Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)

10 Subliminal Storm Subsides: Little is heard any more of schemes for “hidden” commercials on TV, which produced some 1957-58 shock waves in industry & Congress (Vol. 13:37 et seq, Vol. 14:1 et seq). And what may be last gasps on subject were reported this week by Wall St. Journal. “I’ve been taking a heck of a licking,” said young James M. Vicary of Subliminal Perception Co. Inc., N. Y., who started it all by proposing that his movie technique for flashing subconscious messages be adapted to TV. “We’d anticipated some possible public shock — but nothing like what occurred.” Vicary acknowledged ruefully that not only did no commercial applications of his process develop but adverse publicity nearly ruined his established market research business. In New Orleans, v.p. Dr. Robert E. Corrigan of Precon Process & Equipment Corp., which tried to promote similar subliminal techniques, said: “We’ve really had to tighten our belts. The whole field is suffering.” Precon has abandoned hopes for any subliminal TV advertising contracts, but still thinks process has movie future. Rep. Wright (D-Tex.) was taking no chances on revival of issue which inspired rash of proposed legislation at last session of Congress. He introduced bill making it a crime to use subliminal advertising on TV. Subliminal advertising in Britain has been banned by Institute of Practioners in Advertising which has 243 member agencies. Special committee stated: “Irrespective of developments that might or might not prove effective, the use of subliminal communication in whatever form for advertising or sales promotion is professionally unacceptable. The free choice by the public to accept or reject is an integral part of all forms of professionally acceptable advertising, and does not appear to be available to recipients of subliminal communication.” ETV Gets Priority : First scheduled hearing by Senate Commerce Committee in new session of Congress will be on $51,000,000 Federal aid to educational TV bill (S-12) by Chairman Magnuson (D-Wash.), co-sponsored by Sen. Schoeppel (R-Kans.). Magnuson this week set up Jan. 27-28 sessions to start measure on legislative road which was blocked at last session — after Senate approval — when House Commerce Committee failed to approve similar measure in time for floor action (Vol. 14:33). As did 1958 bill, Magnuson’s measure authorizes grants of up to $1,000,000 to each state & territory for school TV equipment. Commercial printing sales in U. S. dipped in 1958 for first time in 10 years, reports N. Y. Employing Printers Assn. Total last year was $10.5 billion, about 1% under 1957. Concerns which specialize in advertising materials reported sales dropped more than industry average. Change of Address for Television Digest STARTING NEXT WEEK, Television Digest will be published at Radnor, Pa., our new editorial and business headquarters. Our Washington bureau will continue in the Wyatt Building in Washington and we are opening a New York bureau. For addresses and phone numbers, location of personnel, see masthead on page 9. All news releases and communications, except those dealing specifically with Washington matter.s, should be addressed to us at Box 700, Radnor, Pa. Translators & Rebroadcasting; Curiously, the only FCC-regulated method of TV relaying — translators — is also the only one running into trouble getting originating stations’ permission to repeat. Illegal boosters and community antennas don’t worry about it, for matter has never been litigated. Feb. Radio-Electronics suggests change in law to help translators: “Borrowing from another field of Federal regulation, one possible solution is suggested by a law which already exists in the patent field. A patent owner must license others to use his invention (for a reasonable fee) if withholding it would tend to produce monopoly. “A somewhat similar regulation could be added by Congress to the Communications Act. It would require telecasters to permit rebroadcasting of their programs by nonprofit repeaters in communities which have no TV stations of their own. “Such a law would take the broadcasters off the hot seat — and many of them would be happy to be relieved of the stigma of responsibility for denying TV service to small communities. “But more important, it would give equal program access to the only ‘secondhand’ TV system which is both free and legal.” Congressional action seems unlikely, however, for Congress is disposed to await outcome of litigation over rebroadcasting and “property rights” in signals, due to be launched shortly by NAB — against community antenna system in Twin Falls, Ida., which uses signals of Salt Lake City stations. Translator starts: K71AO, Wallowa-Enterprise, Ore. began Dec. 31 repeating KHQ-TV, Spokane; K80AN, K74AO & K70BD, Fillmore-Meadow-Kanosh, Utah, Jan. 13 reported they were on air repeating KSL-TV, KTVT & KUTV, Salt Lake City. Protest against sale of control of KGMB-TV, Honolulu (Ch. 9) with TV satellites and radio affiliates, in $8,088,249 purchase of Consolidated Amusement Co. by Hialand Development Corp. (Vol. 14:40-41,49), has been filed with FCC by minority Consolidated stockholder Harry Weinberg & his 800 Corp. FCC had approved transfer Dec. 3. Weinberg alleges that Consolidated management undervalued property, which includes theatres, real estate, etc., and practiced “fraud” in obtaining stockholders’ consent to sale. Weinberg also charged J. Howard Worrall, Consolidated v.p. and manager of broadcast properties, with “breach of fiduciary duty” in failing to inform stockholders of details of his arrangement to continue in charge of stations. Weinberg and 800 Corp. own 1.77% of Consolidated stock. Consolidated held 75.45% of broadcast properties (Hawaiian Bcstg. System Ltd.); balance is held by Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Degree of Master of Arts in Communication has been offered since 1955 by U of North Carolina’s Dept, of Radio, TV & Motion pictures, which began awarding Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1957, dept., chairman Earl Wynn points out in commenting on our Dec. 20 story on U of Pennsylvania’s new Annenberg School of Communications (Vol. 14:51). His department features courses in production, writing, station management, media research, mass communications and engineering, and operates WUNC-TV, Chapel Hill (Ch. 4) — which also has studios at Raleigh & Greensboro — as well as WUNC-FM. President of Broadcasting Foundation of N.C. which operates the department, is Harold Essex, WSJS-TV, (Ch. 12) & WSJS, Winston-Salem.