Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Jan. 21, 1988, edition 1 / Page 13
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B Section THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, January 21, 1988 Page IB Will NBC Drop WPCQ-TV Down The Tube? By WUllam James Brock Post Entertainment Editor The NBC television network announced last week that It will terminate Its affiliate contract with WPCQ-TV 36 In Charlotte. The split becomes effective July 1, and will allow NBC to nego tiate for affiliation with other stations In this broadcast area. John Damlano, a vice presi dent with NBC, said the move does not amount to "a cancella tion per se." However, the net work has been unhappy with WPCQ's performance here for some time. NBC Is currently ranked No. 1 national^, due to the popularity of such prime time shows as "L.A. Law"and "The Cosby Show." Both feature black and other minority actors In prominent roles. The latter show has made veteran performer Bill Cosby one of the most popular and hlghly-pald people In show business. It was 'The Cosby Show," In fact, that fueled NBC's rise to ratings dominance . Bill Cosby caught on with viewers as the amiable Cliff Huxtable, making the series a monster hit. The weak local ratings of WPCQ worry network executives looking at the bottom line. One ratings point nationally gener ally translates Into $1 million In advertising revenue for the net works. " A weak local station In a major broadcast market can have a definite effect on that scenario," said Michael C. Greenfeld, a New York media analyst. Prior to the phenomenal suc cess of 'The Cosby Show," the Peacock Network had Its own problems in the ratings game. At one point In the 1970s sever al affiliates across the country dumped NBC. WSOC-TV 9 In Charlotte dropped the network In 1977 to go with then-hot ABC. Now that NBC Is top gun na tionally, the network Is not keen about remaining tied to an affil iate with a "loser" image In the booming Charlotte market. WPCQ has traditionally lagged behind both WSOC and WBTV 3 locally. That prompted Damla no to write In a December 22 let ter to Michael Finkelsteln, CEO of WPCQ's parent company, that NBC Is "exercising our light of termination of our affiliation contract effective at the end of the current two-year period." Finkelsteln Is president of Odyssey Partners Inc., which owns and operates the Char lotte station. Contracts between networks and affiliates generally run for two-year periods. Such con tracts are usually renewed auto matically, so long as both pax- ties are content. Either party can request termination six months before the contract Is to expire. NBC has made no secret of Its desire to go with a more suc cessful Charlotte affiliate . The network has agresslvely wooed both WSOC and WBTV In recent times. WBTV announced last summer that It will remain with CBS, a relationship that has lasted since the station slgned- on In 1949 as the first television station to go on the air in the WBTV Dedicates Studios To Pioneers BETTY fEEZOR Charlotte, NC - WBTV's studi os have been dedicated to the memory of three of the station's most beloved talents — Betty Feezor, Clyde McLean and Jim Patterson. In announcing the dedica tions, Cullie M. Tarleton, Senior Vice President and General Manager of WBTV, said: "Not withstanding the fact that a tre mendous number of talented people have played major parts In attaining the success of the station, we feel these three made the greatest contributions, and had the biggest Impact on the viewers and the community. Betty Feezor, for over two dec ades, had one of the highest rat ed shows of Its kind in the na tion. Clyde McLean was the premier weatherman In the Car- ollnas. And, Jim Patterson, who signed the station on the air, truly represented the spirit of WBTV. "I'he permanent dedica tions of the studios will forever honor the memories of these three who were such a vital part of our company, and will let fu ture employees know who they were and what unique contribu tions they made. The dedications are physically represented by solid bronze plaques with portraits of the three. Betty Feezor's plaque is on the door of Studio I, which houses the kitchen set. Clyde McLean's plaque Is on the door of Studio II, the news set. And, Jim Patterson's plaque is on the door of Studio III, the produc tion studio where a variety of sets are kept. The spouses of the three. Tur ner Feezor, Barbara McLean, and Julia Patterson, appeared on 'Top O' The Day," Thursday, December 31, for the unveiling Ramesses c Mint Exhibit