Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

2 JANUARY 4, 1960 hearings explore even part of field surveyed by subcommittee staff, proceedings will run far into session, leaving little time for any actual floor work on any new laws. Federal Communications Commission: FCC s stepped-up surveillance of industry will first take form of sharper rebukes to stations guilty of clear-cut violations of law & Commission rules for example, false ownership reports to FCC. In programming, the move will be slower. It will come in shape of brisk questions directed to operators whose performance bears least resemblance to promises they've made on paper to Commission. Death penalty of license revocation won't be imposed for programming malfeasance, but some licensees will sweat before year is over. Commission's close watch over licensees will cover whole range of its jurisdiction, particularly in areas spotlighted by Congress— such as trafficking in licenses, as criticized by Harris subcommittee last year. Commissioners will spend so much time on Capitol Hill that they'll joke wryly about installing a shuttle bus. They'll be grilled about quiz-rigging, payola, programming, allocations, boosters & CATV — and other issues certain to emerge. They'll spend a lot of time interpreting new political broadcasting law. Republican Comr. Robert E. Lee is almost certain to be renominated, and his chances of confirmation by Senate are excellent. Federal Trade Commission: FTC's TV-radio advertising monitoring imit (set up with 3 staffers in 1956 with paltry appropriation of $100,000) still is so tiny that it doesn't rate listing in agency's official table of organization. As direct result of 1959 broadcasting scandals, that condition — along with importance of FTC itself — is due for change — which could be ominous for industry. If anything at FTC is sure for 1960: ( 1 ) It will get more money — and maybe tough new legislation — from Congress. (2) TV-radio looking-&-listening post, already doubled in staff size, will be expanded further. (3) FCC, FTC, Justice Dept., Food & Drug Administration, National Bureau of Standards will work together (as they often haven't in past) to help police fraud & fakery. (4) Under cleon-up-or-else threats, FTC will induce trade organizations — especially those related to broadcasting — to carry on real self-regulating crusades. (5) Chmn. Earl W. Kintner, a staunchly Republican free-enterpriser, will make new history for FTC as guardian of public against advertising & merchandising gyps. For broadcasters, one effect of all this may be that FTC will come to rival FCC as alphabetical symbol of govt. NAB & Industry Codes: Paradoxically, broadcasting's time of trouble & disrepute probably will bring year of resurgent strength & prestige to NAB. If for no other reason, common adversity in TV & radio will bring broadcasters together in common fronts as never before. In TV, some of NAB membership holdouts (small-market vhfs, obscure uhfs, go-it-alone independents) may continue refusals to take out cards in industry's club. But as a business necessity, subscribing to TV Code more <& more will become a must for nonmembers as well as NAB card-carriers. In radio, rush by station loners to sign up with NAB — and thereby become eligible for Code subscription — will set roster record. And TV & radio Codes (regarded by some subscribers in past as collections of pious platitudes which could be ignored safely) will take on new & real meanings for stations & public alike. As never before, right to display Code seals of good practices will become tangible assets for stations. There will be tougher NAB supervision of subscribers' behavior, too. In fear of offending dues-payers, NAB may have been too timid about crackdowns in past. Before 1960 is out, situation may be reversed. Fast-buck operators will begin to think twice about offending NAB (let alone viewers & listeners) before putting questionable stuff on air. Stations' Finoncial Health: Unless economic portents for 1960 are wrong, TV will continue onward & upward this year — in terms of broadcast revenues (see below), at least. And radio, whose profitd-loss graphs waver uncertainly, should have relatively steady year; 1959 was better than 1958 and further improvement by 3% this year wouldn't be surprising. Network Business: Billing growth will continue, but at slower rate, since networks are moving toward a plateau in nighttime business. According to one (NBC-TV) management study, overall hike in gross time billings & network-controlled program sales probably won't be more than 5-6% in 1960, as compared with