Furthermore, the suggested rules are contrary to the Com-

. mission's purpose generally, because

(a)such rules would not further competition; (b)such rules would retard the development of a sound nation-

13 Ibid., p. 2. vide television broadcast Industry sought by the priorities enunciated In, the Ccnndssion's present television allocation proceedings.

Competition vould not be furthered If FCC artificially forced a one-station market to accept cm equal proportion of programs from each network. Only one program could be carried and there could hardly be competition In that case. Desirability of program should be the basis of balance of program. This criterion vould force a true competitive situation as the networks attempted to Improve their programs to win the one-station market.

WSAZ-TV continued its comments by stating, "Die suggested rules are contrary to the concept of licensee responsibility and there­ fore contrary to law." Licensee responsibility has always been a part of the Communications Act of 193^ and the Commission, in accordance with Section 310 (b) of that Act, has emphasized that the licensee alone is responsible for the management and operation of its station.

This has even been recognized and approved by the Supreme Court of the

United States (National Broadcasting Company V. United States, 319

US 190). The Commission held this view in their concluding statement on August 21, 1950 in re The Master Broadcasting Corp. (WRIO) (6 R.R. 621):

One of the primary duties of a broadcast licensee is to de­ termine what programs will be broadcast over the station. The most important aspect of station operation from the public's standpoint is the nature of the program selection that the licensee fulfills his responsibility to the com­ mission and the public. He must therefore maintain a

Ik Ibid., p. 2. 19 continuous and positive control over programming. Retention of a negative or veto control is not sufficient.

The Commission's proposed rule would not be consistant with this prin­ ciple since its freedom of choice would be artificially restricted.^

WSAZ-TV then summed up with conclusions: For the reasons heretofore given, WSAZ, Inc. is convinced that the Commission must not adopt rules such as those suggested in this proceeding, or any other rules, limiting the freedom of choice of television broadcast stations in accepting programs from any ex­ isting or future television broadcasting network. In summary, these reasons are: (a)the suggested rules would be contrary to the public interest, based upon the experience of WSAZ-TV; (b)the suggested rules are contrary to the Commission's stated purpose in this proceeding, in that such rules would retard rather than further competition and would retard the develop­ ment of the sound nationwide television broadcast industry sought by the priorities enunciated in the Commission's present allocation proceedings; . (c)the suggested rules are contrary to the concept of licensee responsibility, and therefore contrary to law; (d)the suggested rules are contrary to the purposes of the Chain Broadcast Regulations; and (e)if the cable allocation problem is the critical factor in this proceeding, then the Commission should not deal with that pro­ blem obliquely in the instant proceeding but should face the problem directly in the proceeding already ordered for that purpose. (Docket No. 98I6 )1&

The next major communication problem between WSAZ-TV and the Com­ munication Commission concerned the reassigning of television channels as a result of study on allocation during the freeze. VHF Channel 8 ,

Channel 13, and UHF Channel 53 were to be assigned to Huntington, West

Virginia; VHF Channel 3> UHF Channels 43 and 4-9 were assigned to

Charleston, West Virginia; UHF Channel 21 was assigned to Beckley, West

Virginia; VHF Channel 5 and UHF Channels 22 and 28 were given to Raleigh,

15 Ibid., p. 10

Ibid., pp. 13-14. 2 0

North Carolina; and VHF Channel 1) vas assigned to Chapel Hill, North

Carolina. WSAZ-TV vas the only television station in Vest Virginia

at the time of reassignment. The change vould move WSAZ-TV from

Channel 5 to Channel 8, however, there vas imedlate reaction in-

* volving twelve pages of comments, facts and statistics showing why

the Commission Should shift Channel 3 to Huntington, Channel 8 to

Charleston; adding Channel 1) to Beckley, Vest Virginia; move Channel

it to Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and move Channel 3 to Raleigh, 17 North Carolina.

The economic considerations of WSAZ-TV obtaining Channel 3

instead of Channel 8 vas of considerable import to the station. To

change from Channel 5 to Channel 3 vould be roughly about half as

high as changing to Channel 8. The engineering statement showed that

the cost of moving to Channel 8 would be $38,51)0, while the cost of

adapting to Channel 3 vould be only $20,000. If WSAZ-TV increased

its power to the maximum suggested by the Commission, the cost of

making such installation on Channel 3 vould be $95*975, compared

with $11)6,790 on Channel 8. Furthermore, a change to Channel 8

vould Involve home owners' buying another outside antenna at an

average cost of $20 each. It vas estimated that 1)3,600 sets were

in the hands of the public and by September 1951 there vould be

30,000 sets. To convert receiving antennas to Channel 8, vould

t cost the public one million dollars to continue to receive

17 Ccements of WSAZ-TV on FCC Docket Nos. 8736, 8975, 9175 and 8 9 7. 6 May 5, 1951. BP- 1-2. 2 1 services from WSAZ-TV. This vould be unfair to the public.

WSAZ-TV stated It bad no objection to the modification of

Its license by changing the operating assignment from Channel 5 'to

Channel 3; but did object to the proposed change to Channel 8. In the event, the Comnlsslon disagreed with the views of the station,

WSAZ-TV desired a hearing In a separate proceeding In accordance with the provisions outlined In Sections 303 (f) and 312 (b) of the Cocmunl cations Act of 193^, as amended, and desired a Bill of

Particulars outlining specific Issues on why public Interest, con­ venience and necessity vould be served by modifying its license.

In the event that the suggested change to Channel 3 is adopted,

WSAZ, Inc. agreed to a modification. The modifications as suggested t by WSAZ-TV were approved by the Ccmmlssicn in toto except far switching the two North Carolina channels.

Relations between WSAZ, Inc. and the Federal Communications

CoaalBBian were relatively smooth during the ensuing years. At the time of granting the Channel 3 assignment, the FCC granted a change of transmitter location to the present Barker’s Ridge location, granted a power increase from 1 6 .8 kilowatts to 84- kilowatts at a cost of $300,000, which made WSAZ-TV the world's most powerful TV station for a short time. Also granted, March 12, 1953, permission for WSAZ-TV to build a 1000 foot tower, topped by an antenna which added another 102 feet to its height. This tower, costing $200,000 was the world's tallest for a very short period of time. In the 22 meantime, FCC had approved the Huntington Publication Company's purchase of John A. Kennedy's bd^L Interest in WSAZ, Inc. Ibis deal vas consumated March 1<£2. In 1953 FCC granted permission for WSAZ, Inc. to move into its present studios. FCC granted per­ mission for the publishing company to buy Walker Long's Interests and some small interest owned by Mrs. Katz of the Katz Agency, in i9 6 0. The final change vas granted in 1961 as the Goodwill Broad­ casting Company purchased WSAZ, Inc. in February, 1961, and assumed ownership June 1, 1 9 6 1.

The information available to the author for the period of

1953 to i9 6 0 vas extremely scarce as it is the practice of WSAZ to dispose of the files as quickly as possible. It vas only by chance that the early files up to 195^ were saved; however, they have also been thrown away since that time.

Network Relations

WSAZ-TV began its broadcast schedule, for an area of nearly 1 ,3 0 0 ,0 0 0 population, with local programing, film and kinescope recording television in October 19^9> without benefit

of network service. However, after eight months of such opera­

tion, no more than 8 ,5 0 0 television receivers had been sold in

an area of about 2 7 5 ,0 0 0 radio hones— even though purchasing power was at a peak. The management spent a sizable sum of

capital to build its private microwave relay system, the first

of its kind in the history of television that vas ever commerci­

ally successful. The system running from Cincinnati, Ohio, to 23 Huntington, West Virginia, brought in network programs. In only four months of network programing service, the set circulation grew to nearly four times Its previous size, about 3 0 ,0 0 0 sets. Ibis phenomenal Increase In set sales has been directly attributed to Tft the availability of Instantaneous network programming. ^

The station made overtures to the four networks; HBC, CBS,

ABC, and Dumont with the Idea of carrying the best programs of each network, since WSAZ was the only station in the Huntington, Charles­ ton (West Virginia), Irontan (Ohio), and Ashland (Kentucky) area. It was proposed by WSAZ, Inc. that, as nearly as possible, all net­ works would be given equal program time. HBC was prompt In its acceptance of the opportunity to provide services to WSAZ. Even while the Inter-city relay was being Installed, orders from HBC shows came at twice the rate of the other three networks combined.

Program time was allocated as best it could be to the first-come, first-served clause In its network agreements, while attempting to schedule programs of the greatest variety of content and in­ terest to the public. An earnest attempt was made to clear time for several programs offered by other networks, but competing net­ works failed to give orders for the desired s h o w s . ^9

furthermore, HBC signed a contract, negotiated by Lawrence

H. Rogers, Jr., agreeing that the microwave project was worthwhile, which none of the other networks would even discuss. The contract

Docket Ho. 9807* op. cit., Hovember 13, 1950- P« 2.

^ I b l d . , p. 3 . 24 with HBC called for twenty-four free hours per month to be provided to the network in return for inter-connection charges. HBC agreed to supply the exact amount of money it vould cost for AT&T inter­ connection facilities from Cincinnati to Huntington in exchange for the twenty-four free hours. This meant HBC would pay WSAZ-TV app­ roximately $6 ,0 0 0 a month in return for free (24) hours value of about $1,500. This revenue was enough to operate the relay system at a break-even point, allowing a small profit for amortization.

The network reasoned that as the market grew and the rate in­ creased, the value of the free hours vould increase. Several years later, NBC paid only six to seven thousand per month for the use of

-the microwave facilities and in return had increased to a value of about $lB,000 to $20,000. This arrangement made it possible for the station to survive during the lean beginning years at the ex­ pense of some future profits. 20 in October 1950, HBC fed 8l.6jt of the network commercial services carried over the WSAZ-TV relay system.21

Information on network correspondence is spotty, so that the picture will of necessity be sketchy since those actively involved during the early years have left the station.

A letter written January 19, 1953, from Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr. to Sylvester L. Weaver, complimented the network on turning down the

2 0 „ Rogers letter, op. cit., August 8, 1961, pp. 2-3. 21 Docket Ho. 9807, qp. cit. 25 famous "poison drug" script, enclosing an editorial by H. R. Pinckard also compli mentlng the network for their decision. However, Mr. Rogers

severely attacked an occurrence on the program "Prologue to the Future" broadcast on Wednesday, January 14. The incident was occasioned by a group of Boy Scouts on a hike in the country. A colored boy in the troop was afraid to go to a farm house for a drink of water "because he might be shot." This was a type of vicious communist-line prop- 22 aganda that Mr. Rogers thought should be kept off the air.

A letter from Mr. Rogers to Raymond T. O'Connell, Station Re­

lations, HBC, asked for a raise in network rates for WSAZ-TV.

...according to a breakdown of all the single station markets in the United States according to HBC research figures for December 1st (1952), WSAZ-TV ranks tenth in set population out of a dozen basic HBC affiliates but a very bad last in actual rate. Out of eighteen stations, WSAZ-TV ranks fourteenth in set population and a very bad last in rate. Our set population surveys through local power company offices and breakdowns of set shipments by the RTMA Indicate we have passed the lM ),0 0 0 mark while still operating at a network rate. I refer you to WTAR, Norfolk with a $625 rate with ll*7;000 sets; to WKY, Oklahoma City with a $650 rate and 133,000 sets; and to WJTM, Lansing with a $525 rate and 107*000 set figure. The average for all markets between 100 and 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 sets in 141,300 (a current figure for us) and an average HBC network rate of $6l8. I am not as much concerned with the date of a rate increase as with the attainment of a proper figure. Therefore, I would pro­ pose the establishment of a network rate of $600 an hour at the earliest possible time preferably between March 15 and June 1.... J

This rate was approved by HBC as a telegram from O'Connell to Rogers

dated December 11, 1953 confirmed another rate increase from $600 to

22 Letter from L. H. Rogers, Jr., to Sylvester L. Weaver, vice- chairman of the Board HBC, January 19, 1953- 23 Letter from L. H. Rogers, Jr., to Raymond T. O'Connell,, Station Relations, HBC, February 3, 1953- 26 - 2h $700 each hour for this station. (See Exhibit 2 at find of chapter.) •4 Still another letter from Rogers to 0* Connell on April lo, 195^> discussed the problems of "availabilities.” Mr. Rogers did not ap­ prove of cutting time off network shows to provide minute spots and vould not allow It on commercial shows. Numerous availabilities were limited to chain breaks between sustaining network programs during the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Advertisers, who would take as many as five week spots, refuse to take the chain break avail abilities.

This problem was Increased as salesmen attempted to sell participating spots In the sustained shows when the 50jt participation charge vas quoted. Another problem arose over "Meet the Press." WSAZ-TV had already achieved reputation for Its public services and "Meet the

Press” vas a basic part of that service. Network sales on the pro­ gram were severely limited and Mr. Rogers desired the program on a 25 co-op basis and let local sponsors buy time In it. "Meet the Press" was made available for co-op selling and is still sponsored locally by Huntington companies.

A letter to Mr. Rogers from Robert W. Samoff, HBC vice-

president, answered a letter of Rogers' dated May 5 to Pat Weaver.

Rogers bad complained to HBC over their affiliation with a tele­

vision station In Fairmont. (According to the i960 Broadcasting

Yearbook there Is no station In Fairmont now except Channel 5 vhich

Telegram from Raymond T. O'Connell to L. H. Rogers, Jr., December 11, 1953-

^Letter from L. H. Rogers, Jr., to R. T. O'Connell, April 10, 1954. 2 7 obtained its license in i960.) Saraoff stated the network must de­ termine whether a new television station could or could not make a contribution to network television service. However, the Fairmont

8tation was 150 miles from Huntington and there could not be any 26 question of overlap in television coverage.

WSAZ-TV arranged for two big events for Huntington in 195&. On

April 2h the "Today" show with Dave Garroway was to originate from the local station and on Sunday, April 29, a race between two steamboats would be shown during the "Wide, Wide World" show. WSAZ-TV wrote letters to twenty-three companies, who use the Ohio River, asking them to schedule their boats to pass Huntington during the three per­

iods the Ohio River would be viewed by the country. The live shows were carried out with the aid of extra equipment and technicians from

HBC and RCA. Extra staff was flown in from HBC to handle the net­ work ' s detailed planning. Mr. Flink, Mr. McCutcheon, Martha Hold and

Mr. Bastian arrived on April 18, but the first two went back to Hew

York on Friday, returning on Sunday accompanied by Mr. Meehan and Bill

Helion. Of the sixteen persons who arrived on Monday, April 23, only

the names of the principals were listed: Dave Garroway, Jack Lescoulie,

Frank Blair, Lee Merrlwether and, of course, the chimpanzee, J. Fred

Muggs. The expense of the HBC shows was borne by the Huntington In­

dustrial Corporation. Ho figures were available, yet it was estimated

as running into the thousands of dollars.

Letter from Robert W. Samoff to L. H. Rogers, Jr., May 12, 195^. 2 8

Recent files on station-network relations were not made avail­ able to the author. A letter from Tom Garten, Vice President and

General Manager of WSAZ, Inc. reviewed the network relations for the last several years.

I have reviewed the files that we have on hand concerning our NBC network relations, 1956 to i960. As I have explained to you in prior conversations, there were not too many changes of a specialized nature during this period. I have noted that among other things, in May of 1959> &s a re­ sult of threatened anti-truBt action against the three national television networks, our station, with all others that had been considered as a "basic" outlet for the NBC-TV network, was dropped from this category. In place of the "basics" the tele­ vision networks in general set up a minimum dollar buy for advertisers using the network. This gave the advertisers their choice of any of the affiliated stations on that network, how­ ever, the minimum dollar buy was high enough that in practically every Instance WSAZ-TV would receive the order. I might add parenthetically here that during the past eighteen months or so that this has been in effect we have noted a gradual degradation of the network's minimum dollar purchases which has, in effect, eliminated our station from ordered lineups that we would have automatically received if the "basic buy" had not been eliminated. On September 1, i960, our network one-hour prime time rate was increased from $1,000. to $1,150. I believe that you have a list of all the network rate increases, however, am not sure if you have this one. On April 1, i960, the network re-negotiated all contracts with its affiliates, instituting a new rate classification between 7:00 am and 11:00 am which amounted to two-fifths of the prime time rate. This amounted to a reduction in dollar compensation to affiliates. In December, i960, we also signed an amendment to the contract which changed network option hours effective January 1, 1961 from three-hour periods per day to three two and one-half hour periods per day. This was a result of the Federal Communications Commission ruling that the networks had to reduce their option hour periods. Since 1956, our most outstanding close cooperation with the net­ work on producting programming material concerned itself with the May, i960 primary Presidential campaign between Senators Kennedy and Humphrey. During the time that these two candidates were stumping West Virginia, our newsmen followed them almost constantly, accompanying NBC-TV newsmen and aiding NBC Television 29 network; to cover this most important primary campaign. We 'threw open' our facilities in the way of photographers, studios, etc., so that NBC-TV news could do the outstanding job that it did in covering this canpaign. Again, parenthetically, most of this coverage vas from our Charleston studio which again proved the worth of our investment in having a studio and offices in the capital city. During the primary election itself in West Virginia, NBC-TV news fed direct from our Charleston studio three fifteen- minute network newscasts reporting on the election returns. It was at our studios, and on the NBC-TV network, that Senator Humphrey conceded his loss to Senator Kennedy, as well as Senator Kennedy appearing to thank West Virginians for their support in the primary. I believe this covers everything that has happened. '

The following summary of network contracts, also furnished by

. Mr. Garten should add to, and clarify network relations. These negoti­

ations were made in conversations and are so reported by Mr. Garten.

ANALYSIS OF WSAZ NETWORK CONTRACTS I. Original Contract dated August 13, 1952. Effective September 3, 1952. Two-year period, automatically renewable for successive per­ iods of two years unless cancelled. 1. NBC to deliver programs to Columbus; WSAZ to maintain cir­ cuits from there. $5,924 per month reimbursement by NBC until common carrier facilities available. 2. First refusal (good for 72 hours) to WSAZ for all NBC pro­ grams. Other NBC affiliates or substitutes (nearby) to continue. 3. Any recorded or film deliveries delivered by NBC to be retumed^expense billed to NBC. 4. Fifty-six days' notice from NBC - rfSAZ will carry any NBC program in Net Option Time (except if time cammLted to another network). 5. Non-Option Time Programs - WSAZ may accept other NBC pro­ grams, at not more than 52-week commitment. On renewals WSAZ may discontinue on 35 days' notice. 6. NBC will pay for programs cancelled on less than 28 days' notice. 7« Station's right to reject- any program unsatisfactory, or to substitute local programs of importance.

27 Letter from C. Tom Garten to the Author, January 29, 1962. 30

8 . NBC may substitute program of outstanding importance. 9. Financial Arrangements. a) Settlements 20 days after close of month. Originally $425- per hour for full rate periods. b) 24 free hours per month (full rate). Gross receipts (i.e. before discounts, rebates, commissions) This divided by number of clock hours. . Multiply by 2k to obtain free-hour credit. c) On all hours over 2k, NBC will pay 33-1/3$ of gross amount. d) Station pays for NBC film sustainers at $75 per hour. This rate may change; if higher, WSAZ may cancel. e) Continguity for same advertiser. f) Contiguity rate allowed for five days a week same time - if prior to 5 PM: also if station delays. g) Advertisers under common control entitled to group rate. h) NBC reserves right to change rate. If increase, payments to WSAZ based on rate change. If decrease, 90 days' notice and station may terminate agreement. 10. WSAZ will make available to NBC all unsponsored programs pro­ duced by station; NBC to pay for any added costs. 11. No obligations to carry shows, or furnish shows, if agree­ ment is terminated. 12. No deletions without NBC consent. WSAZ agrees to carry chimes. 13. Conditions of stations delaying NBC programs. a) Announcement of fact of film of earlier broadcast. b) WSAZ will use only as agreed and comply with NBC in­ structions. c) NBC reserves right to discontinue on 28 days' notice. d) Compensation at same rates as instantaneous. 14. Station agrees to maintain performance licenses. NBC will endeavor to clear at source. In return WSAZ will pay NBC 4.225$ compensation (3.025$ for ASCAP: 1.2$ for BMl). If percentage payments increased or decreased, station will adjust. 15. No liability by either party for failures, labor disputes, etc. 16 . WSAZ will furnish all required reports on NBC forms. 17. If WSAZ facilities changed to become less valuable. NBC may terminate on 30 days' notice. 18. Assignment of license is subject to this agreement. 19- No copying of NBC programs (duplication or recording) with­ out NBC consent. 20. Agreement governed by N. Y. State law. 21. Agreement supercedes any previous agreements. 22. Waiver of breach, not waiver of subsequent breach. 23* Effective date September 3, 1952 - with renewals as provided. Sheldon Hickox for NBC. L. H. Rogers for WSAZ. Amendment, May 26, 1953 1. When FCC approves compatible color, WSAZ agrees to take 31

steps necessary to enable it to carry. 2. Right of first refusal extended to include color shows. L. H. Rogers for WSAZ. ______for NBC. Amendment, September 28, 195^- NBC will provide common carrier facilities effective Nov. 1, 195U. New paragraph 1 substituted. Amendment, July 14, 1955 Paragraph 2 deleted. Substitute paragraph gives protection on first refusal for 72 hours, only as against any station lo­ cated "in same community." Donald Mercer for NBC; L. H. Rogers for WSAZ. Amendment for February 1, 1956 Effective April 1, 1956, contiguity granted to an advertiser having two or more non-contiguous periods in net option time, provided: (i) All programs are scheduled prior to 6 pm. (ii) Also where repeats or delays are used before 6 pm. (iii) If periods are in separate time classifications (e.g. 1/2 or 3/^ rate) charge will be prorated. L. H. Rogers for WSAZ; Harry Bannister for NBC. Amendment, for July 11, 1958 Effective September 1, 1958 - Paragraph 9 (f ) (iii) deleted new paragraph substituted: Contiguity rate allowed where no contiguous period is available when ordered. Also - 3 A r&te abolished. Only l/2 rate applied now to former "i/k rate periods. L. H. Rogers for WSAZ; Bannister for NBC. Amendment, August 27, 1958 Effective October 6, 1958, "TODAY" will be offered on special terms. 1st and 3rd half hours reserved for station sale (4 cued com­ mercial positions each half hour). Also 5 minutes of each of such half hours available for local sale. 2nd and Uth half hours reserved for network sale. NBC will offer on terms IT shall determine. Station keeps all its revenue; collects nothing from NBC on its 2 half hours. Wednesday each week NBC will furnish schedule of network com­ mercials. Station will not schedule competing accounts. L. H. Rogers for WSAZ; Thomas E. Knode for NBC. Amendment, December 19, 1958, as of September 8 , 1958 Paragraph 12 deleted and substitution is - ~ a) No deletions by station without written NBC consent. b) No sale by WSAZ of NBC sustainers without prior approval. c) No deletion of promotional announcements on network time ex­ cept where program is not to be broadcast by WSAZ; in such deletions WSAZ will carry only program promotions or public service announcements. d) WSAZ will not broadcast any NBC commercial program unless offered by NBC. All such NBC programs carried will be car­ ried in entirety from inception until 30th second prior to commencement of next segment or program. e) Station breaks shall be no longer than 30 seconds. f) Nothing above limits rights of station under Par. 7 . for WSAZ; Bannister for NBC. Amendment, September 22, 1 1952 $^25 per hour (80# 3/b hr; 60# 1/2 hr.; 40# 1/h hr.; 33-1/3# 10 min.: 25# 5 min.) Full rate periods Sat. & Sun. 1 PM - 11:00 PM Mon. & Fri. 6 PM - 11:00 PM 3/^ Rate periods Mon. - Fri. 5 PM - 6 PM 1/2 Rate periods ALL other periods.^®

The station-network relations have been complicated by a lack of details on paper and much knowledge of it was lost when Mr. Rogers left the station.

28 Analysis of WSAZ Network Contracts, Tom Garten in letter to author, November 8, 1961. CHAPTER III

FINANCE

A conversation with Mr. Tom Garten, Vice-President and General

Manager of WSAZ, Incorporated, revealed that radio income did not diminish as a result of competition by television broadcasting. Con­ sequently, there has been no effort to compare radio income with television income.1

WSAZ-TV showed a profit for its first quarter of broadcasting during the fall of 19^9* The novelty soon wore off as sponsors became aware of the scarcity of receiving sets to provide listeners. Time sales dropped revenues sharply producting a loss of $99* ^65 in 1950 for television income and an overall loss for both radio and TV of

$1 3 ,6 0 7.0 6. (After eight months of operation there were no more than 2 8 ,5 0 0 television sets sold in an area of about 275*000 radio homes.)

A comparison of Table 1 and Table 2 reveals the general trends of income and expenses. There are three main sources of returns from time sales: Network programming: National time sales; and Local time sales. Added income is derived from charges for art work, a live announcer, remote line charges, special sets or any other special ser­ vices the sponsor requests above that normally provided from the

1 Conversation with C. Torn Garten, Vice-President, General Manager of WSAZ, Incorporated, September 2h, 1 9 6 1. 2 Docket No. 9 8 0 7, op.cit., November 13, 1950. p. 2. 35 standard rate card. Examination of column two of Table 1 shows that

Income from network had a consistent gain from 19^9 to 1956 with the exception of 1950 which fell by about $2,500. The years of 1957 to i960 shows a fluctuating Income. Income for 1957 fell nearly $U,000 below 1 956, but 1958 climbed almost $*0 ,0 0 0 above 1956 which made

1958 the peak year for the station's Income from network. The two following years had a decline In returns.

The year of 1956 became the first peak year from national spot

sales, climbing over the million dollar mark from a beginning of

$77>2 9 8. The exception once more Is found in 1950 when there was a

lag of about $1*000. There was alarm in 1957 and 1958 as returns from

national spot sales dropped almost $1*2 ,0 0 0 in 1957 and another $5000

In 1958. The last two years on the table indicates a sizable climb

above the million dollar mark.

Local sales patterns are rather consistent with that of national

spot except the changes are more drastic in 1950 with a drop of more

than a hundred thousand dollars. Once more 1956 provided the peak

with a deterioration of more than $72,000 in income for 1957* Some

$2 0 ,0 0 0 improvement can be noticed in the year 1958 with the up­

swing continuing through i960. This pattern was more conslstant

with that of network than with national spot.

Production, talent, and other income does not conform to the

trends set by the earlier three columns. A conslstant upward swing is

noticeable until a sharp drop of $57?000 in 1955* This was more than

offset by a gain of $62,000 in 1 9 5 6. The usual drop-off of 1957 was about $1 0 ,0 0 0 as compared with network's $4,000; national spot's

$42,000; and local sales' $7 2,0 0 0 .

Bald out commissions and total revenue conform to the patterns of National spot and Local sales. Questions concerning these trends asked of responsible personnel at WSAZ-TV brought no satisfactory ans° vers to account for the sudden rise or fall from year to year other than that 1950 produced so little revenue because listeners were so few. In observing the 1957 and 1958 downward curve, it would appear that the general recession which hit the United States In 1958 act­ ually was noticeable to this station in 1 9 5 7-

An examination of expenses In Table 2 shows some conformity to that of Table 1 but requires a more detailed explanation as to the differences. Technical expenses, for Instance, showed a continued mounting of expenses until 1953* A sharp drop of more than $100,000 occured in 1955, and a downward trend continued until 1 9 5 9, when an upward current took over. Expenses mounted quickly because salaries were a part of this account and WSAZ manned their new microwave re­ lay system with engineers. This also caused a sharp drop in 1955 when the system was sold to the American Telephone and Telegraph Com­ pany. This saving was the result of a decrease in the number of em­ ployees in the engineering department.

Program expenses started with a 19^9 cost of $51,073 and had an upward curve with a small, exception of $9 ,0 0 0 in 1957 and a larger exception of $100,000 in i9 6 0. Even then, i960 expenses were eleven times greater than 19^9 which gave an average gain of $5 0 ,0 0 0 a year. 37 These expenses will be discussed more fully In Chapter V which deals with programing.

Selling expenses started at $37*3^9 In 19^9 but dropped to

$11,000 In 19^0. The ascending scale continued from there through i960 except for $13,000 dip In 195 8-

General and Administrative expenses compare on near even terms with Program expenses for cost. For four years General and Adminis­ trative expenses ran higher than Program expenses but in 195*) and

1955 were lower. In 1955 and 1956 they were higher them Program costs, however, since that time have been considerably lower. They showed a climb toward higher costs until our 1957 slump. Here a sharp cutting of expenses of nearly $100,000 was effected. Another cut of $35>OQO more was made in 1958. The next year (1959) costs rose to slightly above 1 9 5 7' s expenses but a $10,000 saving was en­ forced in i9 6 0.

The most important column to the owners is the last one on

Table 2. Total profits before taxes are carefully examined to see how much returns the share holders will realize. This column in­ dicates considerable fluctuation. The $99*^65 loss in 1950 was ex­ pected since a loss was sustained by many television stations during their first years. The faith of the owners was vindicated in 1951 with a profit of $1 6 9,7 6 7. Thereafter, total profits indicated the figures were in the black although the margin varied. A continued increase occured through 195*)- The next year a dip of more than

$1)0 ,0 0 0 took place even though technical expenses dropped by

$100,000. General and Administrative expenses climbed by more than 38 $200,0 0 0 . The years 1957 and 1958 provided the second dips In economy with 1957 showing a drop of more than $1 1 5 ,0 0 0 and another

$2 6 ,0 0 0 drop In 19 5 8. Both Mr. Click, Controller, and Mr. Garten, General Manager, said the 1 9 5 7 -1 9 5 8dip was the result of pro­ gramming costs getting out of hand; however, It will be noted that programing costs In 1959 were about $7 ,5 0 0 higher than 1958 and more than $1 3 5 ,0 0 0 higher than 1957, yet the profits of 1959 were $1 3 5 ,0 0 0 higher than 1958 and more than $1 0 0 ,0 0 0 higher than

1957* The tremendous downward trend of National spot and Local time sales were undoubtedly the causes of the dip in total pro­ fits. Total revenues were off $1 9 5 ,0 0 0 In 1957 and still off the

1956 figure by $1 ^ ,0 0 0 In 19 5 8.

