OPB's New Building - Construction and Occupation

Joining. Me. The building. Is a

metaphor for life building in the new building. Somewhere. In this building they gave us a window we had applied for but they gave us a real live window. She was the most. Was. The. FACE. Of today's. Stuff. You.

Know parents are over here aren't. Much. Exactly. Well. Yeah. You know that's what they say you know what I do. I do good tape I give good tape. Shoot. You when you haven't had a chance to play me ask a kid you know shoes in case I should get tired from wearing my heels. Some days. It's really too high. I spray myself I'm. The one who gave you the building. No I think I was here before they built the building. I started building around I was actually used to be a tree growing when I was I was set up in this tree and I started putting bricks all around it. You know I was. Beat it. Was around it.

Was. Weak. I am. It's sweat and sweat equity. I'm a master control operator. I don't do manual labor and I'm going to sue. You or. That we tell you clueless or orderly. This is all for us. So this is the year. If you wait. For a. New one in the future who knows what's the right way to look. Fill the Vicar. If it. Did. You could see it as a bonus equipment out we tell you to oblige now by National's dollars down. Right now they're hauling away our master. You know. What would be the transmission.

Eat. You. 1981 was a turning point for Oregon Public Broadcasting. It was the year that

Jerry Oppy left his job as vice president of communications at the flagship PBS station in New York and assumed command of a troubled Oregon educational and public broadcasting service. Financial support was inadequate as were the facilities and equipment quality was sporadic locally produced programs and the on air image were badly in need of repair. Sound and pictures were not transmitted as clearly as other stations and there were too many people who had no signal at all. Public confidence was low morale suffered badly. One paper wrote that we needed a miracle worker. Oregon needed someone with knowledge and experience in broadcasting who could teach someone with a sense of purpose and high standards of professionalism. So he could lead someone who understood what the responsibilities were to our viewers and listeners in order to gain their direct support and involvement. Someone with the patience confidence and the terminations to show that miracles can happen. Jerry Oppy had that experience after studying drama in college. He left to serve as a Marine dive bomber pilot in 1942

a dangerous job that cost the lives of many men. Jerry finished the war as a captain in peacetime he worked as an actor in radio and television going on to become a sportscaster producer director and programming executive and 35 years ago his new target became educational broadcasting. Moving steadily through an emerging industry Jerry became one of the founding fathers of National Educational Television which evolved into today's public broadcasting service. His purpose grew from respect for the viewer. BILL MOYERS wrote that Jerry's philosophy stem from his faith that people are intelligent citizens and need to be regarded as such. That meant quality overall quality programs delivered through a national electronic network of which he was a principal architect. And then we always emphasize substance and content. He was a man of style. A man who knew that public television had to be as he said more than a man in a gray suit in front of a gray curtain.

When he left his vice president's chair in 1901 to come here he told the staff that they could do better if Gerry believed that it had to be true. He told everyone who would listen that each citizen has a responsibility as well. And people everywhere began to express a newfound faith in Jerry Oppy and the new streamlined Oregon Public Broadcasting today throughout Oregon. People can tune into a clear signal which carries the best news public affairs and cultural programs anywhere in the world. His dream of a professional broadcast center for Oregon finally came true. The Oregon network has become one of the premier PBS affiliates in the country. Ratings public support and morale all climbed accordingly. But Jerry would never take credit for this. He would praise our supporters in government and business. He would thank our members who contributed time money and energy he would congratulate every staff member behind a camera or a soldering iron or a typewriter. But most of all he would thank everyone who watched public television or listen to public radio.

It was his baby and he loved it. And if you loved it too then that was all that he needed. Jerry did have a peculiar way of expressing his thanks over the airwaves though on a suggestion from his wife and lifelong partner surely Jerry decided to suspend regular programming each Christmas Eve. It's too busy he said. Let's just have pictures of the Yule log burning at the main fireplace a temper line some carols and peaceful music to listen to but nothing else. The staff was sure Jerry had his first public relations disaster in the making but viewers loved it and still do. It's beautiful and peaceful and lovely they wrote. One actually feels the warmth coming into our home they said. People from Astoria to Burns huddled around their TV sets after a long and often painful illness. Jerry died Sunday but as his son Chris said of his father's authoritative voice we're going to have to try harder now but I'm sure he'll continue to find ways to be heard.