Howard Caldwell narrates this documentary of Channel 6 celebrating 50 years on TV. It includes a newscast with Clyde Lee and Howard Caldwell and ends with an episode of "Howard's Perspective."
Producer: Howard Caldwell & Anne Seidler;
Editor: Mike Jensen;
Writer: Anne Seidler, Kurt Swadener;
Photographer: Mike Jensen & Steve Brenneman;
Post Production: Paul Roehm;
Senior Graphic Designer: Kirk Preuschl;
Graphic Designer: Betty Allen, Sara Bozzelli & Kirk Preuschl;
Production Assistants: Vicki Priest, Ron Brewer, Jay Mutchman, Corky Aiken & Joe Hays
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50 years on the air with Channel 6_More Howard Caldwell
Video [with audio] (1:28:44)
https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/media/d66v93bt9w
Notes by Kamil Gut, J450 History of Journalism, Fall 2021
Synopsis: This special program was aired for the 50th anniversary of WFBM Channel 6. Howard Caldwell narrates over various clips from the past of Channel 6 breaking coverage and anchors/reporters bringing the news to the people of central Indiana. The commitment of the station to its viewers and the changes it has made to provide better broadcasts/news reports is the theme of this program.
00:00 – video starts, in color and narrator briefly talks about history of Channel 6 coverage, Caldwell speaks in studio about his time at Channel 6 since 1959, 50th anniversary of first TV station in state of Indiana
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Special program starts, narrator speaks about WFBM radio shifting to TV in 1949, former director of engineering interviewed, Indy 500 one of first broadcasts, live baseball and high school basketball games
01:00 IC: “We didn’t have much preparation … WFBM radio takes the leap ... “
02:35 OC: “The first to televise live Indianapolis Indians baseball games, and live high school basketball games soon followed.”
Length 01:35
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02:53 – different color/black and white ads from early days are showcased, former live TV announcer speaks about ad-libbing
*05:58 – Caldwell speaks about change of call letters to WRTV for Channel 6 in 1970s
06:47 – ad plays about senior citizens with appearances from Caldwell and Barbara Boyd
07:50 – narrator speaks about actress Frances Farmer, who later became a hostess for show about daily movies on Channel 6, shows clips of interviews and talks about resignation
12:01 – Jim Gerard Show popular in 60s, clips shown
14:45 – narrator says Channel 6 was first station to send crew to travel overseas to interview racecar drivers in 1965, by 1972 these broadcasts were in color
17:55 – Caldwell interview with India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1966, Tom Carnegie coverage of 1968 Olympics in Mexico City
*24:00 – narrator speaks about beginnings of breaking news reports and different anchormen like Ken Mayer and Larry Richardson
*27:55 – narrator speaks about news director Bob Gamble and his progressive leadership with station, Caldwell speaks about his first years as an anchorman and covering tragic breaking news events
30:35 – Channel 6 coverage of Robert Kennedy speech regarding death of Martin Luther King Jr. is shown
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Caldwell speaks about shift from film to videotape to help report live from the scene, more people out in the field and clips of coverage of controversial events shown
32:25 IC: “And the technology to broadcast live from the scene, to tell the story …”
35:00 OC: “Long history of dealing with controversy. We were the first to produce editorials.”
Length 02:35
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36:25 – different weathermen and natural disaster coverage from decades past is shown
40:00 – Caldwell thanks viewers for their commitment to Channel 6, second part of special program ends
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Still anniversary celebration, but Caldwell and Clyde Lee report on actual breaking stories at the time of filming (1999), in color and looks very similar to news channel coverage nowadays
41:47 IC: “Good evening to you … sitting in as we celebrate …”
50:24 OC: “We’ll have details, that’s new tonight at 11.”
