Broadcasters Hall of Fame Fails to Make Its Fortune in Anaheim : Radio: The organization faces eviction without ever opening the doors to the space it rented more than a year ago at the stadium.

For Oscar of Hollywood, it’s red carpets, champagne toasts and paparazzi photos.

For Mikie of Anaheim, it’s curtains.

Mikie, once envisioned by promoters as the Oscar of the radio broadcast world, is expected to be bounced unceremoniously out of town next week by the City Council because of persistent technical--but mostly financial--difficulties.

The National Broadcasters Hall of Fame has handed out the six-inch Mikie statue to 82 luminaries, including Frank Sinatra, Ted Turner and Larry King, since its founding in 1977.

But the Hall of Fame is out of money, according to city officials. In fact, the organization never even paid its first month’s rent at Anaheim Stadium after relocating here from New Jersey in February, 1994, according to city records. The Hall of Fame leased a 3,000-square-foot space at the stadium to house a museum. City officials said it owes the city $48,600 in back rent.

“It was supposed to be a big deal,” said Councilman Lou Lopez, who will vote to terminate the organization’s lease next week. “But they just couldn’t get the financing. It’s a sad situation, but that’s life.”

The hall was founded in Freehold, N.J., to honor contributions in broadcasting. Organizer Arthur S. Schreiber headed west last year, hoping to tap into Anaheim’s lucrative tourist business. In his initial presentation, Schreiber told city officials that the new attraction would become part of a visitor’s package that would also feature tours of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame and Anaheim Stadium.

The broadcast museum was to preserve radio memorabilia, exhibiting early wireless devices, vintage microphones and the actual NBC chimes. It was also to provide visitors with access to a collection of 30,000 old radio programs, including “The Lone Ranger,” “Gunsmoke” and “Captain Midnight.”

With much fanfare, the organization staged its first inductee dinner on the West Coast at the Disneyland Hotel last October, drawing such high profile names as Ted Turner, Larry King and Art Linkletter. Mikies were presented that night by Jane Fonda, Jonathan Winters and former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, who bestowed an award via video.

But financing proved to be the downfall of the Hall of Fame, which never opened its doors in Anaheim, city officials said. Schreiber and his associates didn’t come close to raising the estimated $400,000 in start-up costs, officials said.

“They expected to raise a lot of money quickly from corporate sponsors, but they never did,” said Anaheim spokesman Bret Colson. “The idea just never took off.”

Neither Schreiber nor other officials at the Hall of Fame could be reached for comment.

The City Council postponed a vote to end the lease Tuesday when Councilman Frank Feldhaus said he wanted to “go after” the money the attraction’s organizers owed. The city staff had recommended not trying to collect the debt.

“I can’t understand why we would want to forgive that amount of money,” said Feldhaus. “That’s a considerable sum.”

City Manager James D. Ruth explained it was doubtful the city could recover any money since the company was bankrupt and Schreiber had suffered a heart attack.

“It’s a waste of time for the city to try to get that money back,” said Lopez. “It’d be like chasing windmills.”

Nevertheless, Ruth said, the city staff would review the possibility of collecting money from the organization and report back to the council Tuesday.

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Mikies and the Famous

In its 18-year history, the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame has honored 82 broadcasters with its highest prize, the Mikie. The award stands six inches high and is in the shape of a microphone. Some of the more notable Mikie recipients:

* Amos ‘n Andy

* Gene Autry

* Jack Benny

* Bing Crosby

* Benny Goodman

* Bob Hope

* Al Jolson

* Larry King

* Edward R. Murrow

* Eric Sevareid

* Dinah Shore

* Red Skelton

* Frank Sinatra

* Orson Welles

Source: The National Broadcasters Hall of Fame