By Phil Busher Special To The Post Egyptian officials have select ed Charlotte's Mint Museum to host an extended tour of "Ramesses the Great" from Octo ber 1, 1988 through January 31 of 1989. The exhibit is organized by the Egyptian Museum, Cairo In cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Egyp tian Antiquities Organization. Gold, lapis lazuli, granite, lime stone, wood--these are some of the materials Egyptian artisans worked with more than 3,000 years ago to create the 72 arti facts In the exhibit. Many of the pieces were recov ered from tombs. The door of the burial chamber of Sennudjam, leader of a family of great royal craftsmen, has colorful draw ings that depict family members worshipping the gods of the dead. Another Important piece Is the lid of the wooden sarcophagus In which Ramesses II was re entombed after his burial cham ber was looted In antiquity. TTie mummy of the pharaoh lies at the Egyptian Museum, still In the lower half of the sarcopha gus. But like his predecessors and descendants, except for the young King Tutankhamen, Ra messes II's tomb was looted by grave robbers despite elaborate measures to hide the location. Only a few artifacts In the Ra messes the Great exhibit, there fore, are known tl have belonged to the pharaoh. Most were re covered from others' tombs or archaeological excavations. The only comparable exhibit to come to the United States In recent years was the King Tut exhibit, which also was made available by the Egyptian Mu seum In Cairo. Officials there re gard the Ramesses the Great ex hibit as more significant because of Its size (more than a third larger than the Tut exlilblt) and because of the historical Import of Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great. Ramesses II Is Important be cause many Egyptologists be lieve he was the pharaoh of the biblical Exodus. It is certain that both the Israelite oppres sion and the Exodus were very near to Ramesses II's time, making him significant to all those whose heritage includes the Old Testament. Ramses II, whose name Is most often associated with mas sive monuments and the Bibli cal account of the EIxodus, was a grand figure In hlstoiy by any standard. During his long reign of more than 66 years. Ramses' rule was a period of conflicts and truces with the other major powers of the Eastern Mediter ranean area. His experience In the art of combat began as a young prince, son of SeU I, when he would accompany his father on military campaigns. The most famous battle associated with Ramses II was against the Hittites In Syria (now Turkey). Later, as relations between the Hittites and the Egyptians Im proved, Ramses received two Hlttlte princesses Into his ha rem, a practical application of ancient diplomacy. Ramses had numerous wives. Including his favorite queen, Neferatl, for whom he built one of the two temples of Abu Slm- bel. He had well over 100 chil dren, many of whom died, and therefore his thirteenth son suc ceeded him to the throne when Ramses 11 died In 1224 B.C. Ramses II died In the sixty- seventh year of gls reign at the age of 92. While his son was be ing crowned as his successor, the body of Ramses 11 was being prepared for burial. The con struction of his great tomb had begun the year Ramses as sumed the throne. In accor dance with ancient mummifica tion rituals, the body was preserved in a series of gold cof fins, and transported on a royal barge to the Valley of the Kings In Thebes. CaroUnas. Jeff Davidson, general manag er at WPCQ, said he will proba bly go after afllllatlon with ABC If NBC and WSOC renew their old ties. Many In local broad casting feel that will be the net work's move. "I'll have to go for ABC If they get back together," Davidson added. That might prove easier said than done. WJZY-TV 46 general manager Mark Conrad said he will fight to get a hookup with one of the networks. "I'm fairly sure Channel 9 can get back to gether with NBC If they really want to," he added. "That would leave ABC up for grabs. We'll go for network affiliation either way." With WCCB-TV 18 a Fox Broadcasting Co. affiliate, WPCQ could find Itself becom ing Charlotte's only Indepen dent television station. "Right now everything's In Umbo," Con rad said. 