UHF battle lines being drawn By Jerry Dean GAZETTE STAFF W hen KLRT, Channel 16, began broadcasting from Little Rock in mid-1983, the independent UHF station was the brash “new kid on the block.” It urged the city’s veteran VHF viewers of three network affiliates to “turn 16" and "get looped” — to declare their “independence” by adding to. televisions the circular antenna cable nonsubscribers need to receive KLRT’s signal. UHF was new to most Little Rock view ers. But five years later, they have grown used to having two — and for some, three — UHF choices. Since the KLRT debut, its general man ager, Allen S. Feuer, and its programing and advertising director, Joe Swaty, have tried to ruffle the feathers of network affiliates — often using avian puns to label the affiliates "sitting ducks” and their new programs “turkeys.” But with two newer independents in Central Arkansas — KJTM-TV, Channel 38, at Pine Bluff and Little Rock, and KRZB, Channel 26, at Hot Springs — KLRT, once the hunter, has joined the “hunted.” KJTM claims inroads into two areas where KLRT has been strong — late-night movies and children’s programs. As evi dence, Edwin Groves, KJTM’s vice presi dent and general manager, cited Novem ber Arbitron and Nielsen ratings. Feuer and Swaty deny any significant KJTM inroads. Statistics, Swaty said, can mislead. Yet KLRT has enhanced its own children’s programing lately, adding a Bozo show. November ratings, Swaty said, have KLRT kiddie shows attracting half the viewers, aged 2 to 11, in a 38-county area. Groves said improvements arc under way at the Fox network, with which KJTM is affiliated. Fox, he said, soon will make KJTM more competitive. He wel comed competition and called Feuer, his KLRT counterpart, “a good, sharp broad caster.” Groves said KJTM was lucky as Little Rock’s second UHF independent, not to need a UHF-familiarization period for viewers. KLRT already had taken care of that. UHFs, having limited range, add to their viewership by being included on cable systems. KLRT, now carried on more than 80 hookups, boasts that it has become to Arkansas what TBS, the Atlan ta-based station, claims to be nationally — a cable superstation. Central Arkansas UHF Television stations . KLRT, Channel 16, Little Rock KJTM, Channel 38, Pine Bluff, Little Rock KRZB, Channel 26, Hot Springs No. cabte inclusions - 85 : 44.^,;:^--,.., 7 •’ - Tower Atop Shinall Mountain, 1,772 feet above terrain, west of Little Rock 2,000 feet tall, located near Redfield in Jefferson County 550 feet tall, located atop Jack Mountain near Hot Springs Power 5 million watts 5 million watts 5,000 watts Studios 11711 Markham St. at Bowman Road 7123 Interstate 30, Little Rock Med. Arts Bldg., Central Ave., Hot Spgs. Owner Little Rock Communications Associates Was TVX of Virginia Beach. Now Don H. Barden of Barden Cablevision, Detroit Was PPD&G, Inc. Now Bell Equities (Melvyn Bell of Little Rock) Gen’l mgr. Allen S. Feuer C. Edwin Groves Gary Halleland Affiliation None Fox Network None . - ' ■ ■ ■ Main competition Network affiliates KLRT and network affiliates Local radio and newspapers Istb’cast June 26.1983 June 17,1986 5 February 7,1986 - - Sports Wrestling and ASU football ASU/Memphis St. basketball; Cardinals baseball Astros/Rangers baseball; high school football; Dallas Mavericks basketball Popular series TSenson," "Honeymooners," "Magnum "M*A*S*H," "Silver Spoons" and "Good Times" - '. "Crook and Chase," "Richard Simmons Slim Cooking," "McLaughlin Report" -. — Staff Chart by Mary Jo Meade Groves said KJTM now is on 44 Arkan sas cable systems. And Robert Fourt, KRZB’s public relations director, said his station’s signal reaches viewers via seven cable systems. “We’re still small enough,” Fourt said, “that (KLRT and KJTM] aren’t afraid of us. But things are going well.” For now, Fourt added, KRZB’s rivals remain radio stations and newspapers. KLRT sees its rivals for viewers and advertising dollars as network affiliates. It doesn’t consider KRZB a competitor, since the signal doesn’t reach Little Rock. Groves, at KJTM, said Little Rock’s media-rich market required independents to compete for advertising dollars with rival independents, VHF network affili ates, and radio and “nonbroadcast” me dia. Groves — who previously worked with stations in Tennessee and at Colum bus, Ga. — said he’s found communica tions nowhere more competitive than at Little Rock. Five commercial television stations here share the country’s 53d largest market. Fourt said KRZB, which recently moved studios from southern Hot Springs to the Medical Arts Building downtown, over laps some areas where Channels 16 and 38 can be seen. But if KRZB, now with a 5,000-watt signal, is allowed to boost power and move its transmitter nearer Little Rock, it may compete directly with KLRT and KJTM. KRZB now reaches 10 counties and the cities of Malvern, Arka- delphia, Benton, Hot Springs Village, Greenwood and Mount Ida. Bell Equities, Inc., owned by Melvyn Bell of Little Rock, recently acquired majority control of KRZB. KJTM, on the air since June 1986, has finished consistently last in ratings among Central Arkansas’s commercial stations, but in December was sold to a Detroit cable television company. The sale, Groves said, is not yet final. But meanwhile, he said, “We are enjoying the best of both worlds” by still being asso ciated for program bidding purposes with the 12-station, Virginia-based TVX chain. KJTM’s new' owner is Don H. Barden. Groves said KJTM remains licensed to Pine Bluff, as well as Little Rock. But the Federal Communication Commission no longer requires KJTM to maintain a Pine Bluff presence. So its only facility is at 7123 Interstate 30. KJTM’s tower, a mile west of KATV’s at Redfield, still beams a strong signal to Pine Bluff. Ty Smith of KJTM said the station’s new owners, while at Little Rock in De cember, made it clear that KJTM "abso lutely” would stay a Fox affiliate. Groves, KJTM’s manager since October, will remain, too, and he intends to com pete with KLRT. But Swaty said network affiliates re- (Sce UHF on Page 2B.) Do you remember KRTV, Channel 17? W hen KLRT, Channel 16, be gan broadcasting from Little Rock in 1983, it was the first UHF television experience for many Arkansans. But the honor of being Arkansas's first television station — as well as its first ultrahigh frequency station — goes not to KLRT, but to old KRTV, which first broadcast from a studio in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood at 2 p.m. on April 4, 1953. KRTV, broadcasting from the reno vated former Prospect Theater, near Kavanaugh Boulevard at 620 North Beech Street, used a controversial, adjacent 875-foot tower to beam out such features as the locally-produced "Betty’s Little Rascals,” with Betty Fowler, and the cartoon, “Crusader Rabbit” over UHF Channel 17. In September 1953, KRTV — a net work affiliate of the Columbia Broad casting System — transmitted its first network program, a telecast of the September 30 World Series baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees.