Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

Telecasting Notes: Campaign slogan of radio forces, combating TV inroads, is “Wherever you go . . . there’s radio!” and, in all-out effort to promote self to public and sponsors, AM even has song with that title being circulated by BMI; its 2 pages of sheet music are planted “as an industry service” in Jan. 28 Sponsor Magazine . . . “Higher than Eiffel Tower” is way WBEN-TV, Buffalo, is promoting new antenna tower being readied for March completion; it’s 1057 ft. above ground, 2699 ft. above sea level, has 56-dipole supergain antenna, will radiate 50 kw visual power, 25 kw aural . . . Seattle’s KING-TV has contracted for own “Television Center” at 320 Aurora Ave.; it will occupy 30,000-sq. ft. of modern downtown building on which alterations begin March 1 . . . WOR & WOR-TV, now owned by Thomas S. Lee Enterprises Inc. (Vol. 8:3), names H-R Representatives Inc. (Frank M. Headley) for West Coast in lieu of Keenan & Eickelberg; H-R also recently named by Tom O’Neil group to represent WNACTV, Boston . . . Stock exchange reports via TV for 5 minutes at 10:30 a.m., 10 minutes at 12:30, 15 minutes at 2:30 Mon.-thru-Fri., and 10 minutes between 11:30 & 12:30 Sat., members of stock exchanges buying sponsorship spots, is idea being promoted by Morse Productions, 202 E. 44th St., New York (B. W. Morse) . . . Kling Studios reports 26 of Old American Barn Dance films have been completed, sold to 27 stations . . . NBC-financed Dangerous Assignment, film series starring Brian Donlevy and produced by Don Sharpe, reported booked on about 25 stations for local sponsorships; NBC-TV also set to back Texas Rangers series starring Joel McCrea . . . Bruce Eells, onetime KHJ and Young & Rubicam executive, now in radio transcription field, reliably reported in Hollywood to have taken option to buy Eagle Lion Studios from Pathe Industries for $1,500,000; has formed National Film Distributors, with plans to produce TV versions of Little Orphan Annie and Gasoline Alley . . . Chicago Cubs’ 77 home games will be carried on WGN-TV, which also is expected to sign White Sox daytime home games . . . Eddie Cantor has signed lifetime contract with Welch’s Wine Div., Quality Importers Inc., presumably giving that firm first call on his TV-radio services . . . Associated Program Service, division of Muzak (Maurice B. Mitchell, gen mgr.), enters TV field as distributor of Encyclopedia Britannica Films Inc.’s catalog of more than 500 educational movies . . . Biltmore Theatre, on W. 47th St., New York, has been leased by CBS-TV for 10 years . . . IBEW-AFL won right to represent CBS-TV technicians throughout country in NLRB election decided this week. Network Accounts: Anahist Co. Inc. (cold tablets) be came fifth sponsor of Today when it bought 7 :50-7 :55 Fri. segment for 5 programs beginning Feb. 1, thru BBDO; also understood to be joining Today sponsorships is Doeskin Products Inc. (facial tissues), thru Federal Adv., N. Y. . . . Wine Corp. of America (Mogen David wine) March 13 moves Charles Wild, Private Detective from ABC-TV to DuMont, Thu. 10-10:30, thru Weiss & Geller, Chicago . . . Lever Bros, and General Tire & Rubber Co. will sponsor Easter Parade from N. Y. April 13 on NBC-TV, Sun. noon1 p.m. . . . Admiral sponsors Mar. 7 finals of Golden Gloves Tournament from Chicago on DuMont affiliates west of Pittsburgh, Fri. beginning at 8 p.m. CST, thru Erwin, Wasey, N. Y. . . . Oldsmobile has dropped Tue. & Thu. sponsorship of Douglas Edivards & the News on CBS-TV, Mon.