The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 43

THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN Promotion Gasoline From Page 1-C term future." he said. The station's sponsorship of an upcoming Fourth of July party in Oklahoma City is its first major step in attempting to develop a stronger 'community identity. "KTVY kind of lost a sense of community, lost its heart," Brooks said. "That's one of From Page 1-C found widely at self-service stations. That may be a little higher than at some stations in Oklahoma City, but probably is competitive with prices in many smaller cities, he said.

Besides extra transportation costs to get gasoline to towns that are away from major fuel terminals, the fact that big refiners rarely own and operate stations in smaller cities may contribute to pricing differences, said Mitchell. "There's competition among ourselves (independent gasoline dealers) but it's not the same as in Oklahoma City because the refiners have not entered this market," he Junt 2290 Chance From May 25 June 23 Previous Week 1990 1989 Alabama-Land 29 2 22 10 Alabama-Offshore 4-44 Alaska-Land 92 8 8 Alaska-Offshore 1-11 Arkansas 61 7 8 California-Land 43 11 55 41 California-Offshore 4-33 Colorado 31 29 24 Florida-Land 1-11 Florida Offshore 1-11 Hawaii 1-20 Illinois 4-45 Kansas 48 1 50 40 Kentucky 8-4 12 4 Louisiana-Offshore 85 2 80 79 Louisiana-Total 166 16 165 136 Michigan 16 2 15 17 Mississippi-Land 15 4 12 14 Mississippi-Offshore 0-01 Montana 4-1 2 3 Nebraska 52 1 2 Nevada 434 New Mexico 51 50 41 New York 0 1 0 0 North Dakota 22 25 20 Ohio 114 10 9 Oklahoma 127 5 117 100 Pennsylvania 18 3 10 18 South Dakota 1-00 Tennessee 0 0 1 Texas-Offshore 20 1 26 20 Texas-Total 333 10 342 240 Utah 3-35 Virginia 1 1 1 3 West Virginia 17 12 18 Wyoming 37 2 34 28 Total-United States 1021 22 1001 810 got the pink slip a month later. KWTV's owners sued Harm for what they called deception in leases and contracts. His management led the Muskogee-based Griffin companies, chaired by Martha Griffin, to unpro-fitability, the owners said in their lawsuit. Harm filed a countersuit, claiming an unlawful breach of his employment contract and coercion and intimidation by the Griffin companies to accept a smaller than justified settlement of his contract.

Both sides settled out of court. Sandubare also filed a court action. As of last week, it remained alive. Earlier this year, Harm's replacement as general manager, Joe Carriere, resigned. This executive turmoil is an aftermath of the increased competition for viewers, brought on by increased viewing options, Thrash said.

"What you've seen in Oklahoma City the last few years is an instability in ownership and management," Thrash said. "It's been a big factor in this market." KFOR's third new owner since 1985, Palmer Communications, brought in a new general manager last fall. With Harm's departure, KOCO's Kirby, who returned to the market last summer, is the senior affiliate manager in the market. Despite the internal turmoil, KWTV has kept its ratings pace. Said one local executive of that feat: "That's a tribute to the quality of people they have at the station." A Local Appeal Of the commercial affiliates, Channel 9 is the only one that has been locally owned for the last 15 years.

In the 1960s, all three stations had local ownership. "Locally owned, that's a real key," said Jerry Dalrymple, KWTV vice president and operations director. "When I say I need $100,000 for a lightning tracking device, they say 'that's Dalrymple said. The late John T. Griffin founded the station eraged $1,109 in late June among the Law-ton filling stations that were surveyed.

That compares with an average of $1,111 for seven cities, including Lawton, that were covered by the survey. Average prices in those cities range from a low of $1,029 in Norman to $1,147 in Oklahoma City, $1,169 in Ard-more and a high of $1,189 in Clinton. For full-service regular unleaded, the price differential favors Lawton motorists even more, the AAA survey suggests. It says the average price for that fuel from surveyed full-service filling stations in Lawton in late June was $1,249, which was second lowest out of eight Oklahoma cities included in the study. That average compared to $1,292 for all eight cities, which ranged from a low of $1,219 in Enid to $1,309 in Oklahoma City and highs of $1,329 in both Ardmore and Moore.

For premium unleaded fuel, similar trends favored Lawton motorists, according to surveys commissioned by AAA. Ross Herndon, AAA regional manager in Oklahoma City, said that despite these numbers, motorists in the surveyed cities can probably find higher- and lower-priced gasoline. But in doing its study, CPC does "get a cross section of fuel outlets (in each surveyed city) to develop the average prices," he said. At least one Lawton convenience store op- erator also said he is undercutting prices charged by the rest of the gasoline retailers in town by 6 to 10 cents per gallon and frequently has motorists lined up to buy. "But we're not very well liked" by other local fuel retailers, said the operator, who asked not to be named.

