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Random Notes About 'Black Friday'

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Radio and TV Random Notes About •Black Friday' By WIN FANNING Post-Gazette Radio & TV Writer Outset of adversity there always comes a moment or two of humor. So it was with last Friday's "Dark Hour" for the local radio and television operators. It started with WENS assistant chief engineer Clint Prewitt's call to station Win Fanning ager Larry Israel. Said Prewitt at about 6:30 a. m.: "Mr. Israel, I just looked out of my window to where our tower is. It isn't." Thus did Larry learn that some $200,000 worth of equipment had crashed to the ground--mercifully without loss of life or additional facilities. Although spared serious damage, KDKA-TV was forced off the air for quite a spell by primary power failure. Among the telephone calls received by Channel 2's personnel during " this period was one from A lady viewer who, upon being informed that station was indeed off the air, that nothing was wrong with her set, and that every effort known to Westinghouse was being made by chief engineer Ray Rodgers and friends to remedy the situation, irately commented, "That's all very well, but why don't you announce it on the air?' Then over at radio station WHOD, the Negro and Foreign language outlet, Leonard Walk, general manager, reported that after getting the transmitter back on the air, despite the loss of its transmitter house requiring operation from the middle of an open field, "Chief engineer Jim Herbert is now staring down over-curious cows." While speaking of "Black Friday," I cannot quite get over the spirit of co-operation shown by both KDKA-TV, a competitor on TV, and the radio stations, who always compete with TV, in WENS' hour of need. All this entirely aside from the extraordinary service given by our community educational station WQED, Channel 13, to both WENS and 1 KDKA-TV. of course Westinghouse provided WQED with many facilities, including its tower, when it first came on the air, but the ETV outlet still deserves credit for its continuous announcements that the commercial Channel 2 outlet was off the air, and its prompt, middle of a program, announcement that "Captain Video" was with us once again." The combining of ETV and commercial facilities is unprecedented. The Federal Communications Commission and Mayor Lawrence rate a big vote of thanks from us all for clear, quick thinking in a time emergency. Certainly WQED'S Bill Wood and acting president Jack Ryan also should have a pat on the back for a practical expression of true community spirit. I guess the "Oscar Nominations will always be remembered as all-time low i in TV, but information on hand indicates the actual award ceremonies will have at least as HARD OF HEARING? Those Who Know Best Recommend the Finest Hearing Aid at Any Price ACOUSTICON 1915 Clark Bldg., Pgh. 22, Pa. AUTO RADIO Special many stars as statuettes before the cameras on March : 30. Bing Crosby, Humphrey Bogart, Dan O'Herlihy, Edmond O'Brien, Tom Tully, Dorothy O Dandridge, Judy Garland and Jane Wyman have already accepted bids to make presentations in categories in which they are not nominated. The usual Hollywood staging with New York cut-ins will be followed. Last year's Oscar winners are also expected to be on hand to present awards to their successors. Stars unable to be present will be "presented" on film. There had better not be too many of these. Gertrude Berg and Ted Mack c can be expected to return to TV next season. Miss Berg will do a film series with a "Hometown-USA" instead of her traditional "Goldberg" New York scene. Mack plans an afternoon NBC series to 1 he launched on April 4. "Golden Windows" and "One Man's Family," two soaps, are being dropped to clear time for the Mack program which will feature budding professional talent, interviews and other features. Mack also plans an evening show with Interna• tional talent, to debut some time this summer. Direct from wherever on earth news is, CBS Radio reports it clearly and
Article from 14 Mar 1955Pittsburgh Post-Gazette(Pittsburgh, PA)
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