WCVB-TV "The Other Side of the Wall" 1977

Is local television news mostly news or mostly style? That was the question posed in this 1977 WCVB-TV/Boston public affairs program.

If journalists of the 1970s were concerned about style overshadowing substance, what would they think about the state of local TV news today?

This report is also interesting for the vintage technology that it displays: Ampex quadruplex VTRs, Norelco PC-100 cameras, ITC audio cartridge machines, a Vital switcher, the Chyron II and film chains.

All rights are acknowledged.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• WCVB-TV
• news

[theresachipinmydip]

8:40 - anyone hear "i haven't had this much fun since my kid died"?

[maheez]

vid rollers had whole rooms to themselves!

[maheez]

my god news is so much more simple now.

[wmbrown6]

Would 'tedwcvb' know which film chain/slide scanner model would have been used? (I seem to have read in Broadcast Engineering that they used a Norelco model, unlike the majority of TV stations which used RCA or GE chains, and a few which used Cohu Systems chains.) I seem to have spotted use of an RCA TP-7A slide projector.

[kresblain]

In case you're wondering, the theme music used here is a sped-up version of Johnny Pearson's "Orchestra in Motion" from KPM 1035 - Underscore.

[PlaneAndTVtechfan]

I remember that Ty-D-Bol commercial from my childhood.

[sed1228]

@chyrongeek Yes indeed!

[srpeabs]

The "Cart" Director, Putt has been calling for is an Audio Cartidge. An off screen voice often was recorded into 1/4 inch audio tape. (See 6:25 during the explanation of the 16mm FILM Simulroll.)

[altfactor]

Although WCVB was the first Boston TV station to adopt (circa 1973) electronic newsgathering (ENG), I believe that as late as 1977, many stories on WCVB (as well as on WBZ and WNAC, both of which got their first ENG units in 1976) were still shot on film.

[mthivier]

Funny how much Nat looked like Mary Richards in those days. Same pants suit, same "career gal" hairdo, etc.