Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 66

DETROIT FREE PRESSSUNDAY. OCTOBER 26, 1986 7F Channel 50 cashes in with savvy staff, programming WW It's no secret that Channel 50 has also been lucky in one key respect. No other independent station has really challenged its dominance. Though in recent years Channel 20 has aggressively fought Channel 50 for the daytime children's audience, overall it's no contest. "Working at Channel 50, you get good numbers and the reason you get good numbers is they don't have good competition," said Castleman.

"I think this is one of the few major markets left in the country where the second independent is not very aggressive," said Frank. "This is very rare." George Williams hedges on agreeing with that no competition assessment. "I wouldn't say there isn't a strong No. 2," he said. And WXON vice-president Doug Johnson also disagrees, claiming that 6-8 p.m.

lineup tops the ratings WKBD-TV's prime time is early-evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., when its lineup of sitcom reruns does well against the network affiliates' newscasts and syndicated entertainment shows. In the Arbitron October sweeps, completed last Tuesday, WKBD's "Dlffrent Strokes," at 6 p.m. topped all three local newscasts with an 11.4 rating for 23 percent of the audience; "Facts of Life" at 6:30 p.m., with 12.624, tied Channel 4's "NBC Nightly News" for the most viewers In that time slot. At 7 p.m. "MASH" was second to Channel 4's at 7:30 p.m., "Three's Company" was topped only by Channel 4's "Wheel of Fortune." Channel 50's "10 O'Clock News," with an average of 4.46, has held steady in Its 16 months on the air but shows little Indication of building a larger audience.

The "Eight O'Clock Movie," which averages a 7 rating and 12 share, varies according to the night's offering. But it often tops a weak network show and will attract the most viewers against a presidential speech or press conference on the networks. (Last season, for instance, "Halloween II" on Channel 50 had a larger audience than the fifth game of the World Series.) Some of the most remarkable numbers are turned in by the old standbys. "I Love Lucy," the 30-year-old evergreen being repeated yet again at 12:30 p.m. weekdays, has a respectable 4.314, to finish third, ahead of "True Confessions" on Channel 4.

"Star Trek," another of 50's golden oldies, Is seen twice a week, at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and averages 6.814 against competition that includes NFL and college football games. Bettelou Peterson "We have a tremendous flexibility, a lot more than the affiliates," said Williams. While a network affiliate pours most of its money and local programming attention into news, the independent must shake and bake a full day's programming schedule. It isn't locked into carrying whatever a network is providing most of the day.

"I'd like to retire someday and work at an affiliate," jokes program director Paul Prange. The responsibility of programming a whole schedule "adds to the headaches, but it also adds to the excitement." "You have to find that niche," Prange said of the game of counterpro-gramming. "There's always somebody out there looking for something they aren't seeing on the affiliates." WKBD general sales manager Duane Kell, who has also worked at network affiliates Channel 4 and 7, said a TV station is a TV station is a TV station. But there is one big difference at an independent. "One of the really exciting things here," Kell said, "is that you do so much to determine your own fate, to control your own destiny." As Channel 50 alum Castleman put it, "You don't have anyone to blame but yourself if you fail and you can take all the credit if you succeed." Having controlled their own destiny and succeeded, Channel 50's George Williams and the rest of the KBD gang can step right up and enjoy taking the credit.

They're entitled. "The best film wnmrsm I arm of the i i cv i no to; joei Diegei, adv-iv will she? WKBD had its PERSON AUTIES, from Page 1F quently the subject of coffee break conversations. His fame spread beyond Detroit in 1967 when former Michigan Gov. George Romney declared, in answer to a Gordon question about whether the U.S. should be in Vietnam, that he felt he had been brainwashed by the generals and diplomatic corps during a visit to Vietnam.

In his "The Making of the President 1968," Theodore White said the incident (and the publicity about it, orchestrated by Gordon) ruined chances for the Republican presidential nomina tion. Gordon In 1 97 1 Gordon's show was syndicated and seen in seven other cities where he proceeded to win viewers and infuriate guests from Alabama Gov. George Wallace to Frank Sinatra Jr. After Gordon's death, Channel 50 tried in vain to replace him. BUT THERE was still dapper Bill Kennedy.

A one-time Hollywood actor, Kennedy joined Channel 50 in 1969 after he had been released by CKLW in Windsor. (The Canadian government insisted on less U.S. influence in Canadian broadcasting and that included not employing Americans like Kennedy.) if im mm m. 1 3 (I PO-13jg otlpH1 iw lUSinit mirui muaf t' ln I I TL'iLiiliililitiJ .1 .1.1 1 1 1L WW.V -J mi III ark Watson needs a scholarship to get into Harvard Law School. There's one more available WKBD, from Page 1F also have regularly strung together ad hoc networks out of the independent stations.

And they have achieved surprisingly high ratings with satellite-delivered entertainment specials, including the blockbuster numbers for "The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults" with Geraldo Rivera last spring. Finally, there's the latest buzz about "fourth network" challenges to the old line Big Three of ABC, CBS and NBC. Enter the Fox Broadcasting Co. and the recent arrival of "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers." Channel 50 has been a player in all these developments. And WKBD general manager George Williams, the agreeably gruff bossman who came to Channel 50 in 1974 after running WABC-AM radio in New Williams York, has seen his station soar in the ratings the past 10 years.

No wonder Cox Broadcasting, which bought WKBD four years ago, has given Williams such a free hand to run the station. CHANNEL 50, with its average share of the audience increasing from five percent to an impressive 12 percent since 1975, is consistently the No. 1 rated UHF independent station in the country. And among all independents, WKBD is tied with Chicago cable su-perstation WGN-TV for third place behind WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C., and WNYW-TV in New York City. "George runs a station the way it should be run," says former Channel 50 program director Bill Castleman, who is now general manager of KTXA-TV in Dallas-Ft.

Worth. "He hires good people, he pays yiem pretty well and he allows them to go do their thing." With an independent TV station, that means engaging in guerilla warfare. You specialize in counterpro-gramming against the local news and network entertainment programming of the affiliates. But Channel 50 has gone beyond being a gutsy little David to the three-headed Goliath represented by the network affiliates. In fact, Channel 50 is very competitive in battling for its share of a TV advertising pie that generated an estimated $194 million in revenues for Detroit's five top commercial stations in 1985.

Channel 4 nailed down an estimated 31.4 percent of that $194 million total to lead the pack, with runner-up Channel 7, third place Channel 2 (WJBK-TV) and fourth place Channel 50 bunched fairly close together with between 20 and 25 percent each. Channel 20 (WXON) is the fifth-ranking station. Though no one at WKBD will talk numbers, one industry analyst estimated that Channel 50 generated approximately $42 million in revenues in 1985 and earned a very healthy profit of about $12.5 million. Williams, a refreshingly brash, straight-talking throwback to the old days, is not one given to the glib mumbo jumbo of the modern broadcasting executive. If you do well, Williams backs you 100 percent.

If you screw up, "He'll jump on you like a ton of bricks," said Castleman, who called his former boss "one of the last real characters in this business." "I wouldn't say I'm a character," Williams said, "but we try to have fun along the way while we're working hard." THE SECRET to Channel 50's successful decade has a lot to do with the independent TV boom itself. "Two shows put independent TV stations on the map," said Williams. 'I Love Lucy' and Naturally, Channel 50 owns the rights to both of them. But there are other reasons why WKBD could just as easily stand for We Kollect Big Dollars. The station is blessed with a stability that comes from Williams' knack for hiring good people and keeping them, said Channel 4's Alan Frank and others.

And, in the late 1970s, Williams and his executives made some key programming decisions that gave Channel 50 a major boost. First, stodgy prime time talk shows starring Merv Griffin and Dinah Shore were dumped in favor of 8 o'clock movies. "We became Detroit's movie station," Williams said. Second, "We started to buy better programming, 'M'AS'H' and 'Happy the quality sitcoms," Williams said. Third, Channel 50 began to establish a presence with news at 10 p.m.

as another alternative to the network affiliates. That began with the syndicated Independent Network News (INN), moved to a Cable News Network program with a local news wraparound and finally became WKBD's very own, locally produced "Ten O'clock News." Free Press WANT ADS -fr Get Results Channel 20 is aggressively pursuing first-run programs and going after Channel 50's ranking as top dog. "They're a good competitor," Johnson said. "It's fun." But Channel 50 status as the dominant Independent in Detroit is not in jeopardy. "Channel 20 is a good little station, but it doesn't have the financial strength of Channel 50," Castleman said.

"KBD has ridden the crest for a long time and will ride it for a good while longer because of the lack of competition." NONE OF that good fortune diminishes the fact that Channel 50 is a first-rate operation. The lean, mean programming and profit machine. "They've got the best product and they know how to promote," Castleman said. personalities For the next 14 years, until he retired to his West Palm Beach home in 1983, Kennedy dispensed movie trivia and interviewed visiting celebrities on his afternoon movie matinee show. One of his program directors remarked that Kennedy was able to keep audiences interested even in the worst of movies with his program notes and asides.

(Kennedy is gone but he isn't forgotten. When word that he had been hospitalized after a fall reached Detroit last year, well-wishers flooded his Florida hospital with cards.) When Kennedy left, Channel 50 hoped that another of Detroit TV's familiar faces, Sonny Eliot, could fill his shoes but the experiment lasted less than a year. Ron Sweed a.k.a. the Ghoul was one of the first of several horror movie hosts to ply their trade on Channel 50. He was imported from Cleveland in 1972, with fright wig and outrageous antics, and lasted until 1976.

The impression he left was enough to get him another go at Channel 20, as recently as 1983. There were others whose names and faces are associated with Channel 50: Tom Ryan, now Count Scary, is back where he started as Sgt. Sacto on Channel 50's "Capt. Detroit" show; Ken Thomas, Tim O'Brien, and Woody Willis were newscasters in an earlier 10 p.m. newscast.