An examination of the total profit before taxes column In­ dicates that VSAZ-TV has returned a comfortable margin on the owners'

Investment. Further deductions from the total profits will be dis­

cussed later In this chapter.

Exhibit 1 gives a breakdown of the profit and loss statement

showing which charges are made to the various departments, also the

division of incoco. Exhibit 1 gives NBC as the only source of Income

from networks, but this has been true only since 195^ and 19 5 5*

WCHS-TF began broadcasting In August 195^, with CBS as their net­

work. WHTN-TV began broadcasting in October 1955 with ABC and

Dumont the source of their network. Until 195^, WSAZ-TV had carried

some programs from each of the four networks.

National time sales and Local time sales derived their Income

from commercial spots or from programs sponsored outside the network.

\ TABLE 1

■ WSAZ-TV REVENUE

YEAR NETWORK NATIONAL LOCAL PRODUCTION PAID OUT TOTAL TIME.SALES TIME SALES TALENT-OTHER COMMISSIONS* REVENUE

19^9 $ 41,997 $ 77,298 $ 152,836 $ 10,647 $ 25,305 $ 257,473

1950 39,141 63,388 45,111 31,246 14,422 164,464

1951 241,089 192,442 98,347 69,256 46,310 554,824

1952 ! 322,003 299,350 186,627 92,061 72,452 827,589

1953 . 356,467 565,444 323,864 191,360 l4l,4o8 1,295,727

1954 434,162 733,833 384,145 190,786 186,100 1,556,826

1955 478,734 837,251 390,393 133,472 206,623 1,633,227

1956 494,335 1,002,829 429,987 215,797 232,081 1,910,867

1957 490,430 861,087 357,098 205,214 198,678 1,715,151

1958 533,230 826,160 379,949 230,475 201,437 1,768,377

1959 525,909 1,115,357 402,854 186,534 267,547 1,963,107 i960 509,251 1,193,109 442,630 192,827 295,337 2,042,480

*Paid-out commissions were paid to the National Representative, Katz Agency and to -Advertising Agencies. TABLE 2

WSAZ-TV EXPENSE

GENERAL AND TOTAL PROFIT YEAR TECHNICAL PROGRAM SELLING ADMINISTRATIVE BEFORE FEDERAL EXPENSE EXPENSE EXPENSE EXPENSE TAXES

1949 $ 38,047 $ 51,073 $ 37,389 76,243 $ 55,786 1950 60,584 56,542 11,011 129,094 99,465 (loss)

1951 98,136 81,574 19,854 182,234 169,767 1952 121,916 137,378 44,862 194,814 333,416

1953 282,441 275,538 82,389 232,428 422,931

1954 272,842 403,415 114,074 332,900 433,595

1955 172,471 407,507 119,457 541,297 392,495

1956 167,677 536,656 122,575 582,108 501,851

1957 151,088 527,041 161,619 489,195 386,208

1958 150,798 655,585 148,849 453,410 359,735

1959 153,179 663,170 161,348 490,309 495,101 i960 178,703 560,215 201,886 480,219 621,457

-*=- o hi

Costs of political programs are kept separately to account to FCC. For the FCC Annual Reports they are put in the network, national time sales, or local time income columns. Other sales contain the costs for art work, special sets, film slides, special announcers, production, video tape, television film, rights and royalties, records and transcrip­ tions, news services and line facilities. These costs which are fixed at more than a break-even level are charged to the sponsor if he re­

quests them. Only time is sold on the basis of the rate card with a

staff announcer available to read the commercials but more services

than this requires added pay.

Paid out commissions includes two costs, a 15$ fee to the agency

handling the program or commercial spot and 8 .5$ commission to the

national representative.

Direct expenses and program department expenses are combined

under program expense for the Annual FCC report with the exception of

agency commissions and representative commissions which go in the above

mentioned "paid out commissions." The only unusual costs to come out

of program expenses is that of studio maintenance and repairs which

perhaps should be assigned to General and Administrative expense to con­

form with fuel and water, maintenance and repairs of office equipment,

and maintenance and repairs of building costs which are found under

G. and A. expenses.

It will be noted that telephone and telegraph costs are carefully

separated for each of the four departments, Program, Technical, Sales

and General and Administrative. In the same manner travel costs are k2 kept for each of these departments. Power and lights are charged to the technical department for the portion used in the studio »nd equip­ ment rooms, and to general and administration for the part used in the rest of the building. Another unusual welding of areas is noted under

Sales expenses. The promotion department is found under sales in­ stead of general and administrative. The other items in each budget appears to be normal. They are too numerous to be discussed Individ­ ually and are self-explanatory in Exhibit 1.

Property taxes vary as value of holdings change; Social Security taxes rise or fall as employees are added or laid off and Income taxes increase or decrease as income varies. There are exceptions to the a- bove statement. WSAZ, Inc. had a few of these exceptions. Table 3

shows the tax variations of both radio and television from 1950# the first year of telecasting until May 31# 1961# when the stations were

sold to Goodwill Stations, Inc. The radio and television property * and employment have been too intertwined to keep separate tax in­

formation on each.

Their income tax started off in the zero position In 1950 since

the loss an television could not be made up by the profit on radio.

There was an over-all loss of $13,600. Taxes In 1951 proved the red

ink had disappeared the following year. There was a rapid gain over

1951# $55#000 income tax bite to $212,800 the next year. In 1955 a

dip In tax corresponded with the dip in that year. An increase in

1956 and 1957 occurred again even though the 1957 profits were down

more than $119,000. In 1958 there were two tax figures. The station

paid $195,8 8 1 .5 0 tax although only $1 8 9 ,0 0 0 of that tax was on 1 9 5 8. I \

EXHIBIT 1

PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT BREAKDOWN

LOCAL TIME NATIONAL TIME NETWORK TIME OTHER DIRECT SALES* SALES* SALES* SALES* EXPENSES**

Programs National Direct NBC Talent Agency Commission

Announcements Programs Line Facilities Representative Commission

Announcements News Service Talent

Records and Line Facilities Transcript!ons News Service Film-Art Work- Slldes Records and Transcriptions

Rights and Film Royalties Rights and Royalties Production Program Costs, Prizes, etc Video Tape Scenery TVF Production Costs

Miscellaneous

UJ•j=- EXHIBIT 1 (Continued)

PROGRAM DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL SALES ______exp en s es *-*______DEPARTMENT EXPENSES** EXPENSE* I Salaries - Supervision Salaries - Supervision Salaries - Supervision

Salaries - Other Salaries - Other Salaries - Other

Travel Expense Fuel & Water Salaries - Promotion

Telephone & Telegraph Rent - Transmitter Site Entertainment

Telephone & Telegraph - News Travel Expense Advertising

Video Tape Telephone & Telegraph Merchandising & Promotion

Studio Maintenance & Repairs Power & Light Travel Expense

Props Main. & Rep. - Bldgs. & Grounds Telephone & Telegraph

Photographic Expense Main. & Rep. - Equipment Cbarlestn Office Expense

Charleston Program Expense Charleston Technical Expense Audience Measurement

Miscellaneous Tube Expense Miscellaneous

Transmitter Lines

Miscellaneous EXHIBIT 1 (Continued)

GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE** OTHER INCOME OTHER INCOME CREDITS* CHARGES*

Salaries - Supervision Promotion & Public Service interest Provision for Bad Debts Salaries - Other Travel Expense Earned Discount Interest

Fuel & Water Telephone & Telegraph Sale of Equipment Miscellaneous

Rent Power & Light Miscellaneous

Taxes - F.I.C.A. Workmen's Compensation

Taxes - F.U.T.A. Maintenance & Rep. Office Equip.

Taxes - State Unemployment Maintenance & Rep. Building

Taxes - State & City Charitable Contributions

Taxes - Property Insurance - General

Office Supplies Insurance - Officers

Postage Legal & Auditing

Dues & Subscriptions Automobile Expense

Freight & Express Group Insurance

♦Income to WSAZ,Inc. for time or services. ♦♦Expense paid out for services. k6

Hie other 6,000 to 7,000 was the result of under estimation in pre­ ceding years. Income taxes increased rapidly in 1959-1960 and 1961.

In fact the 10 months* taxes for August 1, i960, to May 31, 1961, were almost double those of 1958.

Social Security was low in 1950 as the staff was still rather small. This tax expanded rapidly as personnel was added through 1953-

The sudden leap from $9,778.85 in 1953 to $15,102.93 in 195*+ was ex­ plained by Mr. Click, Controller, to be the result of a growing un­ employment situation in West Virginia. The State had not been charg­ ing industry the full 3 of its share of unemployment payments because there had been a surplus in those funds in the State Capital. Increased unemployment drained these reserves and industry paid the full amount in 195^- The other fluctuations in this column were the result of more or less staff plus the raises the Federal Government made in

Social Security fees.

Property taxes show a steady gain as the station added property and equipment. This gain continued through 1956, then a re-evaluation survey was made by the city and county which boosted taxes by $3,000.

Since that time property taxes remained fairly constant.

The information for this taxtable and for the Revenue and Ex­ penses table as well as for the breakdown of expense items were fur- 3 nished by Mr. Click, Controller of the station.

WSAZ-TV started their hourly rates at a rather low $150 figure in 1950 for night-time hours. This was doubled the next year as set

3 Conference with Mr. Click, Controller, WSAZ-TV, April 13, 1961. 47

TABLE 3

TAXES FOR WSAZ, RADIO-TELEVISION

CITY-COUNTY AND SOCIAL FEDERAL YEAR STATE PROPERTY SECURITY INCOME TAX TAX TAX

July 31 $ 2,542.72 $ 2,554.68 $ 13,607.06** 1950*

July 31 3,067.65 4,377.28 55,070.92 1951*

July 31 4,031.12 6,836.09 212,897.92 1952*

July 31 4,823.84 9,778.85 230,568.43 1953*

July 31 5,756.11 15,102.93 273,469.75 1954*

July 31 6,716.64 17,331.14 195,085.44 1955*

July 31 6,788.54 17,920.37 275,256.11 1956*

July 31 9,587.71 15,892.48 287,849.20 1957*

July 31 8,434.13 14,243.86 195,881.50 1958*

July 31 9,619.76 15,411.53 274,993.64 1959*

July 31 9,480.00 25,259.81 329,679.7^ i960*

May 31 8,300.00 22,830.61 353,586.59 1961

♦Fiscal year ended

**No tax— Net Loss 1*8

sales accelerated. This grew in 1952 to $5!*0 or about four times the

1950 rate. This increase vas near an average of $150 Increase per year. But 1953 had an increase of $210, or about $750 per hour of

Class A time. The boost in 195^ to $900 per hour continued through

1955 but the class was designated as AA in 1955. There was a lower­

ing of $25 for this same Class AA hour in 1956. The rate card Number

10 for 1957 lifted Class AA to $1000 per hour and this rate remained

constant through Bate Card #12A effective July 1, i9 6 0 . In fact,

during the 1957 to i960 period there were no rate changes for pro­

grams longer than ten minutes. Ten minute periods were raised frcan

$280 to $290 in i9 6 0 . Charges were raised on nearly all classes of

time for the 1 minute, 20 second and 10 second spots. (See Table k

for complete details.)

The charge for an hour of film was the same as that of live

shows for the first two years. Then in 1952 the Rate Card provided

for (live) $5^*0 (film) $360 or a difference of $180. This gap in live

and film vas wider in 1953; $750 for live and $500 for film. The same

ratio of 3 to 2 existed in I95I* with $900 for live and $600 for film.

The next year film vas up to $800 but both remained the same In 1956.

The film hourly charge vas dropped from Card Number 10 in 1957 and

subsequent cards made no difference in live or filmed shows. 1* The Rate Card figures are those quoted in Broadcasting Magazine.

Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcast, Inc., Publishers. 1950, p. 9^J 1951, P. ll6; 1952, p. li&. 1+9

TABLE k'

SUMMARY OF RATES

YEAR & CLASS HOUR 30 MIN. 1 MIN. 20 : 1950 Day $ 150. $ 90. $ 2k. - Night 150. 90. 2k. -

1951 Day 225. 135- 1+5. Night 300. 180. 60. -

1952 A(live) 5I+O. — 72. 36. Rate Card (film) 360.

1953 A(live) 750. - 150. - #6 Rate Card (film) 500. - 100. -

1951* A(live) 900. - 180. - #7 Rate Card (film) 600. - 120. - 0 0 • - - 1955 AA(live) VO 167.50 #9N Rate Card (film) 800. - 160. -

1956 AA(live) 875. - 167.50 - #9 Rate Card (film) 800. - 160. - H 1957 AA(live) 1000. 500. 180. 00 O • #10 Rate Card -=* 0 0 A 700. • iko. ll+O.

B 600. 360. 110. 110.

C 1+00. 21+0 . 70. 70.

D 300. 180. 1+5- 1+5.

1958 to i960 (same as Rate Card #10) 50

None were entered after 1957* The other rates shown were sheets pre­

pared for The Katz Agency, Inc. and were provided by Mr. Jack Williams,

Director of Promotion.'*

Payroll Information may be seen In detail in Table 5° The tele­

vision operation started broadcasting with 17 employees in 19^9» Radio

and television employees are combined in the rest of the table because

there was much doubling in brass during the early days of TV. The

second year found 58 employees handling both operations. Payroll in­

formation could not be found for 19**9 or 1950 as accounting practices

were not uniform. The present controller stated that much of the

earlier accounts were on sheets scattered here and there. Huge books,

now used, only run back to 195^* FCC Annual Reports provided facts for

the earlier years. The payroll is made semi-monthly, hence the table

shows pay for two weeks.

Seventy-seven employees were paid $11,1*1*7.87 in 1951, an average

of $11*8.67. Many employees were on the minimum base of $1.00 per hour.

Floor men, mail room men, same beginning announcers, and part time help

were usually in this category. This made their pay only $80 for the

1 two week period and the actual income of the staff was considerably

higher. There was a little change in staff and pay in 1952. The large

jump came in 1953 when pay leaped to double the 1951 figure. This

$22,958 total was paid to only 120 employees, an increase of 1*3 per­

sonnel. Employment rose «nd fell during the last seven years. The

The Katz Agency, Inc., Copies from the files of Jack Williams, WSAZ-TV, Promotion Director, i960. 51 year of greatest employment was 195^» when 162 worked for WSAZ, Inc.

Some of the variation occurred because talent who appeared once a day was counted as an employee, or talent who were on once a week were

listed as employees. Even this varied, dancers on the "Saturday Night

Jamboree" were paid individually in 1956’s total. They were not

counted as employees the next year. By 1959 all talent was cut off as

employees except one weather caster. This year was the lowest in per­

sonnel with a count of 113 staff members. Fluctuation in payments

varied to follow the pattern of personnel. For example, 1955 and

1956 had basically the same total amount of pay, while the number of

employees was eight more in the latter year. There were eight dancers

drawing five dollars each for the once-a-week show. This added about

$2000 costs to the payroll of 1956 for their share. But this amount

had been paid the previous year to the head of the dancers. Thus the

number varied without the payroll varying.

An unusual pay factor entered the picture in 1953. Twenty-

seven employees of radio and television participated in their first

Profit-Sharing Plan. A division of $2k,2bh.r{6 was made in the primary

sharing. Mr. Rogers says in a letter that WSAZ, Inc. was the first g station to institute a profit sharing scheme. There were re­

strictions limiting those who could participate. An employee must

have worked for the station for three years for twenty or more hours

a week. They could not draw out their full share until they had

Rogers Letter, op. cit., August 8, 1961. 52 worked another three years. No one could be paid more than 15^ of their total annual, income. Their rate of pay Influenced the amount they drew from the profits with some getting a greater share. If the station failed to make a profit there would be nothing in the plan. In i960 there were 56 sharing the $55, 6^*9^ which was placed 7 in the plan.

This plan was Instituted by Mr. Rogers as an incentive for em- ployees to take a personal interest in the over-all success of the station. It further encouraged them to stay in the station's em­ ployment since each year benefits were added. An employee became eligible after three years with the company. He could collect only

5£ of his share the first year and an additional 5^ each year he worked. Every August the company called a meeting of the profit- sharing members and amid great excitement declared the station pro­ fits. Each employee learned the amount of his share. This held many employees who might have gone elsewhere. When Goodwill, Inc. bought WSAZ-TV, 1961, all employees in the profit-sharing plan were given the choice of transferring his investment into Goodwill's profit-sharing plan or of collecting his total accumulation. One engineer, in conversation with the author, stated his share in i960 was more than $10,000 and that he was staying in Goodwill's plan.

By continued participation he would collect at least $5,000 more than

7 Lew Click, Controller, Financial statistics, 1961. 53 if he withdrew. This reasoning was on the basis that all who col­ lected imnedlately would have a five year waiting period before they could participate in Goodwill's plan.

Another employee withdrew his savings. He wanted to pay the mortgage on his house. He became eligible to begin sharing in 1956, when the total of his share was $531-38. His total grew to $1,096.45 in 1957; to $2,039-78 in 1958; to $3,204.09 in 1959; to $4,538.32 in i960 and a grand total of $5,498 .1 1 when he collected on May 31, 1961.

It can be seen from the above figures that his money doubled the sec­ ond year and by a thousand dollars or more each succeeding year.

It will be observed by Tables 1 through 5 that the finances of

WSAZ-TV have been sound and advanced steadily as a profit maving business. Broadcasting Magazine gives the figures of the typical TV station and an examination of Table 6, compiled from that article

shows WSAZ-TV to be far from typical. Total times sales indicates

WSAZ income to be about two and one-half times greater than the typical

station. The widest difference in income was in national Spot, where

WSAZ is almost three times larger than the norm.

Total expenses ran about double for WSAZ-TV except in the

Technical Department where they ran only about $54,000 above the

norm. Their total salaries ran almost two and a half times the average.

The figure of $761,020 was computed from the Social Security tax of 8 $22,830.61 on the basis of three per cent payment by the station.

8 "Station Financial Health Unchanged, " Broadcasting Magazine, July 17, 1961, PP* 66-67• 54

TABLE 5 .

PAYROLL INFORMATION— RADIO AND TELEVISION

YEAR NUMBER OF TOTAL PAYROLL PROFIT ENDING EMPLOYEES 2 WEEK PERIOD SHARING ANNUAL

December 191*9 17 Not Available

December 1950 58 Not Available

December 1951 77 $.11,1*1*7.87

December 1952 81* ll*, 1*1*3.1*1*

July 31 1953 120 22,958.30 $ 21*,21*4.76

July 31 1954 162 32,383.11 38,149.59

July 31 1955 11*5 27,559.18 1*4,268.23

July 31 1956 153 27,561.63 52,979.00

July 31 1957 116 23,758.5!* 61,469.18

July 31 1958 121 27,981.38 63,280.60

July 31 1959 113 25,823.15 62,153.74

July 31 i960 127 25,989.1!* 55,648.94

(The number of employees participating in the profit sharing plan was not available except for the year 1953 when 27 sheared and in i960 when 56 shared.) 55 TABLE 6

WSAZ-TV FINANCE COMPARED TO TYPICAL TV STATION (Ending December i960)

REVENUE AND EXPENSE ITEMS WSAZ TYPICAL

Total Time Sales $ 2,144,980. $ 962,800. Network 509,251. 251,300.

National and Regional 1,193,109. 413,000. Advertisers

Local Advertisers 442,630. 295,500

Total Broadcast Expense 1,421,123* 765,300.

Technical 178,703* 124,000.

Program 560,215* 280,900.

Selling 201,886. 97,000.

General and Administrative 489,219* 262,500.

Total Salaries and Wages 761,020. 318,700. (including supervision), and All Talent Expense CHAPTER IV

THE MARKET

WSAZ-TV g«ve Its first broadcast on October 2h, I9U9, with only a handful of sets in the Huntington area to receive the in­ itial program. In fact, by the middle of 1950 only about 8,500 receivers had been sold in the station's area.1 The station operated on Channel 5 (76-86 me), using an RCA transmitter, model

TT-5A vith limited power. The effective radiated power was: Visual

16.8 KW; Aural, 8ll* KW. The transmitter and antenna, an RCA, type 2 TF3A, 3 bay, vas mounted on a 322 foot tower, Truscon H-30. The tower was bought from Radio Station WPAR for $7,500 and placed on a 5J acre tract of land, costing another $7>50O.^ The antenna was

590 feet above average terrain and 339 feet above ground.

Because there were so few set sales, WSAZ, Inc. determined to provide network shows by microwave relay, but conversations with AT&T failed to provide rented facilities. The station then built its own system from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Huntington, West Virginia. The live programs created a surge of set-buying which augmented sets-in-use U to about 30,000 homes in four months.

Docket Humber 9807, op. clt., November 13, 1950, p. 2.

^Broadcasting Yearbook, "TV Stations in the U.S." 1952, pp. 1BU- 3 Letter from Walker Long to Mrs. M. K. Byrne, Radio Station, WCHS, August 12, 19k9. k Docket Number 9807, qp. clt., November 13, 1950, p. 2. I

57 The next set of figures Indicating the growth of markets vas an advertisement in the Broadcasting Yearbook of 1952. The statis- tics used In the ad were provided by NBC Research Services. This

survey gave WSAZ-TV 515,000 homes In an area containing 2,000,000 population. The set circulation, estimated to March 1, 1952 was

76,000 receivers. This ad also claimed "counties" based on the NBC

survey; fifty-six counties in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and West

Virginia. Eight more were claimed on the basis of letters received from this area. Exhibit 2 lists these counties.

Although the station's advertisement of 1953 in the Broadcasting

Yearbook claimed Ilk counties, a promotion booklet published by the

station in 195k prepared from a presentation in the April 19, 195k

Sponsor magazine gave an entirely different picture. The article had been supplied its data by SKDS 195k "Consumer Markets" and CBS TV Re­

search Department's "U.S. Television Ownership by Counties," as of

November 1, 1953* This booklet claimed only h5 counties. Totals for

WSAZ-TV primary coverage gave 1,821,000 population, 1*69,670 families

and 251,929 sets. Retail Sales were estimated as $1,38k,068,000.

This presentation is considerably lower than the market information

listed in Table 7 for 1953* Figures in Table 7 are those given in

the Broadcasting Yearbook for FCC Countour Grade A, Grade B and

Fringe Area and based on Ilk counties.

The figures in 195k are based on the WSAZ-TV claim of Ilk counties

5 Broadcasting Yearbook, op. clt., 1952, p. 185. 58

EXHIBIT 2

COUNTIES CLAIMED BY WSAZ-TV, 1952

WEST VIRGINIA OHIO KENTUCKY VIRGINIA

Cabell Scioto Pike Dickenson Wayne Jackson Lawrence Russell Lincoln Lawrence - Boyd Tazewell Logan Gallia Greenup Buchanan* Mingo Meigs Lewis Mason Adams* Carter Putnam Vinton* Elliott Boone pike* . Johnson Wyoming Athens* Floyd McDowell Washington* Letcher Jackson _ Harlan Kanawha Bell Raleigi Knox Mercer Perry Wood Owsley Pleasants - Knott Richie Wolfe Wirt Morgan Roane Rowan Clay Msgaffln Fayette Martin* Sumners _ Braxton Nichols Webster Pocahontas Greenbrier - Monroe

^Letters from these Counties 59 EXHIBIT 3

COUNTIES CLAIMED BY ¥SAZ-TV, 1955

WEST VIRGINIA KENTUCKY OHIO VIRGINIA TENNESSEE

Boone* Boyd* Adams* Bland** Hancock** Cabell* Carter* Athens* Buchanan** Hawkins** Calhoun* Elliott* . Galia* Dickenson** Sullivan** Clay* - Floyd* Hocking* Lee** Fayette* Greenup* Jackson* Russell** Jackson* Johnson* Lawrence* Scott** Kanawha* Lawrence* Meigs* Smyth** Lincoln* Lewis* Pike* Tazewell** Logan* . Magaffln* Ross* Washington** Mason* Martin* - Sciota* Wise** Mingo* Morgan* Vinton* Wythe** Nicholas* Pike* . Washington* . . Putnam* . Rowan* Brown** Raleigh* Bath** - Coshocton** Roane* - Bell** Fairfield** Wayne* Breathitt** Guernsey** Wirt*. Clay** Highland** Wood* Estill** Monroe**.. Wyoming* Fleming** Morgan** Barbour** Harlan** Muskingum** Braxton** Jackson** Noble** -. Doddridge** Knott**-. Perry** Gilmer** .. Knox** Pickaway** Greenbrier** Lee**. ___ Harrison** . Leslie** Lewis** .. Letcher** McDowell** Mason**-. Marion**.. Menifee** Mercer** Montgomery** Monroe** Nicholas**- - Pleasants** Owsley**.. Pocahontas** Perry*-- Randolph**.- Powell** Ritchie** Robertson** Sumners** Wolfe** -.

Taylor**. . - Upshur** Webster** Wetzel ..

*Caunties Included In Grade B Service Area; **Additional Counties In Effective Service Area. TABLE 7

MARKET INFORMATION FOR WSAZ-TV

MARKET FCC CONTOUR GRADE TOTAL INCLUDING INFORMATION GRADE A B FRINGE AREA

1953 Broadcasting Yearbook* Population 302,000 1,024,000 3,306,200 Families in Area 70,200 238,000 839,000 Areas in Sq. Mi. 2,310 10,430 111,100 No. of Sets (June l) 49,480 U 9, i4o 200,430 Retail Sales $231,865,000 $707,139,000 $2,198,961,000 Income per Family 4,050 4,050 4,050 Income per Capita 1,030 1,030 1,030

1954 Broadcasting Yearbook* Population 402,000 1,332,500 3,892,300 Families in Area 93,100 310,000 987,300 Area in Sq. Ml. 3,937 14,399 111,100 No. of Sets (Jan. l) 109,5^0 121,641 411,792 Retail Sales $1,384,068,000 $1,102,809,000 $2,486,877,000 Income per Family 4,133 4,102 4,117 Income per Capita 1,033 1,025 1,029

1955 Katx Advertisement Piece** Population 1,769,400 3,681,800 Families in Area 461,300 944,900 No. of Sets 248,370 387,290 Retail Sales $1,295,538,000 $2,528,655,000

69 COUNTIES 112 COUNTIES 44 TOTAL COVERAGE AREA COUNTIES 1956 Nielsen: NSC f2*** Papulation -.- 2,262,400 3,657,700 Households 587,750 962,890 No. of Sets 308,580 461,510 270,850 Retail Sales $1,640,537,000 $3,052,816,000

i, PENETRATION OF 69 COUNTIES IN COVERAGE AREA WSAZ-TV STATION B STATION C lOOjC Coverage Counties 21 1 1 More than 75^ 45 21 5 More than 50£ 58 30 15 Total Coverage Counties 69 50 22

♦Broadcasting Yearbook; **Katz Advertisement Piece; ***Nielsen 6l and there is a tremendous leap forward in the set count of the Grade A

area and in the Retail Sales total for the Grade A area. Broadcasting

Yearbook gave no further market information for WSAZ-TV after 1954.

Other sources were scanned for information given in Table 7. In 1955

the Katz Agency put out information booklets. The figures for 1955 in

Table 7 came from the Katz booklet. This did not give the Grade A re­

port but did give Grade B and Fringe Area figures.^ 112 counties were

allowed WSAZ-TV in this report. Statistics were computed from Market

data, by counties from each Broadcasting Yearbook for the years, 1953

through i960. They were compiled by the author to give a picture of

set sales based on the same number of counties. The list of the 44

counties used and the 68 counties which comprised the total of 112

counties are given in Table 7» The set counts are given in Table 8 for

these eight years. The 1956 figures found in Table 7 were taken from

a promotion piece put out by WSAZ, Inc. The figures were provided from

Nielsen NCS #2, 1956. This tabulation gave information on 69 counties

and 112 counties. The set count for counties were taken from the 7 count made for Table 8.

In the 1953 Broadcasting Yearbook, the set count was prepared by

both NBC Research and CBS Research. Both were totaled for the 44

counties and for the 112 counties. In some counties NBC credited more

sets and in some counties CBS allowed more sets. The over-all picture

Printed Material for Salesmen, "Ready Reference Summary," prepared by, The Katz Agency Data Service, File 3, WSAZ-TV, September 1955* 7 Promotion Piece from WSAZ-TV, 1956. 62

shows NBC giving over a 1*0,000 greater count for the 44 counties and more than a 55*000 greater number In the 112 counties. This is found

in the listing of Table 7* The Broadcasting Yearbooks for 1954 and

1955 gave only the CBS Research figures and 1956, 1957* and 1958

books used the Advertising Research Foundation's figures. The year­

books for 1959 and i960 obtained figures from A. C. Nielsen Company,

also figures from American Research Bureau were used in i960. The

Nielsen set count is 50,000 more than ARB in the 1*1* counties and

nearly 60,000 higher in the 112 counties. It would appear that the

experts disagree.

