5th Anniversary Show

[MALE VOICEOVER]: January 5, 1975, and KPTS Channel 8 is celebrating its fifth anniversary on the air. As it moves into its sixth year, your public television station will offer a new dimension in service with new mobile equipment which will permit the station to move out of the studio to better meet the needs and interests of the people in south central Kansas. The opportunities are almost endless. Symbolizing Channel 8's new technical mobility, the picture you're viewing right now is being produced through one of the new cameras on one of a new videotape machines from the roof of Wichita's Holiday Inn Plaza, the tallest building in Kansas. Later in this half hour, we'll look at the horizon some more and dream a little about the future. But first, let's go back and review the past. [Intro music] [NARRATOR]: It all began with a grant from the

HEW Educational Broadcasting Facilities Program and local matching funds from the Garvey Foundation. The now nonprofit Sunflower Educational Television Corporation found the local commercial stations very helpful. One donated space on its tower for a microwave unit so signals could be sent from Channel 8's Wichita location to the transmitter site 8.2 miles east of Hutchinson. Another commercial station donated or loaned equipment for an operational studio to be developed in the Wichita facility. The equipment was revamped, rewired, and built into

useable components in production units. Meanwhile, Wichita's commercial stations helped KPTS begin local programming, making their production facilities available until Channel 8's was completed. By April of 1970, the new educational station had a studio and master control room in operation at 309 East 3rd Street in Wichita. [Music] Even before KPTS went on the air, it was having

financial troubles. The economic climate in Wichita looked pretty bleak. Unemployment stood at 10%, and before the station was two years old, it rose to 14%. The atmosphere was tense, and no one knew for sure what was in Channel 8's future -- if indeed there would even be a future. [Music] Following the lead of many other public television stations, KPTS developed an auction to meet its early financial needs. [Music], The first Action Auction was broadcast shortly after the new studio was put in operation. It was a combination of effort and generosity. The Wichita community, despite its economic situation, was ready to help. Many businesses large and not so large donated goods and services to be sold for the benefit of public television in south-central Kansas. Others provided service in underwriting for the auction itself, and the community at large responded with

a vast amount of volunteer help and bids for merchandise. [Music] Although the goal was not met, everyone seemed to enjoy the experience. The public exposure was invaluable, and the support was put to good use. [Music] By the fall of 1970, the financial pinch was again being felt. A number of fundraising efforts were made. The biggest and most publicized was a fruitcake sale. [Music] The highlight of the fruitcake campaign found Channel 8's general manager living in a trailer 90 feet above a busy

Wichita intersection as fruitcakes were sold below, in stores, and door-to-door by youth groups. A great deal of publicity was generated locally, and the story even received national attention on the ABC Evening News. KPTS won an award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for its fundraising idea, even though the publicized goal was not achieved. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC]

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] Through the years of its troubled development, Channel 8 has tried to continue the expansion of its income in many different ways. Other than the yearly auction, the best annual fundraising effort in the last two years has been made in cooperation with Kansas Beef Industries. [MALE PRESENTER]: Kansas Beef Industries did it again. Thanks to their generosity, we're able to offer to each member of 8 (for an additional contribution

of $20 per box) one or two boxes of gourmet choice Kansas City strip steaks. They're 1 and a quarter inches thick, 14 to 15 ounces per steak and there are 8 steaks to a box, naturally. The offer of a premium or a valuable commodity has always attracted special attention. [uptempo bright electronic music] [music continues] [music continues then fades] [VO] One recent idea was supplied by a group of avid Electric Company viewers. [musical tone] The kindergarten through third grade Wichita's Harris Elementary School organized a bake sale and forwarded the proceeds to Channel 8. The money was used to underwrite the cost of broadcasting an

entire week of the program, which they enjoyed daily, demonstrating how Channel 8 viewers can contribute directly to their own programming preferences. [electronic music] In 1974, KPTS developed another avenue for direct viewer support through programming telethons. There have been two telethons at Channel 8. The first was to raise financial support for the return of Saturday programming. The telethon received sufficient income to return Channel 8 to a 7 day schedule in July of 1974. KPTS was on the air for 20 hours straight, featuring local talent of every kind. The wee hours of the morning featured some of the club performers and jazz musicians. Later in the morning, clowns, local singers, acrobats and a host of other varied talent performed through the remainder of the day. [Music: Hail Brittania, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood theme, Masterpiece Theater theme, Sesame Street theme, and others] [Music: PBS themes featuring classical music]