Nevertheless, anger over perceived high fuel prices in Lawton recently drove leaders of the Comanche County Veterans Council to seek help from Maj. Gen. Ra- phael J. Hallada, commanding general at nearby Fort Sill. In a letter from council chairman Ron- aid Shields, a retired Army officer, Hallada was urged "to take action to eliminate unfair gasoline pricing" by trying to lower prices at two government-run filling stations inside Fort Sill.

If prices on the post were cut, it may put pressure on Lawton fuel retailers to do the same, said one council member. But Fort Sill public information officer Sheila Samples said, "We don't set the prices downtown." And, she added, "We can't get involved in local politics. "Everybody would like to see gasoline prices lower not just on the post or in Lawton, but across the state of Oklahoma and probably across the country," said Samples. But, said the Fort Sill information officer, "There's no way we have any impact or effect on gas prices downtown." A pre-holiday gasoline price survey released by the American Automobile Association ahead of the July 4th holiday fails to support the claims of the angry Lawton gasoline users. In fact, AAA's survey indicates that Lawton motorists may actually be paying less generally for gasoline than people in many other Oklahoma cities.

That study, conducted for AAA by Computer Petroleum Corp. (CPC) of St. Paul, says that self-service regular unleaded gasoline av The number of oil and gas drilling rigs operating nationwide rose to a 23-week high of 1,021 during the week ended June 22 despite less drilling in Oklahoma, said Baker Hughes Inc. Oklahoma's active drilling rig count fell by five from the 21-week high of 132 posted a week earlier, the oil-field equipment supplier said. Baker Hughes' active drilling rig count, quoted by the International Association of Drilling Contractors, Includes only rotary rigs that are actually drilling and rated for depths to at least 3,000 feet.

the reasons we Bob Brooks changed our call letters." Brooks and several local observers say that coincided with ownership of the station from November 1985 to March 1989 by Knight-Ridder Inc. one in a recent flurry of corporate caretakers at the NBC affiliate. Worst and Best of Times Of all three stations, KFOR has had the greatest turnover of ownership over the last five years changing hands three times. But the NBC affiliate also has had the richest history in the local market the state's first station, the first color TV station outside of the networks, the first state station to win an Emmy, and so on. WKY-TV went on the air June 6, 1949.

It remained under the same local ownership until 1975, when a subsidiary of The Oklahoma Publishing Co. sold the station to The Evening News Association (ENA) in Detroit. The call letters were changed to KTVY. A hostile takeover attempt of ENA by a partnership including television producer Norman Lear of "All in the Family" fame nudged the Detroit media company into the arms of the Gannett Co. It purchased ENA in late August 1985.

But Gannett already owned KOCO locally, and federal regulations forbid two stations under the same ownership in a single market. Two months later, Gannett sold the station to Knight-Ridder Inc. Faced with a $1 billion debt from a corporate acquisition, Knight-Ridder needed cash and sold KTVY and eight other affiliate stations in the first part of 1989. Palmer Communications Inc. of Des Moines became KTVY's new owner.

Why would Palmer want to come into a market coming off two bad profit and ad revenue years? "We felt it was an end to a struggled period (economically for the state)," said Ken McQueen, Palmer vice president of television. "The station shared in that decline, and we saw quite a bit of revenue upside (improvement) in the station's performance," McQueen said. "The station's audience performance had declined, and we felt good management could be brought in to improve those numbers." Last But Not Least Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch would probably like KOCO. The affable but often controversial mayor would ask constituents, "How am I doing?" With its "New Attitude" promotional push, KOCO is asking viewers the same question and wanting their response on things they'd like to see or see changed. Response to KOCO's effort has been "tremendous," said Tom Kirby, station general manager.

Among changes initiated from viewer response: no more use of the word "exclusive" with news stories, 24-hour news and programming, plus weather updates on Saturday and 8t and put it on the air Dec. 20, 1953. He later formed a partnership with another Muskogee businessman, James C. Leake, but the partnership was dissolved at the end of the 1960s. In 1954, the station had the tallest man-made structure in the world, a broadcasting tower.

That pa vp risp tn thp Refiners Reaping Record Profits On $10-a-Barrel 'Crack Spread' can Petroleum Institute. Since May, August crude oil. futures prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange have plunged more than $3 a barrel to about $16.80, while July gasoline futures are virtually unchanged at about 60 cents a gallon. gins, but I don't think anyone would predict they'll last," said a U.S. refiner.