The set count for 1950, June and October, are taken from VSAZ- Q TV's statement to FCC found in Docket Number 9807. Market information

found in the Broadcasting Yearbook for 1953 and 195*1 given for each

station gave another variation of set count. This was found in Table 7

and the set count is listed again separately in Table 9. It will be

noted that Table 9* Grade B in 1953 varies from that of both NBC and

CBS. It is lowest of the three figures. The chart in the yearbook

does not indicate the number of counties in the Grade B area or in the

Fringe Area.

It is necessary to look at equipment and facilities again to

understand the reasons for WSAZ claiming a wider area in 1953 and 195**.

The transmitter and antenna were still located on 8th Street Hill in

early 1953 hut there were changes to justify a claim of added coverage.

The channel was moved from 5 to 3* which alone should have reached fur­

ther. FCC authorized a change in power from 16.8 KW to 84 KW. (The

8 Docket Number 9807, op. clt., p. 2. 63

TABLE 8

WSAZ-TV SET COUNT

44C0UNTIES 112 COUNTIES YEAR DATE REPORT BY GRADE B AREA FRINGE AREA INC.

1953 June 1 NBC Research 204,420 275,250 CBS Research 160,870 219,550

1954 (No Date) CBS Research 233 Mo 373,380

1955 (No Date) CBS 248,370 387,290

1956 (No Date) Advertising 270,850 461,510 Research Foundation

1957 March A.R.F. 314,060 542,710

1958 March A.R.F. 380,400 691,390

1959 Spring A. C. Nielsen Co. 390,120 713,510 i960 January A. C. Nielsen Co. 425,200 784,900

American Research 373,300 726,200 Bureau 64

TABLE 9

OTHER WSAZ-TV SET COUNTS

YEAR DATE REPORT BY AREA______

1950 June WSAZ-TV 8,500 (Huntington Sets)

•I 1950 October WSAZ-TV 30.000 (Huntington Sets)

1951 No Count Available

1952 March 1 Broadcasting 76.000 (63 Counties) Yearbook 1953 June 1 Broadcasting 1*9,480* 119,140** 200,430*** Yearbook 1954 June Broadcasting 109,5^0* 121,644** 411,792*** Yearbook

*Grade A Coverage **Grade B Coverage ***Fringe Area Included

Broadcasting Yearbook of 1953 listed WSAZ-TV as: Visual, 25, KW, Aural,

12.5 KW.) The transmitter was now an RCA TT 25 AL and the antenna an

RCA TF 3A Superturnstile. The new antenna raised the height to 350 feet 9 above ground, a gain of eleven feet.

These changes were temporary as new housing was being prepared and

FCC had authorized several other major changes. In August 1953, the

open house of new studios and offices at 201 9th Street was held to

celebrate greatly expanded operations. Radio and television were under

one roof for the first time. A new transmitter was installed and was

the world's most powerful for a short time. A new tower was erected on

Barker's Ridge North East of Huntington, West Virginia. It too was the

9 Broadcasting Yearbook, "TV Station in the U.S." 1953, P» 282; 195^, P. 316. world’s tallest for a short period. The tower was nearly 1000 feet

tall. With the RCA type TF 6 AL the over-all height was 1250 feet

above average terrain and 1 .0 6 9 feet above ground. The power was

boosted to: Visual 1*6.8 KW; Aural 23.b KW. 10

It was noted above that WSAZ-TV had been granted permission to

boost its power to 81* KW. However, with this high power the station

could not have used the 1000 foot tower. It was explained in a con­

versation with Lawrence H. Rogers, former manager, that the management

decided the most feasable plan for WSAZ was to use the tallest tower

permitted by FCC, since their lower Channel (3 ) would carry much fur­

ther than competing stations with higher channels even if the com­

petitor used much greater power. WSAZ-TV used, Visual, 1*6.8 KW, Aural

23.1* KW while WCHS-TV, Channel 8 in Charleston, West Virginia, used

Visual 316 KW, Aural 158 KW; and WHTN-TV, Channel 13 in Huntington used,

Visual 316 KW, Aural 200 KW. It is particularly essential to have the

greatest advantage of low frequency and tall, tower to reach into the

valleys of West Virginia. 11

It would appear that WSAZ-TV was fortunate to have had a low fre­

quency, however, the station utilized the best in equipment and facil­

ities in an ever changing pattern to keep up with advances in tech­

niques. The constant changing to newer and more powerful transmitters

and antennas, increasing the height of the tower were all designed to

10Broadcastlng Yearbook, "TV Stations, in the U.S." 195^ P» 316 11 Conversation with Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr., in 1957* improve the grade of signal over a wider area of the several states within the reach of their broadcasts. The financial returns shown in the previous chapter indicated that an extensive outlay of cash to im­ prove the signal paid off in the income column. CHAPTER V

PROGRAMMING

WSAZ-TV began broadcasting in November of 19^9 vithout benefit

of direct network services. Tbe entire broadcasting during the week

of November 21-26 was sixteen hours and thirty-five minutes. Of this

fifteen percent was live, thirty-seven percent film, and forty-eight percent network via kinescopes on a delayed basis. Curing this same

week the transmitter was on another twenty hours, half of which was

a test pattern and half a continuous loop film. This extra signal was

transmitted for the use of television servicemen in checking out tbe

setB and antennas being Installed In new television homes. By July

of 1950 this service had been increased to forty hours per week, but

was discontinued or not announced In the newspaper by November of 1990.

The figures on broadcast hours found in Table 10 were compiled from

sample weeks of programming as given in tbe Huntington Dispatch micro­

film library. The week of November 21-27 was used in each year because

broadcasting began in October and starting in the fall of 19^9 gave

a slightly broader base of comparison than a week In January would

have given. The week of July 3-9 was used to show the summer schedule

as compared to the regular broadcast season. A weakness soon developed

as the result of selecting these two weeks since Thanksgiving came In

the November week and July k In the July week. This has caused some

change from the average week. Most Thursdays In the November week had

a football game which would not have pertained on the normal Thursday. 68

This did not change the pattern much as network shows were replaced during the afternoon by the game. The Thanksgiving holidays were re­ flected in the time the station was on the air during the fall of 1958*

1959 and i960 since Continental Classroom was not at 6 o’clock or 6:30 o'clock for Thursday and Friday mornings during the holidays. The station delayed it's broadcasting day on these two mornings until

7:00 a.m. Network time was not changed but the programming was changed by the Thanksgiving morning parades. There was less interruption in the programming from the July U holiday during the selected week in

July as there was little special programming.

The hours of programming each week Increased by twenty hours in

July 1950, more than double that of eight months before. The percent­ ages changed with one percent more of live programing, 11 percent more of film and 12 percent less in network programs. But four months later in November the change was extreme. Tbe microwave relay

system from Cincinnati had been completed and network programs were added from NBC, CBS, ABC and Dumont networks. Live programs dropped to

9 percent, the lowest of the twelve-year period. Film usage retreated to 19 percent, a loss of 29 percent. Live network increased accord­

ingly to 72 percent, a doubling in this category. The November week

schedule had grown to about seventy hours a week.

There was a general trend to a longer broadcast day until the peak was reached in November, i960, with 128 hours a week on the air.

The "Today" program started the day at J:00 a.m. in 1958 and at 6:00 a.m. »

69

in 1959-1960* The day often ended at 1:00 a.m., and did so as long ago

as 1953* This was assured when the "Tonight" show started in 195k.

While live programming increased during the early years, it did not

continue to enlarge over the twelve year span. The peak of live shows

was in November, 195^ with a total of 21 percent or 2k hours time.

July 1956 had 25 hours of live time but this was only 20.7 percent.

The station, in November 19^9; had 15 percent live shows and twelve

years later, in November i960, had less than 14 percent. July 1959

had only 11.3 percent next to the November 1950 low of 9 percent.

The greatest use of film in percents was in July 1950; however,

the 1*8 percent was only seventeen and a half hours that week. The peak

use of film in total hours came in November of 1957 when 30 hours or

2lf.8 percent of film was used in one week. This was the year of the

big film contract which will be discussed later in this chapter.

The lowest use of networks occurred in July 1950, when the sta­

tion depended on kinescopes. Thirteen hours of net constituted 36 per­

cent of the broadcast week. November of 1951 had a 73*5 percent high

with July 1959 close behind with a 73*^ percentage. But 1952 had only

68 hours of network as compared with 88 hours in 1959* Following the

1950 low, the percentage network time remained above the 60 percent

level.

WSAZ-TV used all four networks until 195^ when competition be­

gan in Charleston. WCHS-TV took over the CBS network in August of that

year. WSAZ continued with the three remaining networks until October

1955 when WHTN-TV began broadcasting, using ABC and Dumont networks.

Since that time WSAZ has been exclusively an NBC outlet. As has been 70 seen In Chapter II, WSAZ-TV made the better contracts with NBC and tended, to use more NBC shows from 19^9 to 1955 than » n other networks combined.

Exhibit If gives the schedule of the program log for Friday, v November 25, 1955 as one day of broadcast. It started with "Today" at

7:00 a.m. and ended with "Tonight" at 1:00 a.m. "Coffee Time," "Cur­ rent" and "Camera goes to School" are the main U v e shows using a total

of two hours live. The "Sports Eye," "News Picture," "News Headlines,"

"Weather" and "Press Box" completes the live shows of the day for a

grand total of 2 hours and 40 minutes of live programming, less than

15 percent of tbe day's log. This was not a typical day because at

"this particular time there was no kiddie show such as "The Old Wrangler,"

"General Store," "The Old Timer," "Aunt Dru," "Spinach Playhouse,"

"Popeye and his Pals," "The Beachcomber" or "Steamboat Bill." Film was

about 12.5 percent of the day's program which was high for a week day

as the most film was usually used on Saturday and Sunday. Film usage

was Increased in 1957 after the big film buy.

Live shows on WSAZ-TV tended to be of the talk and interview type

or the country small band and singer type. They did not have the large

staff bands as did the larger television stations during the early broad­

cast years. Exhibit 5 lists tbe new shows as developed by WSAZ-TV. In

19^9, there were five live shows: News, piano music, kiddie show and

two musical groups, one western, the other a rnn«.n combo. Tbe following

year a sports show was started and several interesting new experi­

ments. "Music Shop" was a radio announcer doing a TV Dee Jay show.

This one didn't last long. "Serenade" was traditional with beginning 71 TABLE 10

CROSS SECTION OF TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS

TOTAL LIVE FILM NET YEAR WEEK HOURS HOURS PERCENT HOURS PERCENT HOURS PERCENT

19k9 November 16:35 2:25 15* 6:10 37.4* 8:00 47.6* 21-26 1950 July 36*26 5:^9 16 17:30 48 13:07 36 3-9 1950 November 69:20 6:15 9 13:15 19 49:50 72 21-27 1951 July 82:35 13:05 15.7 18:00 2 1 .8 51:30 62.4 3-9 1951 November 95:15 14:45 1 3 .6 12:15 12.9 68:15 73.5 21-27 1952 July 96:15 11*: 20 15.6 15:35 1 6 .3 66:20 67.9 3-9 1952 November 9^:50 16:20 17.2 16:30 15.3 62:00 67.5 21-27 1953 July 116:10 19:10 16.5 24:1*5 21.3 71:55 62 .2 3-9 1953 November 116:45 2l*:00 20.5 18:30 1 5 .8 74:15 6 3 .6 21-27 195^ July 116:05 22:30 19 .4 21:05 1 8 .1 72:30 62.5 3-9 195^ November 118:00 2l*:00 21 .2 13:30 11.4 80:30 67 .4 21-27 1955 July 113:10 19:00 16.7 17:55 16 76:05 67.3 3-9 1955 November 119:40 17:35 Ik. 6 19:05 15.9 83:00 69.5 21-27 1956 July 120:1*5 25:05 20.7 21:40 18 74:00 61 .3 3-9 1956 November 117:50 23:05 19.5 16:30 14 78:15 66.5 21-27 1957 July 117:50 16:35 13.9 28:10 23.9 73:05 62.2 3-9 1957 November 121:00 11*: 00 11.5 30*00 24.8 77:00 6 3 .6 21-27 1958 July 120:30 16:20 13.5 22:05 18.3 82:05 68 .2 3-9 1958 November 122:00 16:00 1 3 .1 24:20 19.9 82:40 67 21-27 1959 July 120:15 13:^5 11.3 18:30 15.3 88:00 73.4 3-9 1959 November 123:30 15:30 12.5 21:30 17.5 86:30 70 21-27 i960 July 120:30 ll*:20 11 .8 22:25 17.7 83:45 70.5 3-9 i960 November 128:00 17:^5 1 3 .8 21:30 17.5 88:45 67.7 21-27 72 EXHIBIT 4

ONE DAY'S PROGRAM — Friday, November 25, 1955

TIME PROGRAM TIME PROGRAM

7:00 Today 6:30 Sports Eye

9:00 Coffee Time 6:40 News Picture

10:00 Ding Dong School 6:55 Les Paul - Mary Ford

10:30 Beauty School 7:00 Life of Riley

11:00 Home 7:30 Coke Time

12:00 Tennessee Ernie Ford 7:45 News Caravan

12:30 Feather Your Nest 8:00 Truth or Consequences

1:00 Current 8:30 Water Front

1:30 Count of Monte Cristo 9:00 Big Story

2:00 Camera goes to School 9:30 Star Stage

2:30 Mr. Sweeney 10:00 Cavalcade of Sports

2:45 Modern Romances 10:45 Red Barber's Corner

3:00 Matinee Theatre 11:00 News Headlines

4:00 Date with Life 11:05 Weather

4:15 First Love 11:10 Press Box

5:00 Pinkie Lee 11:15 Great Fights

5:30 Howdy Doody 11:30 Tonight

6:00 Wild Bill Hickok 1:00 Sign Off 73 television stations with organs, so WSAZ-TV bought a Hammond Organ and

started organ concerts which continued for years in their programming.

"TV Chapel" started in 1950 and continued to the present time. This usually was a local choir and a minister for a half hour's time. A

short sermon and considerable music was the format. "Ruth Ann’s Party

Line" used phone calls, chatter and piano playing for its content.

Tbe kitchen show was inaugurated as "Maida's Kitchen" in 1951»

This show gave housekeeping and cooking demonstrations; variations

of it have continued until the present. But the later versions con­

tained very little cooking and more entertainment with guests to fill

the time. It was called "Menu Makers" in 195^ with a new home ec­

onomics major as hostess. By 1958 a-H local use of the kitchen in

Huntington was ended and a kitchen was installed in the Charleston

facilities where "The Katie Doonan Show" originated with more variety

in its format and less cooking. Another new show type was started in

1951 which was tried with variations later. This was "Teen Time Vari­

eties" which used amateurs on a minor version of tbe Ted Mack style.

This was revived in 1952 as "The Talent Hour,"again in 195^ as "The

Talent Patrol" and later that year as "The Talent Showcase." Talent

often was lacking and this type was not used after 1958.

"Down on tbe Farm" started in 1951 with "Farmer Bill" Click, a

former County and State Agent as the main personality. He was well

known in West Virginia end the Ohio Valley end loved by many listeners.

The ratings were not high but a strong minority listened faithfully.

This show dealt with farm euid market topics with guests showing cattle

or produce. When "Feirmer Bill's" death ended his career recently a new agent was hired for the show. "Let’s Doodle" was a drawing show using Shawkey Saba, the station artist, demonstrating art techniques

and Dean Sturm, chief announcer, providing the chatter. This show

continued spasmodically for a number of years. "The Facts" was the

first of the live discussion shows but did not stay on long. "Strictly

Sustaining" a late night show was a hodge-podge of anything that came

to mind with Sam Linn as host. Reports were that itwas an "anything

goes" type of show and many zany things were done onthe program.

The next major new show was the "Jamboree" which has been the

big show to the present time on WSAZ-TV. This originally was a fifteen

minute daily show but became a half-hour once-a-week program. There

were seven or eight instruments, two to four singers and a square dance

team of eight dancers and a caller. The group generally dressed in

western costumes and sang folk songs, Western songs and popular songs.

There have been several other variations by other groups of singers on

the station. The earliest was the previously mentioned "Texas Slim"

group. At this time there was the "Western Jamboree." Later the "Rain­

bow Trail" gang (1953); "Flatt and Scruggs" (1956); "The Lonesome Pine

Fiddlers" (1958) and "Hylo Brown," in 1958.

The outstanding attempts at new programming in 1952 were: the

"TV Handyman" with Ned Brooks as a do it yourself carpenter expert;

"Sidewalk Session," a man and camera on the street type show; and the

first of a long series of Kiddie Emcees, "The Old Wrangler." This Kiddie

show was followed by "General Store," "The Old Timer," "Aunt Dru,"

"Spinach Playhouse," "Popeye and his Pals," "The Beachcomber," and 75 "Steamboat Bill." Each of these had a central character and showed western films or cartoons.

The innovation of a morning audience participation show, "Coffee

Time" was made in 1953* This had a small combo (Brownie Benson's

Band), and Emcee (Dean Sturm), two singers (Jule Huffman and Sue Cham­ bers), a home economist (Marjorie Ramsey), a style expert (Dorothy Jean

Schoroeder) and guests, drinking coffee at tables and winning prizes.

This show ended in early 1957* "Twilight Time" ran about two years.

This was Brownie Benson and a combo band playing popular and dance music. The next major show format was "Parson's Study." Its format was a relaxed half-hour with a minister talking on problems of life in both the Spiritual and Secular. He drew a heavy mail return and answered questions asked by the listeners. This program ran for about four years.

Another major contribution to programming developed early in 195^ with a half hour show on Monday, Wednesday and Friday called, "Camera goes to School." It was arranged that Elementary Schools of the area programmed Monday's hour; High Schools, the Wednesday hour and Marshall.

University the Friday time. The author taught a course in Business

Speech on Friday afternoon during the Spring Semester of 1956. In the fall of 1956 all three half hours were assigned to Marshall, for a course in Sociology taught by Dr. Richardson, Chairman of Sociology. "Tea and

Trumpets" involved Dean Sturm and Shawkey Saba in a slightly altered form of their "Let's Doodle" show. Still one more big production or­ iginated In 195^» "Current" was a man and wife team. Bob and Jan Carr were hosts and had a great variety of acts on the program. Fashion shows were given once a week, curt lectures another day, music of various kinds, and Interviews and chatter between Bob and Jan made up the body of the show.

A major change In 1957 replaced "Coffee Time" with "Romper Room" a kindergarten show for pre-school children. Five or six little boys and girls came for a week at a time to do kindergarten work In front of the camera. In 1957 WSAZ made the first cartoon buy of "Popeye" and for a year or two there were two cartoon shows. "Popeye Presents" and

"Spinach Playhouse, " Jule Huffman, using Popeye, OUve Oyl and Wimpy puppets, introduced cartoons.

Of the other shows mentioned in Exhibit 5> the one which de­ serves special mention is the "Steamboat Bill" show which began in 1959*

George Lewis, an announcer, played a sidebumed rlverboat captain. With his river pal, Merlin the Dragon, Jule Huffman, and their little stuffed animal friends and imaginary bird, they Introduced cartoons. All of the other shows were duplicates or variations on former programming. The information on U v e shows was provided by long time employees of W8AZ-TVs

George Pamlcza, Jack David and Howard Mays, engineers.’*'

The filmed shows in Exhibit 6 may be seen on same station in al­ most every major city. The listing of film used by WSAZ-TV was provided by David Bond, Film Director. He, also, gave the information found in

Tables 11, Ik, 15 and Exhibit 7 from his files.2

Interview with Engineers George Pamlcza, Jack Davis and Howard Mays, January, 1 9 6 1. 2 Interview with David Bond, Film Director, WSAZ-TV, February, I90I. 77

EXHIBIT 5

LIVE SHOWS ON WSAZ-TV

YEAR NAME DESCRIPTION 19^9 Bob Howard's Music Room Small combo Texas Slim and His Western Music Prairie Buckaroos

"Uncle George" Children's show (some film)

Lopes at tbe Piano Played tunes

Tri-State News Local news

1950 Baseball Preview Sports show NEW Serenade Hammond Organ music

Music Shop Radio announcer on TV with records

Sports Almanac Sports

Ruth Ann's Party Line Phone calls, piano, chatter

TV Chapel Minister and choir

1951 Maida's Kitchen House keeping, cooking helps NEW At Bat with Bradley Sports

News Picture News show

Weatherbird Weather show

Teen Time Varieties Song, dance, children

Down on the Farm Farm reports, Interviews

Let's Doodle Drawing, chatter

The Facts Discussion

Western Jamboree Small band, western music

Strictly Sustaining Hodge podge, anything goes 6how 78 EXHIBIT 5 (Continued)

YEAR NAME DESCRIPTION

Jamboree Singer, square dancers, country band

Livestock Farm show, cattle

1952 TV Handyman (Ned Brooks) Do it yourself show NEW Sidewalk Session Cameras, announcer on street inter­ view

Old Wrangler Old timer for children

Pianist Piano playing, talk, sing

Huntington Harmonaires Quartet show, religious music

Talent Hour Amateur show, mostly children

Sports Corner Sports news

1953 Police Lineup Show in cooperation with police NEW department

Coffee Time Live audience, variety, prizes

Rainbow Trail Western band, singer

Twilight Time Small combo, popular dance

Parson's Study- Minister talks, answers question

195^ Cartoon Carnival Saturday children's show, cartoons NEW Talent Patrol Amateur show

Gospel Harmony Boys Male quartet, religious music

Talent Showcase Same as Talent Patrol

Camera goes to School Elementary, High School and College

Tea and Trumpets Draw, talk, guests

Menu Makers Kitchen show

Current Man, wife variety, patter, interviews, fashions, art, music 79 EXHIBIT 5 (Continued)

YEAR NAME DESCRIPTION

1955 NEW No New Shows

1956 Aunt Dru Old lady, cartoons NEW Flatt & Scruggs Country music, band, and singing

1957 Romper Roam Pre-school, kindergarten show NEW Popeye Presents Popeye cartoons

Spinach Playhouse Emcee using puppets, cartoons

1958 Katie Doonan Kitchen show, music, song, chatter, NEW guests

Lonesome Pine Fiddlers Small band, singers, country music

Hylo Brown Variation of Flat and Scruggs, country music

1959 Steamboat Bill Steamboat on Ohio River, dragon, NEW cartoons

Lowery Showtime Lowery organ

Junior Auction Children show, bid on prizes from points allowed on candy and ice cream wrappers

Garden Club Women talking about gardening i960 Welcome Neighbors Katie Doonan, guests, kitchen NEW Saturday Fun Time Kiddie show 80

EXHIBIT 6

FILMED SHOWS USED ON WSAZ-TV

PROGRAM COST* PROGRAM COST*

Ames Brothers Grand Ole Opry Badge 71^ Great Fights $ 15*50 Big Picture Gene Autry Big Ten Highlights Halls of Ivy 1*0 .6 0 Blue Angels Hawkeye 100.00 Boston Blackie Homestead U.S.A. Candy Carnival Hopalong Cassidy 9 0 .0 0 Cannon Ball Huckleberry Hound Captain Zero $ 37*50 The Hunter Cavalcade of America I Married Joan Championship Bowling It's A Great Life 2 6 .9 0 Championship Wrestling Les Paul-Mary Ford Christian Science Liberace The Christophers Life of Riley Cisco Kid 75*00 Mackensie's Raiders Colonel Flack Man Called X Command Performance Mem Hunt Corless Archer Martin Kerne The Count of Monte Cristo Mayor of the Town Cowboy G-Man Mr. & Mrs. North The Crisis My Little Margie 35*00 Cross Current Off to Adventure Crunch & Des O'Henry Playhouse Mr* D* A* Paradise Island Death Valley Days Phil Silvers Dr. Hudson Pioneers Dodge All Star Theatre Pride of the Family Drew Pearson Public Defender Douglas Fairbanks Presents Quick Draw McGraw Ellery Queen 1*0.60 Ramar of the Jungles 75*00 Famous Fights Rescue Eight Favorite Story Rosemary Clooney Features for Owl Theatre Roughriders Associated Artists 75*00 Roy Rogers Unity TV Corp(. 1+5*00 Sea Hunt Telepictures 62*50 Science Fiction National TV Assoc. 50.00 Sherlock Holmes 75*00 Federal Men 8 5.00 Sky King Football Forecast Sgt. Preston Foreign Intrigue Smiling Ed's Gang Frontiers of Faith Soldiers of Fortune 81

EXHIBIT 6 (Continued)

PROGRAM COST* PROGRAM COST* Statesmen quartet water Front $ tXJ.OT State Tropper $1 5 0 .0 0 The Way Stu Ervin We Believe Super Circus Western Film Features Superman M & A Alexander 32.50 Susie 35*00 Hygo TV Film Inc. 37*50 Tales of Tomorrow 1 0 0 .0 0 Guild Films, Co. Inc. 35*00 Target 1 1 6 .0 0 Associated Artists 37*50 Terry and the Pirates - Whlrlyblrds 1 5 0 .0 0 This Is the Life The Whistler This Man Dawson Wild Bill Hiekok Tom Harmon's Workshop William Tell Topper What's Your Trouble Trouble with Father 35*00 What One Person Can Do TV Reader's Digest You Are What You Ain't Union Pacific 1 5 0 .0 0 You Ask For It U.S. Steel Worker

♦Per Shoving.

Exhibit 6 needs no explanation except that film costs are given for those

when the price vas broken down Into Individual units. Not all prices

were available.

Table 11 Is an annual report of the film used In 1933. Tbs 29.514-

percent of air time given for 1953 Includes cartoon shows which were

classed as live shows In Table 10. The author called any show which had

a host, to Introduce the next film, a live show.

Costs of live shows were difficult to obtain. Figures cure given

In Chapter VI, Table 19 which would help in determining cost. The > Cooking-Home show paid the hostess $25 per show for five shows a week.

No production cost figures were available but judging from production

costs of the Jamboree, Table 12, the costs of the dally show must have

been small or non°exLstant as such. The Kiddle show costs are confined 82 TABLE 11

ANNUAL REPORT OF FIIM USE 1953 (Time is in tyinutes)

KINESCOPE SYTOI- FEA- PUBLIC ^POTS MONTH COMM. sus. CATED TURE SEEV. SHORTS COMM. P.S.

January 3880 360 1365 1260 490 360 533 170

February 3570 330 1290 1620 375 190 597 129

March 4200 420 1335 1520 480 180 728 120

April 3735 390 1350 1740 435 220 780 139

May 3765 420 1545 2400 480 270 954 139

June 3150 240 1575 2220 375 520 860 114

July 2970 285 1870 2450 420 635 745 119

August 3495 435 1620 2880 510 600 677 130

September 2880 270 1500 2280 390 585 757 142

October 3525 240 1935 2100 150 385 1066 118

.November 3705 255 1500 1560 195 240 1084 113

December 4185 330 1845 1620 390 380 997 77

TOTAL 1+3,060 3,975 18,730 2 3 ,8 5 0 4 ,6 9 0 4 ,5 6 0 9 ,7 8 0 1 ,5 1 0

Total Air Time 1953 6,188 Estimated Hours Total Film 1,648 Actual Hours Percent Air Time 26.6656 Total Time Spots Included 1,831 Hours Percent Air Time— Spots Included 29.5456 TABLE 12

SATURDAY NIGHT JAMBOREE

YEAR TIME TAIZNT PRODUCTION TOTAL CHARGE*

1952 $ 3 8 5 .0 0

1953 1*8 1 .0 0

1955 $ 324.00 $ 1 8 0 .0 0 $ 1*5.00 5 4 9 .0 0

1956 31*2 .0 0 1 8 0 .0 0 1*5 .0 0 5 6 7.OO

1957 3 6 0 .0 0 325.00 1*5.00 730.00

1959 3 6 0 .0 0 31*0 .0 0 45-00 7 4 5 .0 0 i960 3 6 6.OO 31*5.00 4 5 .OO 7 5 6.OO

Red Top Beer (Early Sponsor)

Ashland Oil (Since 1954)

*Costs for each half hour show, to the ten hours overtime allowed the announcer who plays the character host. This runs about $8 a show or $40 a week. Tbe weather show

(5 minutes) costs only $4 a show or about $20 a week. The cost of

News shows is absorbed by the salaries of the News Department per­ sonnel and production costs are absorbed by the Production Department.

The most complete picture of a program's expenses may be found in Table 12, "Tthe Saturday Night Jamboree." The Controller could not find more detailed figures than those given in the table. Total costs for this show almost doubled from the 1 9 5 2*s $385 a show to I9 6 0's $756 a show. Production costs remained $45 a show since 1955* Time charges rose very little but talent fees nearly doubled from $180 a 81* show to $3^5* The first sponsor was Red Top Beer but in 195^ the Ash­ land Oil Company took over the show and has kept it to the present. The

Jamboree crew are paid as follows: Band $200; Emcee $25; Caller $20;

Dancers $60 and two singers $1*0.^

. Information on film costs are more detailed and a fuller picture is available. Film in November and December 19^9 cost only $3>3$* as compared with $6,6 2 6 .9 1 for the month of May in 1956 as shown in Table

1^. The charges were up to $3 6 ,0 5 2 in 1950 when the station used 1+8 per­ cent of films in its programming. However, the next year when network shows percentages were doubled and film use had dropped to 17 percent, costs for film dropped to $1 6,9 1 6. The trend reversed and began an up- ward movement until a climax was recorded in 1959 of $2 5 0,7 1 9* In

February 1957 a contract was signed with Warner Brothers for a film package which gave a surge to the use of film as well as a tremendous

Increase to charges.

