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VOLUME 6
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1963
NUMBER 7
So far as we know, the folks
who compile television ratings
on a supposedly national scale
never get around to sampling
the opinion of a New Bern
viewer, or any other viewer
In our area.
As a matter of fact the Nielsen
system, regarded as the gospel
by the TV Industry, bases Its
findings on only 1,200 American
homes out of 47,000,000. To
take such a skimpy survey seri
ously Is as ridiculous as trying
to milk a cow while wearing
boxing gloves.
Making these ratings all the
more Inaccurate and Inconclu
sive is the practice of ruling
out of the final percentages
those persons who say they are
listening to no program. If this
Isn’t figured In the statistics,
the surveys are worse than
worthless.
For example. If 20 out of 25
families looking at television
at a given time are watching
the same program, a survey
can say that 80 percent of the
nation’s television audience is
turned to this particular show.
Actually, 50 percent, 60 per
cent, or 70 percent of the
nation’s television audience
may not have their sets on.
It could be that these set
owners want no part of the pro
gram In progress. Others may
care for It, but are busy do
ing something else. Whatever
the reason, how can anyone cog-r^
' ducting a rarvey assitthe
the people who aren’t looking
at television have exactly the
same opinion—percentage
wise—that actual viewers have?
Although there’s less than no
chance that our opinion will
ever be sought by the survey
makers, they’re making a mis
take when they Include us In
their statistics for this or that
program. Television’s potential
Is limitless, but the quality of its
productions Is overwhelmingly
poor.
If the industry really wants
to make a survey that means
something, it ought to take Its
head out of the sand and dis
cover Just how many Americans
are looking at TV less and less.
One of several programs with
a fairly large audience here in
New Bern Is NBC’s “Today
Show’’. Particularly Interested
In Its excellent news coverage,
local citizens enjoy It on a
catch-as-catch-can basis,
while gulping breakfast and
rushing to get off to work.
Last Monday one of the
features was a recitation of
“Casey At The Bat’’ that In
cluded an excerpt from De-
Wolfe Hopper’s recorded ren
dition. For many years, until
his death In 1935, the famous
actor presented the poem
thousands of times In his In
imitable manner.
We’ve always felt that the
late Dr. Charles L. (Casey)
Blackman, a Wilson chlio-
practor, was just as good as
Hopper In bringing the lines
of the classic to life before
Intrigued audiences.
Shortly before his death, Dr.
Blackman recited the poem in
an early edition of the annual
Yuletlde Revue here. Handsome
and melodramatic (he once had
a walk-on part In a John Barry
more play) the white-maned
former coach gave an unforget
table performance.
Active in Masonic circles,
Blackman was a member of the
New Bern Scottish Rite
(Continued on Page 2)
IN HIS NAME—New Bern’s First Baptist Church dedi
cates its new Educational Building Sunday. A quarter
of a million dollar investment, the structure provides
a chapel, fellowship hall, kitchen, four nurseries, two
beginners departments, three primary departments.
two junior departments, and an intermediate depart
ment. See it Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m-, whatever
your faith may be. and rejoice in this addition to the
city’s religious life.—Photo by Billy Benners.
DINNER IS SERVED—This lovely room, with its ex
quisite fireplace and beautifully appointed table, is one
of the sights remembered by thousands of tourists
from 50 States and many foreign countries who visit
Tryon Palace. North Carolina school children, who
come by the bus load, are as enthusiastic as their
elders when they view the splendor of an authentic
restoration that is internationally famous.