Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 146

1 A ML Vic WUmot Phoenix, Sunday, April 28, 1919 N-5 i una Video news content weighs heavily on shoulders of local newscasters On the subject of garnering the viewers, Bill Close, KOOL TV, will tell you that the overall content is of greater importance than the strength of the presiding anchor man. Yet networks have long vied on the strength of eye appeal to both adult sexes. KPHO TV's Tom Sherlock will side with Close. Ray Thompson of KTAR TV will opine, "when it conies to contact, it's the person on the screen whom the viewers will relate to." OPINION ON THE TOPIC, in the case of Art Brock, KTVK TV's news director, is probably over guarded if only because Brock, who has worked all areas of the 30 minute slice, is frequently called upon to put it all together. Brock brings 15 years of local experience to his newscasts.

During that time he has handled all segments. In his heart he leans towards sports, but in the eyes of the Phoenix public he's better known for his popular rapid fire weather reports. It would appear that Channel 3 General Manager Bill LaDow Republic Photo by Pwl brown Brock: get away from the dramatic. would subscribe to the personality approach. Until recently, Brock was the one man show at 10 p.m.

Andy Anderson, a newcomer from South Dakota, now handles the middle area of sports. "I prefer the way we do it," says Brock. "I look to put entertainment into the news. I hit harder on features, and less on the run down of the current hot news items. The magnitude of the story determines where it's slotted." According to Brock, his station's policy is not to feature "accident type" news.

"We brush over it," he says. "The public doesn't need to witness death." Brock tells you he does not slant or editorialize on his newscasts, adding he "does not want to mold public opinion." Brock: "I want to get away from the dramatic approach. As an example, I don't care for (Bill) Close's approach to the dramatic." It is obvious, then, that Channels 3 and 10 are far apart in viewpoints and ratings. (The most recent American Research Bureau ratings covering Feb. 11 through March 10 show a Rating Point listing of KOOL TV with 15 and KTVK -TV, 4.

KTAR -TV heads this p.m. survey with a 20. KPHO-TV has no newscast during this time period.) Bill Close will state his station doesn't "chase enough ambulances." "WE SHOULD SHOW DRUNKS resisting arrest, as an example," says Close. "This is the entertainment people want." Then why doesn't the news director of Channel 10 exploit his beliefs? Close says it's a question of "manpower." Channel 10 carries more personnel (23) in their news department than any other local channel one more than Channel 12 and almost twice as many as Channels 3 and 5 combined. Channel 10's devotion to news time has greatly increased since Close came to the station six years ago, when news personnel numbered only six.

A 15 -minute newscast featuring Sam Chu Lin plus a 10 p.m. Saturday news show with Max Smith have been added. Close anchors the 6 p.m. news with a "very simple format." Close: "I lead with headlines of the three top stories we'll be covering. I determine the number one story, which leads off.

The second most important goes to the bottom of the show, forcing the viewer to stay with us for the entire half hour. I can put sports and weather anywhere." Under Close's direction, 10 goes "heavy on local and visuals (filming)." Dave Nichols anchors the 10 p.m. slot and initiated the "Niteline Newsreel." But Close, pointing again to "manpower." says the station's overall news coverage does "not get in as much visual as I'd like." "OUR PEOPLE." HE STATES, "must hit a story 'cA out to another one. We can't orrpete with newspapers in in-depth studies. This is a common complaint a3ior.g r.eaers.

And I feel it's a valid ooe." 1 oji rc i proposed. We rehearsed it for two weeks. It's been very successful. Now we're thinking 9:58 so the viewer can go to bed or watch our 10 o'clock movie. "Our news presentation is as good as anyone's in Arizona.

I'm happy." CONTRARY TO FEDERAL government accusations that network newscasters slant their reports to mold opinion, all local news directors agree on at least one issue: No such accusations exist among our state or city government. When did the now universal 30 minute news slot take its hold on local markets across the country? Sherlock figures it was "an economic move" that evolved in the early Fiftjes. Ray Thompson, vice president in charge of news at Channel 12 and the station's long time anchor man at the 10 p.m. slot, will tell you the half-hour late news "came in, almost overnight across the nation, about 1962." Says Thompson: "Television adopted radio's 15 minute newscast in the early days. The idea in the early Fifties was to highlight and compress the news cover as many stories as we could.

