Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)

8 NBC Sums Up: Gross time sales for NBC-TV were up 13% in 1958 over the preceding year, despite a recession. That’s a major highlight of the annual sum-up to be issued this week over the signatures of board chairman Robert W. Sarnoff and pres. Robert E. Kintner. The report pointed out that this gross — double the sales volume of 5 years ago, and the all-time peak investment by advertisers in NBC-TV — represents the largest roster of advertisers (205) of any network, including 23 of the nation’s top 25 advertisers. NBC, first commercial network to use its facilities for educational TV, pointed with pride to Continental Classroom, first nation-wide TV course for college (250 institutions participating) credit: 5-day-a-week, 149 station, 2-semester course in atomic age physics. Year also included nearly 100 specials; a 20% step-up in news coverage; and a I’ecord high of 664 hours of color (with the 20% of advertisers who used color in 1957 stepping up to 33% in 1958). NBC International Ltd. is now arranging broadcast of TV shows in more than 30 foreign countries, with Perry Como Show, for instance, now being seen almost simultaneously in 16 countries. NBC’s radio network, in its 33rd year, reported billings up 17% in 1958 over the preceding year, accounting for 46.6%, by December, of all sponsored time on the 3 major nets. CBS Takes Stock: The annual state-of-thenetwork report just issued claims for CBS-TV the “undisputed leadership in advertising billings” and the title of “the world’s largest advertising medium.” For first 10 months of 1958, billings were up 3.7%. By Nielsen measurements, CBS claims 6 of the 10 biggest-audience shows of the year, and domination of 29 evening 14 -hour, as against the next net’s dozen. Affiliates reached a new high of 243. Among other things, CBS pointed with pride to its exclusivity as the only net presenting 60 & 90-min. weekly live dramas (3, including Playhouse 90). With an implied but unchronicled bow in the direction of Sen. Magnuson (Vol. 14:51), CBS pointed out that CBS News in 1958 had presented “a record number of regularly scheduled and special reports,” and its public affairs dept, had completed “its most ambitious year to date.” B First non-medical use of Eidophor big-screen color projector (Vol. 15:1) is tentatively scheduled for May, event undisclosed, according to Jay Raeben, of Teletalent Inc., 274 Madison Ave., N.Y. Teletalent presented medical programs for CIBA Pharmaceutical Corp. during Washington meeting of American Assn, for Advancement of Science. Says Raeben: “The program will revolutionize the business-meeting use of closed-circuit TV.” Republican TV series, to be called Republican National Forum of the Air, is proposed by National Chairman Meade Alcorn as part of strategy for 1960 election campaign. In memo sent to White House and party leaders, Alcorn says TV could be used effectively to present GOP viewpoint on current issues, introduce “personable & promising” young Republicans. Replicas of historic radio equipment used in first news broadcast of presidential election results have been pi’esented to Smithsonian Institution in Washington by Westinghou.se Bcstg. Co. It’s a reproduction of unit used by radio KDKA to transmit results of Harding-Cox election, Nov. 2, 1920, from atop Westinghouse East Pittsburgh plant. Christopher TV Awards for 1958, bestowed by Catholic lay order on pi'oducers, directors & writers for using “their God-given talent in a constructive way” in program creation: Jan. 12 Dinah Shore Chevy Show, NBC (producer-director Bob Banner, music director Harry Zimmerman, writers Bob Wells, Johnny Bradford & Ax'nold Peyser) ; “Bridge of San Luis Rey,” CBS (producer David Susskind, director Robert Mulligan, writer Ludi Claire) ; “MD International,” Mareh of Medicine, NBC (producer-director David Lowe, writer Lu Hazam) ; “Little Moon of Alban,” Hallmark Theatre, NBC (exec, producer Mildred Freed Alberg, pi’oducer-director George Schaefer, writer James Costigan) ; “The Wild Swan,” Shirley Temple Storybook, NBC (producer Alvin Cooperman, director Richard Morris, writer Jean Holloway) ; “Alaska,” High Adventure with Lowell Thomas, CBS (producerwriter Lowell Thomas Jr., director Jean Philipe Carson, writer Pi'osper Buranelli) ; “SSN-571 Nautilus,” Armstrong Theatre, CBS (producer Jacqueline Babbin, exec, producer Robei’t Costello, director Wm. Corrigan, writer Jerome Cooper-Smith) ; “Art Carney Meets Peter & the ' Wolf,” ABC (exec, producer John Green, producer Bert Shevelove, dii'ector Dick Feldman, music director Paul Weston) ; “Revolt in Hungary,” 20th Century, CBS (producer Bui'ton Benjamin, writer Norman Borisoff, film editor Robert Collinson, music writer Paul Ci’eston) ; Dec. 22 Firestone Hour, ABC (producer Fred Heider, director Richard Dunlap, writers Harold Flender & David Gi'egory). NAB Convention Agenda: FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer has been added as a major speaker (March 17 luncheon) during March 15-18 annual NAB convention at Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago. NBC chairman Robert W. Sarnoff, Keynote Award recipient, speaks at March 16 luncheon, NAB pres. Harold E. Fellows at March 18 luncheon. Other agenda highlights: Mai'ch 16 — FM, labor, management confei'ence; March 17 — management conference, afternoon open for visits to exhibits, etc.; March 18 — FCC panel, business session, management conference, banquet. Engineering conference runs concurrently, engineers joining management for some sessions. TV management confei’ences will cover px'ogramming, allocations, film, tape, sales & costs. Congress. Radio meetings will deal with programixxing, public relations, standards of good pi’actice, music licensing, audience research, editorializing, legislation, automation, sales, 5-year forecast. Cochairmen of convention committee ai’e G. Richai’d Shafto, WIS-TV, Columbia, S. C. & R. T. Mason, WMRN, Marion, O. Electronic volume-level adjuster has been developed by CBS to eliminate apparent sound volume differences in telecast and “make listening easier and more pleasant.” All N. Y. studios are equipped; those in Chicago & Hollywood will be shortly. Equipment was developed after a year’s study of complaints that commercials & ixxusic frequently sounded much louder than the rest of the program. Said Edward L. Saxe, CBS-TV network operations v.p.: “The new study showed that even though all portions of a progi-am are actually ti-ansmitted at the same electrical level, some parts actually sound louder than others because of the subjective reaction of listeners to a staccato type of voice delivery or music peiTormance. The study also showed that the occasional practice of adding reverberation to sound increased apparent loudness. In addition, the study revealed that the procedure followed in making sound-on-film recordings often results in an increase in the apparent loudness of film inserts in a live program.”