-thru-Fri. 7:30-7:45 . . . Vitamin Corp. of America sponsorship of The Goldbergs, scheduled for Feb. 4 on NBC-TV, Mon. 7:15-7:30, thru Duane Jones Agency, looks like it will go on; but Ekco Products Co. won’t take Wed. segment, thru Earle Ludgin & Co., because of inability of network to clear 36 stations, and there’s doubt now whether Necchi Sewing Machine Sales Corp. will take Fri. sponsorship, contracted to start March 7. Station Accounts: Remington Rand (electric shavers) and Casco Products Corp. (steam irons) have combined to sponsor weekly 30-min. film, Holiday in Paris, spending about $250,000 jointly, thru Leeford Adv. and Norman D. Waters agencies, with local cooperative showings and local newspaper promotions; first to get show is WFIL-TV, Philadelphia, starting Feb. 7, 10:30 p.m. . . . Westinghouse appliance div., J. R. Clemens adv. mgr., has record’advertising budget of $12,000,000 for this year, including $3,000,000 for local cooperative advertising and increase from 1951’s $1,150,000 to $1,650,000 this year for its CBS-TV Studio One — plus, of course, TV-radio coverage of political conventions and campaign (Vol. 7:52 et seq) . . . Helbros Watch Co.’s $1,000,000 ad campaign for 1952, which includes TV & radio spots in 17 markets placed thru Wyatt & Schuebel, New York, ties in with Damon Runyon Cancer Fund, features 12 specially designed watches to be auctioned for benefit of Fund . . . E. J. Donovan, having sold 60 pairs of chinchillas for breeding purposes at average of $1000 a pair via 9 telecasts on KNXT, Los Angeles, has renewed for 13 weeks thru Alan Lane & Associates; his retail outlets have grown from 2 to 9 since program started last Nov. 25, and he credits TV for expansion . . . Atlantic Refining Co. and Adam Scheidt Brewing Co. (Valley Forge beer) combine to sponsor all Philadelphia Athletics and Phillies daytime home games next season, with exception of second game of doubleheaders, on rotating basis on WPTZ, WFIL-TV, WCAUTV, thru N. W. Ayer . . . Among other advertisers reported using or preparing to use TV: Seeman Bros. (White Rose tea), thru J. D. Tarcher & Co., N. Y.; Pfaff Sewing Machine Corp. (Dial-A-Switch sewing machine), thru Bozell & Jacobs, Chicago; Best Foods Inc. (Heilman’s mayonnaise), thru Benton & Bowles, N. Y.; Relaxacizor (reducing machine), thru Wm. Warren, Jackson & Delaney, N. Y.; 5 Day Laboratories (5 Day deodorant pads), thru Grey Adv., N. Y.; Caloric Stove Corp. (gas ranges), thru Neal D. Ivey Co., Philadelphia; Mutschler Bros. Co. (Portabilt kitchen furniture), thru Juhl Adv. Agency, Elkhart, Ind.; Rheem Mfg. Co. (hot water heaters), thru Campbell-Ewald Co., N. Y.; Knapp-Monarch Co. (electrical appliances), thru Gardner Adv. & Olian Adv., St. Louis. Sharpest slap at TV programming taken by FCC to date came this week when it considered license renewals for the 78 stations which wTei'e due for renewals Feb. 1. Applying to TV for first time its AM-FM practices, Commission renewed 52 licenses for regular period, placed 26 on temporary basis until May 1. Reason for temporary renewals: improper program balance — not enough education, religion, public service programs. No other reasons, such as “too many commercials”, were cited. Commission is sending letters to the 26, giving reasons for action. When stations come back with explanations, renewals will be granted or stations will be set for hearing. Commission has yet to take away any station license for “program imbalance.” Comr. Jones favored temporary extensions for all 78 on grounds FCC has not had time to study all cases. Ambitious series of medical programs, called Here’s to Your Health, begins Feb. 10, 5:30-6 p.m., on NBC-TV under supervision of New York County Medical Society. NBC is hunting sponsor, presumably one disassociated with medicine. Programs will comprise drama-documentaries on various diseases, will originate in laboratories, research centers, hospitals — as well as in TV studios. Two specialists will conduct each program, first of w’hich is devoted to polio, originating from NYU-Bellevue Medical Center.