J.-C J-.O- "! ^ ;:■•<> ?!lr a bunaay, March 12, 1989/Las Vegas Review-Joumal/3C Payroll checks avert walkout of KVEG radio employ A planned walkout by five disgruntled on-air personalities at KVEG-AM 840 was narrowly averted last week with promises that payroll checks would be issued. > Employees have received only one paycheck since Nov. 1, 1988, according to inside sources. The station went on the air Oct. 18, but quickly ran out of money, sources said. The walkout was set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, but a call from a local bank at 4:30 p.m. prom ised the payroll would be covered, a source said. When asked about the walkout, general manager John Lego and programming director Lindsey English said they knew nothing about it. Station employees have received small amounts of money over the past 4VS months — anywhere from $50 to $75, according to one source — but Lego said “far more than that” was issued in the last two weeks. More than a dozen employees have filed grievances with the Department of Labor. Many of them quit when promised checks were not delivered. Lego, former general manager of KORK-AM, said the station’s financial woes began when the owner, Roberts Communications, spent $1.8 million putting the station together, but ran out of money and couldn’t promote it properly. “They attempted to sell the station for $3,500,000,” Lego said, “but they got nowhere. It’s in very serious shape.” Recently, the $350,000 construction permit was bought by Howard and Merice Washer of K^h White Media Watch Mount.jProspect, III. However, the station it self is up for sale for $2 million, according to Lego. 1 Lego said there are three potential buyers of the station — one from the Las Vegas area, one with “strong local interests” and one from Beverly Hills. More than two weeks ago, Lego said the] sale would come through in 15 days, but so far he says it hasn’t happened, although he expfeets it to soon. That claim doesn't surprise some employees, who say ,Lego has told them “that same story for the past 4Vi months.” The 50,000-watt station reaches a potential audience of 33 million people, Lego said, covering most western states and as far south as Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. “We’re 'trying to reach potential tourists with a lifestyle format,” Lego said. Despite that large audience base, the station has sold little commercial time, sources say. Lego believes that would change if KVEG had the money to promote itself. “I can’t blame an ad agency that takes a stand, saying ‘until you’re visible, I can’t buy you.’ The station has been totally invisible.” OUT AT THE BALLPARK: For the second straight year, KWU-TV, Channel 5 will not broadcast the Los Angeles Dodgers. The independent station carried the current World Champions for many years, but general manag er Rusty Durante says the Dodgers “have con centrated on their radio broadcasts, not on TV.” Local listeners will be able to pick up the Dodgers on the radio. KDWN-AM 720 will broadcast 165 games this season, beginning with the freeway series later this month. For televised sports, you’ll have to turn to KRLR-TV, Channel 21. The UHF independent will televise 25 San Diego Padres games, be ginning March 17, and again will pick up 33 Oakland A’s games this season. California Angels fans can listen in on near ly 200 games on KLAV-AM 1230. It’s also the home of the Las Vegas Stars AAA team. KROL-AM 870 will bring us almost all of the Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres contests, some on tape delay. CLUBFOOTED: Just the thought of Las Vegas personal injury attorney Ed Bernstein hosting his own television show is enough to provoke a hale of laughter from some quarters, and “The First Step” is good for a few giggles. The first thing you think of when you hear the words “personal injury attorney” is some guy with a briefcase hanging off the back of a speeding ambulance, or maybe Walter Matthau as unscrupulous attorney Whiplash Willie in Billy Wilder’s film “The Fortune Cookie.” But Bern stein quickly gives lie to that stereotype with his dour, stiff demeanor and strained attempts at humor. “The First Step” is something^of a grab bag. Airing on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. oh KVBC-TV, Channel 3, the show features Ed* interviewing guests on subjects in some way related to the law, but a recent show featured such segments as “Doctor’s Notes” with Dr. Allan Boruszak. Unfortunately, Boruszak is about as lively as Bernstein. c; The best moments in the show belong to aerobics instructor Curtis Aguiar (yes, Las Vegas TV fans, this show about the law also has aer obics lessons). Aguiar has a shapely woman do all the hard work of demonstrating such things as how to tighten your tummy; he just stands there and tells her what to do. -- Capping off this TV gumbo is a commentary segment, called “Viewpoint,” with' Arthur Mar shall. All those features have only a tenuous connection to the subject matter at hand, but the show is unified in one respect —the whole thing is as stiff as a road-kill. • “The First Step” does have some good graphics, is a little more ambitious than the usu al locally produced show and is somewhat bet- ■ ter than those mannered, and obviously unre hearsed “Legal Ease” segments starring attorney Bob Mass! that KLAS-TV, Channel 8 1 airs on its newscasts. But in the long run, it’s a program in bad need of life, and focus. tb