Inside Out & About...by Roger Martin

As a former Southern California (L.A.) Top Forty Dee Jay when I was billed as Rog Martin, and with Jim Lichnerowicz, mastermind editor and producer, our TV newsmagazine series started in March of 1991 over Beverly Hills Television, BHTV. I had already completed my radio stint at KCBH-FM in Beverly Hills, some years back, and now television in Beverly Hills made for a logical transition. The station was an ideal place to begin a new adventure... we had a beautiful studio. Equipment was provided to us to begin taping a series that would last until even today, over seventeen years later. Out & About with Roger Martin was supposed to be Out & About in Beverly Hills, but we soon found that we wanted to expand to cover at least events and places in and around Southern California, and even the entire Southwest. Who knows, maybe the country! The station was well provided with volunteers and opportunity to create the best we could on a small budget. Serving on Staff was a big plus for me, as I got to meet everyone connected at one time or another with the station and watched as citizens became friends and united with one another to form production teams, helping each other with a unique and true spirit of volunteerism. The Beverly Hills community had the opportunity to learn about television production and create their own programs. It became the premiere television station of its kind, really, in the nation. After all... it was ... Beverly Hills. The studio attracted many stars from the community it served. The "O&A" Producer and I were fortunate enough to be able to obtain our own equipment to continue producing the episodes of "O&A" which number around 230 now. (I Love Lucy produced 179 episodes) For the people who were not able to continue the programs they started at the station, I am truly sorry. Beverly Hills' City Council silenced our station in 1995 after they were criticized by our Corporate President on live television (on Channel 3) for under-funding us. BHTV was in good condition when the Council seized, and then "Pulled the Plug" on the facility. What a waste.
For the story of BHTV Channel 3 in Beverly Hills click here.