Yearbook of radio and television (1957)

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Exciting Future Of Broadcasting is In Impact On American Tliought I'M sure it should be my design in this article to talk about the various accomplishments and problems of the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters during 1956 and to make some prediction of our program for the future. However, I should like to take the liberty at the outset of making a few general comments about broadcasting itself, in both its video and aural aspects. (XZ>0 The most dramatic evidence of what television means to America is the estimated 1,481,570,000 home hours viewed each week by the public during the past year. And radio has reached such a point of saturation that people now listen not only in every room of their homes, but in cars, in their places of business, in their outdoor activities — in fact, everywhere they go. Public comprehension of the vital role of both radio and television was enhanced by the observance of separate national weeks for each medium in 1956 and we hope this year's celebrations — May 5-11 for Radio and September 22-28 for TV — will be even more successful. In the production sense, the past year has been a rich one indeed — bringing us again the national political conventions and the subsequent coverage of the campaigns themselves, and, in early 1957, by the inauguration. 0<Z>0 The truly stupendous effect of this instrument of political life of today and tomorrow is rather difficult for any of us to comprehend. Television and radio today have dispelled some of the "fog" and the electorate's capacity to choose on the basis of merit — both in the case of candidates and issues — has been enhanced immeasurably. In retrospect, we saw quite an advance in the field of entertainment during 1956. Some particularly fine Hollywood films have reached the home screen, adding to the riches television offers the public. Surely this new source of programming will give impetus to continued improvement in the "live" product. Competition has been a keystone in progress in this nation from time of genesis, and I don't doubt that this same factor will hold true in television broadcasting, as we know from experience that it did in radio. We have seen the names of people in our own family of activity emblazoned in the headlines of our own trade papers — those who, in the background, have contributed so By HAROLD E. FELLOWS President & Chairman of the Board N.A.R.T.B. much to the objectives toward which we aspire. During the past year, the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, representing an all-time high of 2,126 members, seemed to attain a better understanding of its industry's principles and plans in a very significant place — on Capitol Hill in Washington. The various hearings that were conducted by the Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee and others, served only — although they seemed to be perhaps aggravating at the moment — to shed light that reflected some glory on the industry. I believe they helped us more than they hurt us. 0<:z>o In 1956 we saw organized TASO — the all-industry efi'ort to contribute some practical analysis to the problem of full service in television, all of this at the suggestion of the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, the Honorable George C. McConnaughey. TASO represents at the least a healthy evidence of industry cooperation with government — and at the most, we hope, a step in the direction to the solution of one of the most difficult problems broadcasting has ever faced. 0<Z>0 There have been numerous "background" conferences between the Association and its executive personnel with broadcasters on such diverse subjects as music licensing, public relations, news broadcasting, standards and ethics, copyright, legislation, and even such subjects as changing the name of the Association back from the NARTB to the NAB. All of these conferences, leading eventually to recommendations to the policysetting boards of the Association and the subsequent adoption of procedural plans, reflect the serious purpose of men working together. We look forward to 1957 and the succeeding years as times of excitement and great development in both radio and television, and those of us at NARTB are happy that in some way we have a part in this adventure that lies ahead. 57