Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

7 Telecasting Notes: Trend to separation of operations of commonly owned TV and radio stations is pointed up by year-end announcements that Omaha’s WOW Inc. and Dallas News have completed staff splits. Recently acquired by Meredith interests (Vol. 7:32,39), WOW-TV will have Lyle DeMoss as program director, Fred Ebener as sales mgr., while W. 0. Wiseman becomes sales mgr. and Roy Olson program director of WOW — all reporting to gen. mgr. Frank P. Fogarty ... In Dallas, WFAA-TV’s mgr. is Ralph Nimmons, WFAA-AM’s Alex Keese, with gen. mgr. Martin B. Campbell moved to new job of supervisor of TV-radio properties with offices in new News plant . . . Denver, biggest non-TV city, since Dec. 1 has been getting — and will continue to get — selected events off transcontinental circuits, relayed via closed circuit to 30 Hallicrafters receivers in 4500-seat Mammoth Gardens, under auspices of KFEL, which staged huge World Series relay (Vol. 7:40); tickets were distributed free by local newspapers for all save Army-Navy and Notre Dame-USC games Dec. 1, for which $1.20 was charged . . . NBC-TV gambling reputed $5,000,000 this year on expanded daytime schedules (Vol. 7:49-52), most sustaining thus far — Dave Garroway’s 7-9 a.m. Today show alone costing some $40,000 a week to stage; 9-10 a.m. is left for local, 10-1 filled up with network . . . CBS-TV foray into morning news field is ambitious show starting Jan. 7 titled Morning News, Mon.thru-Thu. 10-10:15 a.m. EST, Fri. 10-10:30, with Dorothy Doan and Harry Marble as commentators, Ted Marvel directing; commentaries, films and still pictures will cover news, theatre, fashions, the arts, etc. . . . New 85xl95-ft. studio, NBC-TV’s largest, was put to first use Jan. 3 with telecast of Opera Theatre; it’s in old Vitagraph studios in Brooklyn, recently acquired, makes 15th studio for NBCTV . . . WOR-TV, New York, moves Jan. 10 to its new TV Square bldg, on W. 67th St. Station Accounts: Capsule success stories on 7 accounts comprise “TV results” section of Dec. 31 Sponsor Magazine, reporting on Weston Biscuit Co.’s Laughing Academy on WJBK-TV, Detroit, thru Clark & Rickerd; Johnnie & Mack (auto painting & repair), Art Green Show on WTVJ, Miami, direct; Kendall Mfg. Co. (Soapine granulated soap), Shopping Vues on WNAC-TV, Boston, thru Bennett, Walther & Menadier; Lymburner Nurseries (plants), Strictly for the Girls on WSB-TV, Atlanta, direct; Strietmann Biscuit Co., Strietmann Story Theatre, on WTVR, Richmond, thru H. M. Miller; Levy Bros., spots selling Confederate & Union-style army hats, on WAVE-TV, Louisville, direct; Tommy Greenhow (Formula X for windshields, windows, etc.), spots on KSL-TV, Salt Lake City, thru Anastasion . . . Dixie Cup Co., having tested TV on ■Junior Hi-Jinx Show on WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, planning TV-radio campaign this year, thru Hicks & Greist, N. Y. . . . Chicago Sun-Times buys Clifton Utley newscasts weekly on WNBQ, Fri. 10:15-10:30 p.m., commercials consisting of interviews with editors and staffmen . . . Frankenmuth Brewing Co. (Mel-o-Dry beer) has completed 11 TV film spots, shot by Video Films, Detroit, for spot placement by Ruthrauff & Ryan, using pantomime stars of The Scotti Show now carried on WWJ-TV, Detroit, with Bert Wells, The Friendly Bartender, delivering commercials . . . Among other advertisers reported using or preparing to use TV : Athletic Shoe Co. (athletic shoes), thru Burlingame-Grossman, Chicago; International Salt Co. Inc. (Sterling salt), thru Scheideler, Beck & Werner, N. Y. (WBAL-TV); Cadbury & Fry (candy), thru Bernard Schnitzer Inc., San Francisco (KPIX); Odell Co. fTrol shampoo & after-shave freshener), thru Lawrence C. Gumbinner Adv., N. Y. Mutual Broadcasting