[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING WKRG-TV FOR FIFTY YEARS OF BROADCAST SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 2005

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I 
rise to honor the management and staff of WKRG-TV 5 in Mobile, Alabama, 
on the celebration of its 50th Anniversary of broadcast service.
  WKRG was founded by Kenneth R. Giddens, a Mobile-area architect, in 
1955, and the station's first broadcast was sent out on September 5 of 
that year. The station was sold 43 years later to Spartan 
Communications, and in 2000 it was sold once again to Media General of 
Richmond, Virginia. At present, the Media General group is one of the 
most successful communications companies in the Southeastern United 
States, with holdings in over 150 newspapers, television stations, and 
other media.
  Throughout its 50-year history, WKRG has been on the cutting edge of 
providing the newest in television news, educational, and informational 
program, and has consistently been one of the top stations on Alabama's 
Gulf Coast. From its early years, the station has strived to be a 
leading source of news and entertainment in south Alabama, and it has 
demonstrated a strong capability of making rapid adjustments to keep 
pace with changing broadcast trends. Beginning with such program as I 
Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show, WKRG early 
on set a standard for good, family-oriented programming. At one time, 
station management also ensured that there was programming geared for 
the young people in the viewing audience and aired such child-friendly 
shows as Rosie's Place and Small Fry News. The station has continued 
its quality programming through the past 50 years to the present day.
  To their credit, station management has also set a priority on 
providing the most up to the minute news with a total of nearly 6 hours 
of local news each weekday, with news programs at 5:30 and 9:00 a.m. as 
well as 12:00, 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. The station news team has 
also performed in an outstanding manner, even in the most difficult of 
circumstances; in fact, WKRG was able to continue broadcasting 
important safety and weather information during Hurricane Frederic in 
1979 and Hurricane Georges in 1998. During the period of time 
surrounding the arrival and landfall of Hurricane Ivan on the Gulf 
Coast in September, 2004, the station did around-the-clock live 
broadcasts for an astonishing 120 hours.
  WKRG has also been consistently dedicated to providing the best in 
public affairs programming for its viewing audience. Since 1973, the 
station has carried ``Congressional Report,'' a weekly program covering 
important issues and news from Washington, D.C. Beginning with original 
hosts and former Representatives Trent Lott, Jack Edwards, and Bob 
Sikes, the program has evolved into one of the leading congressional 
and public affairs shows in the nation and has the distinction of being 
the longest continually-running program of its type in the United 
States. It is chiefly as a result of the hard work of the management of 
WKRG and their desire to provide the best in public affairs and 
community service programming that this program has become so 
successful during its three decade history.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the most important services which can be provided 
for the American people is an effective and efficient television 
broadcast organization. For the past 5 decades, WKRG in Mobile has 
provided just such an important and invaluable service to the residents 
of Alabama's First District and throughout the Gulf Coast region. I ask 
my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Mr. Joe Goleniowski, 
Vice President and General Manager of WKRG, and his entire team on 50 
years of excellence.