Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)

4 is, of course, to be expected; but it leads to interesting results. The effect produced is that, over a considerable range of distances from a TV transmitter, picture quality, as observed in the home, remains at approximately the same satisfactory level; but that when some more or less critical distance is exceeded, the service deteriorates very rapidly. This critical distance depends upon many local factors; but the significant fact is that, in practically all cases, this critical distance is much less for uhf than for vhf . It is even markedly less for high-band vhf than for low-band vhf... "Moreover, at the critical distance, uhf service fell off more rapidly and more completely than did vhf service. Within the critical distance, service was more variable at uhf than at vhf and was, on the average, poorer. The TASO studies showed clearly that some of the reasons for the poorer performance at uhf are truly basic in their nature and are not susceptible to complete compensation by the application of known techniques, while other reasons stem from equipment limitations which may or may not change as the art progresses." TV Studies Ready Soon: At least three of the communications studies now in progress for the Fund for the Republic will be completed “in a few weeks,” in the words of the men in charge — J. E. Patterson, who is doing audience rating systems, Robert W. Horton, handling the pay TV controversy, and Dr. Charles Winick who is covering censorship. Horton reveals that during course of his study, it became evident that pay TV was only a small slice of the whole pie, so final report will emerge as a comprehensive study of TV as a medium of mass communication. “It’s not to be egghead,” explains Horton, “we are not crusading. We simply want to present a realistic, reasonably good overall statement of everybody’s problems: agencies, sponsors, program producers, writers, commissioners — everybody.” Horton’s year-long fact-finding task has involved 19,000 miles of travel and a series of round-table discussions at Princeton to bring various elements of the industry together for face-to-face talk. Although his work will be completed shortly, he expects more time will be needed for checking with the persons involved. Final shape of the study has not yet been sledded. Could be a book, pamphlet, series of interim reports — or all three. Horton, former information director of the National Defense Advisory Commission, also was at one time Washington correspondent for the N. Y. World-Telegram. The Patterson study, explains its author, although detailing the 5 audience measurement systems — Nielsen, ARB, Pulse, Trendex, Videodex — will not be concerned with examining their effectiveness or relative accuracy from the standpoint of the time-buyer, but with the results of their measurements on TV itself — a matter of community interest. It is not intended to be “a bludgeon against the rating systems,” but a report on them from the standpoint of their effect on the people who use them and who control TV programming. Says Patterson: “This is in no sense an expose or a recital of case histories of shows unjustly thrown off the air because of ratings. It is an attempt to tell what ratings are — the qualitative kind as well as the quantitative — and how this information affects programming. We are not presenting opinion — primarily we arc reporting — but of course that involves raising questions and suggested answers.” Finished report will run about ;J0,000 words. Patterson, formerly on The New Yorker, has been carrying his full-time responsibilities as assistant market ing editor at Business Week, while working on the Fund study — which he started last summer. Winick’s report on censorship will run about 40,000 words. He is also associated with M.I.T.’s leisure time project. Processing of the reports from here on involves evaluation by the Fund, followed probably by decision to make them available, in one form or another, to all interested parties. Live Revolution: First network ever to present a foreign revolution live is the latest milestone claim of NBC as result of its 3 live video pickups of the Havana street rioting on Friday, Jan. 2 at climax of the successful Cuban revolt. Cameras outside the studios of CMQ, NBC affiliate, picked up the action periodically during the day. Picture went by microwave to relay station at Key West, then to affiliate, WCKT, Miami, and out to the network. All 3 nets moved quickly to cover, NBC sending crew of 9, CBS 6, ABC 5. CBS showed its first film on the revolt New Year’s Day. Sound film in interviews of Castro and Urrutia, shipped Monday, Jan. 5 by Stuart Novins, made CBS New York outlet at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and a net news show 75 minutes later. NBC followed up its first live shots with a mobile-unit capture of Castro himself on Thursday Jan. 8 as he rode his tank through Catoro, 27 miles from Havana. The combination of mobile unit, CMQ, Havana, and microwave to Key West brought in a good clear picture. The live technique was used again later in the day to catch 43 minutes of the successful rebel’s triumphal entry into Cuba’s capital. For Friday, Jan. 9, NBC offered a live special from Cuba at 7:30 p.m., and ABC was readying a film run-down on revolt for Sunday (Jan. 11) on Open Hearing at 3 p.m. For same day, newsminded Ed Sullivan planned to present a filmed interview with Fidel Castro. ABC Counts Blessings: Kick-off statement for the new year by ABC-TV pres. Oliver Treyz says net is in strongest position of its history, claims to lead its competitors in audience size on 4 of the week’s 7 nights. Primary affiliates are up from 79 to 88 in last year; advertisers up from 50 to 63; commercial hours sold, up from 27 to 48. Treyz also pointed to net’s expanded use of tape; experimentation with stereophonic sound; facility expansion in L. A., N. Y., Detroit; and installation of newtype vidicon tube for improved reception of film shows.