THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996 TAG: 9608100312
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 39 lines
The Northeast Economic Development Commission, recently renamed ``North Carolina's Northeast,'' has contributed $64,379 to the Babe Ruth World Series in Manteo.
The agency originally set aside $200,000 to promote the tournament for teenage baseball players, but at a meeting this week it was shown that less money was needed to produce television ads and other publicity for use before and during the series.
The commission agreed to spent $64,379 with Home Team Sports of Bethesda, Md., and Metro Video Productions of Williamsburg, Va., for promotional TV films for the games that start next Saturday and continue through Aug. 24.
The use of out-of-state companies to make and manage the TV promotions has stirred up a protest from a Sunbury TV production group in North Carolina.
Originally, Erna Bright, head of Bright's Productions in Sunbury, submitted a bid of approximately $100,000 to make the TV spots that were later produced by Metro Video in Williamsburg for $11,879.
When the Williamsburg TV company got the contract, Peter Thompson, director of Bright's Productions, wrote a barbed note to the Northeast commissioners:
``Do you agree that the decision of spending $10,000 or $100,000 depends to some extent on results?'' Thompson asked Rick Watson, executive director of the commission.
Watson replied:
``It is of great concern to me that a local company did not receive a bid on work in Northeast North Carolina, but it was, as we saw it, a difference of $100,000 versus $11,000.''
Watson, on behalf of the Northeast commission, sent copies of his letter to state Sen. Marc Basnight and state Rep. William C. ``Bill'' Owens, who represent the northeast economic commission's turf in the General Assembly.
The legislature created the commission two years ago and for openers staked it to $1.2 million in operating funds.
Both local legislators have indicated they expect the funding to be renewed by the 1997 General Assembly. by CNB