NEWS AND VIEWS: Let's harness the power of TV (02/04/96)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Let's harness the power of TV

by Camilla Huk

Certainly in today's world, no one would underestimate the importance of the media. While many have dreamed and thought of ways to harness this energy, few have managed to do what a Ukrainian American engineer has singlehandedly done, to literally obtain and control several television stations throughout the United States.

For this engineer, Zenon Reynarowych, the availability of low power TV (LPTV) was not only a potentially profitable venture but a means for the Ukrainian American community to control a vehicle of mass communication, an opportunity to train our people to tell our own story and present our views on issues through Ukrainian programs. With these goals in mind, four years ago he began applying for various LPTV construction permits, ultimately winning awards for a number of them.

Today Mr. Reynarowych owns several, such as Channels 6 and 51 in New Haven, Conn., Channel 38 in Stamford, Conn., and Channel 44 in Morristown, N.J. He built some stations and leased them out, while others are waiting to be built. While his concentration is on the Eastern Seaboard he has also licensed and leased out stations in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colo.

Achieving this was not an easy task, but using his background in engineering, Mr. Reynarowych labored to prepare numerous highly complex and technical LPTV applications. As there were often so many other applications for these mutually exclusive channels, these applications often had to further go through a lottery process.

Fortunately, fate smiled on Mr. Reynarowych and he won several awards. But even after being awarded an application, he needed to obtain construction permits. Eventually, several of the stations were opened, while others are still under development.

As his background is technical, and as this project can do so much for our community, Mr. Reynarowych has sought support for this project through various community organizations and leaders. Two Ukrainian American women are now working towards preparing a telethon to raise funds to construct an antenna in the New Haven facility so that Ukrainian programs could eventually be broadcast into the New York metropolitan area.

Volunteers from the business and communications communities are being sought to help with this venture. This is the time to make the dream of a Ukrainian television station a reality. An ad hoc committee is looking for people with business acumen, communications interns and anyone interested in this type of project.

Interested parties should contact: Zenon Reynarowych, (718) 847-1388; Camilla Huk, (201) 932-2580 (evenings), or Xenia Rakowsky, (201) 762-7348.

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