Ray Lane, now the. Channel 50 sports director, goes back to the early days. And Detroit mayors Roman Gribbs and Coleman Young once had Channel 50 programs. BROS, (jfflg COMPANY Utacrvc WH00PI GOLDBERG JUMPIN JACK FLASH Iti IMitrt In rtewtlinti 7:30 1:40 4 it. 7:00 9:16 12:15 2:30 4:30 7.

9:16 7:46 9:60 1:45 5:15 7:30 9:30 7:30 9:40 7:30 9:40 1:46 4:45 7:15 9:30 7 30 9 46 1:30 4:15 7:00 I 95 on the record with our critics rock: Back in familiar Kansas country Power Kansas (MCA), Fame and Fortune Bad Company (Atlantic): The return of the album-rock favorites which this year has included Boston, Alice Cooper, and Emerson, Lake Powell continues with two more entries from Hasbeensville. Kansas has dumped everyone but drummer Phil Ehart and guitarist Rich Williams, brought back original singer Steve Walsh and hired ex-Dixie Dregs guitar- ist Steve Morse, whose playing is deft throughout the album. "Power" should please the group's early-era fans, with its symphonic arrangements, grinding guitar work and even a few good songs in the single "All I Wanted" and in "Taking in the View" and "We're Not Alone Anymore" and the title track. Conversely, Bad Company has returned without its most identifiable member vocalist Paul Rodgers, now singing for the Firm. With former Ted Nugent singer Brian Howe at the microphone and a battery of keyboards behind it, Bad Company has lost its individuality and has been relegated to the faceless batch of Foreigner-like arena-rockers.

Gary Graff briefly noted; Pt Townsharvd't Deep End LIvb (Atco): This vinyl companion piece to a video finds the former Who leader, solo and with band, working his way through Who and solo favorites, as well as some interesting covers. Mosaic Wang Chung (Geffen): When this duo moves away from the high-tech drone and lightens up, it proves it can make dance music that's lots of fun. No. 10, Upplng St. Big Audio Dynamite (Columbia): Ex-Clashmates Mick Jones and Joe Strummer reunite as producers and songwriters to craft another fine album for Jones' new band.

bluos: Joyful noises from Taj Mahal Taj Taj Mahal (Gramavision): A new Taj Mahal album is always cause for celebration, and especially so in this case. Taj's latest features the same tasteful blend of blues and Caribbean influences woven into tight, well-conceived tunes approaching pop music in their craftsmanship that made 1974's "Mo' Roots" such a gem. Of the 1 0 cuts, Taj's five have the harder edge, ranging from a wicked blues riff (and Howling Wolf imitation) in "Do I Love Her" to the infectious "Kauai Ka-lypso," and are the standouts on the album. His song selection from other writers tends toward the joyous (helped in no small part by regular use of beautiful steel drums), as on Jae Mason's "Soothin'," and one of the sunniest protest songs going, "French Letter," which suggests the French take their nuclear tests and "Get out of the Pacific!" Instrumentation is rich and varied, with doses of tough-talking harp from Taj, sharp horn sections, measured use of electronic keyboards and guitar from longtime Taj sidekick Jessie Ed Davis. Taj may have retreated to Hawaii to live, but he still works the Mississippi Delta and Bob Marley's Kingston streets when he's making music.

Michael Roberts briefly noted: Blue In the Night -Etta James Eddie (Cleanhead) Vinson (Fantasy) Excellent live recording of a club date last spring with Etta at the top of her game, backed by Red Holloway, Shuggie Otis and Paul Humphrey. This Is the real good stuff. The Legendary Paul Butterfleld Rides Again Paul Butterfleld (Amherst Records) Mediocre pop-rock, very little harp playing and a terrible cover of "Mannish Boy" seriously tarnish the legend. Major disappointment. ten hits Boston Detroit Current Week U.S.

Current Week ALBUMS 1. Third Stage 1 Boston (MCA) 2. Fore 3 Huey Lewis the News (Chrysalis) 3. Slippery When Wet 2 Bon Jovl (Mercury) 4. Rapture 19 Anita Baker (Elektra) 5.

Raiting Hell 9 (Profile) 6. Somewhere In Time 15 Iron Maiden (Capitol) 7. Corntrlctor Alice Cooper (MCA) S. For 8entlmental Reasons Linda Ronstadt (Asylum) 9. The Bridge 11 Billy Joel (Columbia) 10.

Qraeeland 13 Paul Simon (Warner Bros.) SINGLES 1. All Cried Out 10 Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force (Columbia) 2. True Colore 1 Cyndl Lauper (Portrait) 3. Amanda 4 Boston (MCA) 4. True Blue 6 Madonna (Sire) 5.

Sweet Love 8 Anita Baker (Elektra) 6. Take Me Home Tonight 9 Eddie Money (Columbia) 7. A Matter ol Trust 19 Billy Joel (Columbia) 8. When I Think ol You 7 Janet Jackson (A M) 9. Two ol Hearts Stacey (Atlantic) 10.

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