WBTV - Turn To People You Know

In 1999, WBTV, Charlotte's CBS affiliate, celebrated its 50th anniversary. As part of the festivities, the station broadcast a retrospective program featuring clips from the station's past and current programming.

This promo, originally airing around 1979, features several former WBTV personalities engaged in various everyday activities. Former weekend anchor Ken Koontz gets his car washed; former PM Magazine co-host Bob Lacey (of the Bob & Sheri morning radio show) dines out; former nightly anchor Janet England checks out the antiques; the late weatherman Clyde McLean makes a new friend at Eastland Mall; and the late sports director Jim Thacker enjoys a round of golf.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• WBTV
• Charlotte
• CBS
• Three
• 1970s
• Promo

[newscaster13]

Wasn't there a news theme to accompany the vocal promo?

One of those news theme/promo packages with the slogan "Turn to the People you Know"?

I recall a WBTV 1981 Promo with the instrumental music having the same beats and melody as this 1979 promo we're watching now.

[cag1970]

Yes there was...In fact, the lead-in to the news at that time was an animation of the call letters flying in one by one, and Dick Taylor saying "For the news more people turn to, this is W-B-T-V." Right after that, you heard the music come up, and the letters push together to form the logo.

[newscaster13]

Do you have a copy of the news open, and the entire newscast with that instrumental theme music?

[cag1970]

No, I'm afraid I don't...I'm going strictly by memory. The last time I saw that open was on a videotape about 20 years ago. I'd like to be able to animate it that open myself - it looks like it would be easy enough to do.

[ShelbyWeather]

Wow, I remember this commercial vividly! Loved the catchy theme and music, and had a crush on Janet England. I've watched several times. Why do I feel like Dukes of Hazard, Love Boat and Fantasy Island are about to come on TV? And that Cloudy McLean is about to tell us there's a Winter Storm Watch in effect as he takes his black magic marker and draws the big snowflake (remember the big asterisks?) over the Carolinas.

[cag1970]

Janet England definitely wasn't bad looking, but I was more partial to Diana Williams.

[cag1970]

Channel 3 did carry The Dukes of Hazzard, of course, but The Love Boat and Fantasy Island came on over on Channel 9.  You're still right, though, this promo is a real throwback.

[angiefrance888]

Wow, this takes me back. That was when you actually watched the news and like and respected them.

[cag1970]

Last I heard, Janet England (neé Volz) was still living here in Charlotte and doing consulting work. Lisa Cooley, who I met briefly while working in video production, had moved on to Los Angeles and then New York after leaving WBTV, but I haven't heard of her in some years.

[alagogo]

i also wonder what happened to janet and lisa cooley