Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

KCOP (TV) To Take Up Doerfer's 'Start Editorializing' Plea Responding to the plea of FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer for stations to voice their views on questions of importance [Lead Story, May 5], KCOP (TV) Los Angeles last week announced that within a month it will start editorializing. It is the first of the city's seven tv stations to take such a position. (KMPC Los Angeles also is currently editorializing.) In making the announcement, Kenyon Brown, KCOP president, said that the station's "policy will be to deal principally with local issues not guided by partisan principles." Community interest will be the determining factor in the selection of editorial topics, he stated. "Our editorials will not be applied to those subjects which do not stimulate conscientious debate. We accept the FCC's encouragement to develop editorials that provoke adult interest — pro and con." Gardner Introduces Media Staff A pocket-size booklet explaining "Who's Who in the Media Dept." is being distributed by Gardner Adv. Co., St. Louis, to media representatives throughout the country. The booklet lists Gardner clients, media supervisors assigned to overall media supervision of specific accounts and various timebuyers -—all designed to apprise media representatives of "who's the best person for you to see" and to save time of media and agency representatives in personal contacts. Says Robert R. Riemenschneider, the agency's media director: "While it is naturally our policy to encourage appointments, we are aware of the problems of the media representative, and we recognize that his time is just as important as ours." Under Gardner policy, media supervisors work with time, space and outdoor buyers on specific media recommendations, and coordinate marketing information and media plans with client and agency personnel. KMOX-TV Books Army Footage KMOX-TV St. Louis soon will begin programming filmed interviews with area soldiers overseas. The footage is being secured, Leon Drew (KMOX-TV program director) announced, through the cooperation of Capt. Joseph D'Amico, public information officer for the 11th Army Corps (Missouri-Illinois). The CBS-owned station thus reportedly becomes one of the first in the country to take advantage of a new Army service. The Army is shooting 90second interviews overseas with men doing jobs considered interesting or outstanding, KMOX-TV explains. XEG Marathon Scores Communism Sen. James O. Eastland (D-Miss.), Maj. Gen. Charles A. Willoughby, former FBIman Dan Smoot and Sword of the Lord editor Dr. John R. Rice, participated in an eight hour spectacular April 25 on XEG Monterrey, Mexico, which was beamed to Broadcasting POPULACE POLLED Chattanooga is most proud of Lookout Mountain. Chattanooga's scenery, beauty and tourist attractions are what its people boast about when they travel. This was the prize-winning reply in a contest which grew out of a request by Bruce Chapman, Mutual's Answer Man, that WAGC Chattanooga General Manager John Sanders fill him in on the city for an upcoming program. Mr. Sanders and Tom Boylan, manager of the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau, decided to pass the questions on to the people via WAGC. A five-week "saturation" of daily announcements over the station followed. The resulting "hundreds of letters" required two weeks of reading by the Visitors Bureau which narrowed the field to approximately a dozen which were submitted to the judges. First prize consisted of an expensefree trip for four to a Florida resort. All contestants received free passes to the city's leading scenic and historic attractions. the U. S. The marathon was titled "Communism Shall Not Win" and was sponsored by evangelist Billy James Hargis through White Advertising Agency of Tulsa, according to the agency's president, Pete White. This special XEG program was held in connection with the current fund-raising campaign for the sixth annual "Bible Balloon Project," in which portions of the Bible are floated by balloons into Iron Curtain countries. WALT Buys the Champagne WALT Tampa, Fla., delivered magnums of champagne to local advertising agencies recently to celebrate the winning of three "major" national awards. The station won first place for audience promotion in 1957 and second place for sales promotion in an annual competition sponsored by a national magazine. WALT also reported that it was notified by the National Safety Council that it was one of four Florida radio stations to receive the NSC's plaque for outstanding public service broadcasting in 1957. WSAI Praised for News Beat An editorial campaign on WSAI-AM-FM Cincinnati was considered responsible by the stations in getting permission to carry the full hearings of a committee that had previously been announced as being held in camera. The killing of a fleeing Negro boy by Cincinnati police was branded excessive brutality by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People and the city set up a committee to examine the charges. WSAI-FM broadcast the hearings without comment; taped highlights were aired on WSAI-AM by newscaster Al Schottelkotte in the evening. Under the two column head "WSAI Is Praised for News Beat," the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the stations "gave listeners an objective report on which they could base their own conclusions." NBC-TV Focuses on '600 School' NBC-TV will present a special filmed documentary May 25 (6:30-7:30 p.m.) on the 600 School, set up in New York to handle "difficult or problem" children. At Brooklyn Public School 613, Chet Huntley and reporter William Hill will interview two of the boys, a parent and members of the school administration, and will show classroom and other activities. CHUM Airs Weekend Holiday Hints CHUM Toronto, Ont, is airing a weekend travel format Holiday With CHUM, that starts at 4 p.m. Friday and continues at various times till midnight Sunday. The programming includes special road reports, data on fishing and hunting, weather forecasts, safety messages and traffic reports from some 400 stations throughout the Ontario area. Holiday also carries special highway information from the Toronto police department, travel tips, news about special events in southern Ontario, and special messages from government officials. The program is sponsored by a gasoline chain and a bakery. SAN DIEGO'S 1ST music station KSON 1ST in PROGRAMMING 1ST in NEWS 1ST in COMMERCIAL STANDARDS 1st in RESULTS at. the lowest cost KSON RADIO SAM DIEGO Rates are still LOW can FOR JOE! May 19, 1958 Page 101