from Dave, July 15, 2005
Back in 1970 I worked at WTEV for 4-months as a Summer Rerplacement engineer. Maurice Wynn was my boss, and Bob Palmer was both my Shop Steward and a good friend. I am forever grateful that Maurice hired (tolerated) me.
I was fortunate to be there in 1970, before any serious austerity measures were in place.
I had the good fortune to drop into WTEV at the old facility on County Street in the mid-1990's. George Costas was still working, and we had a good chat about the "Old Days".
I have remained in periodic contact with Bob Palmer and Les Brown over the years. In my work during the 1980's and 90's I periodically bumped into Van Eckersley at NAB meetings. By that time, he was GM of WVUE in Atlanta. Let it suffice to say that WVUE was sort of a "WTEV of Atlanta".
I have continued to work in the broadcast industry for the past 40 years, but I now live in San Diego.
Hoffman Schutz Media Capital
I still have my "Honorary Withdrawal Card" from IBEWU, Local 1281.
I have so many happy and amusing memories relating to my three months at WTEV in 1970
- 7-second Pre-Rolls on the three Ampex VR-1200B video tape recorders
- "Six Box" in-car cardboard litter box promotion
- Squawk Box between Master Control and Film Projection on the floor above
- Mistimed feature films, and syndicated programs, all on 16mm film.
- "WTEV Time & Temperature" station ID video box (If something malfunctioned, simply switch to the video box, it was "colored TV", a monochrome camera that was tinted to whatever color was popular that month.)
- RCA TK-41 studio cameras (circa 1963), requiring 400 foot candles of illumination, and rapidly overheating the studio.
- Remnants of the "Vital Automation System" (1965-1967) one of the first attempts in the country to fully automate a TV station's routine video & audio switching (most was disconnected by the time I arrived)
- "Engineers" had to wear shirts & ties
- Maurice Wynne (Chief Engineer) and Bob Palmer (union Shop Steward) verbally sparring over work-rules
- Rejoining ABC programs late, after breaks, (aka "clipping") due to persistent over-booking of local commercials
- The telephone switchboard in the reception area, which still used patch-cords
- Deliberately over-saturated colors, as management felt it needed to overcome receiving antenna orientation issues versus channels 10 & 12. (The pictures on the vacuum tube color sets of the period would often "bloom" as a result of the vibrant coloration)
I will be passing through New Bedford in August 2010. I "think" that the station has now moved all of its operations to Providence (allowed under FCC rules thanks to the new DTV contour), and "Google Earth" suggests the old New Bedford building may be vacant. If you would like a photo of the building
when I pass through, let me know.
At a later date I will share a VERY amusing story about Vance, Maurice, and Mann Reed(?).
From Natalie Cole Lynn: July 9, 2010
Mr. Schutz lives in the same town as I do!
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