The Herald-Sun from Durham, North Carolina • 90

CONTROL ROOM Carrolle Carter a broadcast operator for WRAZ works from her console to control the programming meant building towers finding office space and hiring employees among other things But officials with the stations believe those efforts will be worthwhile Hm birth of a station On Sept 6 WRAZ hit the airwaves at 630 pjn with a unique promotions gimmick 25 hours of Andy Griffith shows The station's programming director reasoned that if anyone could make people stop and watch the station Andy Griffith could So reruns of Andy Barney Aunt Bea and Opie were the norm for the station's first two days While viewers might point to the September date as the start of the station its real beginnings came nearer 16 months before according to Jim Layton general manager At that time Tar Heel Broadcasting Inc which owns the company had finished nearly two years of negotiations with a group that owned a construction permit to start a new station in the area The two groups agreed to build the station and began talking with WRAL officials who have since took out an option to buy the station WRAZ officials began renovating an old auditorium at WRAL's Western Boulevard offices and putting in high-tech equipment to broadcast the daily shows Layton was no stranger to starting a station He started Victory Television Network an Apex-based Christian network in 1987 But he said WRAZ was a new experience because he was working with a team of professionals instead of running a television operation by himself At Victory one person made all the decisions Diirham area which is the 32nd largest TV market in the nation according to a communications professor at die University of North Carolina at Chapel HilL The big change will be the number of options people will have for news and network programming said professor John Bittner Having five stations broadcasting local news is not that unusual in most large cities and area residents should appreciate the change he said The changes have not been easy Officials with both stations have spent nearly a year preparing This has office space And for months WNCN officials have promised dramatic changes in their programming once it became a network affiliate Another new station WRAY is an independent station broadcasting from Wilson that hit the airwaves this month It will air movies syndicated programs such as "Hill Street Blues and The and area high school basketball and football games But what do these changes mean to the average viewer? Greater variety ami more alternatives to the Raleigh- Gourmet A World Class Gourmet Food Wine Store International home grown groceries prime meats fresh seafood cheese pate' smoked fish best deli meats in the world crust breads to-die-for desserts imported domestic fresh fruits vegetables coffee from Asia Africa Latin America heirloom quality cookware sturdy kitchen gadgets elegant food wine gifts (shipping delivery available) imported micro brewery beers AND THE BEST SELECTION OF DELICIOUS AFFORDABLE WINES EVER SEEN (If flush we have the less affordable kind too) EVERYTHING YOU COULD iWANT F0R BEST EATING DRINKING IN THE WHOLE WORLD LAMB SAUSAGE DUCK SAUSAGE VENISON HOT MILD ITAUAN CHOURICO many other plump spicy juicy links store-made by the butchers in old-fashioned full-service butcher shop ASK THE BUTCHER ABOUT DRY-AGED PRIME BEEF 905 Main St ftinV Bnghtleaf Squarp y-yy- 7 1-800-722-8403 Durham NG --i -Sun 12-6 Think it's too late to order flowers today? Think again Your flowers can be delivered in as little as an hour from now Just ask your sales associate about-Express Delivery When you want it right right away call Fallons phones are open 24 hours a day More Than Words1 Fallons CrbativbFlowbrs St Mary's Peace: 828-4134 Quail Comers: 836-8123 NblJcy Mall: 787-7864 wy Six Forts Station: 836-8121 yVV CaijrPclivencs 469-2610 1 free FALU)NSj y-yk4 I -A I 1 1 1.