LETTER TO LT. GENERAL VERNAON A. WALTERS FROM JOHN O. GILBERT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01314R000300120004-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2004
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 29, 1973
• Content Type: LETTER

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INC
SUITE 2100
10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
[phone]
CABLE: NEWSERVE NEW YORK
May 29, 1973
Lt. General Vernon A. Walters
Deputy Director CIA
Washington, D. C. 20505
Dear General Walters:
On May 14, 1973 Television News, Inc. inaugurated a
television news service to television stations and cable systems
throughout the United States. This is the first tircie in the history
of television that a company, other than the three national networks,
has provided on-line, same day newsfilm to the industry.
We felt that this event and information regarding our
service would be of interest to you, With this in mind, I am taking
this opportunity to enclose a brochure which describes the who, what,
when and where of our organization, as well as a list of stations
throughout the country that are working with us in our initial start-up
period.
Your interest is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
John O. Gilbert
President
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ON I NEWS I INC
SUITE 2100
10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
[phone]
STATIONS PARTICIPATING IN TVN'S START-UP
Affiliates
WBZ Boston
WGR Buffalo
WBTV Charlotte
WKRC Cincinnati
WEWS Cleveland
WTVN Columbus
WFAA Dallas
WJBK Detroit
WWJ Detroit
WHAS Louisville
WTMJ Milwaukee
WCCO Minn./St. Paul
KSTP Minn./St. Paul
WVUE New Orleans
KGW Portland
WJAR Providence
KSL Salt Lake City
KUTV Salt Lake City
KIRO Seattle
WTOP Washington
CNBC )
(NBC)
(CBS)
(ABC)
(ABC)
(ABC)
(ABC)
(CBS)
(NBC)
(CBS)
(NBC)
(CBS)
(NBC)
(ABC)
(NBC)
(NBC)
(CBS)
(NBC)
(CBS)
(CBS)
Independents
WFLD Chicago
WGN Chicago
KWGN Denver
WKBD Detroit
KTLA Los Angeles
KTTV Los Angeles
WCIX Miami
WTCN Minn./St. Paul
WNEW New.York
WPIX New York
WTAF` Philadelphia
KPHO Phoenix
KTVU San Francisco/Oakland
KTNT Seattle/Tacoma
WTTG Washington
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r early even3na
s story coWd
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Independents and affiliates alike have wanted another
source of TV newsfilm for years - ideally a daily
electronic feed of the top national, international and
sports stories of the day, in color.
This is exactly the service that Television News, Inc.
now offers broadcasting outlets in the United States.
The local television news director has complete access
to the major news of the day. He can pick and choose
whatever stories are most appropriate for his audience.
And produce news programming second to none.
Station management can boost ratings, get more
advertising revenue, and better fulfill the true intent
of the "prime time access" rule.
The public benefits from enormously wider coverage
and exposure to newsfilm not otherwise available.
To offer all this, Television News, Inc. has brought
together the largest newsfilm organization in the
world (Visnews), our own news bureaus in the United
States, audio and video transmission facilities and a
staff of news and broadcasting professionals.
Daily electronic feed
Monday through Friday, news stories will be
transmitted to subscriber stations over leased audio
and video lines at 5PM, Eastern time. Included will
be a feed from Television News, Inc. news bureaus
in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and
Los Angeles..
The daily transmission will consist of thirty to forty
minutes of newsfilm. A typical day's feed will cover
approximately fifteen stories, each story lasting about
ninety seconds. Normally, the feed will consist of
10-12 domestic stories, including 3 sports, plus 3-5
foreign stories.
Subscribers will record the daily feed on videotape.
They can then select those stories of greatest interest
to their area - as many as they like - for inclusion in
their locally produced news programming.
Story preview by TWX
Around 1 PM each day, a tentative lineup of the day's
top stories will go out to subscribers by TWX. A final
lineup will be transmitted about 4PM, along with
suggested lead-ins, cues, timing, super information and
scripts where necessary. These advance transmissions
will allow station management to anticipate what's
coming - story subjects, length, sequence, etc. - and
to start planning which stories to use.
