WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 A3 6ABC to mark 70 years of dominating news ratings By DEBORAH McGUIRE The Broadcast Pioneer breier and Bill “Wee Willie” six months after O’Brien’s Special to the Star and Wave archive states: “One day, Webber. Music programs death, people would stop Annenberg called his advis- were hosted by Al Alberts, him and express their con- PHILADELPHIA — And ers into a room to discuss Bob Horn, Dick Clark and dolences. the big story is … step into the possibility of starting a Larry Ferarri, to name just “It was such a feeling that any home in Cape May, television station. All were a few. Program hosts and we were family,” Howard Lower Township or any- opposed except for Walter. announcers included Wally said. “I was quite moved by where else throughout the He won. For the cost of a Kennedy, Paul Norton and it. It was a striking indica- Delaware Valley and if the 3-cent stamp, he fi led for the Phil “Uncle Philsy” Sheri- tion of how people felt about television’s on, odds are it’s construction permit.” dan. These are just a few Action News.” tuned to Channel 6. A new building was de- of the long list of names as- With the station sitting Now called 6ABC, the signed in 1946 which was sociated with the call letters on the brink of its eighth iconic station that had its the first one in the world WFIL and WPVI. decade, the future is bright, roots in two Philadelphia built specifically for tele- Outgrowing its facility, a Monsell said. department stores this week casting operations at 46th new, advanced broadcast “Let’s be honest. Each marks the 70th anniversary and Market streets. “And building was constructed year less and less of our of the station’s fi rst day of on Sept. 13, 1947, WFIL-TV in 1963 at 4100 City Ave., target audience have a con- televising. took to the airwaves,” said where the station still re- nection with the Golden Age According to Robert Clipp Gerry Wilkinson, chief ex- sides. As part of a Federal No. 1 for seemingly forever. case in most TV markets of television. We can’t earn in a 1964 article for the ecutive offi cer of Broadcast Communications Commis- Depending on which day, in America,” Monsell said. their loyalty because we Broadcast Pioneers, the Pioneers. It was the 13th sta- sion ruling that did not allow month, demo you look at, “The caveat is the qual- have history. We’ve got to media powerhouse’s gen- tion on the air in the United owners to have newspapers you might see a slip up here ity around those reporters. fi nd new and unique touch esis was St. Patrick’s Day States. and broadcast facilities in or there. But across the Familiar faces are just one points to them.” 1922 in the Strawbridge Moving into its new digs the same market, Annen- board, we win the ratings ingredient of our success.” “Channel 6, more than and Clothier’s store when in early 1948, the station was berg sold WFIL to Capital battle more than 90 percent According to Howard, most stations in the coun- it started broadcasting on instrumental in bringing the Cities Communications in of the time. That’s really the response to the 1983 try, became the voice of the the radio at WFI. A year two 1948 political conven- 1971, when the station call unheard of in a major TV accidental death of weath- community,” Howard said. later, wrote Clipp, another tions to the city. With San letters were changed to market.” erman Jim O’Brien was an “They did it through years Philadelphia department Francisco and Philadelphia WPVI. “We were able to cover indication of how people of continuous coverage. store, Lit Brothers, began a both vying to be the place A stronghold of WFIL/ events that others didn’t feel about Action News and They became the family similar broadcast using the where the next president WPVI has been its news cover,” explained Marc its reporters. He said for station.” call letters WLIT. would receive the nomina- coverage. Since the first Howard, retired Action “The ‘rug department’ tion of his party, the ad- day it broadcasted in 1947, News anchor. “We were able broadcasting operations vantage of having WFIL to the station has provided lo- to provide more local news.” prospered to the point televise the conventions for cals with up-to-the-moment Howard was part of the where, in 1935, the two the fi rst time in history was news of the tri-state area Action News team from 1977 stores merged the two sta- an important factor in the and the world. Generations to 2002, and anchored the 5 tions, chose WFIL for the decision to bring both Harry have sat down and learned p.m. news broadcast with call letters, and formed a Truman and the Democrats their news by switching the the legendary Lisa Thomas corporation,” Clipp wrote. along with Thomas Dewey channel to 6. Laury. He noted that the So successful was the and the Republicans to the In 1970, the news format pair anchored together for merger that in the fall of City of Brotherly Love. was changed and Action 19 years. 