But we rarely covered them well that is, thorough." Thompson compared video news' early days to newspaper headlines and "first paragraph," adding that "generally it was not enough to satisfy the viewer. "But that was not fulfilling television's full potential. It was a learning process treading over territory heretofore unexplored. "Television is primarily an entertainment medium, with news secondary. Yet, on the spot coverage is what TV does best." Thompson says that his industry needs specialists in reporting, "like the newspapers." IF HE HAD THE BUDGET, the ex -newspaperman would develop reporter photographer teams to pursue in depth reporting.

Thompson would like to rely more on the visual in newscasts and Art to join radio KOY for 18 years, tells you that the "broadcast news is all the same." But he admits it's still (after six years) "awkward thinking visual." KPHO TV, an independent station (no network affiliation), also stands independent in the news area. News director Tom Sherlock, a soft spoken, 18 Republic Photo by Vine Kormiti Ray Thompson: hampered, imprisoned by time limit." year news veteran, believes the 30 minute format is "too long a time," Sherlock says that "straight journalism" applies to gathering viewers. "If we can grab interest initially, we're in good shape." Logically, then, Sherlock sides with the content's the thing theme, not the personality. don't care what a man looks Sherlock rules over three newscasts daily (noon, 5 p.m. and the one minute 7:28 p.m.) five times a week.

"I had reservations when the 7:28 was improvement of KHEP-KM's format, about which he cares a great deal, is going to take time. And money. Which brings him, and listeners, to the familiar crux: Advertisers keep the doors open and the tapes turning. Advertisers work through agencies that are interested, not surprisingly, in reaching the highest number of people possible per dollar. Classical music stations do not reach the largest audience available.

The man who practices cloaking his personal viewpoints and opinions when delivering a televised newscast, lets It all hang out when speaking at a safe distance from the red cue light of the '-camera. The green light went on for four newscasters last week and all spoke freely land at times adamantly of the tiny but potent 30-minute slice of a world pecu-'liar only to the television newscaster. The subject was the television news It was taken to the four news directors of Phoenix television stations where all are immersed in "The Rating building more viewers than the next station. Some are satisfied with their formats, others are not. i As in most major markets, Phoenix television launches four news directors the public almost nightly.

All have to virtually the same news The popularity race would then lappear to hinge on editing content, presentation and personalities not necessarily in that order. Bill Close: we don't WEEK'S TODAY 8:30 a.m. Face the Nation Guests to be announced (10). 9 a.m. Issues and Answers Sen.

Edmund Muskie, D-Maine, discussing pollution problems (3). 10 a.m. Meet the Press Members of the special committee on campus tensions, Sol Linowitz, Dr. Robin Fleming and Patrick Shea will be interviewed. (12) 10:55 a.m.

NBA Basketball A plavoff game (3). 11:00 NHL Hockey Stanley Cup playoff game (10). 12:30 p.m. Firing Line William F. Buckley is host (5).

1 p.m. PGA Golf Final round in Tournament of Champions at Rancho La Costa, Calif. (3). 1:30 p.m. Washington Closeup Sam Steiger is the moderator (5).

1:30 p.m. Arthur Rubenstein An NBC News Special, narrated by Rubenstein, exploring the life and art of the renowned pianist (12). 3:30 p.m. Marvelous! Magnificent The Metropolitan Museum Mayor Lindsay is the host for NBC's observance of the centenary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (12). 5 p.m.

Ed Sullivan Guests include Jane Morgan, Leslie Gore, Moms Mabley, John Gary and the Roland Boys (10). 6 p.m. Raquel A special featuring Raquel Welch. Bob Hope, Tom Jones and John Wayne (10). 8 p.m.