Your identification goes on the newsfilm
Once you record a story on video tape, you may then
broadcast it as part of your own news programming.
There will be no anchorman or anyone speaking for
Television News, Inc. Narration will be used only
where appropriate, such as for interviews and
enterprise stories.
Consistent with this policy individual. stories will be
transmitted without supers, logos or other identifying
visual inserts, except that material originating. from
government or industry will be identified as such.
Makes your news programming second to none
Just about every station now has a problem with
news programming.
Affiliates have limited access to the top news events
of the day prior to the showcase network program,
and the same goes for sports. Also, there is a problem
with limited material which forces repetitive use
of stories.
Independents have little or no access to same-day
news-film on national events and sports, to say nothing
about international stories. The result is either news
programming that is less than totally comprehensive,
or avoidance of locally produced news altogether.
Television News, Inc. changes this. It provides a large
quantity of news and sports stories on a same-day
basis, and at relatively low cost. It puts locally
produced news programming on an equal footing
with anybody, anywhere.
Allows you to fulfill the true intent
of the "prime time access" rule
With the service which Television News, Inc. offers, it
suddenly makes financial sense to expand-or institute
locally produced news programming.
In effect, you get an alternative to syndicated
programming in the early evening - and an
opportunity to fulfill the true intent of the "prime
time access" rule. Certainly the Television News, Inc.
service costs less than much syndicated programming
and can dramatically enhance the image of the station.
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Helps you get more total revenue
With a first-rate news product, you can upgrade your
rate structure and increase your overall advertising
revenue.
You also get certain indirect benefits in terms of the
public interest and originating programming require-
merits of your license.
Solves newsfilm repetition in your programming
Today, stations do not have enough material to take
them through the early evening news, the late evening
news, the early morning news, and.the mid-day news.
Inevitably, a high degree of repetition results, which
can lead to lack of audience interest,"lower ratings
and fewer dollars. The Television News, Inc. service
is a solution to this problem.
Allows tie-ins between national issues and local action
An important part of the Television News, Inc. service
will be enterprise reports on key national issues such
as urban renewal, revenue sharing, public welfare,
medicare, etc.; also, on major international issues,
such as dollar devaluation, which affect the
United States.
These will be covered so as to give stations the
greatest opportunity to seek out and report local
action and to tie the coverage together in a highly
professional report.
Largest newsfilm organization in the world
works for you
International coverage will be furnished by Visnews,
Ltd., the largest and one of the most respected
international newsfilm agencies in the world. With
over 400 cameramen in the field, and with well over
150 subscribers in 86 countries, Visnews has a
superlative reputation for news gathering.
The company is particularly well known for its
devotion to impartiality. As testimony to this attitude,
Visnews not only has subscribers in virtually every
country of the Western world, but in countries of
every shade of political and religious belief.
The very nature of the Visnews organization acts as
an added spur to impartial, professional news
gathering. According to the charter of the company,
all income above expenses goes directly into improve-
ments in the news service.
As the source of international news-film for Television
News, Inc., Visnews coverage of world events will be
sent to the U.S. by air express and, where appropriate,
by satellite.
Same-day news and sports coverage
throughout the nation
National coverage of news and sports will be supplied
by our own news bureaus in the key cities of New
York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles.
These are each staffed by a top professional bureau
chief, plus a full complement of writer/reporters,
correspondents, cameramen and editors. Roving teams
and freelance stringers are also used.
Television News, Inc.-actively solicits stories from
subscribers. All subscriber-supplied stories that are
used will be identified and the station will be
compensated according to a schedule of fees.
Impartial reporting -
coverage on both sides of an issue
Television News, Inc. will not editorialize. Nobody
will speak for,the company as anchorman or
corn mentator.
Each story will be reported for its own sake.
Controversial issues will be given full and fair treat-
ment, with each side impartially covered and presented
by the newsmakers in a form best suited for use in
local news programming.
Managed by professionals
The company is managed and staffed by experienced
news and broadcasting executives.