The contract called for $316,680 for feature film with unlimited use for seven years. The station agreed to pay 20 percent of their re­ venue each month or about $1,200 a month. This was the cause of two or more shows being dropped to use this film to recover its cost. "Cur­ rent" and "Camera goes to School" were discontinued to allow a feature h film in the 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. time period. This practice was still continued through i9 6 0. This first contract called for Popeye Cartoons

3 Statistics given by Lew Click, Controller, WSAZ, Inc., June 15, 1961. k Interview vith James Ferguson, Program Director, 1957* 85 at $39*^93 with seven years unlimited use, also $60,507 lor Looney

Tunes and Merry Melody Cartoons with the same seven years of use. It was necessary to add to the Popeye Cartoon series with a new package in October i960 at a cost of $+3,000. These high figures are reflected in the $250,719 coBt of film in 1959- 5

Table 14 gives an insight into the breakdown of one month's film costs. It is about average but does not include the Warner Brothers film charges. The charges on Table 13 show 1956 costs to be $8k,352.

Table l4 gives a total of $6,6 2 6 .9 1 for one month which would make the year's costs to be $7 9*5 2 2 .9 2 at that average.

The summary of film contracts prepared in 1955 by the Film Dir­

ector, Carl Fane, for the General Manager, Mr. Bogers, is of interest as it sums up the station's use of film. Exhibit 7 is self-explan­

atory. Table 15 falls in the same catagory as it, too, sums up con­

tracts in 1957* This report to Mr. Rogers was also prepared by Mr.

Feme. The author worked with Mr. Fane in film during the summer of

1957- 6

Programming at WSAZ-TV has been progressive and aimed to Improve

audience appeal. The purchase of high quality film indicates the sta­

tion's attitude toward good listening. This has been borne out by the

size of WSAZ, Inc., their staff and by the high costs shown in Chapter

III for production.

5 Lew Click, op. clt., June 15, 1 9 6 1.

^Frcan the film files prepared by Carl Fane, Film Director of WSAZ, Inc., 1955-1 9 5 8. 86

TABLE 13

FILM COSTS

YEAR TOTAL EXPENSE YEAR TOTAL EXPENSE

19^9 $ 3,36^.00 1955 $ 1+7,093.00

1950 3 6,0 5 2 .0 0 1956 81+, 3 5 2 .0 0

1951 1 6,9 1 6 .0 0 1957 1 5 6,1+2 8 .0 0

1952 28,49^.00 1958 2 2 5,6 2 9 .0 0

1953 5 0,6 6 2 .0 0 1959 2 5 0,7 1 9 .0 0

195^ 37,399.00 i960 1 1 1 ,8 0 5 .0 0

Warner Brothers Film Package 1957 Features unlimited use for 7 years 31 6,6 8 0 .0 0 Feb. Popeye Cartoons unlimited use for 7 years 39,1+93.00

Looney Tunes and Merry Melody unlimited 6 0,5 0 7 .0 0 use for 7 years

Pay 2056 of revenue per month (Average) 1 ,2 0 0 .0 0 i960 New package of Popeye Cartoons 1+3 ,0 0 0 .0 0 Oct. 8?

TABLE 114-

FILM DEPARTMENT EXPENSES May* 1956

DISTRIBUTOR FILM COST

NBC Hopalong Cassidy $ 1*67.20

AIRBORNE Shipping expenses 12.1*9

SUBSCRIPTION TO SRDS 10.00

CONSOLIDATED TV SALES Crusader Rabbit 250.00

BUD WILKINSON PROD. Sports for the Family 1*62.51

OFFICIAL FILMS INC. My Little Margie 2,660.00 Dateline Europe Cross Current Overseas Adventure

GUILD FILMS Looney Tunes ^77.50

ATLAS TELEVISION Captain Zero 112.50

TV PROGRAMS OF AMER. 5 daily shows; Susie Star Showcase Count of Monte Cristo Ellery Queen Halls of Ivy 16 0 $1*0.60 21*9.60 20 @ $1*0.60 8oi*.oo

HYGO Westerns 31*5.00

SCREEN GEMS All Star Theatre 162.50

UNITY Features 300.00

NTA Features 300.00

TELE SHIPPERS Shipping cost ll*.30

TOTAL $ 6,626.91 88

EXHIBIT 7

1955 SUMMARY OF FILM CONTRACTS Contracts now running Number of features included in contract Expiration date of contract

TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF AMERICA. These are 5 half hour shows run for 52 weeks. The starting date was 11/9/55• We pay $40.60 per run. On repeats is either Ellery Queen, Count of Monte Cristo, Halls of Ivy. Of the 156 prints running, h6 will be repeated once. On Susie and Your Star Showcase, 52 prints of each show. This is paid weekly.

SCREEN GEMS. We have 39 of these, one being a repeat as a fill. Contract expires January 1, 1957* Have unlimited use of film.

TELEPICTURES. We have 20 more runs of features on this contract. Contract ending January, 1957*

NATIONAL TELEFILM ASSOCIATION. Contract to begin June 1, 1956, expires on May 31, 1958* Cost of the features is $50. a run. Two runs each. (Make one for local sales and national sales with re­ lease date, list.)

NBC HOPALONG CASSIDY. l/2 hour series repeats, 52 of them. First run was completed I/26/55. In the completion of the series we bad a 52 week option to pick up 52 repeats. We agreed to this and according to the contract we have until U/26/56 to run off a group of 52 Hopalong Cassidy films. This will cost us $90. a run.

M & A ALEXANDER. This contract of kj westerns will be completed on March 30, 1958. That is also the expiration date of the con­ tract.

MOVIE MUSEUM. We bought 100 programs, 15 min., Movie Museum, start date, April, 1955* The expiration date is October 1956. Cost of program $15. each. As of today we have run 13 of the Movie Museum that ended in October 1956. If these shows are sold they will be $30. a program. We also have an option to pick up a rerun of the shows at $12.50 per program.

HYGO TELEVISION. Beginning January 1, 1956, and until December 1957 we have a total of 6U westerns. Costing $37*50 each, two runs each. EXHIBIT 7 (Continued)

HYGO TELEVISION. Contracted for 16 Westerns commencing Sept. 1955/ expiration date March 1, 1957/ cost per run $37*50/ two runs each. Contracted 50 cartoons, commenced September 1, 1955/ expiration date 5/31/5 6/ these cartoons cost us $1 1 . per run.

CRAFTSMAN FILMS, INC. We have a total of 299 films beginning Oct­ ober, 1955/ wad- must complete before May 1, 1957* We pay a total of $1 5 .5 0 a run.

GUILD FILMS. Westerns have already been run once and are now being repeated, a total of 27 repeats with this run. The expiration date is August 31/ 1957* CoBt per episode is $35*

ASSOCIATED ARTISTS. Eleven features $75* a run, two runs each. Started January 1, 1 956, expiration date July 1, 1957*

ASSOCIATED ARTISTS. Total of 33 westerns costing $37*50 each. We will run them each twice commencing March 1, 1956, and ending September 1, 1957*

ATLAS TV CORPORATION. 26 Captain Zero, 1/2 hour films, two runs per film. Cost of $37*50 each beginning July 23/ 1955 and con­ tinuing for 52 weeks.

ASSOCIATED ARTISTS. 55 features, 12 Sherlock Holmes features, for a total of $75* each. We have a total of 9^ runs left in this contract.

UNITY TELEVISION CORPORATION. 80 features in this group, two runs each, cost of $90. for two runs per feature. Expiration date of this is October 31/ 1956. Total of 66 features yet to run. 90 TABLE 15

1957 FILM CONTRACT CONDENSATION FOR MR. ROGERS

TELEPICTURES (Lippert) Number of features Qb (2 runs each) Cost per feature $125 for two runs Total cost $13,750 Cost of Monthly installments, 20 installments $65^ .76

($65^.80 paid at signing of contract)

SCREEN GEMS ALL STAR THEATRE (Ford Theatre) (2b months run) Number of 1/2 hour programs 39 Total cost $3880.50 Paid upon delivery of prints $1170.00 Monthly installments $ 1^3.00

OFFICIAL FILMS (Willie Wonderful Series, used on Cartoon Carnival) Total number of 1fb hour programs 26 Cost per run $20.00 for each Total of contract $520.00 Monthly installment $86.00 for each

UNITY Number of features 80 (2 runs each) Cost per feature $90.00 (for 2 runs) Total cost of contract $7200.00 Cost of monthly installments $300.00 2b installments

STERLING Cartoons $10.00 for run of each

M & A ALEXANDER Westerns $32.50 for run of each

COMMONWEALTH Westerns $32.50 for run of each

FILM CLASSIC Old time comedies, one reeler $10.00 for run of each CHAPTER VI

PERSONNEL

The number of employees at WSAZ, Inc. has varied considerably

over the years. There has not been a separation of radio and tele­

vision employees except in certain areas. Television was given its

own production staff, its own salesmen and its own continuity writers.

But, promotion, accounting, engineering, and announcing departments

covered both operations. For this reason employee figures are given

in combination as has been noted in Table 5 in Chapter III on Fin­

ance. It was said by Lawrence H. Rogers in a conversation that the

early operation of television was a pretty sorry affair with about

seventeen employees. This was checked by Lew Click, Controller, and

found to be recorded as seventeen television employees in 19^-9 • There

were no records listing pay for these seventeen, nor could the pay for

1950's fifty-eight employees be located. Since 1950 figures for the

total number of employees were available only for the combined tele­

vision and radio operation as shown in Table 16.

Radio's personnel needs had been well established before the

addition of the television facilities so it may be assumed that the

rising list of employees were added to staff the new medium. In fact,

as radio stations in the United States began changing to their music, t- news and sports formats when television cut into their listening aud- i ience, it is safe to say that personnel in radio stations dropped be­

low the 1950 level.

Seventy-seven employees in 1951 were paid $11, Wf for two weeks

91 92 labor for both radio and television. This grew to $14,1*43 for eighty- four employees in 1952. The following year found employment at about the n o m for 1957, 1958, 1959 and i960. However, it did arise higher during the intervening years of 195**, 1955 and 1956. The peak of 162 employees was reached in 195** when the payroll reached its peak of

$32,383.

TABLE 16

EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

YEAR HffLOYEES YEAR EMPLOYEES YEAR EMPLOYEES

19**9 17 1953 120 1957 116 1950 58 1951* 162 1958 121 1951 77 1955 ll*5 1959 113 1952 81* 1956 153 I960 127

Part of the variation is the result of the method of counting employees. In sane years all talent were counted as employees even If they worked only a few minutes a week. In other years none of the talent were counted and. in a few years part of them were counted. No reasons have been advanced for this changable method of accounting.

There has been a turn-over of employees with different reasons for their leaving. The larger number of engineers leaving the depart­ ment was occasioned by the requirements calling for many engineers to operate microwave relay systems. When AT&T installed a system to provide network programming for WCHS-TV in Charleston and WHTN-TV In 93 Huntington it was necessary for WSAZ-TV to abandon its relay system.

This resulted in a lay-off of a number of engineers in 195^-»

Table 17 shows the number of employees leaving WSAZ from 19^-9 to i960. A total of 273 left the station's employment in eleven years, an average of about 25 per year.

The great majority of these left this station for higher paying

Jobs. The second largest group leaving were students at Marshall

University who were working part-time or full-time and went elsewhere after graduation. Of course there were some who left because of dl- satisfaction and a smaller number who .were fired outright.

TABLE 17

HUMBER OP EMPLOYEES LEAVING.WSAZ, 19^9-1960

EMPLOYEE NO. LEAVING EMPLOYEE NO. LEAVING

Reception 2k Production Mgr. 2 Janitors 6 Photo Directors 6 Floormen 2k Photo Department 2 Newsmen 21 Secretary 2k TV Announcers 18 Salesman Ik Engineers 50 Clerical 7 Sports Director 1 Promotion 9 Continuity 20 Mailr00m 10 Artist k National Sales 1 Director 9 Traffic 5 Program Director 5 Film 10 Promotion Mgr. 1 TOTAL 273

This change of personnel is demonstrated by the listing in Ex- hibit 8 which was taken from a full page advertisement in the Hunting­ ton Advertiser. Of 108 employees whose pictures were printed in the 9k

November 2b, 1959 paper, 31 bad left WSAZ employment before tie end of I960.1

The newspaper omitted listing personnel who worked exclusively in radio, such as Bozworth Johnson, Program Directory George Andrick,

Commercial Manager; and Robert Bowen, Radio Announcer. The 31 turn­ over of employees in i960 was only slightly above the ten-year average.

Fifteen of them left for better jobs, death took two more and grad­ uation or leaving school caused two or more to leave the station. A few left because of desire for a change.

Personnel files were not available to give information on the

educational background of WSAZ's employees or technical training before

Joining the station.

Pay ranges for the various jobs in the station are to be found

in Table 18. A policy of periodic raises was instituted for most em­

ployees but it was not automatic. Those who worked diligently usually

were given raises without private negotiations. Employees reported

that a review was held by the administration at periodic intervals to

decide on each Individual's worth and the wisdom of granting them an

increase in pay. The heed of one department found another better pay­

ing Job after two years without an increase in pay. Table 18 shows

the Educational Director stayed at a salary of $580 a month from

1956 until i9 6 0, at which time he became Director of a Finance Company.

The latter two instances were, perhaps, exceptions to the possibilities

1The Huntington Advertiser, "WSAZ-TV, Tenth Anniversary, 19^9“ 1959>" November 1 5, 1959* P* 24. 95

EXHIBIT 8

1959 EMPLOYEE ROSTER

NAME JOB REASON FOR LEAVING

♦Ronnie Adkins Floorman Unknown Patty Ballenger News Secretary ♦Lois Jean Banks Receptionist Graduation ♦Nick Basso News Director Moved Helen Batten Bookeeper ♦William D. Birk Vice President Huntington Publishing Co. Harold Black Film ♦Neil Boogs News News Director WCHS Dave Bond Film Director Evelyn Brandenburg Nat'l Seiles Sect.» ♦Fred Briggs Announcer Announcer WBS-TV Gene Brock Projectionist Douglas Browning Engineer Bob Brumbield News ♦Avery Cbenoweth Program Director Moved William Clark Maintenance John Clay Chief Engineer Lew Click Controller ♦William D. Click Farm Director Death Charles Clifton Transmitting Engr. ♦Carolyn Cohen Operations . Job in Florida ♦Ray Cramer Sales Moved Mickey Curry Studio Manager Jack Daughtery Studio Engineer John Davis Engineer ♦Jack Fentress Video Tape Unknown William Ford Engineer Jackie Gainer Floorman C. Tom Garten Vice President Russell Gates, Jr. Engineer Russell Gates, Sr. Engineer ♦Betty Graham Traffic Family Charles Halstead Sales Gary Hardin Photography Jule Huffman Announcer ♦Robert Horan News Washington, D. C. ♦John Hurd News Charleston, West Virginia Herman Jivlden Studio Engr. Wilmer Johnson Maintenance William D. Kelley Photography W. F. Kelley Promotion 96

EXHIBIT 8 (Continued)

NAME JOB REASON FOR LEAVING

Leroy Kilpatrick Vice President Operations Mgr. John Killoran Photography . William Kinnalrd Photography Director Connie Lanham Continuity Dan Langdale Artist Fritz Leichner Night Operations Mgr. George Lewis Announcer Leda Levis Sales Secretary Jon Light Projectionist ♦Robert Long Production Manager Moved ♦Walker Long Director of the Board Death Lester W. LoveJoy Engineer ♦Daisy Lucas Administrative Sect. Resigned ♦Jon McGlone Director Moved ♦Ronald L. Magel Announcer Moved Lloyd Malcolm Carpenter Frank Marshall Studio Engineer Howard Martin Studio Engineer Gene Mathews Engineer Earl May Prop Mgr. Joe Mayor News Howard Mays Camera man Robert Murray Announcer ♦Ann Niehaus Promotion Sect. Unknown Russell Oliver Mailroom Grayson Osborne Photography George Parnicza Studio Engineer Don Pauley Engineer ♦William D. Penhale Sales Unknown ♦Mary Pennypacker Administrative Sect. Resigned - Betty Perry Bookkeeper Francis Pinion Secretary Carolyn Pinson Receptionist Merlin Pitts Transmitter Supervisor ♦John Reger Transmitter Engr. Unknown ♦Barbara Rhodes Program Sect. Unknown Don Roberts News Doris Robinson Film ♦L. H. Rogers, Jr. Pres. & Gen. Mgr. Vice-Pres.-Gen. Mgr. Taft Stations Tom Rupp Transmitter Engr. ♦Calvin Ryan Director Moved Shawkey Saba Art Director I

97 EXHIBIT 8 (Continued)

NAME JOB REASON FOR IEAVING

Benny Schaeffer Scenic Designer Lucille Seese Publicity ♦Bert Shimp Announcer Mgr. Loan Company Raymond Sigjnan Director John L. Sinclair, Jr. Charleston Station Manager Pete Stinger Announcer Dean Sturm Announcer Jim Thacker Sports Director James D. Tuverson Announcer Howard Tyler Maintenance Emil Varney Photography Barbara Wade Continuity Director Annette Walker Receptionist Ernestine Walls Bookkeeper Wandeleen Walters Traffic C. Wm. Watts Sales ♦Frances Weller Bookkeeper Unknown Bob Wells Sales Robert White Sales ♦John Whitfield Mailroam Moved (Charleston) ♦Jay Wildt News Moved (Charleston) Jack Williams Promotion Director George Woody Studio Engineer Tom Wright Projectionist Jim Wysong Projectionist

♦No longer with WSAZ-TV.

of advancement in both position and salary. One employee began vork as

a messenger boy in April 1953 at 75^ an hour, by June of the same year

he had became a floorman at $169 a month. He graduated from Marshall

University in 1959 with a Teacher's Certificate. The station made him

Floor Manager at $300 a month, then moved him to cameraman and en~

gineering at $325 a month to keep him. He had taught Science in

school two years by 1962, but continued working evenings and week-ends 98

TABLE 18

SALARY SCALES

POSITION STARTED MONTHLY PAY STOPPED MONTHLY PAY

Engineer 1949 $1 5 2 .0 0 1959 $ 475.00 Chief Engineer 1949 200.00 i960 8 1 6 .6 6 Secretary 1951 I6 5.OO i960 3 6 0 .0 0 Bookkeeper 1951 . 1 5 0 .0 0 i960 330.00 Hews Director 1951 2 6 0 .0 0 1959 8 1 6 .6 6 Announcer 1953 3 0 0 .0 0 1959 480.00 -Newsman i960 3 5 0 .0 0 Floorman 1953 I6 5.OO 1959 3 0 0 .0 0 Photographer 1952 175-00 i960 3 6 0 .0 0 Artist 1951 350.00 i960 430.00 Artist 1954 3 5 0 .0 0 i960 475.00 Janitor 1953 1 6 0 .0 0 i960 2 3 0 .0 0 Salesman 1954 325.0G(Base) I960 32,000.00* 7C0.00(Canm.) Salesman 1954 250.00(Base) I960 8,8 0 0.00 * ; 600.00(Ccnm.) Continuity 1954 16c. 00 i960 3 0 0 .0 0 i Program Director 1949 175.CO(Sales) 1953 575.00(P.D.) 1959 9,8 0 0.00 * Educational Director 1945 180.00(Ann.) 1952 440.00(Radio P.D.) 1956 580.00(E.D.) i960 58O.OO Projectionist 200.00(to 2 5 0 .0 0 pay range) Director 1950 1 3 0 .0 0 i960 4 2 5 .0 0 Carpenter 1953 275-00 i960 375-00 Property Man 1956 240.00 i960 2 9 0 .0 0

Promotion Start at $325 per month to $10,000. Annual Talent i960 Square Dance Caller $80 a month 4-5 shows. Cooking-Home show $25 a show. Sing­ ers $15 to $30 a show. Bncee for Jamboree— 6 hours overtime $25 a show. Heather caster 6 hours overtime $4 a show ($ 2 0 a week). Kiddle Show Character 10 hours overtime $8 a show.

♦Annual 99 at the station. This is the kind of opportunity the Station Admlnis- O tratlon has given young men and women in the broadcast field.

The author has had a number of students over the years from

1955 until i960, who started work part time and moved up through pro­

jectionists to directorships before graduation. One started as floor­

man, moved to projection, to director, back to projection, to film,

and then to film director. These are examples of many students who

have profited from the management’s sympathy to the learner and the

effectiveness of the station’s training policies.

Another example of the opportunity and encouragement given to

employees may be noted in Table 18. One artist started work in March r 1951 at $150 a month. In April he was raised to $175> in July to

$200, and in December of the same year to $225. To the author's

knowledge he was offered a much higher paying job in 196 1, but re­

fused because he was so pleased with his employment at WSAZ-TV. Even

though the author worked at the station and made inquiry of other em­

ployees, the question of why some employees became discouraged and

left and others continued to advance in position and pay could not

always be determined.

Talent fees have also varied over the years. They were paid in

different ways so that it was not possible to get a breakdown over the

eleven years. Some of these fees are given in Table 18 to show the

various methods of computing their pay. The Saturday Night Jamboree

consisted of seven or eight instrumentalists, three or four regular

Conversations with employees during the summers of 1956, 1957* 1958 when the author worked at the station. 100 singers, eight square dancers, a caller, and an emcee. The band In i960 was paid $200 a show or about $29 a week each. Singers varied from $19 to $30 a show. For some years the square dancers were paid as a group and for other years they vere paid individually. Their

Individual pay vas $9 a show In 1998 and vas still the same In i9 6 0.

The Caller vas paid $80 a month. The Emcee vas allowed six hours overtime for his talent fee and this came to about $29 a shov.

The Jamboree vas a half hour shov late Saturday afternoon or early in the evening. The group vas not union and played or sang country, religious and papular imislc.

A veathercaster also vas alloyed six hours overtime for his weather shov. This gave him about $20 a week more or $k a shov.

The Kitchen Shov, or woman's shov, had one In the talent category and her fee vas a flat $29 a shov for five shows a week. The Emcee for a Kiddle Cartoon show was given ten hours overtime, or about $b0 a week for five shows a week.

The Information contained In Table 18 has been provided by ■a Lew Click, Controller.J

^Interview with Lew Click, Controller for WSAZ, Inc., June 19, 1961. CHAPTER VII

SALES

DetailB concerning the Sales Department of WSAZ-TV were diffi­ cult to locate. It has been a common practice in the station to dispose of old records and papers as soon as FCC permitted their being discarded. The Sales area have kept their files cleared of accumu­ lated records. Information in this chapter has been gathered from four major sources. The first information came from a 1953 TV

Hopperatlng of the Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia; Ashland,

Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio area. This report gave all the network

shows and the sponsor or sponsors of each program.^" The local live and film shows listed in the Hoqperating did not have sponsors logged in the report. These live and film programs were matched with spon­

sors by Mrs. Robert White (former head of Continuity for WSAZ-TV, now

Continuity writer for McCormack Advertising, Inc.), as nearly as her 2 memory permitted.

The second source of information on locally sponsored shows was

provided by Mr. Robert White, head of Sales at WSAZ-TV. He had some

listings of sponsors for 1955 through 1957 but not year by year. He

prepared from memory an exhibit of sponsors and the shows they supported

- TV Hooperatlngs, "Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia; Ashland, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio Area Survey," 1953# PP. 21-25. 2 Interview with Mrs. Robert White, Continuity for McCormack, Inc., formerly head of Continuity, WSAZ-TV, February, 1 9 6 1.

101 102 during the 19^9”19^0 period and indicated the size of the spot con­ tracts they made with WSAZ-TV.3

Third source of information vaB from the files of Mrs. Lucille

Seese, Manager of the national Sales area of WSAZ-TV. Her files were limited to current accounts.**

The fourth source of information came from the files of Mrs.

Leda Levis, Assistant Manager of Production, formerly Secretary of

Sales. Mrs. Levis had prepared a list of national accounts vho had not renewed spots on WSAZ, Inc. since 1959 and some not since 1957* This report had been prepared in December, 1961, for Mr. Garten, General

Manager. Sales regained some of the old accounts after this report called their attention to them. Mrs. Levis' files also supplied lists of sponsors from an FTC report for December 196 1.^

The author had access to same early files of Mr. Lawrence H.

Rogers, Jr., President and General Manager, in 1959; and although these files were later destroyed, samples of NBC network orders for the station were copied at that time. One dated March 25, 1953 read:

"Enclosed herewith please find original and two copies of our contract covering six 'Dangerous Assignment' films for six weeks, starting April

27, 1953 at $130 net per program over your station..." Another dated

3 Interview with Robert White, Sales Manager, WSAZ-TV, January, 1 9 6 2. k Interview with Mrs. Lucille Seese, National Sales far WSAZ-TV, January 19 6 2. 5 Interview with Mrs. Leda Lewis, Assistant Manager of Production, WSAZ-TV, formerly Sales Secretary WSAZ-TV, February, 1 9 6 2. 103

November 11, 1953 read: "This is your authorization on the Buick Berle

Show to make one local six second video only cut in as a part of middle commercial on the shows of November 24th, December 1st and 8th." Con­ tinued instructions were: "The same slide used on November 3rd cut in should be used again and agency will forward the new commercial script showing cut away point for cut in. NBC will wire as soon as possible the time of the middle commercial." The third sample was addressed to

NBC confirming an order dated November 20, 1953# it read: "This con­ firms order for one local six second video cut in Berle Shows of

November 24th, December 1st and 8th for Buick. Have slide on hand.

Charge is 75$ of the appropriate National announced rate or $37.50 fully commissionable. Am placing order through Katz Agency." It 6 was signed, Elizabeth Conaty, WSAZ-TV.

Another item'of information from the above mentioned files gave a report on "Who said That?" sponsored by Pure Oil Company. This was for the month of November, 1953*

Dates announcements were made: November 2,9, 16, 23 and 30. Rate card for time per program $216. Total amount of rate card rate for time $1,080. Total amount of rate card discount allowed, $108. Total agency commission allowed $143.30. Total net time charge after discount and agency commission $826.20. For NBC only: Talent charge per program $73*70* Total Talent charge per program for the month $368.5o7<

The summary at the bottom of the sheet read: "Total for month

$826.20, less 15$ sales commission $123.93. Wet subject to ASCAP fee

6 Information from files of Lawrence H. Rogers, Jr.

7Ibid. 10lf

$702.27, ASCAP fee 3.025$ due NBC on above $21.26. Total Talent $826.20, Q charge due $1 2 3 .14-3 , Co-op sales $3 6 8.5 0."

Exhibit 9 lists the 1953 shows from ABC, CBS, Dumont and NBC net­ works which were given over WSAZ-TV in November of that year. It also names the sponsor or sponsors of each show. There were seventy-nine programs of which forty-eight were NBC; twenty-one were CBS; eight were

ABC and two were Dumont networks. More than one hundred sponsors used the seventy-nine programs.

Exhibit 10 showing live and film shows indicated that of forty shows, eighteen were live and twenty-two were film. Most of the live shows were participating and specific sponsors for these programs could not be ascertained. The sponsors listed with the show in 1953 changed programs over the years as Exhibit 11 demonstrates. "The Sat­ urday Night Jamboree" had Red Top Beer as its first sponsor but in 195^ this program acquired Ashland Oil Company as its only sponsor. However, in more recent years Ashland Oil Bhared the Jamboree with Persinger

Supply (Zenith). "Meet the Press" has had a number of sponsors. In the 1953 listing in Exhibit 9 Revere Company (a network sponsor) had the show but in later years there were local sponsors. Among these local sponsors were Appalachian Power Company and The Guarantee Nat­ ional Bank.

