Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 56

2d ST. PETERSBURG TIMES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1984 CAR RENTAL At low at 11.30 jSpeculation mounts jover sale of WFTS per day HUMMEL SALE Sale 11 V'Mtrry Wanderer 39 17 Congratulationi 4990 201 Rat to Safety 49 71 Stormy Weather 149 1984 Plate 89 1979 Plate 5 9 90 1971 Plate NB. 69500 1 980 Anmv. Plate 12900 Classic Boutique 2662 Baylor Blvd. IAK.

19) ON TELEVISION Brand New 2 Or. CHEVETTE Unlimited Mileage innde State ol Fla. Air Conditioning Auto Transmiition I Radio Prtcr bawd on 7 day wt.li ROSS CAR RENTAL 6 LEASING 3100-Sth Ave. N. 327-6821 Aik ut about imru Your Fashion Knit Headquarters To knit the perfect sweater, i( you need the perfect yarn.

a vim LONG TERM LEASING ft t. Okjrwdm Nn. Plton 736-1444 Mi SokMt-144 VVluGlHttllllAMUf TRUNK SHOW March 28-31st Over 50 original sweaters plus yL Kn itting Computer. Northwood Plaza 2510 McMullen-Booth Rd. Clearwater 797-22M Gift Certificates Available Supplies Instruction Knitting Crochet Weaving Basketry Baron arrives from a Huntsville, Ala.

station where he forecast on a top-rated newscast for seven years. "He's just excitement personified," said Channel 8 news director Bob King, of Baron. He said the Tennessee graduate "has got a great set of pipes" and reminds him of John Coleman, the former Good Morning America weatherman. King also called Baron "the Roy Leep" of Huntsville. Leep, who presents many minutes of weather information on the 6 p.m.

Pulse News, is said to be the single largest reason WTVT-Channel 13 has traditionally drawn the largest audience among bay-area newscasts. His popularity remains steady while anchormen around him change, insiders note. Of Jim Smith, King spoke affectionately while explaining his transfer to the more obscure newscasts. "We want somebody who will appeal more to the older audience early in the morning," he said. "Jim is an easy-going guy.

When you get him on the 6 and 11, which are much more high-energy shows, he tends to get a little ahead of himself." ADULT CATERING TO YOUR PLEASURE! Anywhere! Anytime! Anysize! It's true, Spoto's Chefs are available to cater your special event. Just give us a call and go over the details. We're last! We're dependable! And best of all we're delicious! COOOTITSV CLUE 12999 Park Boulevard, Seminole 393-3438 from mrmTTTTTTtrrTTrrmto A m. i 1 ft. i "1 Sponsored By DEL TURA COUNTRY CLUB and PALM HARBOR HOMES Come and learn about the most significant breakthrough in housing in years! asr.

Asked whether Channel 28 is for sale, Sandy Wheeler smiles over the phone. "We've had a lot of discussions with a lot of people over the last six months. The Jnarket for television stations has been a ery active one." Wheeler is president of WFTS-Channel 28, the independent station that went on the air barely two years ago. It is the fifth station he has put on the air, and the fifth- tanked among five commercial outlets here. Jiven with low ratings, though, WFTS -turned a profit in its first year.

Around -'town the talk that it is about to be sold has to a babble. "It's all rumor-mill," Wheeler said. "It's "gotten to the point where it's so ridiculous won't comment on it." When might he comment? "No comment." WHEELER AND MORE than a 3iozen other local investors own the station. Pne rumored buyer is Capital Cities Communications, a New York firm that owns 'iix TV stations. Federal law allows a company to own seven.

