Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

14 Network TV-Radio Billings December 1951 and January-December 1951 (For November report, see Television Digest, Vol. 7:52) NETWORK TV BILLINGS of $14,247,061 for December, only slightly under radio networks’ $14,619,048, brought total network TV for year to $127,989,713 or nearly thrice the 1950 total of $44,356,772, according to Publishers Information Bureau. NBC-TV’s December billings of $6,592,673 continued to forge ahead of its radio billings ($4,343,307) and now lead all network revenues. CBS-TV is second with $4,736,368, but its radio continued to lead its own TV and all other radio networks with $5,278,508. (We erred, in analyzing last PIB report, in stating that CBS-TV revenues had jumped ahead of its radio.) For year, NBC-TV’s $59,171,452 beat out its radio network’s $54,324,017, but CBS and ABC radio networks continued to run well ahead of their TV. Trend seems plain, however — TV billings are upgrade, radio down, latter manifested by fact that total 1951 network radio ran $174,718,594 as against $183,519,037 in 1950. That TV by end of 1952 will surpass radio, albeit there will be only 100-odd interconnected TV stations, seems fairly evident in light of higher TV network rates and lower radio network rates ordered last year. Detailed PIB figures: DUMONT AND ABC political convention TV plans were revealed this week as battle for station clearances (Vol. 8:1) went on with renewed vigor. Following pattern of CBS-Westinghouse (Vol. 7:52) and NBC-Philco (Vol. 8:1) deals, ABC announced Admiral will sponsor complete TV-radio coverage of Democratic and Republican national conventions as well as election returns. Contract was placed through Erwin, Wasey, New York. DuMont came up with unique deal whereby Life Magazine supplies staff of more than 30 editors and reporters, picture morgue, March of Time film clips, etc. for local sponsorship on co-op basis. It’s not likely ABC or DuMont will make much of a dent in one and 2-station markets, but they’ll scrap it out in the nine 3-station areas. Strictly from viewpoint of revenue to stations, DuMont offer is most attractive, since ABC, CBS & NBC will pay affiliates for only part of the time they carry the coverage. Young & Rubicam, representing Life, will participate in DuMont coverage as programming and production counsel. * * * * First political time sale by network in 1952 presidential campaign was to Stassen for President Committee, which has bought 15-min. intermission (approx. 11-11-:15) between Sat. night wrestling bouts on DuMont Feb. 2 to present Mr. Stassen speaking from New York. NETWORK TELEVISION NBC ._. CBS __ ABC DuMont December 1951 ..$ 6,592,673 _ 4,736,368 _ 1,980,145 937,875 December 1950 $ 3,274,757 2,304,602 1,298,616 Jan.-Dee.. 1951 $ 59,171,452 42,470,844 18,585,911 7,761,506 Total $14,247,061 $ 6,877,975 $127,989,713 NETWORK RADIO CBS NBC ABC MBS . $ 5,278,508 . 4,343,307 3,300,219 _ 1,697,014 $ 6,544,490 5,077,740 2,898,508 1,312,393 $ 68,784,773 54,324,017 33,708,846 17,900,958 Jan.-Dee. 1950 $ 21,185,692 12,964,531 6,628,662 3,577,887 $ 44,356,772 $ 70,744,669 61,411,546^ 35,270,845 16,091,977 Total $14,619,048 $15,833,131 $174,718,594 $183,519,037 * Figures for 1950 not available. * * * Network TV and radio figures for January-thruDecember, including revisions of previously revised PIB figures: NETWORK TELEVISION TOTALS FOR 1951 Jan. . Feb. March .. April _ May — June July Aug. .... Sept. Oct. Nov. — Dec. ABC $1,328,719 . 1,254,851 .. 1,539,470 . 1,432,319 .. 1,385,901 _ 1,437,593 . 1,351,168 1,444,593 1,622,482 . 1,897,427 1,911,243 . 