Length 08:37
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54:00 – Caldwell and meteorologist talk about weather ahead of Indy 500 on newscast, forecast and green screen are very modern
59:30 – interview with former sports director Tom Carnegie about his own coverage of Indy 500 and differences in technology from then to 1999, very little pictures/highlights in his time
1:00:45 – preview of Indiana Pacers playoff series on-site
*1:02:10 – current sports director thanks Caldwell and Lee for their time at Channel 6 (Caldwell retiring?), past and present workers in studio to help celebrate anniversary
1:03:00 – first part of anniversary special program is replayed, just a repeat of the first 30 minutes or so until video cuts off and ends
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-Next section of Video: 50 Years on the air with Channel 6 (IBHA.HCC.0071 — 1:28:00)
00:00 Video starts with music and introduction of different clips
00:22 Narrator talks about the live coverages of news before direct networks
00:30 Howard Caldwell talks to the camera about their 50th year anniversary of channel 6
00:50 Title: May 30, 1949, Narrator starts talking about how Channel 6 was created
*2:00 The narrator speaks about the first telecast
2:15 Earl Townsend is being interviewed
*2:20 Narrator spoke about the first things that were televised on Channel 6
2:50 Old advertisements
3:40 Narrator talks about live programming having no second chances
3:35 Bob Bell is interviewed of what it was like to do live programming
4:30 Narrator talks about what they would wear on the show
4:45 Clip of Ann Wagner Harper talks about her experience as a live performer
6:10 Clip of Ken Beckley talks about the name changing Channel 6” s call letters to WRTV
6:35 Clips of all the early local celebrities
6:50 Clip of Barbara Boyd and Caldwell advertising Senior Smart Choice
7: 40 Clip of studio being remodeled
7: 55 Narrator speaks about Francis Farmer’s career
9:50 Eldon Campbell interviewed about Francis Farmer
9:58 Narrator talks about show All Hands on Deck
11:25 Narrator talks about show Easy Money
12:00 Talks about the Jim Gerald Show
15:00 Narrator talks about the Flying Scot
*18:00 Caldwell interview of India’s new Prime minster
18:20 Tom Carnegie reporting the Olympics
19:30 Chanel 6 covered the Fairgrounds Coliseum explosion
*24:00 Narrator talks about the first news anchor, Gilbert Forbes
25:00 Narrator talks about Nick Baldwin, first news photographer
26:00 Cannie Nicolas Trial, first time Channel 6 cameras allowed in court room
28:00 Narrator talks about Director Bob Campbell
30:00 clips of historical moments of the 60s
*31:00 Clip of Robert Kennedy announcing Martin Luther King Jr’s death
33:00 Clip of Ken Beckley talking about wanting to be more in the field
*34:00 Channel 6 was there when court ordered bussing of 6,100 Black students to 8 suburban school systems
34:55 Talks about controversy, first to produce editorials
*35:10 Hired the first African American Reporter
36:30 talks about the weathermen and weather events of Channel 6
*38:00 interviews reporters about how they deliver the news with compassion
40:30 50 Years News ends, credits
41:00 Channel 6 News starts
42:00 News cover on Pole Day parking by Vince Robinson
44:55 News of a shooting in Bloomington
45:50 Leadership Award Winner
54:00 Meteorologist telling the weather
57:30 Ed Sorensen, Indiana Motor speed way, top 5 speeds
59:30 Interview of Tom Carnegie
1:01:00 Chris reporting on the Pacers
*1:02:30 The faces of people who have made Channel 6 News a success
1:03:00 News show ends and a new on begins, still celebrating 50 years (same one already seen)
*1:03:50 Caldwell talks about the first live coverage of the Indy 500
1:05:15 Narrator talking about Channel 6 being the first to televise first live baseball games and soon live high school basketball games
1: 16:35 Bob Gamble assembles news department to seeking out news
1:17:15 Caldwell joins
1:20:00 Racial issues covered by Channel 6
1:23:00 Footage of the Vietnam War
1:25:40 Convention and protests
1:28:00 4th of July