MY TV JOURNEY

From the first four staff members hired by Mr. King - a senior producer, a producer/director (me); a graphic artist (a friend of Dr. King who created displays for the State Museum);  and an announcer (from the golden age of local radio fame - another King buddy) - the staff began to grow almost daily.  New old desks were added from the state surplus warehouse of equipment known as the burial ground.  Soon, what was to become the "bullpen" was overflowing with folks and the chatter was incessant.  However,  this didn't interfere with our "work" because we had no work to do.  We came to work and sat around for the entire summer as the two studios were being outfitted with equipment - there was no google or computer solitaire yet for us to wile away the empty hours.  By the end of August an Executive Director and a Program Director were hired who had public TV network experience. The result: lots of rookies (me included) and a couple of seasoned pros. Wh...

And so I started on a new path and as usual for state government operation the way to be  “hurry up and wait.”  Mr. King was interviewing every day as a line of prospects waited to see him – put there were no cameras, lights or even a transmitter tower.  And I settled in at a used government issue well worn metal desk in what would be soon called “the bullpen” that would accommodate our staff.  (We would inhabit the once bar of the former bowling alley for over a year – doing “research” which meant pursuing lots of local Jersey newspapers.  I had to drive 63 miles one way (before the 295 expressway was completed) to read and wait .  It was going to be a very long year.  As the staff grew so did the inventory of  very expensive machines.  Very expensive studio equipment that arrived daily.   It soon was evident that I was hired before some of my future superiors – the Program Director, Production Manager, News Director  and more...

There were many adventures doing what I called my little show and my big show and the months flowed by.  I visited almost every public school in Philly and got to know some fine teachers doing a tough inner city job.  And I saw that the kids on all levels really wanted to learn and tried very hard while also facing some tough circumstances.  And then it was June, the school year was soon over and I had a whole summer to plan and produce my shows for a second season.   I looked forward to visiting many of the great summer school programs offered by the District which had some very progressive and interesting camps and projects.  But then right after I had finished my final morning show the phone rang on the wall next to my impromptu office.  "Hello Cal," the voice said as I wondered who knew me well enough to  call me that?  Even my mother didn't call me Cal.   "It's Bill King, your wife's secretary's brother, I hope you remember me?"...