The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 135

The second coming of Channel 35 be an early and smashing succcess." Which isn't to say the predicted success is being left to chance. "In our initial year," Rogers explained, "we'll follow what is a classic pattern established by independent stations, including three I've had responsibility for. "The first people who discover you on the dail and the first people who will insist on watching 35 are the little ones," he continued. "The littlest kids first, and then the middle-sized kids, and then the older kids, and then the young adults. "So consequently, our program schedule will be specifically tailored to put out an attraction for the preschoolers who are home in the middle of the afternoon.

Then (we) gradually increase the age appeal of the children's programming as the afternoon gets later. gradually build from that to all-family comedy appeal with the strongest entries we can find." Here's what that programming phi-losphy adds up to in terms of shows: was converting the banking area into a studio. Rogers is confident WOFL will make it this time around. Asked if he thought the Orlando market hadn't been ready to support a UHF indepdent back in 1974, when WSWB's short, troubled life began, Rogers said no. "As badly underfinanced and handicapped by other problems as it was," he said, "it actually had a successful nine months in 1976 before they pulled the cork on it.

The station actually made an operating profit during that time with very little programming and no money." He credits the successful steering of that "sinking Titanic" to Ray Balsom, the WSWB sales manager who took over the running of the station after its president, Earl Boyles, left; and he's made Balsom, a friend from the Taft days, his station manager. If anything, Rogers said, Ch. 35's chances of succeeding are even greater now. "Orlando has become a major market in the last four years," he said. By NOEL HOLSTON TUvllan Editor Barring an unforeseen snafu, Monday, Oct.

15 will mark the second coming of UHF independent Channel 35 to the Orlando area. "I think the airdate is safe," said Lawrence "Bud" Rogers, president of Omega Communications, which owns WOFL-TV (formerly WSWB). He sat in an air-conditioned office at the old Orange State Bank building at 2300 S. Orange Blossom Trail. Outside his door, the air was hot and thick with dust; a construction crew was noisily turning what had been the main banking area into a TV studio and technical center.

The modesty of WOFL's facilities, in stark contrast to the almost palatial complex on East Colonial Drive where WSWB went bankrupt three years ago, was encouraging. As is Rogers himself. President for 16 years of Cincinnati-based Taft Broadcasting, one of the top broadcast groups in the country, and a 30-year TV veteran, he asked for and got an early retirement settlement in April 1976 "to go and seek my fortune all alone." When he learned that Orlando's WSWB-Ch. 35 had gone off the air and into receivership, he saw the proverbial golden opportunity. He put together Omega Communications, whose investors include the Meredith Corp.

(owner of Better Homes and Gardens magazine and other pulishing and brodcast properties), and went after the rights to res-surect the independent station. In April 1977, Omega won a court order to put the station back on the air. But two other companies, Ted Turner's Turner Communications of Atlanta and the Virginia Beach, Christian Broadcasting Network, had claims on WSWB's transmtter site and technical equipment, respectively. The legal battles that ensued were, in Rogers' words, "interminable," but when it become inevitable that Omega was be the licensee, both Turner and CNB sold the company their holdings. The Federal Communications Commission officially awarded Omega the license to operate Ch.

35 on Aug. 2. By that time, Omega had already bought the Orange State Bank building and the renovation was underway. Except for graffiti-streaked interior walls, the work of some illegal tenants, the building was sound, Rogers said, and main task company is thoroughly well financed. And amongst the three of us who're putting this thing together, we constitute about a hundred years experience in broadcasting.

And everybody we'll have on board has experience. I have no question that it will be an early and smashing success." Lawrence "Bud" Rogers, president, Omega Communications "It's second only to Houston in terms of television growth rate in the U.S. right now. So there is ample demand and ample opportunity for a fourth commercial voice in the market place, "In fact, there's a crying need for it, because the advertising fraternity simply can't find enough availabilites (spots for commercials) on the three stations that are here. "We propose to alleviate that shortage," he said with a sly smile.

Another reason for his confidence, Rogers said, "is the fact that our company is thoroughly well financed. And amongst the three of us who're putting this together Ray Balsom, (Omega vice president) Harry Francis and I we constitute about a hundred years experience in this business. And everybody we'll have on board is experienced. "I simply have no question that it will Weekday mornings will be a mix of cartoons for kids and religious programs Club," etc.) leading up to an hour-long locally produced, live interview-community affairs show at 11 a.m. (untitled and uncast as yet, it's won't debut until November).

Between noon and 3 p.m., to counterprogram the soap operas on the network affiliates, WOFL will have reruns of "Leave It to Beaver," "Family Affair," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "I Dream of Jeannie." From 3 to 5:30 p.m., there'll be cartoons, including "The Flintstones" and "Tom and Jerry." Against the network affiliates' local newscasts, WOFL will throw reruns of "Kung Fu," which will be followed at 6:30 by "Candid Camera," "Sanford and Son" and "Maude." That takes WOFL weekday schedule up to 8 p.m., prime time for network af-(Continued on page 46) Sentinel Star, October 7, 19797.