John 0. Gilbert, President, has held a number of
executive positions in broadcasting, both radio and
television. He is a former general manager of WABC-TV
and Vice President of Affiliate Relations for the ABC
Television Network. Most recently he was executive
vice president of Pacific and Southern Broadcasting Co.
Richard T. Perkin, Vice President and Director of
Communications, has followed a career in advertising,
public relations, media and private investing. He was
formerly associated with Burson-Marsteller Associates
and his own public relations firm in Boston. Most
recently, he served as a vice president of the Economic
Development Council of New York City.
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Richard C. Graf, Vice President and News Director
has had a distinguished career in television news. He
was with NBC News for over twelve years in various
positions which included news director of WNBC-TV
and director of the NBC News Program Services, a
daily electronic feed of news and sports coverage to
125 affiliates. Prior to joining Television News, Inc.,
he was managing editor of "The 51st State,'''the
Emmy award-winning news program of WNET, the
public television station in New York City.
Frank C. Beazley, Jr., Vice President & Director of
Marketing,. has held a number of management positions
with the national sales organization of CBS Television
over the last 17 years. At one time or another, he has
been directly involved with sales management
positions in major television markets, including
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Most recently, he was director of sales at WCAU-TV
in Philadelphia.
Robert L. Lanthier, Vice President of Finance, is a
former vice president and chief financial officer of
four companies owned by the late Sherman M.
Fairchild. Earlier he was controller for a division of
Eastern Airlines and prior to that he was with
Price Waterhouse for eight years.
Ray Kupiec, Director of Production, held a similar
position with NBC Nightly News which involved major
domestic stories, such as the recent primary and
election coverage, plus the Nixon China and Russia
trips and the Paris Peace talks. Prior to that he was a
senior unit manager for NBC News Europe, based in
London.
Coors Company of Golden, Colorado, as part of that
company's continuing expansion and diversification
program.
Visnews itself is jointly owned by Reuters Ltd., the
Australian Broadcasting Commission, the British
Broadcasting Corporation, the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation and the New Zealand Broadcasting
Corporation.
Early startup
The initial service will be inaugurated on May 14, 1973
Costs scaled to your rates
Weekly cost, Monday through Friday, of the
Television News, Inc. se.rvice is equivalent to the primE
time hourly rate (one-time) of the station.
This charge is all-inclusive. There are no additional
transmission costs or other fees of any kind for the
normal weekly service. Television News, Inc. delivers
its service to local toll test in each market.
Board of Directors
Robert R. Pauley (Founder and Chairman), Vice President
EF Hutton & Company Inc.
Richard T. Perkin, Vice President, Television News, Inc.
(Co-founder)
Ronald Waldman, Managing Director, Visnews, Ltd.
Max W. Goodwin, Treasurer, Adolph Coors Company
Everett L. Barnhardt, Vice President, Adolph Coors Company
Joseph Coors, Executive Vice President, Adolph Coors Compan}
Jack G. Wilson, Assistant to the Chairman,
Coors Porcelain Company
Seasoned Bureau Chiefs. Each news bureau is headed .
by a top professional broadcast newsman. The Bureau
Chief in New York is Pete Simmons; in Los Angeles,
Robert J. Craft; in Chicago, Michael P. Keating; in
Washington, D.C., Robert E. Frye. A national sports
director, Dennis Swanson, is attached to the Chicago
bureau.
Strong financing and ownership
Television News, Inc. has arranged financing which
assures stability and continuity of its service.
The company is owned by Robert R. Pauley,
Richard T. Perkin, Visnews, Ltd., and by the Adolph
Counsel: E. Gayle McGuigan, Esq.
Broadcast Counsel: Hall, Dickler & Howley, Esqs.
Auditors: Price Waterhouse & Co.
Investment Banker of Record: EF Hutton & Company Inc.
Commercial Bank: Chemical Bank
TELEVISION rNEWS INC
SUITE 2100
10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
1212) 582-6666
Domestic news bureaus in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C.
and Los Angeles
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~evision News, Inc.
a daily, line-fed
ewsfilrn service.
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SION NEWS INC.
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