That's crewman Doug McDaniel "shining" a camera on the subject of interest in this early 1960's event at the old Charlotte Coliseum (now called the Cricket Arena). Judging from Doug's "sincere" suit, this was likely a Billy Graham Crusade. That silver object on the camera's lens turret was a genuine "Universal Zoomar" lens, permitting you to get closer to the subject without physically moving the camera, a very big deal in those days. It had a simple control (in Doug's right hand) rather like a dip stick used to measure the oil in a car engine: push it in to get closer or pull it out to seem farther away.

As things worked out, as equipment became smaller, more sophisticated, and easier to use on location, the less often did stations cover such events. It became a bottom-line thing. Remotes were too costly to produce (if you could acquire the broadcast rights) and it was far easier to rely on network and cheap syndicated shows and movies to fill all that airtime.