1937, WFIL was moved Over the course of sev- News was born. The new Longevity seems to have from the stores into a new en decades, the television format increased the num- built a special relationship headquarters high atop the giant has provided local ber of news stories in a half- between Action News and Widener Building. audiences with Delaware hour, thereby increasing its viewers. Changes to the Purchased in 1945 by Valley-centric program- coverage. And, according news team do not come Philadelphia Inquirer pub- ming and provided it with to Mike Monsell, creative frequently. By entering lisher Walter Annenberg, local personalities such as services director for 6ABC, people’s homes each day owner of Triangle Publica- children’s show hosts Sally the change of format has re- for many years and provid- tions, the idea of expanding Starr, Traynor “Chief” Half- sulted in the station leading ing local news, the Action the radio station to include town, Howard “Happy the the news ratings for almost News team became unoffi - the relatively new medi- Clown” Jones, W. Carter four decades. cial members of the public’s ® um called television was “Capt. Noah” Merbreier, “It’s really humbling to families. broached. Patricia “Mrs. Noah” Mer- work at a place that’s been “Generally that’s the Commission wants city to bag plastic By RACHEL SHUBIN using plastic bags,” Lovitz environment and having Anyone who chooses to pro- Special to the Star and Wave said. “Grocery stores like shoppers with bags as walk- vide reusable bags is great.” Whole Foods give money ing advertisements. The Environmental Com- CAPE MAY — The Cape back to charity if you bring “Someone walking down mission has not contacted May Environmental Com- reusable bags.” the mall with the reusable Acme but the grocery store mission is in the early stag- The commission plans to shopping bag sporting the is on its radar. Acme does es of developing a plan to take the winter to gather store’s logo is good advertis- sell reusable bags near reduce the use of nonbiode- consensus and decide how ing,” Lovitz said. registers. TH gradable plastic bags in the it will move forward. Much Feedback from the local The polypropylene reus- FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 city, saying plastic bags of- of the planning will incor- merchants has been posi- able bags are made from TH ten end up in the ocean and porate stores that join in, tive. a synthetic plastic, making thru SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 have detrimental effects on ultimately affecting the cost “One store said once they them durable and highly marine life. of the bags. fi nish their plastic bags they ecological. The goal of the commis- “We would like to give will go to reusable bags, but The Environmental Com- FRESH COD FILET sion is to get the local busi- them out to the many real- with their own logo,” Lovitz mission hopes to implement nesses that are using plastic tors’ offi ces,” Lovitz said. said. “That’s perfectly OK. these bags for summer 2018. $8.95/LB. bags to switch over to reus- “The realtors hand out in- able bags. The commission formation in small bags, is considering purchasing so if they work with us we reusable non-woven poly- could provide bigger reus- SEAFOOD GUMBO propylene bags featuring its able bags.” logo and a message remind- The commission would $5.75/PINT ing users to “go green.” also like to give the reus- Cape May merchants who able bags to the beach tag are interested in participat- checkers who can in turn ing with the commission are give them out and ask that able to get their logo on the people reuse them. Provid- opposite side of the bag. ing reusable bags to beach- Eveyln Lovitz, chairwom- goers is an active way to an of the Environmental try to reduce the amount Commission, said the idea of plastic bags that people TH evolved in January. leave behind on the beach, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 “There was a small group the commission said. thru SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH of us here who came to- The incentive for local gether and we decided we businesses is saving the would like to eliminate all plastic bags,” Lovitz said. BROILED STUFFED “We all agreed that it would THE CAPE MAY be a good project.” SHRIMP WITH CRAB MEAT An email letter from the STAR AND WAVE PLATTER Chamber of Commerce was WELCOMES sent to local businesses ask- ing them if they would be in- YOUR EMAIL – served with baked potato terested in working with the CMSTARWAVE@ or french fries & coleslaw commission on this project.