The Forsyte Saga A dinner party brings the unhappy wife Irene together with architect Philip Bosinney (21). 9 p.m. The Advocates The question for debate tonight is "Should colleges adopt a fixed rule expelling any student who uses obstruction, sit-ins or other illegal physical force as a means of persuasion?" (21). 10 p.m. The Show This program focuses on award-winning film-maker Frederick Wideman who discusses his theory of the "cinema verite" approach to the television documentary.

(21) MONDAY 12:30 p.m. Girl Talk Debut for this half hour Monday through Friday series with Betsy Palmer as hostess. 1:30 p.m. Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert Animated comedy special based on characters created by Bill Cosby (12). p.m.

Monday Night Movie -The Hell With Heroes," a drama about a struggling air cargo pilot who is double-crossed by a smuggler (12). 1 p.m. Black Journal An exclusive interview with the leader of the Black Muslims, Elijah Muhammad (8). TUESDAY 8 p.m. SI Minutes News-feature program wi'Ji guests to be announced (10).

8 p.m. NET Festival The life and work of one of the living legends of music Leopold Stokowski are recounted (8). p.m. Earth Day Special A repeat of the Rocky Mountain Public I a iP ft! 'YTf3" Tat man who came to Phoenix in 1946 sees a need to "use the camera more creatively." On The Rating Game: "Personalities are very definitely the difference. Television news reporting is a one way conversation with one or two people in a room.

But content must stand by itself. News presentation is a team effort to put this jigsaw called 'Thirty Minutes' together." Ideally, Thompson would like to see the news slots go 45 minutes with sole-, ly news with an appropriate allot-, ment to weather and sports. The latter two have already been cut in time by about two minutes in recent months, according to Thompson. "I feel hampered imprisoned by time limits. I'd like to see an informal format, leaving room for the specialist to sit in for a greater clarity in presentation." The Thirty Minute seem to be ticking.

Package would 1 tfl Republic Photo by Vinco Korrmtt Tom Sherlock: I don't care-what a man looks like." tion lies almost entirely with themselves. Letters to the station are joyously welcomed, as are phone calls (letters are better, because they're tangible and can be displayed to potential advertisers.) But even more important, listeners must tell advertisers how much they appreciate the sponsorship and they should try to patronize with their dollars the people who are, essentially, paying for their favorite broadcasts. The second part of the problem requires patience and time. The classical music listeners are a minority, not as small as people assume but still a minority, and that minority grows in numbers only with changes in population percentages or, more likely, increases in population. Tom Churchill of KRFM-used 1.5 million as a minimum figure, but added that in this age of specialty metropolitan Phoenix of 1 million could support a full-time classics station.

It i would take shrewd selling ability, programming talent, and a lot of hard work, he said, but it could be done. And if it were done, he would take KRFM's Sunday morning and evening programs, of classical music off the air. He knows that with one station broadcasting con--; cert music only, his two Sunday pro- grams would be futile competition. Meanwhile, as the economy (and ad-, vertising dollars) fluctuates, as struggles "optimistically" to KHEP-FM up to the standards each city should have but only more money support, and as another, fuller than ever musical season trails to a classical music followers stare at eaclr' other, wondering how to ease the discon-tent. The answer for now.

until the city is larger, is for them to provide with petitions, letters, phone calls, and, when appropriate, buying dollars. They are an exclusive audience, one not reached en masse by television or other radio stations, and they must ex--) ercise their power as a sizable, minority-with special needs and interests. If they don't, someone like Jack Willis can't help them. And the summer, long on. heat, short on concerts, will bring them restless weeks once again.

i mi ft' i Summertime blues for concert music lovers Therefore, keeping a classics station solvent is a major battle. Part of the trouble can be corrected by listeners; the other part cannot. Classical music listeners are reputed justly to be (1) of higher than average income, education, and, therefore, discrimination in their buying habits; and (2) of less than satisfactory awareness of the economic facts of radio life. The latter part of this difficulty can be corrected, if listeners realize the responsibility for having a classics sta- Republic Photo by Vint Kermitl chase enough ambulances." BEST TV Broadcasting Network special that was broadcast on April 22; produced specially for Earth Day, coinciding with a nationwide observance. (8).