1,980,145 CBS $ 2,601,165 2,600,339 2,993,902 2,906,891 3,066,249 2,900,782 3,434,659 3,734,551 4,159,213 4,731,219 4,605,506 4,736,368 DuMont $ 435,527 406,079 457,811 574,025 622,646 564,478 645,359 763,071 738,578 768,684 847,373 937,875 NBC $ 4,187,222 $ 3,949,360 4,654,063 4,758,309 4,946,338 4,244,240 3,477,952 3,359,856 5,405,243 7,060,289** 6,535,907** 6,592,673 Total 8,552,633 8,210,629 9,645,246 9,671,544 10,021,134 9,147,093 8,909,138 9,302,071 11,925,516 14,457,619 13,900,029 14,247,061 Total $18,585,911 $42,470,844 $ 7,761,506 $59,171,452 $127,989,713 NETWORK RADIO TOTALS FOR 1951 ABC CBS MBS NBC Total Jan. $ 3,099,418 $ 6,833,626 $ 1,542,887 $ 5,215,947 $ 16,691,878 Feb. 2,702,721 6,097,737 1,426,705 4,731,626 14,958,789 March .. 2,891,339 6,793,966 1,648,006 5,085,636 16,418,947 April 2,980,183 6,487,717 1,539,801 4,897,882 15,905,583 May . 2,991,227 6,745,098 1,510,818 5,329,752 16,576,895 June .... .. 2,720,268 6,201,963 1,191,691 4,739,193 14,853,115 July 2,267,674 4,387,193 1,347,841 3,728,687 11,731,395 Aug. 2,210,352 4,440,261 1,329,375 3,808,906 11,788,894 Sept. 2,165,971 4,645,527 1,324,061 3,713,235 11,848,794 Oct. .. 3,158,714 5,615,723 1,759,468 4,414,200 14,948,105 Nov. 3,220,760 5,257,454 1,583,291 4,315,646 14,377,151 Dec .. 3,300,219 5,278,508 1,697,014 4,343,307 14,619,048 Total $33,708,846 $68,784,773 $17,900,958 $54,324,017 $174,718,594 ** Revised as of Jan. 21, 1952. Note: These figures do not represent actual revenues to the networks, which do not divulge their actual net dollar incomes. They’re compiled by PIB on basis of one-time network rates, or before frequency or cash discounts. Therefore, in terms of dollars actually paid to networks they may be inflated by as much as 40%. Figures are accepted by networks themselves, however, and by the industry generally, as satisfactory index of comparisons and trends. Note: Foregoing tables replace those for January-November published on p. 32 of TV Factbook No. 14. Distillers and ad agencies are due to carry burden of opposition to “drys” in Jan. 30 hearing on Johnson-Case bill (S. 2444) before Senate Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee (Vol. 8:3). Bill would outlaw TV-radio commercials of distilled spirits. NARTB and station reps are expected to file statements, though distilled spirits have never been accepted by the industry. House Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee hasn’t yet set date for hearings on Rep. Rankin’s bill (H.R. 5889) to outlaw commercials for any alcoholic beverage, which would include beer and wine. Addition of several uhf stations to the 5 vhf which single entity is permitted by FCC to acquire, proposed by NBC (Vol. 8:1), was backed this week by National Appliance & Radio Dealers Assn, when president Mort Farr wrote FCC Chairman Coy that: “It will give the retailers strong teammates in the introduction of the new type of TV receivers to the public, speeding the development of a uhf audience by assuring a goodly number of quality programs being offered consistently.” Sole application filed with FCC this week for TV station came from W.VET, Rochester, N. Y., seeking Channel 10 and proposing to use same tower as WHAM-TV. Total pending is now 481. [For details, see TV Addenda H-B; for complete list of other pending applications, see TV Factbook No. H and Addenda to date.] Its patent-filing idea still under attack (Vol. 7:48, 8:23), FCC this week granted further extension of time for parties to submit comments — from Jan. 31 to Feb. 21. Those filing comments so far generally find proposal of little value to FCC, too broad in application, great and unnecessary burden on patentees and Commission. Emilio Azcarraga, Mexican TV-radio tycoon, has ordered complete TV stations for Monterrey (Channel 6) and Guadalajara (Channel 10), as approved by Mexican govt. (Vol. 8:1), from International Standard Electric Corp. (IT&T), most equipment to be supplied by IT&T’s Federal. TV-radio restrictions on members’ football games were retained by National Football League in its constitution at meeting this week in exact form as last year, despite Justice Dept.’s suit charging unreasonable restraint (Vol. 7:41,44,48, 52).