One of the early local sponsors was The Star Furniture Company who had an amateur show they called "Star's Parade of Stars"(1953-195*0•

8 Ibid. 105 EXHIBIT 9

1953 NETWORK PROGRAMS AND SPONSORS A— ABC Network D— Dumont Network C— Columbia Network N— NBC Network

PROGRAM SPONSOR NET

A DOLLAR A SECOND Mogen David. Wine Co. D ADV. OF OZZIE & HARRIET Hotpoint Co.— Lambert Co. A ALL STAR REVUE Participation (See Your Show of Shows) N ARMSTRONG CIRCLE THEA. Armstrong Cork Co. N A. GODFREY-FRIENDS Liggett & Myersj Pillsbury Mills; Toni Co.C ARTHUR MURRAY PARTY Cons. Royal Chem Coip. N BIG PAYOFF Col-Palm-Peet- ‘ C BIG STORY American Cig. & Cig.; Simoniz Co. N BIG TOP Nat. Dairy Corp. C BUICK-BERLE SHOW Buick Motor Div. N BURNS AND ALLEN Carnation Co.; B.F. Goodrich Co. C CAMEL NEWS CARAVAN R. J. Reynolds N CAVALCADE OF AMERICA E. I. DuPont deNemours A COKE TIME Coca Cola Co. N COLGATE COMEDY HOUR Col-Palm-Peet N COMEBACK STORY, THE Ekco Prod.; Sealy, Inc. A DAVE GARRCWAY SHOW Pontiac Dealers-Amer. N DINAH SHORE SHOW Chevrolet Div.-Ten'1 Motors N DING DONG SCHOOL General Mills N DRAGNET Liggett & Myers N ETHEL & ALBERT SHOW Sunbeam Corp. N FIRESIDE THEATRE Procter & Gamble N FORD THEATRE Ford Dealers N GABBY HAYES Quaker Oats N GARRY MOORE Best Foods; Cat's Paw Rubber Co.; C C.H. Masland;. Converted Rice, Inc.; C Hoover Co.; Kellogg Co.; Norge; C Pillsbury Mills; Purex Co.; Swift & Co C GILLETTE CAVALCADE Gillette N OF SPORTS GOODYEAR TV PLAYHOUSE Goodyear Tire Co. N GREATEST FIGHTS Chesebrough N GUIDING LIGHT Procter & Gamble C HALLMARK HALL OF FAME Hall Bros. N HAWKINS FALLS S.0.S. Co. N HOWDY DOODY Col-Palm-Peet; Cont. Baking; Kellogg N Co.; Ludens; Standard Brands; Int’l N Shoe; Welch Co. N I'LL BUY THAT Seeman Bros., Inc. C I LOVE LUCY Philip Morris C I MARRIED JOAN General Electric N 106 EXHIBIT 9 (Continued)

PROGRAM SPONSOR NET

JUDGE FOR YOURSELF P. Lorillard N KATE SMITH HOUR Cons. Cosmetics; Corn Products Co.; N Doeskin Products; GerberProducts; N James Lees & Sons; Landers; Frank & N Clark; Simoniz Co. N KRAFT TV THEATRE Kraft Foods Co. N LETTER TO LORETTA Procter and Gamble N LIFE OF RILEY Gulf Oil Corp. N LONE RANGER General Mills C LOVE OF LIFE Amer. Tobacco Co. C MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY General Foods A MAMA Amer. Home Prod. C MAN AGAINST CRIME R. J. Reynolds N MARTIN KANE U.S. Tobacco Co N MEDALLION THEATRE Chrysler Corp. C MEET MR. McNUTLEY Gen. Elec. Co. C MEET THE PRESS Revere Co. N MISTER PEEPERS Reynolds Metal Co. N NCAA FOOTBALL GAMES General Motors N OLDSMOBILE PRESS BOX Oldsmobile Div.-Gen.Motors N PREVIEW ON YOUR ACCOUNT Procter & Gamble N PABST BOUTS Pabst Sales Co. C PEPSI-COLA PLAYHOUSE Pepsi-Cola Co. A PHILCO TV PLAYHOUSE Fhilco Corp. N PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Atlantic Ref. Co.; Brewing Corp.- D Amer.; Miller Brewing Co.; Westinghouse Elec. Corp. RED BUTTONS General Foods C REVLON MIRROR THEATRE Revlon Products C ROBERT MONTGOMERY Amer. Tobacco Co.; S.C. Johnson N SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE Schlitz Brewing Co. C SEARCH FOR TOMORROW Procter & Gamble C SMILIN' ED McCONNELL Brown Shoe Co. A STRIKE IT RICH Col-Palm-Peet C SUNDAY NEWS SPECIAL Norwich Fharm. C SUPER CIRCUS Kellogg Co. A TED MACK'S ORIGINAL Pet Milk N AMATEUR HOUR THIS IS YOUR LIFE Hazel Bishop N TODAY Participation N TREASURY MEN IN ACTION Borden Co. N VOICE OF FIRESTONE Firestone Tire & Rubber N WELCOME TRAVELERS Ekco Prod. N WHERE'S RAYMOND Amer. Cig. & Cig.; A Sherwin-Williams Co. A 107 EXHIBIT 9 (Continued)

PROGRAM SPONSOR NET

YOU ARE THERE ECAP C YOU BET YOUR LIFE DeScrto Div.-Chrysler N YOUR HIT PARADE Amer. Tobacco N Crosley Div.-Avco N YOUR PONTIAC SCOREBOARD Pontiac Div.-Gen. Motors N YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS Armour & Co. N RCA N . Participation (10 min.each) N Adolph's Lt. Benrus Watch Co. Cat's Paw Rubber Co. Griffin Mfg. Co. Johnson & Johnson Lewis Howe Co. Shwayder Bros. S.O.S. Co. (ALL STAR REVUE every H h Sat.) ZOO PARADE Quaker Oats N

This same format was used as early as July 1951 by Frankel's Appliance

Store in an hour long show, live from Frankel's store on Saturday morn­

ings. It was called "Teen Time Varieties" in 1951 and "Talent Hour" in

July and November 1952. Its time period had been replaced by film by

July 1953* A new effort with the amateur format was made in early 1956

called "Talent Showcase" sponsored by Schiff Shoes and Gwinn's Flour.

"Talent Showcase" lasted one year.

Kroger'8 Supermarkets have had three major films besides numerous

spots. Their earliest filmed show was "The Whirlybirds," later they

used "Sea Hunt." Evans Supermarkets, a South Eastern Ohio— West Vir­

ginia chain sponsored only one film, "Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal."

This was for a short period and they changed to the use of spots. "B & B" 108

Supermarket; a local concern; confined Its buys to spots as has A & P

Supermarkets.

A rather unusual arrangement vas started In 195^ by Nation Wide

Insurance Company. The company sponsored; and still does, some of the eleven o'clock news shows. The company paid half of the cost and Nat­ ion Wide agents paid the other half on an occasional basis. Each agent paid $10 for the program when his picture vas shown and his name vas given by the booth announcer. The filmed commercial by the company vas surrounded by the agents' pictures; five before the filmed Q spot and five after the spot.

Bluefield Supply sponsored "Hopalong Cassidy" and used spots.

They signed a $1*000 contract with the station on their initial buy.

R. C. Kyle Appliance Company In advertising Admiral products spent as high at $1500 a month for time.'*'®

National business handled locally vas sparse but a few conpanl.es

did make their own arrangements with WSAZ-TV. Exhibit 12 contains some

of those companies and their programs. Ashland Oil Company has been

the biggest consistent buyers of time from the early days of the

station. They sponsored Gene Stephenson at the Organ for a quarter

hour as early as 1950 and as late as November 1951* in a program called

"Serenade." It vas on the air as often as three times a week and as few

as once a week. Ashland Oil sponsored "The Saturday Night Jamboree"

Hr. White Interview, op. cit., January 1962. EXHIBIT 10

1953 LIVE AND FILM PROGRAMS AND SPONSORS

PROGRAM spo ns o r '"" l o c a l

AMERICAN FRONTIER Film THE BENNETTS Film BIG PLAYBACK Film BOSTON BLACKIE Fall City Beer Film CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT Post Cereal Film CARTOON CARNIVAL Participating Film THE CHRISTOPHERS Sustaining . Film COFFEE TIME Participating Live DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. Film PRESENTS DOWN ON THE FARM Checker Board Feeds live FIGHT OF THE WEEK Coca Cola Bottling Co. Film FOR THE LADIES Film G. I. FORUM Sustained Live G. I. PRISONER OF WAR Sustained. Film GLAMOUR GIRL Film HOUSE PARTY Film HUNTINGTON HARMONAIRES Sustained Live JOHNNY JUPITER Film MAIDA'S KITCHEN Participating Live MIDDAY NEWS Participating Live MISTER WIZARD Film MY FAVORITE STORY Strietmann Biscuit Co. Film NEWS PICTURE First National Bank Live Nation Wide Agents OLD AMERICAN BARN DANCE Film THE OLD TIMER Participating Live PARSON'S Sustained Live RAINBOW TRAIL live THE RUGGLES Film SATURDAY NIGHT JAMBOREE Red Top Beer Live SPORTS ALMANAC Participating live SPORTS EYE Weidmann Beer live Ford Dealers Live STAR PARADE OF STARS Star Furniture Co. Live SUNDAY NEWS SPECIAL Appalachian Power Co. live TALENT PATROL Frankel's Appliance Store Live TV THEATRE Participating Film TWILIGHT TIME Ashland Oil Co. live WEEK IN REVIEW Live WHO SAID THAT? Pure Oil Company Film WEATHER United Fuel Gas Co. live Bemco Mattress Co. Augustiner Beer WRESTLING Red Top Beer Film 1 1 0

EXHIBIT 11

PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY LOCAL BUSINESS Figures in ( ) indicate number of spots in each contract

SPONSOR PROGRAM

APPALACHIAN POWER CO. Meet the Press (alt); Sunday News Picture (weekly); Spots-Reg 5-6 spots weekly (260)

BIG SANDY FURNITURE Big 3 Bowling; Spots; Campaigns (Ashland)

BORDEN'S Grand Ole Opry, 3 half hour programs weekly (260)

BROUGHTON'S 1/4 hr. Popeye; Spots 10 per week (520)

CAMDEN PARK Spots; Band Parade; Kids shows

COCA COLA Spots and some sports (260)

FIRST NATIONAL BANK News Picture; Spots (260)

FIRST NATIONAL BANK 3 Newscasts, 11 p.m., weekly; News (Ceredo) Program; Spots; Campaigns

FRANKEL'S Cisco Kid (one of first program spon­ sors with amateur talent show from store) Spots

GUARANTEE NATIONAL BANK Alternate weeks of (early) "liberace" "Meet the Press" Started with one spot per week, increased to 3 per week, then 7 per week

WILLIAM O'SHEA JEWELERS Alternate weeks of "Liberace"

HEINERS BAKERS (260)

MOOTZ SUNBEAM BREAD Gene Autry (early sponsor) alternate weeks; spots

NATIONWIDE INSURANCE Agents, co-paid $10. and agent paid $10., 10 agents per show had pictures shown and name given. News cast 11 p.m. originally 3 per week, cut to 2 per week; now 1 per week

ROYAL CROWN COLA Spots 1 1 1

EXHIBIT 11 (Continued)

SPONSOR PROGRAM

PEPSI COLA Spots

STAR FURNITURE CO. Early sponsor "Star's Parade of Stars" (260)

TRI-STATE APPLIANCE CO. 48 live spots per week, advertised, Philco, Tempco Heater, Youngstown Kitchen

UNITED FUEL GAS CO. 5 Weathercasts per week

BLUEFIELD SUPPLY "Hcpalong Cassidy"

SCHIFF SHOES "Talent Show Case" (alternate) Spots

GWINN'S FLOUR "Talent Show Case"

CHECKERBOARD FEEDS "Down on the Farm"

KROGER SUPERMARKET "Rescue 8 " "Sea Hunt" "Whirlybirds" (260)

A & P SUPERMARKET (260)

B & B SUPERMARKET (260)

BEMCO Quality Bedding; 3 weathercasts per week; 10 spots per week

SEALEY MATTRESS Spots

EVANS SUPERMARKET Dr. Hudson's Journal (alt. wks.) Spots

SHONEY’S FAT BOY Spots

BOWLING PROPRIETORS Championship Bowling

GRAVELY TRACTORS Spots

ROBERT HALL Spots

OHIO VALLEY BREAD Spots

BETSY ROSS BREAD Spots; "Whirlybirds" (alternate)

R.C. KYLE APPLIANCE CO. Spots; Admiral ($1500. per month) 112

EXHIBIT 11 (Continued)

SPONSOR PROGRAM

SOUTHERN STATES CO-OP Spots

GENERAL ELECTRIC Spots

PERSINGER SUPPLY (Zenith) Sat. Night Jamboree (alternate)

DIAMOND DEPT. STORE Spots

ASHLAND TRAILER SALES 11 p.m. News, once per week

MODERN FURNITURE CO. 1/2 hour "Lonesome Fine Fiddlers"

HUDSON AUTO DEALER Sportsman Club, l/h hr. (early sponsor) 7 Dealers in West Virginia

MYERS TRANSFER Spots

LAWRENCE DRUGS Spots

AUTO DEALERS Spots

STEINERS MOTORS Spots

MOSES MOTORS Spots

GALIGHER Spots

TAG GALYEAN Spots; Weather 11:00 p.m.

ROGER DEAN Spots

SUPERIOR Spots

HEZ WARD Spots

COLONIAL Spots

VANZANDT SUPPLY Spots; RCA; Whirlpool; Servel; Coleman

BIRCH DISTRIBUTORS Spots; Amana Freezer

CAROLINA LUMBER TV Handyman (Ned Brooks)Participating

LOVE HARDWARE TV Handyman (Ned Brooks)Participating

0. J. VINSON WINDOW BLINDS TV Handyman (Ned Brooks)Participating 113 EXHIBIT 12

NATIONAL BUSINESS HANDLED LOCALLY Reported by Mr. White, WSAZ-TV, Sales Manager

SPONSOR PROGRAM LOCAL

ASHLAND OIL CO. 1/4 hour Organ (Gene Stephenson Live One of the first programs in West Virginia Building. Saturday Night Jamboree (alt.) Live Shannon (alt.) Film Cleveland Brown Game 1/2 of game Net took 68 people to Cleveland to see Browns play Steelers.

AUGUSTINER Weather back to W. Va. Buildings Live 5 days per week, then 3 per week. 11:10 pm

DULING BROTHERS Vietti 1/2 hr. Dr. Hudson’s Film Journal

RED TOP BEER Saturday Night Jamboree (weekly) Live Until 1954-

RED TOP BEER Wrestling Film

MARTHA WHITE 1/2 hour weekly "Flatt & Scruggs" Live

WEIDMAN BEER "Sports Eye" Jim Thacker Show Live

FORD DEALER "Sports Eye" Live

WEST VIRGINIA BEER Jack Bradley Sports Live (1/4 hr. weekly)

BURGER BEER 1/2 hour showj spots Filiy' 114 each week from 1954 until 1959* In i960 they alternated with Pen- singer Supply (Zenith) on the Jamboree and assumed alternate weeks of the film "Shannon." Ashland Oil also sponsored one half of the

Cleveland Browns Football game. For one promotional devise the oil company took sixty-eight winners of a contest to the game between the Browns and the Steelers (Pittsburg).^

Red Top Beer was an early sponsor, carrying the "Saturday Night

Jamboree" every week until 1954. They also sponsored an hour long

Wrestling film show. This company has not sponsored a show or had 12 spots on WSAZ-TV since 1955*

Exhibit 13 gives little specific information. It is a combi­ nation of three sources in naming the National Spot buyers during the

1949-1960 period and lists some as of 1961. The starred companies were sponsoring programs before 1955 and some are still buying spots. Mrs.

Leda Lewis compiled one list of buyers and had records of others on a report to FCC in December 1961. ^ Mrs. Lucille Seese prepared another 14 . list from her files. The station had 234 different companies pro­ viding national spots. There were undoubtedly more that have been lost in the discarded records.

The lack of details on the companies who sponsored a show or

11 Ibid. 12 Ibid. !3 Mrs. Lewis Interview, op. cit., 1962. Ik . Mrs. Seese Interview, og. cit., 1962. 115

EXHIBIT 13

NATIONAL SPOT ADVERTISERS ON WSAZ-TV Taken from FTC Reports of 1961. Report from Mrs. Leda Lewis, Production Assistant to Mr. Garten, General Manager, WSAZ-TV. From the Files of Mrs. Lucille Seese, WSAZ-TV, Department of National Sales.

ABSORBINE JR. BURGER BEER AEROWAX MRS. BUTTEKWORTH SYRUP AIR WICK CALUMET BAKING POWDER ALCOA* CARLING BEER ALDON RUG MILLS CARNATION MILK AIKASELTZER CARTER PRODUCTS ALLEREST CHASE AND SANDBORNE AMERICAN PETROLEUM CHEF BOY-AR-DEE ANAHIST CHEVROLET ANASIN CHOC VITAMINS ARCHWAY COOKIES CHRYSLER-DeSOTO ARM & HAMMER BAKING SODA* CLORETTES-ROLAIDS ARMOUR & COMPANY SAUSAGE C & 0 RAILWAY ASHLAND OIL COMPANY COCO PUFFS AUGUSTINER BEER COCO WHEAT AUNT JANE'S PICKLES COLDENE LIQUID AVON COLGATE DENTAL CREAM AWAY COMMANDER LARABEE BALENTINE ALE CONSOLIDATED CIGAR BALL BROTHERS CONTAC BAN CONTINENTAL BAKING BAYER ASPIRIN CORNING GLASS B C HEADACHE POWDER C & P TELEPHONE CO. BEECHNUT BABY FOODS CRACKER JACK BETTY CROCKER CREAM OF WHEAT BIG TOP PEANUT BUTTER DAIRYMEN CO-OP SALES BLISS COFFEE* DAV BLISS HOME PERMANENT* DECAF COFFEE BLUE BONNET MARGARINE DEFENSIN BOBBIE PERMANENT DELUXE READING BON AMI DENTYNE BONDED OIL DOVE SOAP BORDEN'S STARLAC DOCTOR CALDWELL BOSCO DRAGON DUST BOURJOUS PERFUME DREAM WHIP BRQMO QUININE DREXEL FURNITURE* BROMO SELTZER DRIFT SOAP POWDER BROWN & WILLIAMSON DRISTAN BRYLCREAM DROMEDARY DATES BUFFERIN DUNCAN HINES EXHIBIT 13 (Continued)

DUQUESNE BEER JUVENILE SHOE CORP.* DURKEE MCWER KAYSER-ROTH EQUITABLE LIFE INS. KELLOGGS ESQUIRE BOOT POLISH KLEENEX ESSO STANDARD OIL KOOLADE EXLAX KRAFT* E-Z BAKE CORN MEAL KROGER GROCERY FALL CITY BEER LESTOIL FAMILY CIRCLE MAGAZINE LEVER BROTHERS FASHION QUICK .LIFE MAGAZINE FAVORITE CHEWING TOBACCO l i q u i d IVORY MRS. FIT.BERT’S MARGARINE LISTERINE FIZZTES LUCKY WHIP FIZRIN LUCKY STRIKE FLAVO FLAKE LUZIANNE* FLAVOR STRAW MAINE POTATOES FLORIEHT m a r a t h o n OIL FOLGERS MARTHA WHITE MILLS FORD MATEY BUBBLE BATH FOUHWAY COLD TABLETS MATTEL TOYS FRENCH'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE MIX* MAXWELL HOUSE COFFEE FREEWAX MAYBELLTNE FRIGIDAERE MIDLAND PHARMACY* GAINES MEAL GALLIO WINE MISTER CLEAN GEORGE W. HEIMS MOGAN DAVID WINE GOLD MEDAL FLOUR MORTON SALT* GOOD LUCK MARGARINE M & M CANDY GRIFFITH SHOE POLISH MUNSING WEAR GROUND YUBAN NABISCO GULF OIL NORCS HANDY ANDY NYTOL HAPPY FAMILY BAKERY OLDSMOBILE HARRISON LABS OVALTINE* HERMES TYPEWRITER PACIFIC COAST BORAX HI PRO CEREAL PARLIAMENT CIGARETTES HOSTESS CAKES PEPSODENT HUDSON PAPER PEST GUARD HYGRADE PETER PAUL* IDEAL TOYS P & G CLOROX INTERNATIONAL SHOES P & G CRISCO IMPERIAL MARGARINE P & G DOWNEY IPAHA TOOTHPASTE P & G DUZ ISODINE P & G FLUFFO* JOE LOWE POPSICKLES P & G GLEEN - JUMBO PRODUCTS* P & G OXYDOL 117 EXHIBIT 13 (Continued)

P & G PACE PERMANENTS SCHOOL DAY PEANUT BUTTER P & G PUFFS SCHRAFFTS CANDY P & G TIDE SPIC & SPAN PHARMCO MEDICINE STANDARD BRANDS* PERTUSSIN STANDARD KNITTING MILLS PHILCO* STRIETMANS CRACKERS-COOKIES PHILLIPS MILK OF MAGNESIA SUN OIL COMPANY POLIDENT SUNSHINE BISCUITS* PONDS COLD CREAM SURECHAMP DOG FOODS POST CEREAL SWANDOWN CAKE MIXES PONTIAC SWEETHEART SOAP* PRATT LOW DIET SWEET TANNA ROTER PROM HOME PERMANENT TENDER LEAF TEA PURE OIL COMPANY TEXICO OIL QUAKER FOOD PRODUCTS TONI QUICK TRIG MEN’S DEODORANT RALSTON-FURINA U.S. RUBBER COMPANY RICHARD'S WINE VICKS COUGH SYRUP RINSO BLUE VICKS SINEX RIVAL DOG FOOD VIM ROBERT HALL VIRISAN ROBIN HOOD FLOUR VITALIS ROYAL DESERTS WARNER-LAMBERT SALEM CIGARETTES WELCH GRAPE JUICE SAL HAFETICA WELCH CANDY COMPANY SAMSONITE WHEATIES* SANKA COFFEE WHITE HOUSE APPLESAUCE SEAL TEST ICE CREAM WIEDMANN BEER SEVEN-UP J. B. WILLIAMS COMPANY SCHICK ELECTRIC RAZOR WONDER BOOKS

^National Companies who bought time before 1955* 118 bought a spot is not necessarily important information to WSAZ-TV.

Their discard of records points to that conclusion. However, a re-

check of income from Table 1 in Chapter III provides a view of the

efficiency of the National Representative and of the local sales force. Network income started at $1*1,997 for the last three months

of 19l*9o It regressed to $39*I1*! the following year. After 1950 it

was $21*1,089-1951* $322,003-1952j $356,1*67-1953; $l*3l*,l62-195l*;

$l*78,73l*“1955; $1*91**335-1956; $1*90,1*30-1957; $533,230-1958; $525,909-

1959; $509*251-1960; for a total income from networks of $1*,1*66,71*8.

National Time Sales ran as follows $77,298-191*9; $63,388-

1950; $192,1*1*2-1951; $299*350-1952; $565,1*1*1*-1953; $733,833-1951*;

$837*251-1955; $1,002,829-1956; $861,087-1957; $826,160-1958;

$1,115,357-1959; and $1,193,109 in i960 for a total of $1*,867,51*8.

Local Time Sales were thus $152,836=191*9; $1*5,111-1950;

$98,31*7-19515 $186,627-1952; $323,861*-1953; $38l*,H*5-195l*; $390,393-

1955; $1*29,987-1956; $357*098-1957; $379*91*9-1958; $i*02,85l*-1959;

$1*1*2,630-1960 for a total of $3,593,81*1.

This came to a total from time sales for the 191*9-1960 period

of $15,928,137.

Charges for production costs brought the station $1,71*6,828.

However, they paid out $1,897,700 for commissions to agencies and to

their National Sales Representatives. This left a total of revenue

for the twelve years of $15,690,112. Total revenues began to run above the million dollar per year* level in 1953 and doubled by i960. The local sales department was responsible for boosting the income by nearly a half million dollars each year since 1955* A glance at the total figures should convince even the casual observer that WSAZ-TV is indeed "Big Business." This has been achieved by a wise, forward looking administration, good technical equipment, an efficient staff to man it, careful program­ ming, expert promotion, good salesmen and a high morale among em­ ployees. CHAPTER VIII

FACILITIES

WSAZ, Inc. contracted with RCA August 31? 19^9 for its initial equipment purchase. This contract (T-83-028-C) specified the amount of equipment to the value of $178,340.80 of which $15,781.51 was paid with the return of the contract, $37,720.94 prior to delivery and the balance of $124,838.28 in thirty**six monthly installments of $3,467.75 each. Before completion of the television broadcasting facilities, this first buy had cost $200,268.03. Table 19 shows an itimized list­ ing of $198,025.99 of the contract. Total construction including transmitter building and installation of equipment and tower, cost

$248,913.76. By December 31, 1949, WSAZ-Radio had paid $116,050.20 of this cost, leaving $132,863.56 for installment paying.

Table 19 lists the equipment. The outstanding item was an RCA type TT-5A, 5KW transmitter for Channel 5 at $75,050* The antenna was an RCA, type TF-3B Superturnstile at $9,025* The antenna was mounted on a 322 foot tower, Truscon H-30 which was purchased from WPAR-

Parkersburg for $7,500. The studio had two RCA, type TK-30A field camera chains, two TA florescent floor stand lights, and two microphones.

The projection room had a type TK-30 film camera and a type TF~16b ,

16 MM film projector. There was a consolette and a console for handling the audio in the control room. Also two type 70-D turntables. There was the other equipment needed in a control room and racks with control

120 121 equipment such as sync generator, amplifiers, etc., which is beyond the understanding of this non-technical author.

The next outlay of capital expense was a contract with Tele­ vision Associates for equipment for a relay system from Cincinnati,

Chio to Huntington, West Virginia, to bring live network programs to

WSAZ-TV. This contract dated May 19, 1950 was for a total of $7^,923

(Table 20). This was to be paid, one-third with the order, one-third upon delivery of equipment at the sites and one-third within thirty days of acceptance of equipment in operating condition. The total costs eventually were $78,118.96. The second payment was made August 31# 1950 and the final, payment was made September 19, 1950, so it may be inferred from the terms of the contract that the system began operation in Sept­ ember of 1950. The microwave relay stations were located at Portsmouth,

Grassy Knob and Macon, Ohio. Initial costs at Portsmouth was $30,596# at Grassy Knob, $21,9llo30j and at Macon $22,211. The charge for con- 2 struction added another $1,169.

A third camera was bought in June 1952 for $15,775 but a new installment contract of 1952 ran Into a great deal more. This was with

RCA, No. BCD22I38-A for $83,380 in July 1952. A new amplifier, type

TT25AL, 25 KW, Channels 2-6 cost $68,750 and a new antenna for the 8th

Street Hill tower, RCA, Type TF-3C, three section super-turnstile for

Information from Contract T-83=028-C, Engineering files of WSAZ, I9U9. 2 Information from Televisions Associates, Inc., Michigan City, Indiana, Contract for Microwave Relay System, May 19# 1950. Engineer Files of WSAZ, Inc. .63 1 2 2 0.25 18.36 66 AMOUNT

______TABLE TABLE 19 APPARATUS " . " . 4.99 September, 1949 September, 7 -B Limiting Amplifier (with 1 set of of 1 set (with Amplifier Limiting -B 1*51.25 86 EQUIPMENT PURCHASE RCA #T-83,028-C RCA PURCHASE EQUIPMENT O-C Regulated Power Supply (with 1 set of of 1 set Supply (with Power Regulated O-C 228.00 set of tubes) of set set of tubes) of set 1 Audio Batch Cord Cord Batch Audio 21.38 TA-5B Stabilizing Amplifier (with 1 set of of 1 set (with Amplifier Stabilizing TA-5B 1-3A Panel "Blank (with GR1170A Monitor Modulation 593*75 Frequency 1,543*75 1 Meter (with Deviation Frequency WF-4-9A 251.75 7*74 58 tubes) tubes) Outlet Panel Panel Outlet Network Pre-Emphasis tubes) Cord Patch Video 111 38*00 27.79 Meter Panel Panel Meter Panel Jack Video 17*57 1*46.50 Panel for BA-1*B BA-1*B for Panel Meter Deviation Carrier AM Panel Meter of 1 set (with Supply Power Regulated WP-33B 1*70.25 61.75 13*30 19*00 Tube Kit for BA-1*B BA-1*B for Kit Tube Meter Deviation Carrier FM _ Meter Monitor Modulation FM (2) Strips Filler 57*00 57*00 13*54 Sound Monitoring Equipment Rack Rack Equipment Monitoring Sound 850.25 Type Type tubes) tubes) (less Amplifier Monitoring BA-1*B Type 118.75 BA-1*B for Shelf BR-2A 15*20 diode. include: Blank Panels 5-lA"Panels Blank Panel Blank 8*55 Fieture Monitoring Equipment Rack Rack Equipment Monitoring Fieture Type 57-C Switch and Fuse Panel Panel Fuse and Switch 57-C Type 49.1*0 diode, also blueprints for relay chopper for chopper relay for blueprints also diode, for Channel 5, complete with operating tubes operating with complete 5, Channel for but less control console, including but console, control less but ______Plug Connector Dual Video 74.10 8 1 TT-5 for tubes spare of Set 3,142.85 1 1 equipment Transmitting TV TT-5A-5KW $ Type RCA 75>050.00 HHCVJOJHH H rH H H H H H H H H H H H H H HHH OOCOH QUANTITY , 1 , to Equipment Monitoring Station Television 123 .50 *00 2.50 16.92 87.50 85 678.20 275*00 AMOUNT , ,I 1 k, 1,767 l,l5o.OO 16

(Continued)

______19 d 802.75 8 APPARATUS TABLE TABLE 1^.25 set of tubes) of set -6 1 Continuous Reel Reel Continuous 118.75 6 A HF Voltohmyst Voltohmyst AHF 118.75 75 O-C Power Supply Supply Power O-C 228.00 58 crystal and and crystal (with button hooks) button (with dishes but with TA Parapet mounts & dishes & mounts Parapet TAwith but dishes Set of tubes for Consolette Consolette for tubes of Set Type BR-85A Rack Rack BR-85A Type headsets, Kit, Accessory Tripod heads, IU Consolette Consolette Booster Amps. Amps. Booster BA-4^ for Tubes Boom Mike KS-l+A Type Amplifier BA*=lUc Type Friction Tripods, less Equipment Relay 308.75 137*75 180.50 5*23 Tectronic Scope type type Scope Tectronic Type WO-79-A Scope Scope WO-79-A Type 522.50 TA-Camera Dollies Dollies TA-Camera Stands Floor Florescent TA 950.00 570.00 Type WU“75 Voltohmst Voltohmst WU“75 Type Tripods TA-Metal TA-Lo-Hats TV Type TA TV for Adapter 118.75 ^75*75 91.00 Control Console Console Control Type TG-10A Field Sync. Gen. Gen. Sync. Field TG-10A Type 1^,132.50 Type WM-20A Demodulator Demodulator WM-20A Type 1,890.00 Distribution Amolifiers Amolifiers Distribution 978.50 Console Console Sweep Video WA-21A Type Generator Grating WA-3A Type Camera Monoscope TK-1A Type Type 5^6.25 997*50 Panel and shelf and shelf Panel Equipment Generator Sync. Field TG-10A Type WV- Type 5,132.50 17.10 Type TP-9A Multiplexer Multiplexer TP-9A Type Equipment Camera Field TK-30A Type 23,227*50 156*75 1 Channel 5 Channel equipment projection film MM 16 TF-16B Type 3,776*25 Sleet melting equipments equipments melting Sleet Equipment Camera TK-30Film Type mm) (16 equalizer projector Film 513.00 612.75 Type TF-3B Supertumstile TF-3B for Type Antenna TV 9,025.00 RF Load and Wattmeter Wattmeter and Load RF 9^5*25 ______1 1 BA-ltC for Tubes 7*73