Crude prices have come under severe pressure in recent weeks as concerns persist about overproduction by oil-producing states and burgeoning U.S. crude stocks. U.S. crude stocks were at 383.9 million barrels last week, 41 million barrels over year-earlier levels and near their highest level in eight years, according to the Ameri- Dosher said refiner profit margins for gasoline tripled to 27 cents a gallon in May from 9 cents last August. One major U.S.

refiner said his gasoline margin has averaged about 30 cents a gallon in the current quarter, compared with 28 cents in last year's second quarter, when margins soared in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Ashland Oil Inc. recently announced that it expects record earnings this quarter, primarily due to profits being posted at its Ashland Petroleum Co. refining unit. "We've been enjoying some good mar- NEW YORK (Reut-er) Crude oil prices recently slid to 18-month lows, but gasoline prices have not followed, leading to record profits for U.S.

refiners, although industry analysts do not expect the huge margins to last. "We're at all-time highs in terms of profitability, but refiners are really going to crank up production to capitalize on these margins," said John Dosher at Pace Consultants Inc. Last week, the gasoline "crack spread," the value of gasoline over crude oil futures prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange, widened to nearly $10 a barrel from about $7 the previous week. Traders consider the differential between crude oil and refined products prices a rough gauge of refiner profitability. bunday mornings lor weekend activity.

"It's good for them (viewers) to get it off their chests," said promotion manager Sheila Phipps. Part of the new perspective toward increasing viewer loyalty and audience share was a KOCO-declared armistice in the local TV news wars. But some local Drantirinn- Jerry Dalrymple station's call letters World's Tallest Video. Back then, a TV outlet was called a "video" station. One of KWTV's big advantages is its weather coverage and perhaps the most well-known weather forecaster since Noah Gary England.

Severe weather makes cable subscribers and independent station watchers furiously flip to an affiliate channel. It is perhaps the last bastion of the viewer loyalty argument All three stations have been in a virtual technological race in acquiring machines to follow more accurately Oklahoma's severe weather and warn viewers of potential danger. "We are looking at a weather market in Oklahoma City that has the most sophisticated weather equipment in the world," Dalrymple said. England's customary, "Stay with TV-9. We'll keep you advised," after each severe weather update is how you keep viewers loyal, Dalrymple said.

KWTV was the first station in the country to acquire Doppler radar to measure wind speeds inside storms. KFOR now has Super Doppler, one of the more expensive and sophisticated machines in the Oklahoma City weather market. KOCO meteorologist Mike Morgan, whose work station resembles the interior of the submarine set in the movie "Hunt for Red October," says Channel 5 has more than $750,000 in sophisticated weather equipment. Viewer loyalty may be stronger than ever, Dalrymple said. "Local television stations are becoming more involved in the community," he said.

"Our goal for years is to be involved in the things to help the community grow." KWTV's promotional pitch remains the "Spirit of Oklahoma." Compared to the other two stations, Channel 9's effort is more low-key. "The key to promotion is pointing out the advantages to viewers," Dalrymple said. "When you promote something, you'd better deliver." The market is so competitive from portable microwave trucks to helicopters, he said. Live coverage of the Stillwater tornado damage on the 10 p.m. news resulted in the commitment of $5,000 in people and equipment by his station, Dalrymple said.

"Our viewers get the result of it because the other guy may also do it," he said. And the other guys did. PCGS Dealer American Eagles (Proofs) Krugerrands Maple Leafs Australian Kangaroos Silver Bars-100 10 1 oz. Silver Bags Dollar Bags Platinum Palladium Gold Coin Jewelry Southwestern Cold 9900 N. Broadway Ext.

Broadway Hills Bldg. Oklahoma City. OK 73114 Market Quoted Hours a Day (405) 478-1740 AutoCAD Digital Worldwide Graphics, 1 40S843-1M4 FANTASTIC TWO DAY PUBLIC AUCTION SALE of A COMPLETE MONOLITHIC MULTILAYER CERAMIC CAPACITOR MANUFACTURING FACILITY surplus to the needs o1 SPRAGUE ELECTRIC COMPANY 2815 Expressway East Wichita Falls (135 mi NW of Dallas), Texas SALE DATE: WED. JULY 18 19, at 10 A.M. Inspection: July 16 17 (9 am 4 pm) FEATURING: CERAMIC MIXING EQUIPMENT: TMC 12 Nelzsch Hi Energy Bead Mill (1989), (13) Gemco Abbe 10-20-40 cu ft SS DC Mixers.

