Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NAB LIBRARY ''“*"T©l©‘vision Dig©st FEBRUARY 4, 1963 NEW SE3UES VOL. 3. No. 5 Albert Warren. Editor & Publisher. 911 -13th St., N.W., Washington 5, D.C., Sterling 3-1755 David Lachenbruch. Managing Editor. 580 Fifth Ave., New York 36, N.Y., Circle 6-2215 Harold Rusten, Associate Editor, ill Beverly Rd., Overbrook Hills, Philadelphia 51, Pa., Midway 2-6411 Michael H. Bloke Jr.. Assistant Editor, Washington. Charles Sinclair, Contributing Editor. New York Arnold Alpert General Manager, Washington The authoritative service for executives in all branches of the television arts & industries SUMMART-INDEX OF WEEK'S NEWS Broadcast FCC REPULSED AT 'BATTLE OF OMAHA': witnesses praising stations, blasting FCC with accusations of attempted 'censorship' (p. 1). COX HEARING A BREEZE — Sen. Magnuson's protege getting worm welcome, but also has to field sharp questions on FCC actions on programming (p. 2). FINANCIAL PROFILE of Independent telecasting firms shows excellent growth record, sound financing structure & good future prospects (p. 3). BATTLE OF CATV GIANTS In Austin, Tex. produces victory for Vice President Johnson's family & Midwest Video after 4-way fight before City Council (p. 3). WNDrS GOULD ON ETV PROSPECTS: 'Remarkable progress' has been made in 10 years, he tells Washington cultural group, but ETV still infant (p. 6). Consumer Electronics MOLECULAR REVOLUTION almost at hand in consumer products, promising revolutionary impact at all levels of trade. Integrated circuits promise drastic cost reduction (p. 7). CONSOLES DIPPED to 30% of b&w mix at factory level in 1962, preliminary figures show, portables & table models climbing to 65% , combos hitting record 4.5% (p. 8). KIMCODE IN PRODUCTION by Westinghouse, which becomes 4th tube maker to offer new picture tube which requires no safety glass. No vridespread swing to new tube seen before fall (p. 9). BBB & LIST PRICES — 7 MONTHS LATER: Fictitious pricing abuses are on wane, NBBB tells us, and complaints over was-is advertising ore down (p. 9). BROKERS LOOK AT CBS: 'Three houses forecast 1962 per-share earnings of $3.10-3.20 vs. 1961's $2.47, predict 1963 gain to $3.503.70; sales in 1962 ore seen at half-billion-doUar mark (p. 12). FCC REPULSED AT 'BATTLE OF OMAHA': Prospects for more Omaha-type hearings on local program grew mighty, mighty dim after last week's testimony. In a phrase, FCC was clobbered. Scores & scores of witnesses from every conceivable community organization testified before Comr. Henry, singing praises of city's 3 TV stations, growing increasingly critical of Commission as week wore on. Stations' witnesses were on stand at week's end, and hearing is expected to end by Feb. 6. Comr. Henry seemed to hold up well during the barrage — a freshman commissioner sitting on one of hottest spots FCC has felt in years. He acknowledged that Omaha citizens seem to like their TV fare, said "I'm not sure that further inquiries along the same lines might be a good idea." From our soundings at FCC, we con conclude that Commission will have to get some awfully strong complaints before it will go into another city the same way. Henry was treated to some of sharpest language heard in a Commission heariug. John Tate, exec, vp of Midwest Employers Coimcil, representing some 300 industrial firms, told Henry that Omaha TV programming "is none of yoiu: business." Best way to improve TV, he said, is to abolish FCC. "Congress created the FCC monster, and Congress can destroy it. What qualified you to determine for me and the general public . . . what our TV fare should be?" He said people have "enough sense to pick their own mates, cars, books, automobiles & music. Why should you assume that we ore unable to choose our own TV entertainment?" He said he'd prefer the judgment of local stations to that "of a Federal bureaucrat, including your chairman." Somewhat more restrained. Gov. Frank Morrison, a Democrat, said: "I would hate to see the FCC open the door to anything which could be construed as Federal censorship" — and Henry assured him Com