WEDNESDAY 1:30 p.m. Choice: Challenge for the Modern Woman "The Family Affair effects of modern technology upon the size and relationships of families (8). 8 p.m. Your Dollars Worth Comments on the various virtues, costs, and characteristics of wines 1 3 8 p.m. Kraft Music Hall Phil Harris presents Bobbie Gentry with Btr-nadette Peters, John Hartford and Charley Pride (12).

9 p.m. Engelbert Humperdinck Guests include Juliet Prowse. Jack E. Leonard, Blue Mink and Jack Wild f3. 9 p.m.

Conversation with James Day Renowned archaeologist Dr. Louis Leakey talks with NET President James Day about his half-century search through Africa for clues to the ancestors of modern man (8). THURSDAY 6:30 p.m. Animal World This is the first part of a two-parter. "The Great Red Apes," dealing with the orangutans of Borneo.

(3) 7:30 p.m. The Last Prom The story of four teenagers preparing for their senior prom, the excitement of the big night and the horror of the tragedy that follows (5 1. 8 p.m. Thursday Night Movie "Operation Amsterdam;" a story about a mission to keep a diamond cache out of Nazi hands in World War II (10). 8 p.m.

Foreign Film Festival "The Courtneys of Curzon Street;" the domestic life and loves of a London family, traced through three generations (21 8 p.m. Speaking Freely A conversation with Lawrence Durrell, author (8). 9 p.m. Thursday at Nine "Speech Correction for Your Child" an open-end, telephone-call-in, audience participation program (8). FRIDAY 8:15 p.m.

and 11:30 p.m. Profile Phoenix Louise Randolph and Ercell Morris have as their guest a prominent sculptor in the Valley, John Waddell. (8) 8:30 p.m. Arizona Town Hall of the Air "The Future of Health and Welfare in Arizona," part III (8). 9 p.m.

NET Playhouse "Trail of Tears" a tragic story of the Cherokee Indians' forced removal from their lands in Georgia (8). SATURDAY 11 a.m. Major League Baseball Minnesota at Baltimore (12). 1 p.m. Kentucky Derby From Louisville.

at the Churchill Downs Track. MGi. 4:30 p.m. LBJ Tragedy and Transition The third in a series of CBS New Broadcasts devoted to the former President's story (10 4:30 Hallmark "Teacher, Teacher" Deals with the efforts to teach a 13-year-old retarded youngster to read, write and to learn self-reliance. (12).

By BINA BREITNER What will people who love classical music do as the summer heat approaches and the performance schedules wither? Will they realize that th solution to a musical dearth must come from them? Most of them would like to turn on their radios and have all-day, all-evening concerts. The only station that comes close to filling the bill at this point is KHEP-FM, which broadcasts prerecorded tapes (rented from International Good Music in Washington) daily and adds a few request programs and personalized broadcasts on weekend evenings. The classical music listeners talked to are not satisfied. I've The daily fare, "Encore," they say, is exclusively light music, mostly war horses, with opera highlights, overtures, ballet selections, and suites decorating a landscape they wish included more chamber music, complete operas, challenging symphonies, and contemporary early 20th works. They are grateful for what there is, but several worried that KHEP-FM is losing its potential audience of dedicated classics listeners through its policy of light programming.

The chamber music program it broadcast regularly for two years was taken off recently in favor of "Across the Footlights," a program geared to Broadway show tunes and movie themes. Station manager Jack Willis told me he thought the latter would have more appeal. To some, it may. To chamber music buffs, it does not. Willis, of course, is caught in the middle.

The station is not wealthy; the classical programming is a recent effort (begun when KTAR-FM decided to stop its full-time classics format, which also used the IGM tapes that KHEP-FM now rents): he does not have yet an employee with experience in programming classical music; and he knows that the C0MMERCIA1. RAOlo ifllll STATION 1.