(7) Vol-U-Meter Twin 55 gal. Mixers. Rotary Ceramic Mills. (12) Ball Mills. HS375 JAYCO Hi Shear Mixer.

Others. MICROGRINDERS: (4) 775-NPC Kulicke Sotta CNC (1989) LABORATORY EQUIP: Stereo Scan 120 Cambridge Instrument Electron Microscope (1990), DSC Perkin Elmer Oillerential Scanning Calorimeter (1987), MS1000 Malvern Master-Sirer (1990), Monosorb Ouantachrome Area Analyzer, 1320 P-E Infrared Spectrophotometer, Viscometers, Fluorescence Analyzers. Microscopes. CAP DISS. FACTOR MEAS.

(13) Palomar, Tele Pacific EA. RADIAL LEAD LINE: To Assemble-Coat-Cure-Lasermark-Test Package (offered both bulk piecemeal). TRANSFER ENCAPSULATION PRESSES: (2) 200T Hull, (3) 150T Lauf-fer LaRose. 12T Hull 4-Post (2) Kras Hyd. Epoxy Preform.

BURN-IN LIFE TEST SYSTEMS: Md. 7320 Micro Bl (1990); ass'l Micro Blue Lite Test. Thermal Shock High Voltage. ELECTRONICS DEFLASHING (2) Wheelabrator Advanced Pass Thru. GUILLOTINE SHEAR CUTTERS: (6) Sprague Programmable.

FURNACES: (8) BTU. Carsten Ferro Elec. Pusher; Hayes, SerMax Lindberg Claden Elec. Bell Kiln. CAP PACKAGING (6) Nitto-Kogyo Die Kraft Automatic.

CERAMIC BUILD UP MACHINE: (E) Sprague SS Conv Pass Thru ULTRA MODERN ELECTRONIC TEST (100 s) LCR Meters, Meg-ohmmeters, Power Supplies. Cap Bridges, Thermometers, Cameras, Monitors. Controllers, Voltmeters, Standards, Oscilloscopes, etc. OVENS: Lg. Quantity Gruenberg, Blue M.

Despatch, Ripoche. Grieve Wakefield Electric Batch Type. PLATING LINES: Late Model NickleTin-Lead Barrel Type. SOLDERING-WIRE FORM STRIP TAPERS: (3) Die Kraft COMPLETE MACHINE SHOP: CNC Vert. Mills, Eng Lathes, Saws.

Grinders, Drills, Inspection. Tooling. Welders, Comparator, etc. MISCELLANEOUS: Vib. Fin.

Eq Silk Screen Pneu. Sec. Op. Presses. Degreasing Eq.

wStills. Fork Lift Trucks, Air Comp's. to 200 HP. Wood Working Office Furnishings Bus. Safes.

VAX 3600 (1989) HP 1000 COMPUTER SYSTEMS TREMENDOUS QUANTITIES ULTRA MODERN ELECTRONIC TEST EQ. AND MUCH MUCH AUCTIONEERS: Daniel M. Herz. License No. 7517 Michael L.

Ackerman. License No. 7516 FREE ILLUSTRATED BROCHURE ON REQUEST BARE BONES SYSTEM SALE 8O88XT 169 28612 MHZ '269 Tom Kirby ers questioned wheth er Channel 5 was crying "peace" or "uncle." "My opinion is people have gotten tired of hearing I'm better than this guy," Kirby said. But several months after calling the truce, KOCO sued KFOR for allegedly using its news and advertising slogan. "Yes, I hated to do that," Kirby admits.

In addition, the two stations have done their share of promotional jousting during the year from sportscaster of the year to Stillwater tornado coverage. KOCO's boosted signal this fall will be a far cry from the weak signal that first pierced northwestern Oklahoma skies July 14, 1954. Then, it was KGEO-TV in Enid. The call letters were changed to KOCO in January 1958 after the purchase of the station by Cimarron Television Corp. Later that year, temporary station offices were set up in Oklahoma City, where WKY-TV and KWTV already were established.

The FCC did not officially approve KOCO's permanent relocation until the next decade. The station made large inroads into televising local events. It maintains that niche today. Gannett became ultimate owner in 1979, when it acquired Combined Communications Corp. of Phoenix, then KOCO's parent company.

Overcoming Adversity For the most part, KWTV, Channel 9 has stayed out of the promotional line of fire in the Oklahoma City market. "There are a lot of wars we could have jumped into," said Rick Buchanan, KWTV director of marketing. As much as common sense, distraction may have led to KWTV's avoidance of the fray. Its executive suites have recently been the scene of bloody battles that have washed over to the courts. In October 1989, colorful general manager Duane Harm was fired after 10 years with the CBS affiliate.

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