1 HH (including Monitor Frequency Carrier WF-50A $ roHHHHHHCJHHHHHHHHHHHojWCVlHHOlHHHHCVlCUHHHCVl 389*50 QUANTITY TABLE 19 (Continued)

QUANTITY______APPARATUS______AMOUNT

61+ 0 * Andrew T-l+52 3-1/8" 51-5 ohm flange on $ 2,1+32.00 each end 1+0 » Andrews T-l+52-31/8" 51*5 ohm flange on 1+19.52 one end and flange on other 1+ Andrews T-1052 90 degree elbow 133.00 1+ T-1552 Clamp connectors for providing 60.80 flange end on out section 2 T-1252 Gas Barriers 61+.60 1 T-l+836 Rigid Hangers for dual 3 1/8" 7 .1 2 line, for Tower 28 T-I+83O Spring Suspended hangers for dual 3 1/8" 399*00 lines 1 21+52 Hardware Kit for type T-l+52 10.1+5 1 T-l+833 Line Gassing Kit 1I+.25 Includes distribution .manifold pressure guages, 1+5.1 2 needle valves, copper tubing for dual TV lines 1 Type 1900 Automatic Dehydrator 332.50 1 26950 Switcher 3,900.00 1 Rack 123.50 2 Shelves 52.25 T_ 26295 MM 1,9^7.50 1 21200-C1 Meter 81+. 31 2 1+568 Block 6.91+ 2 1+570 Brackets 7 .6 0 1 26510-2 Shock Mb. I+I+.65 4 19112-A1 159.60 1+ 19112-A2 102.60 2 19112-A1+ 19.00 2 19112-A5 1+9.1+0 2 19112-A6 51.30 9 19112-A8 25.65 12 19112-Alo 1.71 6 19112-All 5.70 2 19132-A12 28.50 1 19113-A9 11 .1+0 12 19113-Aio 2.85 6 19113-All 7 .1 3 2 19113-A6 51.30 1 TS-1A 508.25 1 Pod.se Box 90.25 1+ Reels 551+.80 2 Cabinet Racks 351.50 2 Terminal Board Mtg. Brackets 7 .6 0 3 Fewer Blocks 10.1+1 1 Audio Block 1+.91+ TABLE 19 (Continued)

QUANTITY APPARATUS AMOUNT

1 Circuit Breaker Panel $ to. 33 5 Circuit Breakers 55.10 1 Type 70-D Turntable 527.25 1 Stabilizing Amplifier . 593.75 1 Power Supply 228.00 1 Attenuator Coupling 123.50 1 WP-33B Power Supply 470.25 1 TA Metal Tripod 237.50 2 Male Connector 5.70 2 Power Supplies 456.00 3 Parapet Clamps 71.25 2 Hangers 12.35 1 Type 2BP1 Tube 9.12 1 Type 2K26 Tube 182.40 2 Type 5820 Tubes 2,280.00 1 Type 3KP1 Tube 13.78 d I 1 39.66 1 I 1 Type 7CP4 Tube 33.^9 1 Type 884 Tube 1.76 2 Type 991 Tubes 1.42 2 Type 1620 Tubes 1 2.54 1 Type I8l6p4 Tube 80.75 1 Type I85O-A Tube 513.00 2 Type 5691 Tubes 14.72 2 Lamps NE-32 1.3 4 1 Lamp .94 1 Lamp .52 1 Type 927 Phototube 2 .3 8 1 Type 5CP1A Tube 22.09 1 Type 815 Tube 6.5 6 1 Type 1621 Tube 2.04 1 Type 1622 Tube 2 .1 9 1 Type 2050 Tube 1 .7 6 1 Type 16MM Projector 3,776.25 1 Equalizer 109.25 2 Female Connector 6.18 1 Switch & Fuse Panel 24.70 500* Cable 30.88 2 Line Transformers 38.00 1 Equalizer 38.00 1 H. F. Compensator 35.62 1 Microphone 109.25 1 Lens 17" 475.00 1 Double Jack Mat 7.6 0 126

TABLE 19 (Continued)

QUANTITY APPARATUS AMOUNT

2 Jack Panels $ 91.20 10 Patch Cords 71.25 1 Crystal Detector 11.87 1 Cable 256.50 1 Cable length 160* 391.1*0 1 Shock Mounts 2 7 .0 8 50* RG-59U Coax. Transmission line 7.13 1 Type LC-1A Dual Cone Speaker 85.50 1 Filter Kit for LC-1A 28.50 1 Type 70-D TurntableU/G 527.25 1 Type KB-2C Bantam velocity microphone ^7.50 1000' Stranded Shielded Cable 61.75 1 Type 90-A Deluxe Program Stand 33.25 1 Desk Stand for KB-2C Microphone 2 .6 1 1 WM-71A Distortion and Noise Meter 51*6.25 1 Hewlett-Packard Type 206-A Audio Signal Generator 522.20 1 Camera Cable 50 foot 167.20 1 26266 299.25

TOTAL $ 196,025.99 127 TABLE 20

MICROWAVE RELAY SYSTEM May, 1950 Television Associates

APPARATUS " " AMOUNT

One 200' twin Skyline tower, complete with two 10'xl2' $ 5>L30.00 passive reflector screens, guys, anchors, reflector adjusting mechanisms. Non-corrosive shop painted, and site painted in accordance with CAA regulations.

Erection of tower, footings and adjustment of screens. 2,400.00

S'xlP' transmitter house, prefabricated of galvanized 312.00 sheet, non-insulated, complete with louvers, venti­ lators, door, and barrel lock.

Construction of house, 4-inch slab foundation, footings 627.00 for towers and parabola mounts.

Three (3 ) sets of parabola mounts. 60.00

One (l) passive reflector screen, 10'xl2' expanded 600.00 metal, adjusting mechanism, and necessary steel con­ struction for mounting at 200’ level on WSAZ-TV transmitter tower.

Erection of single passive reflector screen on WSAZ-TV 330.00 tower as in above.

One (l) single Channel Four high-gain receiving antenna, 300.00 and 3/8-ineh air-dielectric coaxial line.

One (l) single Channel Seven high-gain receiving antenna, 300.00 and 3/8-inch air-dielectric coaxial line.

One (l) single Channel eleven high-gain receiving antenna, 300.00 and 3/8-inch air-dielectrie coaxial line.

Three (3 ) special RCA receivers and modified and peaked 1,500.00 (one each on Channels Four, Seven, and Eleven) by Tele­ vision Associates. Cathode follower for each receiver to be built by Television Associates for feeding output of receivers into microwave equipment.

A-3 lighting kit complete with flasher and time switch. 450.00

Installation of microwave dishes for audio relay. 100.00 128

TABLE 20 (Continued)

______APPARATUS______AMOUNT

One (l) complete Raytheon video microwave relay trans- $ 13,800.00 mitter and receiver unit; with dishes.

One (l) complete RCA audio microwave relay trans- 4,050.00 mitter and receiver unit, with dishes.

One (l) 100' Skyline tower complete with two 10'xl2' 2,450.00 passive reflector screens, guys, anchors, with re­ flector adjusting mechanism. Non-corrosive shop painted, and site painted in accordance with CAA re­ gulations.

Erection of tower and house, including footings for 1,740.00 tower, house, and parabola mounts, and adjustment of screens.

One 8'xl2' transmitter house (same as above). 312.00

One set Raytheon equipment (same as above). 13,800.00

One set RCA equipment (same as above). 4,050.00

Installation of microwave relay dishes for audio relay. 100.00

Two sets of parabola mounts. 40.00

One (l) 100' Skyline tower (same as above). 2,050.00

Erection of tower and house (same as above). 1,740.00

One transmitter houBe (same as above). 312.00

One set Raytheon equipment (same as above) 13,800.00

One set RCA equipment (same as above) 4,050.00

Installation of audio microwave relay dishes on par- 120.00 abola mounts.

Removing two receiving antennas from South Portsmouth. 100.00

GRAND TOTAL $ 74,923.00 129 TABLE 21

EQUIPMENT PURCHASE NO. BCD-22U38-A July, 1952

______EQUIPMENT______AMOUNT

1 Type TT-25AL 25 KW Amplifier, Channels 2=6 $ 68,750.00 Including one set tubes and sideband filter.

1 RCA Type TF-3C three section super turnstile 11,1*50.00 antenna for Channel 3«

3 Sleet melting equipment 9^5 <>00

1 Bridge Diplexer 1,000.00

1 Frequency determing kit 575°00

2 Kit Additional balun units 100.00

1 Remote Amplifier 515°00

1 Battery Cover 1*5° 00

TOTAL $ 83,380.00 1 3 0

Channel 3> at $11,450. Table 21 gives details of equipment bought in 3 connection with these major items.

Twenty-six days later another contract, RCA, No. BCD-22838-B was signed for $9,107.80. This was needed for expansion in their studios in the West Virginia Building. This contract Included another studio consolette, microphone and boom. A versatile engineer built a large stand, with platform, on wheels for the Mole-Richardson boom.

Most of the frame work and moving parts were made from bicycle tubing and parts. This purchase included more power supply systems, racks, 4 panels, pre-amps and mixing amplifier.

In April 1953> the new studios were ready for occupancy at 201

Ninth Street for both the radio and television facilities. To make the most of such greatly expanded facilities more equipment was needed.

The West Virginia Building had two low ceiling studios, (18x37' and

18x3V ) according to information in the 1952 Broadcasting Yearbook, although there were plans to expand into 40x60’ and 30x40’ studios.^

These plans did not materialize until moving into the building at 201

Ninth Street. The new location had two Studios (41x52’ and 25x34') and five radio studio and control rooms. This expanded area required

$25*5^6.23 more equipment. This RCA Contract (BED-30538-B) ordered

3 Information from RCA Contract, No. BCD-22438-A, July 3, 1952, Engineer Files of WSAZ, Inc. 4 Information from RCA Contract, No. BCD-23838-B, July 29, 1952, Engineering Files of WSAZ-TV. 5 Broadcasting-Telecasting Yearbook, 1952, p. 184. 131 more racks, amplifiers, jack panels, power supplies, microphones, loud speakers, turntables, another consolette and tonearms. Table 23 gives the details of Items purchased'. The time payments were cut to twenty- 6 four which cleared the books in April 1955®

The station having paid all Installment costs by 1955 was ready for Its big push for Improvement which included color television and a new tall tower and a powerful transmitter at the new transmitter site on Barkers Ridge, north east of Huntington. This RCA Contract

No. BCD-42238-A signed late in 195^ or early 1955 (no date given on copy) obligated WSAZ-TV for a purchase of $5^1*373®12 of equipment to be paid In forty-eight Installments. The amount of $72,227.^7 was paid with the order, $8k,503®31 was paid prior to delivery and $8,359®08 was to be paid each month. Delivery dates for the equipment ranged from January 1955 to September 1955® The color camera for the studio did not come until December of 1955 and the station began color broad­ casts by January of 1956® The author taught a class In Business

Speech in color during the spring semester of 1956®

This last contract included much equipment which did not neces­ sarily involve color casting. It was at this time WSAZ-TV erected its tall tower on Barker’s Ridge. The Ideco 9 66' tower cost $101,390 and a two man electric hoist for the tower added another $11,195. Lighting

Information from RCA Contract, No. BED-30538-B, April 9* 1953* Engineering Piles of WSAZ-TV. 132

TABLE 22

EQUIPMENT PURCHASE BCD-23838-B July, 1952

QUANTITY DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

1 Type BC-2B Studio Conaelette and Power Supply $ 1,975.00

1 Tube Kit for BC-2B 52.80

3 Type BA-11A, two-stage pre-amp. 246.00

2 Type BX-UC, Pre-Amp Power Supply 190.00

3 Type Br-2A, Panel and Shelf 120.00

3 Line Transformer 7 2 .0 0

3 Type BR-84C‘Cabinet Rack less side panels 666.00

1 Type TA-1A Distribution Amplifier 595.00

1 Type 58O-D Power Supply 280.00

1 Basic Relay Chassis 2,468.00

1 Basic Relay Panel 726.00

1 Type TA-loA Mixing Amp 522.00

1 Type BX-4A, 2L-—2A Power Supply 224.00

1 Mole-Richardson Microphone Boom only 826.00

1 Type 77D Polydirectional Microphone 145.00

TOTAL $ 9,107.00 133 TABLE 23

EQUIPMENT FOR NEW BUILDING April 1953# RCA BED-30538-B

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

2 BR-81fD Racks, consisting of: 2MI-30951-B84 $ 361f.OO Racks; 2 MI-30535-c81f Doors 4 Single Trim Strips 80.00 6 Double Trim Strips 120.00 16 Power Terminal Blocks 8If.OO 10 Audio Terminal Blocks 55.00 1 VU Meter Panel BI-5A llf8 .0 0 1 Tape Recorder 1,975.00 5 BA-lIfA Amplifier 875.00 3 BA-13A Line Amplifier 696.00 7 BR-2A Shelves 164.50 7 BR-2A Panels 115.50 6 BA-11A Isolation Amp. 492.00 22 Double Jack Panels 1,100.00 6 Double Jack Mats 49.80 6 Remote Bridge Controls 45.00 2 BX-15 Power Supplies 190.00 2 BCM-1A Aux. Mixer 1 ,390.00 2 BC-2B Consolette 3,950.00 6 Speaker Relays 84.00 2 Signal Light Kit 17.00 7 On-Air Relays 77.00 6 Film Changeover Relay 84.00 1 TM-6A Monitor 2 ,450.00 1 Rack Mounting Bracket for TM-5A Monitor 47.50 1 WP-33-0 Power Supply 576.00 Video Jack Panel 1,39^.00 40 Video Jack Plug 220.00 3 Video Jack Cord 13.50 1 Gray Slide Projector 655.00 2 Type 91-B Desk Stand 24.00 2 Swivel Mount for BK-IfA 18.50 2 77“U Polydirection Microphone 290.00 2 77-D Polydirection Microphone Low Lustre Gray 290.00 10 LC-5A Wall Housing 525.00 10 Olsen Type Loudspeaker 485.10 Ilf On Air Sign 315.00 3 Audition Sign 67.50 5 Rehearsed Sign 112.50 1 Dual Pre Amplifier 149.00 1 BK-1A Microphone 79.50 134

TABLE 23 (Continued)

QUANTITY DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

1 Balanced 2 way, 600 ohm dividing network $ 6 .0 0 1 600 ohm bridging pad 6 .0 0 5 Tube Kit for BA-14A 45.85 3 Tube Kit for BA-13A 14.52 6 Tube Kit for BA-11A 13.56 2 Tube Kit for BX-1E 1 .2 0 2 BR-84D Racks, consisting of: 364.00 two 30951-F84 Racks two 30521-G1 Top Covers two 30535-G84 Doors 1 BA”14A Monitor Amplifier 175.00 1 BR~l4 Panel and Shelf 40.00 9 Bridge Pads 54.00 2 Monitran 1,310.00 1 Consolette less power supply 1,800.00 2 Fairchild Turntable 1,060.00 2 Universal Pickup Kits 420.00 2 lightweight Tonearms 124.00 2 Pickup Heads 110.00 4 Platters 34.00 2 Conversion Kits 170.00

GRAND TOTAL $ 25*546.23

equipment added $3,620, erection $34,965* and foundations $20,778 to make a total for the tower of $171,948. The new antenna, RCA, TF~6AL,

six section, supertumstile, with modifications cost $37*000. Another transmitter, RCA, type !TC~10AL (the third transmitter the station had purchased) added $76,475 to their investment. A TP-6A Professional

Projector and a TK-26A, Vidieon film camera for the projection roam

added $4-7*650 more to capital improvements. The studio color camera was listed in the contract as $39,500 but its extra costs increased the 135

TABLE 2k

WSAZ-TV COLOR EQUIPMENT RCA NO. BCD-U2238-A 1955

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

1 Ideco Tower 966* in height to base of Antenna $ 101,390.00 from top of foundation.

1 Extra Telephone Conduit 710*00

1 Deicer Circuit 1,650.00

Two-man electric hoist 11,195*00

1 set Lighting Equipment, CAA-Standard as specified 3*620.00 by FCC including a photo-electric cell.

Erection in accordance with John P. Beasley 3^,965*00 Construction Co.'s proposal M-372 dated June 7* 195^*

Tower Foundations in accordance with V. E. 20,778*00 Childers letter dated May 20, 195U and L. E. Kilpatrick's letter dated May 28, 195^*

1 Type TT-10AL Transmitter to include one set 76,^75*00 tubes, two crystals, 25KW Harmonic Filter, but less sideband filter.

1 Set operating tubes for TT-1QAL 2,Vj^.82

1 25KW Bridge dlplexer ceiling mounting 1,150.00

1 Six section Superturnstile Antenna for Channel 37*000.00 3* Electrical and mechanical specification same as TF-6AL except four line field provided. Terminate four 51*5 ohm 3-1/8" transmission lines with a VSWR of 1.1 to 1 or better. In­ cludes two 50/50 power dividing "TEE" and RCA Service Co., Inc. assembly supervision and electrical test on ground.

1 Sleetmelting equipment 2,100.00

1 Six foot, 895 me, dish for use with BTL-1A 375*00 equipment. TABLE 24 (Continued)

QUANTITY DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

1 Pole mounting kit for above dish $ 55*75

2 12'xl6' Rectangular Reflecting screen as 2,400.00 manufactured by Tower Construction Co.

2 Audio Multiplexing equipment for use with 5*000.00 RCA TTR-1B modified microwave equipment.

1 TP-6A Professional. Projector 9,950.00

1 Type TK-26A Three Vidicon Color Film Camera 37,700.00 equipment to include the following: 3 Vidicon Camera (less Vidicon Tube) 3 Vidicon Tube 1 Camera Auxiliary 1 Optical Assembly 1 Pedestal 3 Camera Cable 1 Processing Amp. (less Meter & Subchassis) 1 Blower, for Processing Amp. 1 Meter, Film Processing Amp. 3 Gamma Plug-in, Film Vidicon 1 Gamma Plug-in, Unity k Subchassis, Processing Amp. 1 Control Panel 1 Set of Interconnecting Cables 1 TM-6C, Master Monitor Chassis with 24 v. Tally Relay 1 Blower for Master Monitor 1 Type 10SP4 Kinescope 1 Type 5UP1 CRO Tube 1 Colorplexer, TX-1B 1 Console Housing 1 Console, Studio Control (10 inch) 2 58O-D Power Supply 3 WP-33B Power Supply 1 TM-10A Color Monitor & 15GP22 Tube 1 Line Regulator for TM-10A 1 Choose one of the following for TM-10A: MI-40406 Cabinet (OR) MI-40407 Rack mounting adaptor kit

1 Type TP-12 Three Vidicon Multiplexer 2,500.00

1 Color Frequency Standard 1,600.00

1 Burst Flag Generator 800.00 I

137 TABLE 24 (Continued)

DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

1 Type 58O-D Power Supply $ 280.00

1 Cabinet Rack with doors 222.00

1 Type WA-1C Color Bar Generator 1,350.00

1 Modification Kit for TG-1A 10.00

One ES-U09OO, Type TK-40A, Three Tube Color 39*500.00 Camera Equipment to include: 1 Color Camera (less Image Orthlcons and Field lenses) 1 Viewfinder, Monochrome 1 Hood Assembly, View.Finder 1 Aperture Compensator 1 Channel Amplifier, Camera 1 Gamma Amplifier, Camera 1 Cable, Terminal Chassis 1 Bias Supply 1 Focus Current Regulator 1 Camera Control 1 Shading Generator 2 Cable, 37 Conductor, 25 ft. 1 Type TX-1A Colorplexer One Type TM-10A Color Monitor, including: 3*000.00 1 Monitor Chassis and C-73599 Tricolor kinescope 1 Line Regulator 1 Cabinet

1 Master Monitor, Monochrome Control 3,100.00

1 Monitor Auxiliary 3*000.00

1 Image Orthicon Tube, Type 1854 5*700.00

1 Pedestal, Heavy Duty 2,400.00

1 Cradle Type Pan and Tilt Head 1,590.00

5 580-D Power Supply 1,400.00

5 WP-33B Power Supply 2,880.00

2 Console Housings 726.00

1 Lens 50mm 200.00 138

TABLE 24 (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

1 Lens 90mm $ 140.00

1 Lens 135mm 205.00

1 Field Lens for MI-26550-1 75-00

2 Field Lens for MI-26550-2 & 3 150.00

1 Monitor Blower 79-00

3 Camera Cable, 50 ft. 720.00

1* Cabinet Rack with doors 888.00

b Video Jack Cord 18.00

l4 Video Jack Plug 77-00

1 Video Jack Panel 264.00

1 Distribution Amplifier 595-00

1 58O-D Power Supply 280.00

1 TA-7A Color Stabilizing Amplifier 1,400.00

1 58O-D Power Supply 280.00

2 Tri-Color Monitor including Kinescope 9,000.00

1 Phase Correction network to include: 2,750.00 1 Low Frequency Phase Correction Network 1 High Frequency Phase Correction Network

1 Color Correction Kit for BW-4A demodulator 25O.OO

1 TA-1A Distribution Amplifier 595-00

1 58O-D Power Supply 280.00

2 ER-84B Cabinet Rack 424.00

1 Visual Demodulator BW-4A 1,925-00

1 524-D Oscilloscope 1,180.00 139

TABLE 2k (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

1 WA-2A Color Monitor Analyser $ 1,650.00

1 WA-7A Linearity Checker 1,750.00

1 WA-6A Color Signal Analyzer 1,900.00

1 WA-1*A Color Buret Oscillator 1,550.00

1 Studio Zoomar Lens 5,900.00

If Video Patch Panels l,0k5 .5 0

kQ Video Jack Plugs 132.00

3 Audio Patch Panels 150.00

2 TA-1A Distribution Amplifier 595.00

2 580-D Power Supply 280.00

2 Cabinet Rack less side panels & front door 361*. 00

1 Console Housing 726.00

1 WP-33B Regulated Power Supply 576.00

1 Type BA-llfA Monitoring Amplifier 175.00

1 Type BR-2A Panel and Shelf 1*0 .0 0

2 Wall Housing 105.00

3 Audio Terminal Blocks 16.50

2 Monitor Switching Panel 750.00

5 Terminal Blocks 27.50

1 Terminal Board Bracket 7.75

1 Color Strip Generator 500.00

1 TK-31A Field Camera Equipment 15,860.00

1 Field Sync Generator 1,800.00 TABLE 24 (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

1 TTC-1B Control Console less end sections $ 5>k00.00

1 Gen Lock Type TG-45A 672.00

1 58O-D Power Supply 200.00

Two Type TTR-1B 7000 me. Microwave transmitting equipment less reflector, antenna feed system and mounting supports as follows: 2 TTR-1B Relay Transmitter 4,720.00 2 Relay Transmitter Control 2,320.00 2 Wavemeter 1,310.10 2 Instruction Books (No Charge)

Two Type TRR-1C, 7000 me. Microwave receiving equipment less reflector, antenna feed system and mounting supports.as follows: 2 TRR-1C Relay Receiver 2,670.00 2 Relay Receiver Control 3,874.00 58O-D Power Supply 560*00 3 Camera Cable, 200* 1,605.00 2 Camera Cable, 100' 660.00 2 Instruction Books (No Charge)

4 Vertical Polarization for 2* or 4 ’ reflector 640.00

One Type TTR-1B, 7000 me. Microwave transmitting equipment less reflector, antenna, feed system and mounting support as follows: 1 TTR-1B Transmitter 2,360.00 1 Relay Transmitter Control 655*00 1 Wavemeter 78*50 1 2K26 Tube 87.10 1 Set of interconnecting cable 175*00 1 Camera Cable, 200* 175*00 1 Instruction Book (No Charge)

1 Beacon 276.00

3 Sidelights 49.95

1 Double Light 31*90

1 Flasher 68.00 141

TABLE 2k (Continued)

: DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

One Type TRR-1C, 7000 me. Microwave receiving equipment less reflector, antenna feed system and mounting support as follows:

1 Instruction Book (No Charge) 2 Parapet Mounts & 4* reflector 1,200.00 2 Horizontal Polarization Waveguide 320.00 1 Beacon 276.00

1 Photo-Electric Control 107.35

225 20* lengths 3-1/8" Steatite T/L 22,050.00

4 Inner-conductors 73*00

12 "0" Ring 4.56

1 Inner-Connector 1»75

4 Cover Plate 28.00

182 Spring Hanger (dual) 3,367.00

4 Hangers (dual.) 36.00

12 Mitre Elbow 714.00

10 Hardware Kit 13*50

16 Hanger (direct, short 216.00

4 Lateral Brace 29*60

16 Adaptor (Soft solder type) 348.80

108 90 degree Mitre Elbow (unflanged) 5,076.00

4 6-1/8" Reducer (ungassed) 460.00

2 Coaxial switch (motor operated) 25.50

3 Coaxial transfer panel 810.00 142

TABLE 24 (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

2 Coaxial transfer panel (antenna sectlonallzing) $ 13.00

218 Straight Coupling 2,779-50 k Gas Stop 154.50

12 Adaptor (soft solder type) 261.60 k 90 degree Flanged Elbows 170.00 h Horizontal Anchor 82.40

16 2 0 ' section unflanged 1,232.00 h Splicing inner-conductor 73.00

20 Inner-connector 35.00

1 Manlford 7.40

6 Needle valve 13.20

6 Tee Fitting 2.34

6 Pressure gauge 16.50

2 2 ' 10-1/8" section 3-1/8" line 54.40

2 13' 5-3/4" section 3-1/8" line 231.20

24 3-1/8" hose clamps 24.00

24 6-1/8" hose clamps 36.00

40 Horizontal roller assembly 440.00

10 Horizontal roller assembly 71.50

6 2 0 ’ section flanged 1-5/8" line 376.20

6 90 degree mitre elbow (flanged) 1-5/8" 213.00

1 Adaptor 1-5/8" to 7/8" line 24.50

6 Field flange kit 42.90 143

TABLE 24 (Continued)

QUANT]:t y description AMOUNT

1 Horizontal anchor assembly $ 11.80

32 2 0 ' sections flanged 1-5/8" line 2,006.40

62 Hanger (grounded, spring, direct, short) 607.60

2 Hanger (grounded, fixed, direct, short) 17.60

2 Bullets 21.80

1 Spare bolt kit • 55

*2 "0" Ring .6 0

6 2 0 ' section, flanged 7/8" line 283.20

5 90 degree mitre elbow, flanged 7/8" 102.00

2 Adaptor 7/8" to RG-8U Cable 40.80

7 Field Flange Kit 50.40

61*0' 7/8" semi-flex coax line 1,196.80

4 Bullet 11.60

1 Spare bolt kit .60

2 "0" Ring .6 0

2 Wraplock (100’) 24.60

6 Wraplock (100’) 73*80

1 Amplifier 330.00

1 Panel 348.00

3 Power Supply 2,406.50

GRAND TOTAL $ 561,373.12 144 total price to $50,229* The other items in Table 24 are accessories 7 for the major items.'

It was decided in 1958 to enlarge the Charleston WKAZ-Radio fac­ ilities and add a television studio with equipment to originate programs from the Capitol. This meant camera chains, microphones, tape record­ ers, projectors and film projectors for a total of $24,610.20. Table 25 lists the details of equipment purchased for Charleston. This does not include the construction costs as they were not charged to the Engineer- o ing Department.

There were purchases made throughout the 1949-1960 period which were not contracted. These items and costs were assembled in Table 26 from the engineering card file. Each item bought by WSAZ-TV has been

entered on a single card to simplify a record of their condition, their

location, and any final disposition of them. The first twenty-eight

items in Table 26 had no dates on the card for the year they were pur­

chased. This list contains microphones, tube testers, multimeters,

power supply units, oscilloscopes and other equipment needed by a

station early in its broadcast career so probably were purchased in the

early fifties. Item sixteen, the Video tape splicer, must have been

procurred in 1958 or 1959 since the first Video Tape recorder was bought

in 1958. The Kleigl lights must have been bought early. No prices were

recorded for them.

