Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3. No. 1 TELEVISION DIGEST— 5 Personals Jerome Bess promoted to RKO General Bcstg. exec, vp. . . . Jules Bergman, ABC News science editor, named one of outstanding 10 men of the year by U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. Richard Job, London, named ABC International UK sales rep. . . . Richard L. Chalmers, ex-radio WNHC New Haven, gen. mgr., appointed an RAB member development dept, regional dir. . . . Raymond L. Falls Jr. & Immanuel Kohn become members of law firm Cahill, Gordon, Reindel & Ohl. Merrill A. Trainer named mgr. of RCA’s broadcast studio merchandising & engineering dept., succeeding Andrew F. Inglis, recently appointed communications products operations div. vp (Vol. 2:51 pll); Trainer will continue to be responsible for liaison between best. & communications products div. and RCA International. Jules Cohen & Assoc, is new name of Washington engineering firm, as Paul L. Wimmer & Bernard R. Segal become partners. On Jan. 14, firm moves to 729 15th St. N.W. Murry Salberg, ex-WABC-TV N.Y. advertising & sales promotion dir., appointed advertising & promotion dir., WNEW-TV N.Y. . . . Mary Ann Casey resigns as KEYT Santa Barbara, Cal. program dir. & women’s news editor, no plans announced. Cay wood C. Cooley Jr. promoted to Jerrold Community Systems Div. mgr. Kendall Smith promoted to WTIC-TV Hartford, Conn, program mgr. James M. Ward, Colo. U. radio-TV gen. mgr., named to 3-year post as exec. secy, of new Colo. ETV Commission . . . Larry McHale Jr., ex-K ALB-TV Alexandria, La. operations & program mgr., appointed WSAV-TV Savannah program dir. Tracy Thrumston, ex-radio KMAK Fresno, Cal. gen. mgr., named KONA Honolulu local sales mgr. . . . John Petty promoted to KPTV Portland, Ore. asst, sales mgr. . . . Peter F. Gallagher promoted to WNHC-TV New Haven, sales development mgr. Obituary Sen. Robert S. Kerr (D-Okla.) 66, chmn. of the Aeronautical & Space Committee, died of heart attack in Washington Jan. 1. Often called “uncrowned king” of the Senate, he was prime mover in passage of many bills, including last session’s communications satellite measure. He was born in a log cabin in Ada, Okla., then Indian territory, in 1896, rose to prominence in industry as well as politics. He owned 50.6% of WEEK-TV Peoria & WEEQ-TV La Salle, 111., 13.1% of KVOO-TV Tulsa. His widow, 3 sons, a daughter survive. Dick Powell, 58, long time film star and chairman & former pres, of Four Star Films, died of cancer in Hollywood Jan. 2. He began career as movie song-&-dance man in early 1930’s, later switched to mystery roles. After hosting Zane Grey Theater on TV for number of years, he formed Four Star with David Niven, Charles Boyer (Tom McDermott later). He also was host of his own anthology series. His widow, actress June Allyson, son & daughter survive. Col. James H. Steinman, 76, co-owner of Steinman Stations (WGAL-TV & WGAL Lancaster, Pa., radios WDEL Wilmington, Del., WORK York, WKBO Harrisburg, WEST Easton, WRAK Williamsport, all Pa.) and co-publisher of Lancaster newspapers, died there Dec. 31. He was treas. of American Newspaper Publishers Assn, at time of his death. During World War II, he was director of War Production Board printing & publishing div. Mrs. A. J. Fletcher, 78, wife of owner of WRAL-TV Raleigh, died of cancer in Raleigh Jan. 2. Survivors include 3 sons — Fred, mgr. of WRAL-TV; Floyd, mgr. of WTVD Durham; Frank, Washington communications attorney— and daughter Mrs. Ray Goodman, Raleigh. Alfred G. Burger, 53, exec, officer & co-owner of WICS Springfield, 111. and WHNB-TV Hartford, Conn., died of heart attack in N.Y. Dec. 27. He also was founder of Telenews Productions. His widow, 2 sons, survive. “Discrimination” & “bigotry” charges were leveled against NBC by a Montgomery, Ala. newspaper after Gov.elect George C. Wallace was banned from a telecast. Advertiser-Journal made charges in an editorial after segregationist Wallace claimed NBC personnel refused to admit him to TV booth at halftime of Blue-Grey football game Dec. 29. He said he was invited to appear by one of game’s sponsors. “Wallace was cut off the air as an act of censorship by NBC bigots because of his challenge to the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court,” newspaper asserted. NAB Public Service Institute will be held Feb. 7-8 in Washington, in cooperation with American U. It’s designed to acquaint non-profit groups with advantages & problems in use of TV & radio. Sessions include classroom instruction at A.U.’s Communications Center, field trips to WRC-TV-AM-FM Washington & radio WAVA Arlington. William Ruder, pres, of Ruder & Finn PR firm and former Asst. Commerce Secy., speaks at Feb. 7 banquet, NAB Pres. Collins at Feb. 8 luncheon. Proposal to require stations to donate time at cost to candidates made by FCC Chmn. Minow in Dec. 29 TV Guide (Vol. 2:53 p5) brought quick criticism from Washington Daily News. “If any political candidates go ‘into hock’ it is on their conscience,” News editorialized, “any FCC regulations requiring stations to give free time to politicians would be presumptuous and pre-emptory. . . . The voice of bureaucracy is rarely the voice of the people. It is merely the voice of bureaucracy.” WREC-TV & WREC Memphis have been sold for $8 million by founder & sole owner Hoyt B. Wooten to Cowles Bcstg. Cowles also owns KRNT-TV & KRNT Des Moines, Look magazine and other publications. Members of Cowles family also have interest in KTVH-TV HutchinsonWichita, Kan., WCCO-TV & WCCO Minneapolis through Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. Ghana will place $8.4 million contract with Marconi Co. for 3-station TV system & extension of radio network. Plan calls for TV stations at Accra, Kumasi & SekondiTakoradi, studio complex at Accra, radio station at Ejura. Microwave system will be set up between Accra, Kumasi & Ejura. Federal Communications Bar Assn, annual banquet will be held Jan. 25 at Sheraton-Park Hotel, Washington — Gene Krupa Jazz Quartet and singer Hildegarde entertaining.