"We naturally have an interest in the market," Joseph Dougherty, Capital Cities -'broadcasting division president, began. I guess I'm not in a position at this time to make any kind of comment on that situation." Another rumored bidder is Malrite Broadcasting of Cleveland. Its executives did not return calls Tuesday, but Wheeler, who is being quite good-natured about all this, said "Oh, I've heard that name a lot! "I've also heard Taft, Scripps-Howard and Beverly Hills Hotel whoever I they are." Taft Broadcasting is a Cincinnati com- munications conglomerate that owns two Suncoast radio stations. Its television vice -I president, Ro Grignon said through his secretary that "we definitely are not" buy- ing Channel 28, and wouldn't comment further. Scripps-Howard is another Cincinnati communications firm.

Controller D. J. Castellini said he knew nothing of a Tampa Bay deal. Beverly Hills Hotel Corp. owns the Beverly Hills Hotel and an Oklahoma tele- vision station.

Vice president Bob Mathis said he heard a Tampa property was for sale, but had not looked into it. FINALLY, HOWARD E. Stark, de- scribed as the industry's top media broker, had not heard that WFTS was on the block. I Were it to sell, however, he estimated its price at between $15-million and $20-million. That's considered high for a fledgling 'r UHF operation like Channel 28, but the market for stations is indeed heating up.

The Federal Communications Commission has been moving toward revocation of the seven -station ownership ceiling, and if it fc- goes, demand should drive prices very high. Rather than pay much more then, buyers are paying slightly more now. "I've heard we're selling it for $17- t. million, then for $30-million, and I guess if it keeps up I'm going to be rich," Wheeler said. Then he laughed.

WFTS cost $3- million to launch 27 months ago $1- million if you don't count programing. Oddly enough, in the quest for viewer loyalty, the pivotal section of a local news program is thought to be the weather fore- cast. TV news executives say viewers appear to select a station for news, weather and sports based mostly on weather I who's doing it, and how. So the change taking place Monday on WXFL-Channel 8 may be a significant one. Starting next week, a meteorologist jiamed Bob Baron will forecast the weather a on 6 and 11p.m.

editions of News Watch 8. Iim Smith, who has manned those news-'casts for five years, moves to Channel 8's new 6:30 a.m. newscast and continues on its noon show. He also remains head of the station's weather department. PALM HARBOR, the nation's number one builder of quality manufactured; homes has joined with DEL TURA COUNTRY CLUB of Ft.

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19 North Plant City Clearwater 2 P.M. 2 P.M. Interested but can't attend? Call collect (81 3) 997-7979 $459 SET Yin SET OCTHOKDIC HEALTH SLEEP ON IT 45 DA YS IF NOT SA TISFIED CHOOSE ANO HER ST. Shopping GjMor, 3M An 1 St. (2I-5I01 CLEARWATER 1659 Gtt-to-loy, Mil to Umkod'i food 441.1549 NEW PORT RICHEY 295i South IM 'trottei C'cot Ploiol 848-3503 GUARD II EXTRA FIRM TWIN FULL RfQ REG $279 $359 SET $148 SET SET QUEEN ICQ REG $459 2-PC SET $198 SET EA PC KING REG 3-PC $559 SET $268 SET jJVi PM Magazine will have its last broadcast Friday, April 13.

WTOG-Channel 44 is cancelling what four years ago was its breakout local program. PM has been in a decline since the advent of Entertainment Tonight, a faster-paced magazine that eclipsed it so thoroughtly at 7:30 weeknights that Channel 44 desperately moved PM to 11:30 p.m. late last year. It did not recover. Starting April 16, The Bob Newhart Show will air at 11 on WTOG, followed by Love Connection at 11:30.

The fate of PM staff is undetermined. A station spokesman said the hope is to keep as many as possible. The quote of the month comes from Group Cable general manager Bill Touchton, explaining that the pay-movie service Showtime will be moved gradually over the coming months from Channel 2 to the position on the converter (with the service appearing on both channels for a time). The change is spurred by breakdowns in telephone pole "traps" that are designed to block the service to non-subscribers but lately have been letting the signal through almost wantonly. "A lot of people are getting Showtime through no fault of their own," Touchton said.

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