Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

id admen on independent tv outts. Features don't present the same ind of scheduling headache; ley're generally programed in lorning, afternoon or late-night ots even on independent stations, artoons, short subjects and other short-length" fare are generally otted in potpourri moppet-appeal lows with Hve hosts, and also do ot face the same kind of syndicaon time squeeze that confronts our-long programs. • Color shows in syndication — 'olor is a hot syndication trend, Ithough not all syndicators are umping on the color bandwagon. ti Sponsor's survey sample, 46 per ent said they felt color was "an mportant' factor" in syndication, 8 percent said it wasn't, and 16 )ercent were on the fence with what mounted to an it-all-depends vote. Those who were bullish on color ended to be feature film distribu ors with packages in which color is I strong factor, varying from the to percent-color averages of feature packages available from Seven Arts. bth-Fox, MGM-TV and United '\rtists to the heavily-color (fre 'luently 100 percent) packages of iction pictures from Embassy, Me lallion, American International and ^our Star. On the program side. the strongest color booster was Triangle Programs, whose sales chief, Edward H. Benedict, explained his color enthusiasm for his firm's largely-color film series thusly: "Non-color stations expect to go color, and frequently like a second 'premiere' of series in color for the future." Most filmed or taped syndication shows — whether old syndication properties (with a few exceptions, such as Cisco Kid), new syndication shows (such as the "actuality" shows from Official Films or Wolper) or off-network shows (such as CBS Films' Marshal Dillon rerun package) — are filmed originally and distributed in syndication in black & white. Advertisers whose tv campaigns involve color commercials will find, however, that there is an increasing number of local-level color syndication vehicles in which to slot colorized tv spots. Some idea of this spreading wave in color could be seen in a comment from a Seven Arts executive, whose firm has been one of the prime movers in non-network color: "Sixty-four stations have already colorcast Seven Arts' 'Films of the '50s' — including 10 which began this fall." Other distributors, such as Trans Lux on behalf of Felix The Cat, have noted that renewals for shows filmed originally in color, but televised in black & white, are beginning to be written as color renewals as stations acquire color film chains and the number of color tv homes increases. • Agency information level in syndication — Although the day has passed when most new syndication shows almost automatically were snapped up for multi-market regional deals before sales forces even started to make individual sales to stations, agencies still do a pretty good job of keeping in touch with trends in the syndication market. That was the general opinion of most syndicators surveyed by Sponsor for this report. Of the respondents, 46 percent said they felt agencies were "well informed" today on the main trends in syndication and its place in spot tv, 30 percent said agencies were "adequately" informed, and only 15 percent felt that agencies were "poorly" informed (the remaining 9 percent of syndicators in the sample gave no answer, possibly for diplomatic reasons). In part, this is due to the siz C on tinned on page 64 Station reps are important promotion target for syndicators MGM-TV's The Lieutenant is among hour-long, offnetwork shows now on syndication market. In action shot, actor Gary Lockwood studies orders for an airsea Marine Corps operation when his commander is suddenly stricken. In companion shot, Ted Page of Petry rep firm studies new promotion piece for show while visiting actress Chris Noel, who has played in the series, provides running commentary aided by escort of real Marines. Syndicators feel reps are important link today in syndication, since stations often seek rep advice in buying offerings, and later feed availabilities through rep channel for presentation to agencies. November 30, 1964 33