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WHAT ABOUT?

Week by week the TV53's studio space was being built literally from the groud up in a detoriated space with crews working overtime.  I was given an edict from Bob our Prez.  “You must have severn days of 9AM to Midnight programming by June 1.”  And he made it very clear that this was written in stone - if we didn’t go the air for the summer at our seashore resort home all would probably be lost.  Little by little I hired the production staff as I improvised a I hired away from NJPTV a former (and great help to me) production assistant who was now an Assistant Director.  Frank S. inserted several “political appointees” into the organizational chart - and all had zero TV experience and I inherited his insurance company partner’s daughter - I made her an production assistant and her learning curve was going to be steep. By the way I was going to do these 12+ hour days 7 days a week commuting 140 round trip which took me 1 hour 30 mintues if the wind was right and I kept myself awake. One day touring this forced march to fame and fortune I peer in my rearview mirror and saw the rising sun - instead of traveling east I was plowing west. I stopped for black coffee and then made a u-turn. I wasn't going to sell my house until I was certain that this job was going to last. (After several exhausting month Frank found me a small "free" furnished apartment that I stayed in 4 nights a week. A few months later I discovered it was the AC current mayor's ocassional trist faciltiy and realized why I had to delay going to it for several hours some nights - but that's another story)

We pirated and cherry pick the best folks in the AC area media.  They aura of being on TV with the same salaries was like a siren singing to a mythical mariner.  One of the top journalist became a news department director overnite.  A morning drive time radio announcer became  our news anchor overnight.  He could work both jobs. I scanned literally hundreds of resumes and found a producer at a small station in New York state and an on camera newscaster working at a major NJ cable company…and so on. 

We started the job in January and by May 1 the studio was near completion.  A TV tower was approved by the FAA (the land was on City property a few miles away and I was told not to ask how we got it!)  Every morning I had a production meeting with Bob and Frank who now had become a media authority because he had watched TV.  And the “What About’s” began.

What about a pretty weather “girl”? - every station needs one!”

What about the news at noon?  I had assumed we would only do a daily evening newscast - silly me.

What about daily local shows we can’t just do the news and show movies?

What about the news on the weekends?…

My What About Wish list grew daily and the expectations became unrealistic but essential additions to my plan.  My idea was that we would start with a basic foundation of programming center on our enormous film buy - it now was to build a programming schedule with the maximum shows like a major Philly station with a budget for a minimal crew. By the end of April I had a full staff of 21 people who were expected to produce a staff of 50+ that our big city and local radio competition had. 

The premiere date was set - for the first Monday June whether we were ready or not.  And then the glitches began.  First problem - what to do with a growing staff who had no place to sit and nothing to do!  (To be continued)


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