7 Information from RCA Contract BCD-42238-A, 1954, Engineering Files, WSAZ-TV. 8 From the card file of equipment, WSAZ, Engineer File of WSAZ-TV, 1961. 11+5 TABLE 25

EQUIPMENT FOR CHARLESTON STUDIO 1958

QUANTITY DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

2 Microphones, MI11017 $ 156.00

1 Microphone, RCA, 77D 168.00

1 Multiplexer, TP-11B 1 ,550.00

1 Monitor, Master 2 ,800.00

1 Power Supply, WP15 725.00

1 Tape Recorder, Ampex, amplifier, model 620 128.00

8 Tape recorders, Ampex, model 601 _ - 4,760.00

1 Tape recorder, Ampex, model 350 1 ,315.00

1 Projector, Gray TP3A 300.00

1 Film Projector, TP16F 476.95

1 Sync Generator, TG1A 4,132.00

1 Meter, Plug-in 77.00

1 Field Camera, TK-21B, Vidicon 7,227.25

1 Monitor, Conrac, Video 275.00

1 Lens, 8-1/2" 300.00

2 Amplifier, Transistor Equalizer 220.00 $ 24,610.20 146 The station installed a GM Diesel generator at the transmitter location on Barker's Ridge to provide emergency power to stay on the air in spite of thunder storms or other acts of nature which interrupt a transmitter's operation. This machine cost $13,198. Another pro­

jector, TP-6BC was added to the system for $10,124.50 in 1955. A new microwave unit, RCA, TVM-1A at $12,200 was purchased in 1957^ also another projector, Teleprocess TV-A, $1,250. Another major addition was seven video monitors for the control room at $220 each.

It was an expensive equipment year in 1958 with a video tape

recorder made by Ampex leading the costs. This machine cost $48,811.

There was also an Ampex audio tape recorder, Model 351R at $1,465.

Two color receivers cost $888.28. One more slide projector added

$2,915 to the bill. In 1959 the engineers bought another Ampex audio

tape recorder, Model 351 for $1,350 and a Tektoonix oscilloscope,

Model 543 at $1,550. The 1949=1960 period ended with a high $48,811

for the second video tape recorder to make a total for equipment pur­

chased Independent of contracts of $177,889-78.^

The grand total for the twelve year period is $1,154 ,856.12 at

a minimum. There were undoubtedly other items not located. It was

difficult to check all cards against the master list of contracted pur­

chases and the author cut out any that may have been a contracy buy.

This is a conservative estimate of equipment. Only a few cards in­

dicated a piece of equipment had become obsolete or beyond repair.

Table 26 compiled from Engineers card file of equipment, WSAZ- TV, 1949“1960. The constant alteration and purchasing of new, better or more powerful equipment has been typical of WSAZ-TV's desire to provide better service to their listeners. This attitude was most noticeable in Chapter V on Programming and certainly demonstrated in this sec­ tion on the technical aspects of the station. TABLE 26

EQUIPMENT NOT CONTRACTED

QUANTITY DESCRIPTION AMOUNT No Date Available 1 Wheatstone bridge, ShallcrosB $ 260.00

6 Racks, BR84D 1,071+. 00

3 Power Supply, 58OC 840.00

2 Multimeter, Triplett, Model 630 77-00

4 Multimeter, Simpson 144.00

3 Tube testers, Hickok 375.00

1 Audio Amplifier Bogan 72.00

1 Amprobe Meter, AC 37.50

1 Tube tester, Hickok Model 533 125.00

1 Tube tester, Hickok Model 600 125.00

1 RF Load and Watt Meter 250.00

2 Power Supply, BX1E 630.00

2 Oscilloscope, RCA W079 850.00

1 Aperature Compensator 195.00

2 Video Distributing Amplifier T3QLA 560.00

1 Video Tape splicer Ampex, Model 1015 780.00

2 Video Distributing Amplifier, TA3A 660.00

1 Tape recorder, Ampex, Model 600 540.00

1 Microphone, BK-5A, RCA 176.00

1 Microphone, BK-1A, RCA 80.00

2 Microphone, BK-6A, RCA 150.00 ll*9 TABLE 26 (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

2 Microphone, 7TB, RCA $ 300*00

1 Microphone, 655, Electro Voice 127*00

3 Monitor, Conrac, Video, 21" 720.00

1 Monitor, TM6b 2,1*50.00

1 Field Intensity Meter, RCA, WX2C 71^*00

1 Regulated Power Supply WP33B 5^0.00

50 Kleigl Scoop Lights No Price

2 JCLeigl Spot Lights 150 W. No Price

2 Kleigl Gobo Lights No Price

37 Kleigl Spot Lights No Price

2 Kleigl Bardwell McAllister, 500 W. No Price

1* Kleigl Spot Lights, 1000 W. No Price

1952 Equipment Buys

1 RCA Type TK-10A Studio Camera, chain & 15,775.00 Friction Head

1955 Equipment Buys

1 GM Diesel (Emergency Power unit for transmitter) 13,198.00

1 Sync Gen. Switching Panel 1*35.00

1 Projector, TP-6BC 10,121*. 50

1957 Equipment Buys

1 Microwave, RCA, TVM-1A 12,200.00

7 Monitors, Video, Conrac 1,51*0.00

1 Tuner, Conrac, Model AV12B 21*5*00 150 TABLE 26 (Continued)

QUANTITY______DESCRIPTION______AMOUNT

1 Projector, Teleprocess TV-A $ 1,250.00

1958 Equipment Buys

2 Video Amplifier, RCA, TA3B 58O.OO

2 Color Receivers 888.28

1 Monitor, Conrac, Video, 8" 275.00

1 Video Tape Recorder, Ampex, Model VR1000 14-8,811.00

1 Slide Projector, TP-7A 2,915.00

1 Stabilizing Amplifier, TA9 1,200.00

1 Tape recorder, Ampex, Model 351R 1,1465.00

1959 Equipment Buys

1 Tape recorder, Ampex, Model 351 1,350.00

1 Monitor, Conrac, Video, CF-17-H-N 2I45.OO

1 Tektoonix Oscilloscope Model 5*43 1,550.00

1960 Equipment Buys

1 Video Tape recorder, Ampex ModelVR1000 148,811.00

TOTAL 177,889.78 CHAPTER IX

PROMOTION AND RATINGS

WSAZ-TV was slow in establishing a Department of Promotion.

There was little need of promotion during the FCC television freeze because the station had a monopoly in West Virginia, South Eastern

Ohio and North Eastern Kentucky. WKNA-TV, Charleston on Channel provided the first.competition for audience when it began broadcasting in the fall of 1953* Thus, WSAZ-TV had four years free from inter­ ference by other stations. The October, 1953* TV Hooperating gave

WKNA-TV a high of 11# of the audience on its "Armchair Theatre" show at eleven o'clock in competition with WSAZ’s news and sports show.

Otherwise, WKNA-TV had an extremely low rating.'*' The Broadcasting

Yearbook of 1955 noted that WKMA-TV had suspended operations but had p not surrendered its construction permit. Another 1953 station was

WTAP-TV on Channel 15, Parkersburg, West Virginia. This signal did not extend far enough South to interfer with the WSAZ-TV coverage.

The initial broadcasts of WCHS-TV, Channel 8 in Charleston did carve out a portion of WSAZ's audience during the fall of 195^. Fur­ ther splintering of the listeners occurred the following autumn when

WHTN-TV began broadcasting on Channel 13 in Huntington. To meet the

1TV Hooperating, "Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia] Ashland, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio," October 1953* 2 Broadcasting Yearbook, "TV Stations in the U. S., 1955* p. 286. challenge of the two new VHF stations, a department for promotion and merchandising was established with Jack Williams as Head. This was in 195k and with the exception of about a year and a half, he has been the only chief. The load of handling promotion became so heavy in 1957 the station decided to divide the department into promotion and merchandising. Mr. Williams remained as head of the merchandis­ ing area, and George Greenwood was hired to handle promotion. When

Mr. Greenwood resigned in the fall of 1958, Mr. Williams assumed the duties of both areas again. The department hired more personnel to handle the increased load of promotional work. The duties of each member will be discussed later in this chapter.

Mr. Williams as head of the department had several major pro­ jects between 195^ and i960. The first really big promotion was in connection with the Dave Garroway broadcasts of the "Today" show from

Huntington and the coverage of a race between two river boats on

Garroway*s "Wide, Wide World" show in April 1956. The Promotion De­ partment sent letters to about twenty-five companies who had barges and tug boats along the Ohio River. These letters asked each boat

company to arrange for some of their boats and tows to be along the

Ohio River near Huntington during the 7:00 am to 9:00 am period of broadcast. The programs were to be April 2kOh and 25th. Promotional

news stories were prepared and sent to every newspaper in the tele­

casting area. One item dealt with the boat race, another with the live programming which was to be given on the Garroway show and another with

the NBC personnel who would be in Huntington to produce the "Today" 153 show. One news release covered the details of the technical in­ stallation which was made especially for the "Today" show and the

"Wide, Wide World" show.

The second big promotional project was arranged to co-incide with an ARB Survey. This was done in the late summer and fall of

1956. The station provided a caravan consisting of a truck, a station wagon and a car. When the radio receiver on the caravan emitted a special signal the caravan stopped in front of the first house and asked a question of the occupant. The answer could not have been known unless the resident had been watching WSAZ-TV. If they could answer the question a prize was awarded with a chance to receive a color television set. Prizes worth $5000 were given away during this promotional period to fifty or more viewers. The prizes were free to the station in return for exposure of the product on the screen and mentioning the donor by name. This information was provided by 3 Mr. Williams, head of Promotion.

The next promotional project was carried out in the summer of

1958 during the time Mr. Greenwood was head of Promotion. This was the "Beachcomber Crash" in Charleston, West Virginia. The author worked in Promotion that summer and arranged many details of the crash.

The Beachcomber was the Emcee of the Kiddie Cartoon show in the after­ noons. He built a rocket ship and went to the moon. On his return, the Instruments failed and the rocket ship crashed on a small island

3 Interview with Mr. Jack Williams, head of Promotion of WSAZ, Inc., January, 1961. 15^ in the mouth of the Elk River in Charleston. A moonlight night was

selected and at dusk the truck which carried the two pieces of rocket

was unloaded by a crew of about ten men. Flour was scattered around

one piece of the rocket to give it the appearance of having burned out

on the ground. The other end which contained the cockpit was near- f by. The Beachcomber was on the island nearly all the next day, until

rescued by a helicopter about 5:30 pm. The Beachcomber was taken

several blocks away to a waiting river boat constructed of canvas and

mounted on a flat bed truck which the author drove. The boat cruised

back to the scene of the crash where the station’s news department

was giving the evening news. This promotional bit was presented in

Charleston to build audience in that area. Figures released pri­

vately to employees at that time indicated this one promotional stunt

cost the station more them $5000. No other figures were available for

promotional costs.

The fourth promotional device has been used for a number of

years. This was a parade and a day at the park given in cooperation

with the managers of Camden Park, a recreational park and midway in

Huntington, West Virginia. The parade was staged by the station in

September just before school opened. Twenty-five to thirty thousand

people came to watch the parade each year. Many followed it to Camden

Park until the midway was overflowing with the crowd. The first par­

ade used the "Old Timer" as the attraction. He was followed by "Aunt

Dru" in the second parade the next year. She was succeeded by the

"Beachcomber" and he in turn by "Steamboat Bill" and "Merlin," the

dragon. 155 There have been a number of other minor promotional projects but none of the caliber of the four described. These usually in­ volved such devices as establishing a children's club and giving a

Steamboat Bill membership card to the children who write to the station. Writing in to get a free "TV Guide" was another one of the devices.

William Kelley was one of those added in the expansion period of Mr. Greenwood's directorship. He specialized in preparing news­ paper advertisments for stores. This was the activity he handled for the station but he was responsible for other things too. One time consuming task was to provide copy for all station promotion of pro­ grams. Each week be was sent a mimeographed copy of availabilities for WSAZ-TV spots. This listed, day by day, all 10 second, 20 sec­ ond and minute spots that were available for commercials. Those

spots which were already filled were checked each day by the Traffic

Department. All unchecked spots must be filled by the Promotion De­ partment. An availability sheet for Monday, April 13# 1959 gave

seven minute spots, fourteen 20 second spots and twenty-seven 10

second spots to be filled by Mr. Kelley. He had complete charge of preparing publicity pieces for printing such as "Watts News" which was mailed out to grocers primarily and to business men. 5000 copies

were mailed each month. He designed promotional pieces to mail to 2000

members of women'b clubs. He also was responsible for preparing and

mailing out 5000 copies of "Telenews" to Ad Agencies, Katz Representative

Branches and to Buyers. This paper gave promotional news and pictures of 156 activities in the station and the NBC network. Mr. Kelley prepared layouts for the newspaper ads and all ads for the professional jour- nals.. b

The above would indicate a volume of mail. Incoming and out­ going mail consisted of thousands of pieces each week. The mailing room was part of the promotion department. It has been handled by

Glen Ferguson and Russell Oliver for several years. They run the mimeograph machine, the addressograph machine and a new off-set dup­

licator.

The fourth major area is handled by Mrs. Virginia Lee Owen.

She worked in news for several years, then was assistant to Governor

Underwood during his four year term. When she returned to the station

in i960, she was assigned to the Promotion Department. Mrs. Owen

writes publicity stories for newspapers in the Tri-State area. She

supplies material to such trade magazines as TV Guide, Broadcasting,

Sponsor, Ad Age and Telecasting. She provides materials for TV editors

of entertainment sections of the area newspapers. Mrs. Owen prepares

TV Sales presentations and helps in the research for the Btation. She

writes publicity for on-the-air personalities and local live shows.

Exhibit ll*- gives a break-down of on-the-air promotion prepared

by the promotion department for September 1961. These reports were

not made until Goodwill Incorporated bought the station. The number

Interview with Mr. Kelley, Promotion man for WSAZ-TV, September 1961. 157 EXHIBIT 14

September 1961 Total ON-THE-AIR PROMOTION FOR WSAZ-TV Station Identification ID 10 seconds Sound on Film SOF Chain Break CB 20 seconds Video Tape VT Minute Promotional Spot M 60 seconds Slide S

TOTAL TOTAL PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS

Meet the Press 6-id -s Thriller 2-ID-S 5-CB-S 1-CB-S Price is Right* 1-ID-S 6-m -s o f

Car 54, Where Are 8-cb-s o f Jack Paar 4-id-s You? 21-M-SGF 9-CB-S

The Deputy 3-M-SOF Alfred Hitchcock 1-ID-S 2-CB-S It Could be You** 1-ID-S 6-M-SOF

Dr. Kildare 1-ID-S Huntley Brinkley Rpt. 1-CB-S 9-CB-SOF 38-M-SOF Wagon Train 5-ID-S 10-CB-S Cain's Hundred 2-ID-S 30-M-S0F 11-CB-SOF 33-M-SOF Bachelor Father 2-M-SOF

Nation’s Future 2-ID-S Outlaws 1-M-SOF 6-c b -s 1-M-SOF Kraft Mystery Theatre 1-CB-S

Loretta Young 8-M-SOF Great Ghost Tale3 1-ID-S Theatre NBC News 1-CB-S 87th Precinct 7-CB-SOF 29-M-SOF International 12-CB-SOF Showtime 34-M-SQF Bonanza 1-ID-SOF 2-M-SOF Update 3-ID-S

Tall Man 1-ID-S Price is Right** 2-CB-S 1-M-SOF DuPont Show of Week 2-ID-S Lawless Years 1-ID-S 1-CB-SOF 1-M-SOF 2-M-SOF

Blue Angels 2-ID-VT News Headlines 1-ID-VT 158 EXHIBIT lA (Continued)

Total TOTAL PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS

Today Show 4-ID-S Bob Newhart Show 1-CB-SOF 2-CB-S Bullwinkle Show 1-CB-SOF Captain Gallant 1-ID-S 2-CB-S

Young Dr. Malone 1+-CB-S Concentration** 2-ID-S 1-CB-S National Velvet 5-ID-S Truth or Consequences 1-CB-S Here’s Hollywood U-ID-S 3-CB-S David Brinkley Journal 1-CB-S

Laramie 10-CB-S0F It Could be You* 3-ID-S 17-M-SOF You Ask For It 6-M-VT Wells Fargo 5-CB-SOF 10-M-SQF Sun. Nite Big Show 2^-M-VT

Say When 2-CB-SOF McKenzie’s Raiders 3-ID-S 1-CB-SOF Concentration* 1-ID-S 1-CB-S Th acker-Sport s 5-ID-VT 36-CB-VT Play your Hunch 1-CB-S 29-M-VT

From these Roots 1-CB-S Sat. Movietime k-CB-VT

Sing Along with Mitch 5-CB-SOF Sat. Nite Big Show 3k-M-VT 17-M-SOF Sun. Movie Time 5-M-VT NBC White Paper U-CB-S Weather (Huffman) 5-ID-VT Perry Como Show 6-cb-s Steamboat Bill 1-ID-VT Joey Bishop Show 3-ID-S 1-CB-VT 6-CB-S 2-M-SOF Gospel Harmony Boys 1-ID-VT 4-m -v t Dinah Shore Show 2-CB-S Sat. Night Jamboree 1-CB-VT Bell Telephone Hour 7-CB-SOF 13-M-VT

Hazel 3-ID-S Sat. at the Movies 1-ID-S 3-CB-SOF 1-CB-S 159

EXHIBIT Ik (Continued)

TOTAL TOTAL PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS PROGRAM ACCUMULATIONS

NAB Seal & Copy 6-id-s Thacker (Tennis) 2-ID-VT 3-CB-SOF 3-CB-VT 9-M-SOF Death Valley Days 1-CB-VT R. Taylor's Dect. 3-CB-S 3-CB-VT

Dick Powell Show 1-ID-S Monday Color Movie- 22-M-VT 2-CB-S time

Mid-Day News 1-ID-VT Mike Hammer 3-CB-SOF 5-CB-VT 13-M-SOF

News Picture 1-ID-VT Weather, (D.J.) 1-ID-VT 5-CB-VT Quick Draw McGraw 1-CB-S Flatt & Scruggs U-ID-VT 7-CB-VT Good Morning 1-ID-VT 19-M-VT 2-CB-VT

Channel 3 Depth 5-ID-VT Welcome. Neighbors 1-ID-VT in News 7-CB-VT 1+-CB-VT 3-M-VT Manhunt 1-ID-S Radar Weather 6-M-VT Sea Hunt lf-CB-VT Huckleberry Hound 4-CB-S Jim Backus Show 1-ID-S 1-CB-S TV Guide 9-ID-S 5-CB-S Yogi Bear 2-ID-S 2-CB-SOF Long John Silver 4-id -s 9-CB-S Beachcomber 5-CB-VT 28-M-VT Conference li-ID-VT 9-CB-VT Porter Wagoner 4-ID-VT 6-cb-vt Shannon 1-ID-S If-M-VT 2-CB-S

Mr. Magoo 22-ID-VT Garden Club 4-c b -v t 32-CB-VT 3-M-VT

TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF PROMOTIONAL SPOTS: 93 ID-S; JJ ID-VT; ^5 CB-S; 21 CB-SOFj 131 CB-VTj 2 M-Sj 236 M-SOF; 226 M-VT.

*Day Time; **Night Time. l 6o of 10 second station identification (ID) spots axe given for each show.

Also the 20 second chain breaks (CB) and the minute spots. The total accumulation of promotional spots were as follows: 93-ID over slide (S);

77-ID on Video tape (VT)j ^5-CB-S; 21-CB-Sound on film (SOF); 121-CB-

VTj 2-Minutes (m)-Sj 236-M-SOF and 226-M-VT. 5

Exhibit 15 lists the promotional projects in the September, 1961 report to Goodwill, Inc. They held the usual September WSAZ Day Par­ ade, managed a radio contest, gave a preview of "Chet Huntley Report­ ing, " prepared promotion for a new movie series, and held a birthday party for Yogi Bear. In addition they prepared 20 items for printing, had 4l, 950 individual pieces printed and mailed more than 12,000 of these pieces. Newspaper advertisements were sent out equal to 3>866 g inches long and one column wide.

The purpose of the Promotion Department is to increase the aud­ ience for all programs given on the station. Selling of time by the

station's salesmen is made easier if the percent of listeners is high and remains stable. To determine the rating or percent of viewers,

a contract is made with a company to make a survey of the broadcast

area at regular intervals. This was not necessary for WSAZ-TV until

1955* Two competitive stations had begun broadcasting by the fall

of 1955* They were WCHS-TV, Charleston in 195^ and WHTN-TV, Hunting­

ton in 1955* The American Research Bureau, ARB, was hired to provide

Promotion Department Report to Owners, Goodwill, Incorporated, September, 1961. pp. 1-2 . 6 Ibid., pp. 3-U. 161

EXHIBIT 15

REPORT ON PROMOTION-MERCHANDISING SERVICES TO THE OWNERS GOODWILL, INC. September 19&L

PROMOTIONAL PROJECTS

Managed WSAZ Day Parade.

Held "Pick the Top Ten" (Recordings) Contest.

Ml Gave preview of "Chet Huntley Reporting" on closed circuit for

Mutual of Omaha Associates.

Prepared promotion for News Saturday-Sunday "Medallion Theatre," films of the Fifties shows.

Held Yogi Bear Birthday Party to promote Kellogg's shows.

Printing During September

5000 Steamboat Bill Membership cards

1000 Ashland Oil and Refining Coup any Studio tickets

1000 Gwinn Brothers and Company studio tickets

2000 Employee Applications

3000 Engineer's work schedules

250 John Heiskell (weatherman) special calling cards

1000 Star Treasure Hunt cards

1000 Star stamps for Camden Park promotion

2000 Autograph cards

(1000 Steamboat Bill; 1000 Saturday Night Jamboree)

400 Cartoon mailing pieces 162

EXHIBIT 15 (Continued)

______PROMOTIONAL PROJECTS______

1000 Employee data cards

1000 TV Program Schedules (Fall 1961)

800 Yogi Bear Birthday cards

1000 "Selected Program" viewing sheets

5000 Channel 3 "Telenews"

65OO Football, schedules

4000 Autograph cards for 8 Radio Personalities (500 each)

2000 Radio work sheets (triplicate)

1000 Radio Program schedules (Fall 1961)

3000 "Corncob" reports (Farm mailing pieces)

TV Newspaper Advertlsements

(lineage is 1 column wide by 1 " in length)

September lineage for Huntington, West Virginia was3*111

September lineage for Charleston, West Virginia was120

September lineage for Parkersburg, West Virginia was 635 163 TABLE 27

November 14-18, 1955 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHTN are located In Huntington, West Virginia WCHS is located in Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

Monday through Friday

9:00 am Coffee Time WSAZ 10.0# 10:00 am Captain Kangaroo WCHS 9.7

1:00 pm Bob & Jan Carr (Current) WSAZ 7.9 1:30 pm Katie’s Kitchen WCHS 3.9

2:00 pm Camera goes to School WSAZ 0.9 2:30 pm Parson's Study WSAZ 4.7 Robert Q. Lewis WCHS 4.8

4:30 pm Old Timer WSAZ 17.5 5:00 pm On Your Account WCHS 5.0 Danceland WHTN 6.5

6:4-5 pm News Picture WSAZ 19.8 7:00 pm Sports Show WCHS 8.3 Hurricane Express WHTN 2.1

Saturday

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ 36.0 7:30 pm Johnny Carson WCHS 15.3 Feature Film WHTN 0.8

Sunday

12:30 pm TV Chapel WSAZ 6.5 1:00 pm Wild Bill Hickok WCHS 13.4 Evangelistic Hour WHTN 2.3

6:30 pm Gospel Harmony Boys WSAZ 23.7 6:45 pm Annie Oakley WCHS 22.6 I Am the Law WHTN 5.7

6:45 pm News Picture WSAZ 18.4 7:00 pm Annie Oakley WCHS 24.1 I Am the Law WHTN 5.7 ratings for WSAZ-TV. Tables 27 through 32 lists the ARB ratings for

1955 through i960 of WSAZ-TV and WHTN-TV, Huntington and WCHS-TV,

Charleston, West Virginia. These surveys were made in November of each of these six years, except for February 1957* Only live shows on WSAZ-TV can be found in the tables which indicate the competition the other stations gave WSAZ, Inc. In some instances a live show on

Channel 3 (WSAZ) competed with a live show on Channel 8 (WCHS) and/or

Channel 13 (WHTN). This tends to be true of the news shows at 6:30 pm and 11:00 pm. Most other live shows competed with film shows or net­ work programs. In 1955# for instance, "Coffee Time" competed with

"Captain Kangaroo," a network program. "Coffee Time" rated a narrow

.3$ above "Captain Kangaroo." Bob and Jan Carr averaged somewhat better against "Katie's Kitchen" with a J*9f> for "Current" to a 3*9# for its opposition. "Katie’s Kitchen" was live from Charleston and later became the "Katie Doonan Show" on Channel 3» "Camera goes to

School" ran a low 0.956 against the k.&jL of the CBS Robert Q. Lewis

show but "Parson's Study" on Tuesday and Thursday at the same time nearly equaled the network show. "The Old Timer" on at 4:30 pm re­

ceived a higher rating them both competing programs together on the

other stations. This was a Kiddie Cartoon show. WSAZ's "News Picture"

has always averaged a high rating as compared to the opposition. "The

Saturday Night Jamboree" is another long-lived show which consistemtly

held 3# to 15$ advantage over its opposition even in the years when

CBS "Beat the Clock" or "Zane Grey Theatre" was scheduled at the same

time by WCHS-TV. Live shows on Saturday and Sunday usually had a

low rating. The tables were taken from ARB Surveys of the Huntington- 165

Charleston Area for November 1955* 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1960.^

Exhibit 16 lists the forty-five top ranking shows in the Hunt- ington-Charleston area. WSAZ broadcast the first six shows in the ranking and thirty-four of the forty-five. WHTN, although on the air for five months, did not carry any of the forty-five top shows. "Sat­ urday Night Jamboree" a live WSAZ show ranked ninth and was the only 8 live show in the rankings listed.

Table 33 gives the total share of audience for the three stations for 1956, 1958, 1959 and i960. The other ARB Reports did not sum­ marize. A check of the total for Sign-on to Sign-of and Sunday through

Saturday indicates WSAZ-TV to have been the leader in number of list­

eners from the beginning (19^9) until the end of the period (i960).

This is still another indication that fine facilities, good

management, superior production, outstanding programming and heavy

promotion pays in the ratings of the station. This is eventually re­

flected in the total profit column.