[slow electronic music] [KPTS announcer] Live, from Channel 8 studio, for the next 20 hours, the KPTS Programming Telethon. [uptempo electronic music] Your host [uptempo bright electronic music] The second telethon was for a different purpose, one that was unique in television programming. The concept was based on the National Station Program Cooperative, through which local stations select programs for their communities, sharing the cost of production. This telethon allowed viewers to pledge money for specific programs and provided them with the opportunity to indicate program choices. [KPTS announcer] Good evening! Speaking to you from Channel 8 Studio, we hope you enjoyed Evening at Pops and stay tuned for Masterpiece Theatre. This is a pledge tonight on Channel 8. It's a membership night. If

you are not now a member of 8, won't you take this opportunity to give us a call? We have volunteer operators standing by at this number waiting for your call right now. 262-4461. You know, you can become a member of 8 now for as little as $1.50 a month. That's right. Or $15 a year, and . . . [uptempo bright electronic music] [VO] Channel 8's basic financial foundation is built by Members of 8. Viewers who make annual contributions of $15 or more to the station's general support. Invitations to join are often broadcast between programs and have been especially effective during special program services such as congressional hearings, the ATP Summer Tennis Tour and other programs appealing to specific audiences which are not available from other sources. [uptempo bright electronic music] The biggest single

fundraising event is the annual auction. [electronic music] The auction has grown somewhat through the years. Action Auctions 2 and 3 were produced in the Channel 8 Studio again, and although the space was cramped, the spirit was high and the action was frenzied. [electronic music] [VO] Volunteers, commercial station personalities, businessmen and city officials came through again, but things were getting a little too crowded. The 1973 auction was moved to Union Station and took on a new and appropriate name: The Great TV Auction. By 1974, The Great TV Auction had reached even greater dimensions and was moved to Century II's Exhibition Hall. [electronic music] [trumpet music] [KPTS announcer] Live from Exhibition Hall in Wichita's Century II, this is Channel 8's Great TV Auction. [lively orchestral music]

[silence] [lively orchestral music continues] [telephone rings] [KPTS announcer] . . . on the Great TV Auction. And we hope you . . . [air horn sounds] Hey! The help of local and regional businesses have been tremendous. The auction's additional production costs were underwritten by auction "angels" such as David's, Pizza Hut, Kansas Beef Industries, Hesston Corporation. Century II's Exhibition Hall is also the home of an illustrious Wurlitzer organ. As an added attraction each night of the auction, the Wichita Theater Organb Society contributed a performance on Mother Wurlitzer to the delight of viewers and auction volunteers alike. KPTS leased commercial production equipment from KOLN in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the auction reflected the professional quality.

Organizations and businesses contribute to support public television but there are also benefits. Organizations can use Channel 8 to promote events and often contract for programming and production services to further their own causes. [uptempo orchestral music] [KPTS announcer] 8 Step Toward Excellence. A practical course in the techniques of modern management. [VO] An example of how businesses can utilize public television is 8 Steps Toward Excellence, a series of management training programs utilized by several area businesses and agencies. Businesses also provide direct support for programs such as the Vince Lombardi series, The Science and Art of Football. This program is underwritten by Wheeler Kelly Hagney Insurance, Inc. [electronic music] Channel 8's early involvement in local government was through Model Cities funding of training programs for young people. The youth program provided Channel 8 with a pool of interested young trainees ready to try a myriad of program ideas.

This was one of Channel 8's first attempts at local programs, producing such programs as "You're On", "Excursions", a drug awareness series, and other programs] [electronic music] [electronic music continues] [electronic music continues] [electronic music relentlessly continues] [electronic music continues in Baroque style] [VO] Cooperation with the Wichita

City Commission itself led to live gavel-to-gavel coverage of that body's regular Tuesday meetings, beginning in October of 1971. This was KPTS' first attempt at remote coverage with borrowed equipment. Channel 8 carried the commission meetings on its own until December, 1972. Then, because of the heavy drain on limited resources, the station asked the public a crucial question: were the broadcasts really providing an important service? Channel 8's own informal survey had a substantially favorable response, and WSU, with a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, conducted more formal survey. They found that over 30% of the total Channel 8 viewing area had viewed some of the commission proceedings, and that 26%, or as many as 16,000 households viewed the proceedings occasionally, with almost 4% watching every week. In light of these 2 surveys, the City of Wichita now funds this weekly presentation of the people's business. [electronic music] [VO]

Principally, Channel 8's local production over the last few years has been in public affairs programing. The early "Communicate" series, now called "Issue", deals with current topics in a discussion setting, often allowing viewers to phone in questions during the broadcasts. [electronic music] [VO] Such public affairs programs fall into a category of programming for the general public, along with programs like Masterpiece Theatre, Black Perspective on the News, How-to-do-it series on guitar, bridge and cooking, and favorite childrens' programs such as Sesame Street [jazzy alto sax rendition of Sesame Street theme] [Sesame Street theme continues stridently] [electronic music] [VO] These series make up the bulk of Channel 8's airtime. They cover a vast array of

interests and community needs from reading and second languages to understanding our economy and exposure to cultural events seldom available locally. This category contains a type of program not available anywhere else. With the cooperation of KAKE-TV, Channel 8 presents the ABC Evening News captioned for the deaf. Channel 8 also has, from time to time, other captioned programs. [music] [sound from television program, possibly a horse drawn carriage] [sound continues with a bicycle horn honking] [VO] Another category of programming is instructional services for the classroom. The current daytime schedule contains programs for elementary through secondary students. It is utilized by several area school systems for reading skills, literature, science, health, history, math and career education. It's hoped that this instructional service will expand in the coming years as more and more of our school districts acquire television receiving and recording facilities. The third

category is higher education. Some area colleges and universities offer credit courses through Channel 8's facilities. One of these series is the Ascent of Man, used by WSU's Continuing Education Department for 3 hours of history credit. Friends University is offering credit for viewing a new series called "The Consumer Experience" and other opportunities are being planned. [unidentifiable sound, possibly wind or industrial equipment] [sound continues] [VO] The final category of programming, Professional and Adult Services, offers area business, industry and professional people an opportunity to use Channel 8's facilities to broadcast training programs at considerable savings. The possibilities will be explored further as