'Viewers will benefit no matter how it goes. Competi tion will mean better program ming all around." ■1 1 n >•*1 Clif^ Rudy and Claire Huxtable WJZY Wants Network Mark Conrad's vow to fight for a network hookup comes as no surprise to those familiar with the brief but controversial hls- toiy of WJZY-TV 46. The televi sion station, which began broadcasting In the Charlotte market In July 1987, had be come a key Issue In local poli tics by November. Harvey Gantt, the first black mayor In Charlotte's history, was narrow ly defeated by Sue Myrlck that month in his bid for a third . term. Myrlck made Gantt's ownership of stock In WJZY's parent company a campaign Is sue that helped her become the city's first female mayor. Clear ly, WJZY Is familiar with being In the thick of things In the commimlty. The station has more than simply reputation, however, to offer NBC If the network seeks affiliation with another local station after Its contract with WPCQ-TV 36 expires. 'WJZY will be attractive to NBC because our signal covers a wider area of this market," general manager Conrad said. "We have a 2,000-foot tower; WPCQ's Is only 1,400 feet. WJZY's transmitter Is 240.000 watts, while theirs Is only 110,000." According to Conrad, WJZY's coverage area Is within a 65- mlle radius of Charlotte. That includes Gastonia, Hickory, Monroe, Rock Hill, Spartanburg and Winston-Salem. The sta tion broadcasts the second most powerful signal in the Charlotte market. Its signal strength Is exceeded only by WBTV. "Another thing NBC will be looking for Is a strong news and public affairs offering," Conrad said. "While WJZY is still too new In the community to be at full staff, we are looking for both news and public affairs talent. I'll have more to say on that a bit later on." MccUiwhlle, WPCQ Is not sim ply waiting for the axe to fall, ac cording to general manager Jeff Davidson. TTie station plans to build a new 2,000-foot tower of its own. 'We've bought 80 acres of farmland north of Dallas, NC to build the tower on," he said. "This will give us a 67% Increase In our coverage area." Meanwhile, a shakeup of AVPCQ's news staff seems likely, according to an unnamed source at the station. News an chor John McKnlght and weath erman Russ Fiye seem slated for departure. The future of news anchor Karen Adams seems uncertain at this point. What all of this means for WJZY Is also uncertain. " There is no real guarantee that NBC will not decide to renew with Channel 36," Conrad said. Out Of Africa By William James Brock Post Entertainment Editor Most scientists agree that hu man life probably began In Afri ca. That was confirmed for the scientific community In 1974, when anthropologist Donald C. Johanson found the oldest known homlnid remains In Ha- dar, Ethiopia. The tiny 4-foot fe male was christened "Lucy." An thropological evidence Indicat ed that she died more than 3 million years ago in a remote valley In that African country. Her discovery marked the trou bled continent as the wellspring of human origins. Africa had been a powerful to- temlc symbol to American blacks even before the discov ery of Lucy. The ancient Home land has bequeathed a heritage of both mindbending tragedy and boundless glory. Almost every black American has some ancestor who came to these shores In chains. But they can also trace their ancestral line age back to great heroes, kings and queens who equal any found In European history. Powerful Ramesses, mighty Hannibal, beautiful Cleopatra, fearsome Shaka Zulu—the hero ic names toll like bells across eons of time. Most theologians and religious scholars agree that even biblical King David had at least one black parent. Thus It is no surprise to blacks that his son. King Solomon, could have become enamored of the black Queen of Sheba. The Mint Museum in Charlotte has tapped the deep well of Afri can heritage with Its forthcom ing "Ramesses The Great" exhib it of ancient Egyptian art and royal artifacts. Over the next several months, the museum will spend $800,000 to publicize the huge exhibit of royal trap pings from the 67-year reign of the Pharoah who clashed with Moses and the Children of Is rael. Thus Africa will reach out. from the reign of a great mon arch dead for 3,000 years, to again Influence our culture. Cultural roots and blood ties to Africa run deep In Black America. From the genes of tiny Lucy, who died there In her re mote valley so many eons ago, have come Inspirational leaders like Martin Luther King and Mary McLeod Bethune. Fire brands like H. Rap Brown and Angela Davis also owe a debt to tiny, primordial Lucy. Great art ists, performers and writers— Romare Bearden, Scott Joplin, Miriam Makeba, James Bald- wln--all sprang from the an cient soil of Africa. It Is the an cient Homeland.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 21, 1988, edition 1
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