7 ARB-American Research Bureau, Inc., "Survey of the Huntington- Charleston, West Virginia Area,'1 November, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, and i960. Q Ibid., Inserted Sheet, February, 1956. 166

TABLE 28 November 15-21, 1956 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHT*T are located in Huntington, West Virginia WCHS is located in Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

Monday through Friday

9:00 am Coffee Time WSAZ 4 .9* 10:00 am Morning Show WCHS 5.2

1:00 pm Current WSAZ 4.1 2:00 pm Katie's Kitchen WCHS 4.1 As the World Turns WCHS 8 .1 Midday Movie Matinee WHTN - 0 .6 Feminine Touch WHTN 0.5

2:00 pm Camera goes to School WSAZ 1.4 2:30 pm Parsons Study WSAZ 5.2 Our Miss Brooks WCHS 7.2 Liberace WHTN 0.5

5:30 pm Aunt Dru WSAZ 9.4 6:00 pm Early Show WCHS 1 2 .8 Mickey Mouse WHTN 11.4

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 13-5 6:45 pm Your Esso Reporter WCHS 13.1 Five Star Final WHTN 3.7

6:45 pm Sports WSAZ 1 1 .8 7:00 pm Sports WCHS 10.9 Five Star Final WHTN 3.2

11:00 pm News WSAZ 10 .3 11:15 pm News WCHS 11.9 News WHTN 2 .6

11:15 pm Press Box WSAZ 4.4 11:30 pm late Show WCHS 9.5 Mystery Theatre WHTN 2 .1 167

TABLE 28 (Continued)

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

Saturday

6:00 pm News Picture WSAZ 20.0# 6:15 pm Air Power WCHS 1 2 .9 Saturday News WHTN 0.9

6:15 pm Scoreboard WSAZ 13 .0 7:00 pm Air Power WCHS 13-3 Scoreboard WHTN 0.5

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ 2 3 .6 7:30 pm Beat the Clock WCHS 2 0 .6 Eddy Arnold WHTN 7.2

11:00 pm News & Sports WSAZ 1 1 .1 11:15 pm Late Show WCHS 15 .0 20th Century Theatre WHTN 7.^

Sunday

12:30 pm TV Chapel WSAZ *+•7' 1:00 pm Wild Bill Hickok WCHS 13.3 Rev. Oral Roberts WHTN h.3

1:00 pm Talent Showcase WSAZ 8 .0 1:30 pm Heckle & Jeckle WCHS 12.5 Marshall College WHTN 1 .8

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 13-9 6:^5 pm Annie Oakley WCHS 29*7 20th Century Theatre WHTN 6 .2

6:1+5 pm Harmony House Party WSAZ 6.7 7 :00 pm Annie Oakley WCHS 30.7 20th Century Theatre WHTN 6,h

11:15 pm News Review WSAZ 2,6 11:30 pm Late Show WCHS 7 .5 20th Century Theatre WHTN 5 .5 168 TABLE * TABLE 29

February 8-l4, 1957 $ ,«L4, 1957 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHTN are located 1 too-ocated in Huntington, West Virginia WCHS is located in ChaxM J- in Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGS®!® HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

. TIME______PROGRAM .______. STATION AVERAGE

Monday through Friday Wfr~day

9:00 am Coffee Time WSAZ 5.9* 10:00 am Morning Show WCHS 9.6

1:00 pm Current WSAZ 6 .0 2:00 pm Katie’s Kitchen . itsn WCHS 6.5 As the World Turns itiw^ums WCHS 9.9 Feminine Touch A WHTN 0.7

2:00 pm Camera goes to School M 8 • School WSAZ 2 .9 2:30 pm Parson's Study WSAZ 6.5 Our Miss Brooks WCHS 1 0 .0 Movie Matinee WHTN 1.3

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 16.5 6:45 pm Your Esso Reporter iefa*rter WCHS 12.5 Cartoon Club WHTN 5.9

6:45 pm Sports WSAZ 1 2 .2 7:00 pm Sports Parade WCHS 9.1 Five Star Final U. WHTN 4.2

11:00 pm News WSAZ 1 0 .6 11:15 pm News WCHS 14.7 News of the Night toS-ght WHTN 2 .2

11:15 pm Press Box WSAZ 4.5 11:30 pm Late Show WCHS 9-3 Theatre 13 WHTN 2.5 Saturday

10:30 am Aunt Dru WSAZ 6.1 11:00 am Mighty Mouse WCHS 26.4 169

TABLE 29 (Continued)

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

1:00 pm Down on the Farm WSAZ 2.5* 1:30 pm Lone Ranger WCHS Zk.Q All Star Movie Matinee WHTN Zmk

6:00 pm News Picture WSAZ 15.0 6:15 pm Air Power WCHS 19.0 Saturday News Review WHTN 0.9

6:15 pm Sports Eye WSAZ 9.6 6:30 pm Air Power WCHS 19.2 Saturday Sports Review WHTN 0 .2

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ Zb.9 7:30 pm Zane Grey Theatre WCHS 2 2 .1 Eddy Arnold WHTN 2 .8

11:00 pm News & Sports WSAZ 2 1 .1 11:15 pm Late Show WCHS 17.2 20th Century Theatre WHTN fc.O

Sunday

12:30 pm TV Chapel WSAZ 3.5 1:00 pm Wild Bill Hickok WCHS 21.5 Rev. Oral Roberts WHTN k.Z

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 12 .8 6: J+5 pm Annie Oakley WCHS 30.3 20th Century Theatre WHTN 7.6 170 TABLE 30 November 12-lfl, 1958 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHTN .are located In Huntington, West Virginia WCHS Is located In Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

TIME PROGRAM

Monday through Friday

9:00 am Romper Room WSAZ 5.3* 9:30 am Doug Martin WCHS 3.1 Cartoon Theatre WHTN 6 .0

9:30 am Katie Doonan WSAZ 3.6 lo:00 am Doug Martin WCHS 3.9 Cartoon Theatre WHTN l*.0

1:00 pm News Picture WSAZ 5.9 1:15 pm Liberace WCHS 3.1 Our Miss Brooks WHTN 5.3

5:00 pm Spinach Playhouse WSAZ 1 7 .6 5:30 pm American Band Stand WCHS 1 0 .8 Commander Keene WHTN 2.5

6:15 pm Sports WSAZ 13.7 6:30 pm Huckelberry Hound WCHS 1 2 .1 Jule Rivlin WHTN 6 .0

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 1 9 .0 6:1*5 pm Esso Reporter WCHS 6 .9 Our Gang Comedies WHTN 2 0 .1

11:00 pm News WSAZ 13.1* 11:15 pm Feature Film WCHS 5.5 News of Tonight WHTN 5.7

Saturday

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ ll*.0 6; 1*5 pm Record Hop WCHS 1 7 .0 1 Blazing Guns WHTN 1 1 .1 171 TABLE 30 (Continued)

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

6:1*5 pm Sports WSAZ 9.3# 7:00 pm Record Hep WCHS 18.3 Blazing Guns WHTN 1 1 .6

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ 20 .0 7:30 pm Record Hop WCHS 17.1 Frontier WHTN 1U.3

11:00 pm News WSAZ 1 3 .8 11:15 pm News WCHS 1 0 .1 News WHTN 1 0 .8

Sunday

12:30 pm TV Chapel WSAZ 3.3 1:00 pm Highway Holiday WCHS • l.U Rev. Oral Roberts WHTN 2.5

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 1 0 .9 7:00 pm Shirley Temple WCHS 2 2 .0 20th Century Theatre WHTN 6.5

11:00 pm News WSAZ 1 0 .9 11:15 pm Feature Film WCHS . lfc.5 News WHTN 7*7 172

TABLE 31 November 8-14, 1959 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHTN are located In Huntington, West Virginia WCHS is located in Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

TIME______PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

Monday through Friday

9:00 am Katie Doonan WSAZ 3.4# 9:30 am Romper Room WCHS 5.6 Cartoon Theatre WHTN 6.7

1:00 pm Mid-Day News WSAZ 8 .0 1:15 pm Music Bingo WCHS 3.5 Heart of the City WHTN 3.6

5:00 pm Steamboat Bill WSAZ 14.9 5:30 pm American Band Stand WCHS 13.5 Three Stooges WHTN 5.9

6:15 pm Sports-Thacker WSAZ 15 .8 6:30 pm San Francisco Beat WCHS 13.8 Sport s-Rivlin WHTN 5.1

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 2 6 .2 6:45 pm Esso Reporter WCHS 7.2 Amos & Andy WHTN 1 0 .6

Monday through Sunday

11:00 pm News WSAZ 20.4 11:15 pm News WCHS 5.6 News WHTN 2.4

Saturday

9:30 am Junior Auction WSAZ 5.1 10:00 am Badge and Bullets WCHS 4.4 Our Gang WHTN 9.5

6:00 pm News Picture WSAZ 13*9 6:15 pm Record Hop WCHS l8.4 Western Marshal WHTN 7.0 173 TABLE 31 (Continued)

TIME PROGRAM STATIONAVERAGE

6:15 pm Sports Roundup WSAZ ll.ty 6:30 pm Record Hop WCHS 19*6 Western Marshal WHTN 7.6

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ 21+.1+ 7:30 pm Record Hop WCHS 19.3 Bold Venture WHTN 10.8

Sunday

12:00 pm TV Chapel WSAZ 1.9 12+30 pm File 7 WCHS 0.6 Rev. Elvood Gibbs WHTN 3*2

12:1+5 pm Garden Club WSAZ 0.6 1:00 pm Bishop Pike WCHS 0.6 Notre Dame Football WHTN 12.0

6:30 pm Sunday News Picture WSAZ 15.8 7:00 pm Robin Hood WCHS 23.1+ 20th Century Theatre WHTN 11+.9 174 TABLE 32 November 10-16, i960 WSAZ-TV LIVE SHOWS WSAZ and WHTN are located In Huntington, West Virginia WCHS is located in Charleston, West Virginia

ARB HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE

Monday through Friday

9:00 am Welcome Neighbors WSAZ 4.0* 9:30 am Feature Film WCHS 2 .5 Cartoon Theatre WHTN 7 .0

1:00 pm Mid Day News Picture WSAZ 11.0 1:15 pm About Faces WCHS 2.0 Life of Riley WHTN 2.0

5:00 pm Steamboat Bill WSAZ 15.5 5:30 pm American Band Stand WCHS 10.5 Three Stooges WHTN 5.0

6:30 pm News Picture WSAZ 26 .0 6:45 pm Esso Reporter WCHS 9.0 Amos & Andy WHTN 13.0

11:00 pm News, Weather WSAZ 17.0 11:15 pm News, Weather WCHS 6 .0 News, Weather WHTN 4.0

Sat1•.relay

9:30 am Junior Auction WSAZ 6 .0 10:00 am Badge and Bullets WCHS 3.° Our Gang Comedies WHTN 3.5

6:30 pm News and Sports WSAZ 19.5 7:00 pm Record Hop WCHS 11.0 Wrestling WHTN 13.0

7:00 pm Saturday Night Jamboree WSAZ 23.5 7:30 pm Record Hop WCHS 10.0 Highway Patrol WHTN 17.5 175 TABLE 32 (Continued)

TIME PROGRAM STATION AVERAGE 11:00 pm News, Weather WSAZ 16.0# 11:30 pm News, Weather WCHS U.O News, Weather WHTN 13.0

Sunday

12:00 pm TV Chapel WSAZ 2.0 12:30 pm Funday Funnies WCHS 9.5 Rev. Elwood Gibbs WHTN 3.0

1:00 pm Big 3 Bowling WSAZ 11.5 2:00 pm College News Conference WCHS 1.5 Pro-Football Highlights WHTN 3.0

11:00 pm News, Weather WSAZ 1^.0 11:15 pm News WCHS luO Sunday News Special WHTN 5.0 176 EXHIBIT 16

RANKING OF TOP PROGRAMS IN THE HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON AREA WCHS-Charleston; WSAZ-Huntington February, 1956

RANK PROGRAM RATING STATION

1 Perry Como 1*1*.7* WSAZ

2 Big Story 1*2.3 WSAZ

3 Fireside Theatre 1*1.2 WSAZ

1* Life of Riley 1*0.3 WSAZ

5 Lux Video Theatre 39.3 WSAZ

6 Colgate Variety Hour 39.1 WSAZ

7 Lassie 38.9 WCHS

8 Bob Hope 38.6 WSAZ

9 Saturday Night Jamboree 38.3 WSAZ

10 People Are Funny 37.8 WSAZ

11 Groucho Marx 37.2 WSAZ

12 Waterfront 37.0 WSAZ

13 Big Town 3 6 .0 WSAZ

ll* Big Surprise 35.6 WSAZ

15 Robert Montgomery 35.3 WSAZ

16 Grand Ole Opry 3^.7 WSAZ

17 Ford Theatre 3^.7 WSAZ

18 Father Knows Best 3!*.5 WSAZ

19 Dragnet 33.5 WSAZ

20 I Love Lucy 33.5 WCHS 177 EXHIBIT 16 (Continued)

RANK PROGRAM RATING STATION

21 George Gobel 33.3* WSAZ

22 Producers Showcase 33.2 WSAZ

23 Truth or Cosequences 32.9 WSAZ

24 Loretta Young 31.8 WSAZ

25 Wild Bill Hickok 31.4 WSAZ

26 People' Choice 30.7 WSAZ

27 This is Your Life 30.1 WSAZ

28 I've Got a Secret 29.7 WCHS

29 Robin Hood 29.5 WCHS

30 $64,000 Question 29.5 WCHS

31 Circle Theatre 29.3 WSAZ

32 Private Secretary 28.7 WCHS

33 Kraft Theatre 28.4 WSAZ

34 Star Stage 28.3 WSAZ

35 Cisco Kid 28 .2 WCHS

36 Lone Ranger 2 7 .8 WCHS

37 Climax 27.5 WCHS

38 NCAA Football 27.4 WSAZ

39 Pinky Lee 27.4 WSAZ to Jimmy Durante 2 7 .2 WSAZ 178

TABLE 33

STATION SHAKE OF SETS IN-USE SUMMARY WSAZ and WHTN are located In Huntington, West Virginia WCHS Is located In Charleston, West Virginia

WSAZ WCHS WHTN TIME NBC CBS ABC

November 1956

Sign on to noon Monday through Friday 47 .6* 57.4* 8.8*

Noon to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday 45.9 41.1 12.8

Sign-on to 6:00 pm Sunday 50.3 39.1 10.5 Saturday 62. 4 33.6 6.1

6:00 pm to midnight Sunday 40.0 51.0 8.9 Monday 4l.4 45.8 12.7 Tuesday 38.4 40.7 20.4 Wednesday 42.1 40.9 16.7 Thursday 49.0 39.8 11.1 Friday 40.3 44.9 14.3 Saturday 34.6 15.2 Total Sunday through Saturday 43.0 42.5 14.1

November 1958

Monday through Friday Sign-on to 9:00 am 78.6 14.4 23.9 9:00 am to 12:00 noon 65.5 20.4 l4.l Sign-on to Noon 70.4 “5 K 9 "1 6 .6

Noon to 3:00 pm 60.8 12.2 2 7 .0 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm 49.2 32.0 1 8 .8 Noon to 6:00 pm 53.9 24.0 22.1

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 5 2 .2 29.3 19.9 10:00 pm to midnight ??•? 21.4 25.1 6:00 pm to midnight 52.5 27.7 20.9

Saturday

Sign-on to 6:00 pm 64.6 20.4 15.9 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm ^5.9 2 5 .0 29.1 10:00 pm to midnight 40.6 20.6 38 .8 179 TABLE 33 (Continued)

WSAZ WCHS WHTN TIME NBC CBS ABC

Sunday Sign-on to 6:00 pm 37.1* 25.1* 38.7* 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 42.4 4o.o 1 7 .6 10:00 pm to midnight U5.0 2 9 .8 2 5 .2

Sunday through Saturday 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 1*9.8 30 .3 20.9 10:00 pm to midnight ^9*9 22.5 2 7 .6 6:00 pm to midnight 1*9.8 28.7 22.3

Sign to sign-off 53.7 2 6 .0 22.0

November 1959 Monday through Friday

Sign-on to 9:00 am 67.7 2 5 .2 2 6 .6 9:00 am to 12:00 noon 52.1 22.2 24.6 Sign-on to noon 57.5 23.1 24.9

Noon to 3:00 pm 1*8.2 22.6 27 .7 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm 1*1*. 6 34.8 18.4 Noon to 6:00 pm 1*6.2 30.1 22.1

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 1*6.9 32.9 1 8 .2 10:00 pm to Midnight 1*6 .0 33.4 19.3 6:00 pm to Midnight 46.7 33.0 18.5

Saturday

Sign-on to 6:00 pm 46.7 25.3 24.8 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 4l.l 33.3 23.5 10:00 pm to Midnight 43.7 20.6 31.5 6:00 pm to Midnight 41.7 2 9 .8 25.7 Sunday

Sign-on to 6:00 pm 48.2 27.7 22.9 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 31.9 48.7 16.4 10:00 pm to Midnight 47.1 31.9 19.2 6:00 pm to Midnight 45.5 34.7 1 6 .9 TABLE 33 (Continued)

TIME______NBC CBS ABC

Sunday through Saturday

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 1+3.8 35.3 18.7 10:00 pm to Midnight {+5«7 30.7 21.6 6:00 pm to Midnight 1+4.2 31+.4 19.3

9:00 am to Midnight 1+5.5 31.8 20.8

November i960 Monday through Friday

Sign-on to 9:00 am 67.5 2 1 .9 19.1 9:00 am to 12:00 noon 1+7.8 17.7 31+.5 Sign-on to noon 5^.7 18.8 29.7

Noon to 3:00 pm 52.5 14.3 3 2 .8 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm 1+7.5 35.5 16.9 Noon to 6:00 pm 99. ^ 27*1 23.2

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 1+3.7 35.1+ 20.4 10:00 pm to Midnight 1+1.4 35.^ 23.3 6:00 pm to Midnight 1+3.2 35.1* 21.0

Saturday

Sign-on to 6:00 pm 34.8 31+.3 3 2 .6 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 39.5 24.7 35.2 10:00 pm tc Midnight 2 6 .8 11+.4 56.1+ 6:00 pm to Midnight 36.5 22.2 1+0.2

Sunday

Sign-on to 6:00 pm 6 3 .2 18,9 18.6 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 32.6 1+5.3 21.7 10:00 pm to Midnight 1+1.3 29.1 28.7 6:00 pm to Midnight 34.2 1+2.1+ 22.9

Sunday through Saturday

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 1+1.1+ 35.3 22.8 10:00 pm to Midnight 38.8 30.9 2 9 .8 6:00 pm to Midnight 1+0.8 34.4 21+.3 9:00 am to Midnight 1+3.5 31.1 2 5 .0 CHAPTER X

CONCLUSION

This work was based on the assumption that detailed informa­ tion about WSAZ-TV, a pre-freeze television station located in a

relatively small market, would provide knowledge of interest to

scholars and broadcasters- The specific data found in some of the

tabular materials cannot be found elsewhere. The station's pro­

blems and how they were or were not solved can perhaps be of

assistance to the prospective applicant for a television channel

in a small market. Although WSAZ-TV enjoyed a monopoly in the

Huntington area for five years, the station met with some major

problems, similar to those in like situations.

This study has provided detailed facts in the areas of net­

work and FCC relations; and in finance, market, programming, per­

sonnel, facilities, and ratings. Much of the information in the

tables and exhibits are not, to this author"s knowledge, available

in any other works on television broadcasting.

The author has included all the information concerning the

development of WSAZ-TV which was pertinent to the subject and which

was available to the writer. It has been the practice of the station

to discard records which were not necessary to the operation of the

facilities as soon as regulations permitted. This practice caused

great difficulty in collecting all details. This practice is the

cause of gaps in details in some chapters. There was no way to fill

in the missing data since most of the original staff, who would be

in a position to know the details, have moved out of town. 181 182

There is however, enough data to allow the reader to follow the

experiences of the station., It may be seen~in Table 6 on page 55 that

WSAZ-TV was twice the size of the typical television station in the

United States during i960 in all categories of income and expenses.

Hence, it cannot be classed as a typical station. Even though WSAZ-TV

has not been a typical station some of its experiences have paralleled

that of the average station. It is these experiences which may be of

value to other established stations or to the novice in an application

for a new facility.

WSAZ-TV has been atypical to the usual station in building its

own microwave relay system; and in its revenues and expenses.

There are several general conclusions, which can be drawn from

a study of WSAZ-TV’s experiences, that may be applied to other tele­

vision stations.

1. Television is costly in terms of capital investment for

equipment and buildings. No returns may be expected until the station

begins broadcasting. The initial outlay of capital to begin broad­

casting is extremely costly. WSAZ-TV.paid out $198,025.99 (Table 19,

pages 122-126) on their first contract. Additions to the first order

raised the price to more than $200,000. The tower cost $7,500 and

the land for the transmitter building added $7,500 more, while the

transmitter-studio building boosted the total another $25,000 (page

5 6). Thus, to get the first signal on the air, it was necessary to

invest $250,000 or more. Within thirty days, the station had rented

and renovated a complete floor of the West Virginia Building for

additional studio and office space. This cost was not available. 183 Nine months after going on the air, it was decided that a microwave relay system from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Huntington, West Virginia was needed to bring live network programs to this area to stimulate the

sale of television receivers in the Huntington area., This facility added $7^,923 to the original cost, making a total for the first year of $315,191 investment- Maintenance costs were not available.

To indicate the changes over the twelve years of telecasting, it is expedient to consider the relationship of costs, income, and expenses in two hal.ve3, 19^9 to 195k, and 1955 to i960. Added to the first year's investment was a new transmitter and associated parts to

convert the station from Channel 5 to Channel 3° This at a cost of

$83,380 in July, 1952- An expansion of studio facilities in the West

Virginia Building cost $9,107; changing the microwave relay origina­

tion point from Cincinnati to Columbus, Ohio, aided $110,000 in

September, 1952. A year later, WSAZ-TV moved into its present build­

ing- The modification of the building cost $500,000 (page 7) and

the addition of $25,5^-6.23 worth of equipment to handle the larger

studios became necessary. The first six years of telecasting totaled

more than $1,0^3,22^.23 in outlay of capital. The average was

$173,870 for each year of operation.

The second half began with the advent of colorcasting by NBC

in 1955" The station needed to adapt to handle the color system and

used this occasion to expand the receiving area by installing a new

1000 foot tower and a more powerful transmitter, as well as a better

antenna. This contract in 1955 totaled $561,373-13° A diesel gen­ erator at the transmitter for emergencies, a sync generator switching panel, and a projector cost $23,757*50 during the same year. A micro­ wave unit, seven monitors, a tuner, and a projector in 1957 came to a

$15,235 figure. A video tape recorder was added to the facilities in

1958, also an audio tape recorder for a total of $56,13k. 28 for that year. The following year was an enexpensive one with the purchase of only $3,1^5 worth of equipment. However, in i960 a second video tape recorder raised capital investment by $1*8,811. This made the invest­ ment for 1955 to i960 come to $708,1*55.91, or an average of $118,175.99 a year during the second half. These figures do not give the complete picture since many costs could not be obtained.

2. Other aspects of television are expensive and increased in costs as the station grew larger and provided more services.

WSAZ-TV began operation with 17 employees in 19^9* this grew to 58 the next year and to the highest peak of 162 employees in 1951**

There was an average of 86 employees for the first half. The second half, 1955-1960 was more stabilized with an average of 128 em­

ployees for each year. The pay of each employee rose as the cost of

living Increased, and as each employee became more valuable to the

company. Table IS on page 98 indicates the change in pay to in­

dividuals in different positions of responsibility. For example,

an engineer started work in I9U9 at $152 a month with increases in

pay until his monthly pay was $1*75 ten years later. This was a 300^

increase. The chief engineer gained a UQQfft increase during the same

ten years. This was not typical for all employees. Most beginning

employees began at the minimum pay and Increased their pay by moving 185 to more responsible work. The floor crew, mail clerks, receptionists, and stenographers were the source of talent for projectionists, di­ rectors, producers and other higher paying Jobs.

An examination of Table 5 on page 54 will reveal that pay roBe rapidly during the first four years. The average pay for 1951 to 1954 (the 1949 and 1950 payroll was not available) was $117.95 for a two week period. There was considerable fluctuation during the second half, 1955 to i960 since the station changed its method of classifying talent as enployees. The average pay was $206.57 for each employee.

3. In other areas expenses rose equally with payroll in­ creases. Technical expenses (Table 2, page 40) were not typical as the influence of the microwave system raised it out of pro­ portion during the first half and allowed a sharp drop in 1955 'when it was discontinued. Even with a $100,000 decrease between 1954 and

1955, the first half period averaged only $147,327 a year to the

$162,319 yearly average during the 1955 to i960 period.

Increasing programming costs are typical of the upward trend in television broadcasting expenses. WSAZ-TV spent an average of

$167,587 during the first half as compared to $558,362 for the second period, a 300^ increase. A very similar pattern of a 300^ increase can be found in selling costs when the first half average of $51,593 is compared to the $152,622 average of the 1955 to i960 period. General and Administrative expenses is slightly below the 300^ (264£) average increase for programming and selling costs with an average of $191,285 for the 1949 to 1954 period and a 186

$506,089 average for the second half.

1*. Revenues for these same two periods of broadcasting failed to follow the pattern set by expenses with the exception of Rational time sales. Networks paid an average of $239?1^3 during the first period compared to the second half average of $505,315. This figured about 210^ increase. Local time sales figured a 202^ increase with an average of $198,1*88 first half to $1*0 0 ,1*85 for the second half.

National time sales had a $320,292 first half average and a $972,632 second half average, which figures over a 3005& increase.

5. Accompanying all the above changes has been the increase of programming hours and the differences in kinds of programming. There has been little change in the type of local live programs. However, the availability of network and syndicated film shows tended to change the daily schedule.

The typical station as given on page 55 demonstrated that WSAZ-

TV was twice as large in revenues and expenditures. These have been outstanding experiences for WSAZ and while there will be variations for other stations, these experiences relate to those of other tele­ vision stations. BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1950.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1951.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1952.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1953.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 195*.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1955.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1956.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1957.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1958.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., 1959.

Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington: Broadcast Publication, Inc., . 195oI

PERIODICALS

"On to the Moon," Time, LXVIII, August b, 1961, p. 62.

"Station Financial Health Unchanged," Broadcasting Magazine, Vol. 60, July 17, 1961.

"WJR Buys WSAZ," Broadcasting Magazine, Vol. 60, February 6, 1961.

I87 188

NEWSPAPERS

Coffeyyille Dally Journal (Coffeyville, Kansas), August 7, 196lo

Herald Advertiser (Huntington, West Virginia), August 23, 1953.

Herald Advertiser (Huntington, West Virginia), "WSAZ-TV, Tenth Anniversary, 19^9-1959," November 15, 1959°

Holliday, Custer,"WSAZ-TV Marks Tenth Anniversary," Herald Ad­ vertiser, November 15, 1959°

LETTERS

Garten, C. T. Vice-President, General Manager, WSAZ, Inc. Letter to Stephen D. Buell, Author, November 8, I96.I.

Garten, C. T. Letter to Author, January 29, 1962.

Kennedy, John A., San Diego, California. Letter to Walker Long, Chairman of the Board, Huntington Publishing Company, July 23, 1949. Long, Walker, Chairman of the Board, Huntington Publishing Company. Letter to Mrs. M. K. Byrne, Radio Station WCHS, Charleston, West Virginia, August 12, I9U9 .

Marks, Leonard H. Washington, D. C., Attorney for WSAZ, Inc. Letter to the Federal Communication Commission, November 8, 19^8.

Rogers, Lawrence H», Jr. Former President, General Manager, WSAZ, Ine„ Now General Manager, Taft Stations, Cincinnati, Ohio. Letter to Sylvester L. Weaver, Vice-President of the NBC Board, January 3, 1953°

Rogers, Lawrence H., Jr. Letter to Raymond T. O'Connell, Station Re­ lations, NBC, February 3, 1953°

Rogers, Lawrence H., Jr. Letter to Raymond T. O'Connell, April 10, 195^°

Rogers, Lawrence H., Jr. Letter to Stephen D. Buell, Author, August 8, 1961.

Sarnoff, Robert W. President, NBC. Letter to L. H. Rogers, Jr., May 12, 195^. 189

INTERVIEWS

Click, Lew. Controller, WSAZ, Inc. Personal interviews: November 13, 1961; February 21, 196lj April 13, 1961 and June 15, 1961.

Ferguson, James. Former Program Director, WSAZ-TV. Personal inter­ view, July, 1957*

Garten, C. T. Vice-President, General Manager, WSAZ, Inc. Personal interviews: February, 1961; May, 1961; and February, 1962.

Kelley, William. Promotion Department, WSAZ, Inc. Personal inter­ view, September, 1961.

Lewis, Leda. Assistant Production Director, former Secretary to Sales. Personal interview, February, 1962.

Pamicza, George, John B. Davis, Howard Mays, WSAZ Engineers. Per­ sonal interview, February, 1961.

Rogers, Lawrence H., Jr. Former President and General Manager, WSAZ, Inc. Personal interviews: May, 1957 and September 1959*

Seese, Lucille. National Sales, WSAZ-TV. Personal interview, January, 1962.

White, Robert (Mrs.). Former Head of Continuity, WSAZ-TV, presently Continuity Writer for McCormack, Inc., Huntington, West Virginia. Personal interview, February, 1962.

White, Robert. Sales Manager, WSAZ-TV. Personal interview, January, ■ 1962.

Williams, J. Head of Promotion, WSAZ, Inc. Personal Interviews: March, 196I1 September, 1961 and March, lro2.

MISCELLANEOUS (From the Files of WSAZ, Inc.)

American Research Bureau, Inc. "Survey of the Huntington, Charleston, West Virginia Area," November, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, and i960.

Clay, John. Chief Engineer, WSAZ, Inc. Contracts and Equipment cards from Engineering files: Contracts T-83-028-C, 19^9, BCD-23838-B, July, 1952; BCD-22^38-A, July, 1952; BED-30538-B, April, 1953; 190

BCD-42238-A, 1955# equipment for Charleston studio, 1956; equip­ ment not contracted, 1949-1960 and contract for microwave relay system, May 19, 1950.

Fane, Carl. Former Head of Film Department, Records of Film Depart­ ment, 1955-1958.

Federal Communication Commission. "Order to Grant Reconsideration," Number 49-832, June 15, 1949• From WSAZ-TV Administrative files.

Katz Agency, Inc. "Ready Reference Summary," promotional booklet for WSAZ-TV. From files of Promotion Department.

O’Connell, Raymond T. Station Relations of NBC. Telegram to L. H. Rogers, Jr., WSAZ-TV President. December 11, 1953*

TV Hooperatlngs. "Huntington.and Charleston, West Virginia, Ashland, Kentucky end Portsmouth, Ohio, Area Survey," 1953*

WSAZ-TV. Comments to the Federal Communication Commission, Docket No. 9807. Amendment of Subpart E of part 3 of the Commission’s Rules and Regulations, with respect to the broadcast of network programs by television broadcast stations.

WSAZ-TV. Comments to the Federal Communication Commission regarding Docket Nob.: 8736; 8975# 9175 and 8976 concerning amendment of Section 3.606 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, Re: utili­ zation of Frequencies in the Band of 4-70 to 890 Mcs. for Television Broadcasting, May, 1951.

WSAZ-TV. "Petition to Reconsider Grant," to the Federal Communication Commission, Docket No. 9262, file no. BMPC-454. From WSAZ Ad­ ministrative files.

WSAZ-TV. Promotional booklet containing figures from Nielsen, NCS W, 1956.

WSAZ-TV. Promotion Department Report to owners, Goodwill, Incorporated, September, 1961, AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I, Stephen David Buell, was born in Manhattan, Kansas, September

28, 1910. I received my secondary school education in the public schools of Roanoke, Texas and Denton, Texas0 I did undergraduate work at John

Tarleton Junior College and North Texas State College, and received the Bachelor of Science degree in I9V7 . North Texas State College also granted me the Master of Science degree in 19^80 While in re- sidence there, I was assistant to the Curator of the Historical

Collection, Dr. J. layman Kingsbury. I taught a course in American

History and a course in Radio Speech while studying on my Master's curriculum. I returned to the Speech faculty of North Texas State \ College in 19^9* where I taught Debate, Public Address, Beginning

Drama, Advanced Acting, Business Speech and several courses in Radio-

Television. I began work toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of New York in the summer of 195^ transferred to The

Ohio State University in the summer of 1.9.52 and became an Assistant to

Dr. Harrison B. Summers in the Radio-Television area in September, 1953-

There, I specialized in the Department of Speech. I held this position until September, 1955* while completing the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Since that time, I have been the Director of

Educational Radio-Television and taught the Radio-Television courses at

Marshall University. I served in the Army Engineers for forty months in the South Pacific during World War II. I am married and have two child­ ren, Nancy Lynn and Charles Stephen.

191