KPTS grows. [uptempo electronic music] [VO] This is Channel 8 Channel 8 as it was and is. Now, public television in South Central Kansas is ready to expand its services by taking its production to the people. Recently, another grant from the HEW Educational \Broadcasting Facilities Program and local funds from the Karl T. Wiedemann Foundation has made a new remote production unit possible. The new equipment and vehicle will permit KPTS to broadcast City Commission and other public meetings in color, and to go to the scene of area events and activities to originate programs on location. In 1975, Channel 8 will begin to provide a new dimension in service. [Baroque electronic music] [KPTS announcer] Again, this picture is coming through one of Channel 8's new cameras. We're on top of the Holiday Inn Plaza in downtown Wichita, and as you view some of Wichita's

winter wonderland, consider the potential of Channel 8's new mobile production unit. Obviously, the new equipment will be utilized for the Great TV Auction from Century II's Exhibition Hall in March, but there are a lot of cultural and public activities scheduled in Century II throughout the year which might well offer material for Channel 8 programming. From the Wichita Jazz Festival to the symphony and Music Theater of Wichita, the community and continental theaters, conventions and sports events. Channel 8 has broadcast Wichita City Commission meetings with borrowed black and white equipment since October of 1971. Now, the weekly Tuesday meetings are broadcast in color and will move with the commission to the new City Hall sometime in 1975. There are also County Commission meetings, special hearings, and School Board meetings. And the sessions of the Kansas

Legislature in Topeka. There were special events at Wichita State University, Freinds University, Kansas Newman College and all other area campuses. Programs might be done from and about various public facilities such as the Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita Art Museum, the Art Association, the Public Library, the Historical Museum, Cowtown, and so on. There are ballet groups and choral groups throughout our area, and theater groups of every kind. Other area events fill the calendar. State, county and 4-H fairs, the River Festival, park band concerts, the Mid-America All-Indian Center Powow and Rodeo. The Peabody Fourth of July Celebration. The Hesston and Lindsborg Oktoberfests, and even high school and college sports events can be considered. Obviously, Channel 8 will not be able to

cover all these possibilities at once; the station still has a long way to grow, but it's nice to dream, and plans are underway for some of the potential broadcasts already. Your public television station now has technical mobility, and an increase in local area programming is only dependent on available production staff, time and resources. The dream is to turn all of South Central Kansas into a public television studio. No other institution or organization in the area has the same potential for serving all facets of the various communities. To become involved in cultural and public affairs. Indeed, to show South Central Lansas to itself and to show it off to other parts of the state, the midwest and the nation. In addition to its affiliation with PBS, KPTS is a member station of the Central Educational Network, composed almost 50 public television

stations in the midwest. In the past, Channel 8 viewers have been able to enjoy the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra from Iowa, a circus parade and broadcasts of the Messiah from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, rodeos from Nebraska, school programs from Columbus, Ohio, Indian lore from South Dakota and string quartets from East Lansing, Michigan. Why wouldn't the rest of the midwest enjoy symphonies, parades rodeos, Indian lore, school programs, the Messiah and string quartets from South Central Kansas? Not to mention the opportunities for national distribution through the Public Broadcasting Service. Does that potential turn you on? Good. That's one purpose of this anniversary program. Because with adequate support and cooperation, the Sunflower Educational Television Corporation and South Central Kansas can do great things together.........////dsafks;dflksad;fka;sdflk January 5, 1975: a benchmark;

the end of Channel 8's first 5 years and the beginning of a new dimension in service. [electronic music] [electronic music] [electronic music] [electronic music] [electronic music] [electronic music reaches crescendo] [Male PBS announcer] Drop...by drop. \We're doing our best to raise the level of television.

And if all of you continue to give your drop in the bucket, we'll continue to fill your screen with beauty. More beautiful music, more drama, more dance. more dance. More enchanting childrens' shows and more beautiful insight. [music] It won't take much; just a drop from everybody. [music] [KPTS announcer] Make Channel 8 more beautiful by becoming a part of it. Select a membership category and mail your check to KPTS, Box 288, Wichita. [pastoral orchestral violin music] [KPTS Announcer] This is KPTS, Channel 8, Hutchinson-Wichita, celebrating its 5th anniversary. [male barbershop quartet sings "Happy Birthday to You" mentioning Channel 8] [humming sound]

[male announcer] . . . remain anonymous, we'll call her Mrs. X. from Sterling, and . . .