System reports $17,875,758 gross time billings during 1951, or 11% ahead of 1952. Financial & Trade Notes: Admiral president Ross D. Siragusa, addressing some 800 distributors and salesmen from all over country during junket to firm’s refrigerator plant in Galesburg, 111., Jan. 3, expressed opinion materials shortages so freely prophesied may not actually materialize this year. “Ever since Korea,” he said, “the economic forecasters have consistently overestimated the impact of the defense program on the civilian economy and underestimated the ingenuity and productive capacity of American industry. “I am more bullish by far on our TV industry than on any other in existence today,” he added. “No other major industry still has such a vast, virgin market yet to be exploited.” Last year’s “hard days,” he continued, were not without their blessings — they enabled the industry to lighten excessive inventories and, so far as Admiral is concerned, TV sets at the factory represent less than 2 weeks’ sales at recent rate. Admiral begins 1952 in best financial condition in its history, with cash on hand of $20,000,000, net worth of $40,000,000, an increase over last 12 months of $7,250,000. Admiral has done no outside financing, he said. * * * * Philco’s total sales for 1951 exceeded $310,000,000, second only to 1950’s record $335,318,000, president William Balderston told distributor convention in Chicago Jan. 5. As for the future, he said: “Regardless of the exact 1952 production, Philco sales augmented by govt, contracts should set new records . . . 1952 can be Philco’s greatest year.” Demand for TV sets is so great, he said, that company’s entire production will probably be on allocation through first quarter. Philco factory and distributordealer inventories are at lowest point in history, he added. Cornell-Dubilier sales for fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 1951, totaled $33,082,683, up 38% from 1950 peak of $23,927,117. Net income for 1951 fiscal year was $1,649,163 ($3.71 per common share) compared with $1,757,524 ($3.96) for preceding fiscal year. Firm has issued redemption notice for 355 shares of $5.25 dividend preferred stock at $100 a share on Feb. 1 at Registrar & Transfer Co. Warner Bros. Pictures reports revenues from film rentals, theatre admissions and sales, after eliminating inter-company transactions, fell to $116,909,000 for fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1951, from $126,944,000 for preceding year. Net profit, after providing for $9,100,000 Federal income taxes, was $9,427,000 ($1.67 a share on 5,619,785 shares outstanding) compared with $10,271,000 ($1.46 on 6.997,300 shares) in 1950 fiscal year after $6,300,000 taxes. Short interest in TV-radio and related stocks on N. Y. Stock Exchange showed these changes between Nov. 15 & Dec. 14: Admiral, 21,370 shares Nov. 15, to 23,070 Dec. 14; Avco, 20,180 to 20,850; General Electric, 10,098 to 10,419; Magnavox, 14,751 to 12,266; Motorola, 14,890 to 14,624; Philco, 9739 to 8921; Sylvania, 2050 to 4550; United Paramount Theatres, 8535 to 7120; Westinghouse, 6332 to 5188; Zenith, 21,130 to 23,475. * * * * Financial Miscellany: Most active stock traded on New York Stock Exchange during 1951, as in 1950, was RCA . . . Tung-Sol Electric Inc. (formerly Tung-Sol Lamp Works) has posted redemption notices for all convertible preferred stock at $17.70 a share, including Feb. 1 dividend, at United States Corporation Co., N. Y. . . . International Resistance Co. registered with SEC this week offering of 325,000 shares of common stock, 250,000 being new financing, 75,000 holdings of certain stockholders, offered through F. Eberstadt & Co. and Zuckerman, Smith & Co. . . . Olympic Radio declares 3% stock dividend payable Jan. 28 to holders of record Jan. 15.