A Parade For, By, and About Veterans

When I first learned KSEE Channel 24 was going to do a live broadcast of the 2021 Veterans Day Parade, I was pleased. This would be a great opportunity for the City of Porterville. When I learned the cameras were going to be at City Hall, where I’ve announced the parade for many years, I had some concerns.

Would the audience gathered around City Hall be able to hear the broadcast audio, or my announcements? In past years, my job has been to read the information printed on the lineup as the units pass by, speaking into a PA system which covers the block between Thurman on the north, and Cleveland on the south. A TV broadcast would surely require more information than the printed parade lineup.

As the day of the parade neared, and plans to televise our annual event continued, I learned I was to going to work with KSEE alongside one of their news anchors, Miss Caroline Collins. The two of us would provide the descriptions of the participants to both the TV audience and the folks standing along Main Street. Because of my many years of experience on KTIP, even announcing the parade on the radio several times, I wasn’t concerned. However, to say being on the radio is different than being on TV would be a gross understatement.

I wasn’t nervous about a TV appearance. I could do that. My greatest concern was for the folks along the street who would expect to hear a description of the entries in the parade as they passed by. How was that going to work?

As most of you now know, it all worked out smoothly and with little problem. Miss Collins is a most pleasant young lady. Together we provided a description of the parade entries passing in front of us to the TV viewers. Our audio was also sent to the PA system on the street so the folks who sat along the sidewalk could hear what we said. There were only three 30-second commercial breaks during the twohour broadcast. The rest of the time Caroline and I were busy describing what was in front of us.

The biggest surprise to me was the collection of cameras used to record the images for the broadcast. Knowing how technology has progressed, I shouldn’t have been startled. The big clunky cameras on three-wheeled dollies I’d envisioned, each dragging big cables, turned out to be small, wireless shoulder cameras.

The real shocker for me, was the camera used to obtain images of Caroline and me as we sat at the table. It was, of course, a digital camera wirelessly connected to the Director’s Truck. But it wasn’t a “video camera” style device. It was simply a camera body one might use to take pictures of the family, complete with an adjustable lens on the front. It was the kind that records the images on a card, which you later pop into your computer for viewing.

However, instead of a card to record the grandkids’ smiles, this camera’s image was wirelessly transmitted to a receiver in the nearby Director’s Truck. One such camera was mounted in front of us during the entire parade, ready to provide a picture of the announcers anytime the director desired. There was also at least one more of these devices being carried by a cameraman who rotated out into the street shooting “up close and personal” images for the TV audience.

There was even one camera in a lift-truck with the bucket high over the middle of the street. This provided a viewpoint for the TV audience unavailable to those sitting along the street.

The number of people required to “put the parade on TV” was larger than I expected. I didn’t get an exact count, for while they scurried around before the 10 a.m. start, I was also busy talking with Caroline and others about what was going to go on during air time. However, I’d estimate there were at least seven or eight, all stringing cables, setting cameras, plugging this into that. Or was it that into this?

American Legion Post 20 worked many long hours getting ready. Every time I called the Parade Chairman, Bob Ashley, concerned about one thing or another, he was right there supporting me. The Producer, Gene Day, continually assured me my concerns were unfounded and it would all work out fine. And, to my surprise he was absolutely correct. To the point, it was actually necessary for me to apologize to him for a rather strident comment.

Miss Caroline Collins is a pretty young lady, easy on the eyes, and easy to talk with. She was raised in a small town in central Pennsylvania, and was impressed with the patriotism of Porterville and the unflagging support for our veterans.

Will this be the only time Porterville’s Veterans Day Parade is televised? The jury is still out on that. If Gene Day has anything to say about it, KSEE will be back with cameras and cables in hand next November 11. He assured me he will be approaching the station management this week to see if they’re willing to support it. As a veteran himself, Gene was greatly impressed by the support given to honor veterans, not only the American Legion, but so many other groups and organizations as well. He mentioned many times the Veteran Banners, two to a pole, hung all over town proudly displaying the pictures and names of local vets.

I’m pleased our community has received this positive recognition. No place is perfect, nor without flaws, Porterville included. But when Channel 24 viewers see how we celebrate Veterans Day, it puts us in a different light. Thank you to all who prepared and participated once again.