 | Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452. |
Nostalgia
2009-02-01 14:22:00
Remember...
Answer: Wow! There have been many changes.We’re going through a big one right now. How many of you dashed out to respond to the many news announcements to get ready for the big TV change to digital? You were told your old analog sets would not work unless you had a converter box or if they were plugged into cable and we had to be ready by February 17th. So, a lot of us went to the stores, compared prices and bought a digital set. The government then moved the ready date to June. However, some TV stations announced they would change to digital in February anyway. All of this spawned memories of how it all began back in the 50’s when we first saw television in the Wichita area. My family and I
lived on North Athenian, where I attended North High School. There was no television broadcasting here in Wichita. My friends and I would go across the street and look in a large, display window at the cleaning shop that was there at the time, and watch TV that was received from Oklahoma City. The picture was very snowy, but it didn’t make any difference to us. We all thought it was great, and I’m sure it laid a strong desire in my mind to get more involved with the media at some point.
Do you remember the giant antennas with motors on them to change direction to get the television signals from out of town? These were considered to be one of the best inventions at the time. It was always great to see “snow,” then adjust the antenna to get a much clearer picture.
Several years later, after serving in the Navy during the Korean War, I received my discharge pay. The policy at that time was that you received your separation pay when discharged. During this period, Wichita was able to get television even though it was broadcast from Hutchinson on Channel 12, KTVH. I took my separation pay and bought the family a Zenith TV. Boy did we think we really had something great! All broadcasts of course were in black and white.
Before long came the other TV stations: KARD, KEDD, and KAKE. I went to work at Channel 12, KTVH, as a cameraman and then moved to an on air announcer and director position, at the Channel 12 remote studio that was located in the basement of the Lassen Hotel. I have to think watching that “snowy” signal from Oklahoma City as a youngster had something to do with it all.
Today we have many channels available through all of the different medias. Through the years, TV sets have come in all different types and sizes, but now these analog sets will be useless unless changes are made with the converter box.
Well, I’ve got my digital so I guess I’m ready, come what may.
Have a happy beginning to Spring!
