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My Firsts Propelled Us

Our WWAC production team produced a schedule that had manyfirsts. And many were herculean tasks for a bare bones staff.  Everyone worked long hours. Some we invented and others came from a long line of locals and TV pros seeking a job with us or a Program Director who would listen to their idea for a TV show that was “unique” and bound to be a “winner”. I was very busy every day those first few months but accepted every request for an appointment - and it paid off.  For instance, Sam Lit, Hy Lit’s son and producer, who was one of Philadelphia's top radio rock n roll jock visited us from Philly. Sam told me that his Dad had received over the years a ton of promo films and tapes the record companies and performer’s agent had sent in hope that he would talk up their tunes (this was the era of “payola” which Mr. Lit’s station was investigated) - Sam didn’t tell me if there was anything else they delivered.. Sam’s idea was that he and Dad could produce and co-host an hour-long show where they would talk about the “old days” of rock n’ roll interspaced with tunes from the library of demos. He assured me they could do a minimum at least three years of shows,  The deal - Hy and Sam would get 40% of the advertising revenue. After talking with Bob B our President we signed a deal for 52 shows. The show was an immediate hit and within months there national cable TV aired MTV and VH1 playing music videos 24 hours a day with major radio personalities as hosts. And WWAC TV was first to mine this practically free source of music entertainment.

Another first happened after Bob, Frank and I flew to NYC in Frank's private plane (which scared the XXX out of me, to attend the NATPE (National Association of Program Executives) international program content convention at the Hilton Hotel Convention Center in NYC (NATPE is still the premier global business association for content producers, distributors, streamers and buyers across all platforms,). I was wined and dined by the major syndication program sales people as I perused the convention floor of very decorative exhibits and TV celebrities hawking their shows. After a long day we were invited to a suite for cocktails hosted by Philadelphia’s KYW TV. While having an adult beverage I was introduced to the hosts of the Philadelphia and Baltimore’s People Are Talking talk shows watching recorded segments. Bob and I agreed this show would be great to kick for our weekday mornings. When I returned to AC the next day I called the rep for the show and he tried to talk me into taking the Philadelphia show which was the highest rated show aired on KYW that was just syndicated. After the sales pitch I said I was more interested in the Baltimore show. He said she was new and really doesn’t have much experience or high ratings - but he would check with his bosses and get back to me. Several days later he said we could have the Baltimore show tapes couriered to our studio a day after the live show.. And so the host with a strange name - Oprah Winfrey was on our air in AC the next week.


(Oprah's 1980's Baltimore)


I was the first program director to air her show in a new market before she became one of the most recognized talents in the world. Within several weeks the show was beating the Philadelphia show’s ratings.

         (Postscript: Several years later as a freelance [another word for out of work] producer/director I wrote a long letter to her asking if I could be considered from a job posted in Broadcasting magazine for her new started up production company describing how we met, aired her show in a new market, etc. She never wrote back - but I did get a form letter thanking me for watching her show. That’s show-biz!)


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