Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

7 r m 4 my "■■“’Television Digest MARCH 4, 1963 ' NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 9 Albert Warren, Editor 4 Publisher, 2025 Eye St., N.W., Washington 6, D. C. Phone: 965-1985 David Lachenbruch, Managing Editor, 580 Fifth Ave., New York 36, N.Y., Circle 6-2215 Harold Rusten, Associate Editor, 111 Beverly Rd., Overbrook Hills, Philadelphia 51, Pa., Midway 2-6411 Michael H. Bloke Jr., Assistant Editor, Washington. Charles Sinclair, Contributing Editor, New York Edward M. Kelly, General Manager, Washington Th« authoritative service for executives in all branches of the television arts & industries SUMMARY-INDEX OF WEEK'S NEWS Broadcast BIG BROADCAST WEEK IN WASHINGTON: Broadcasters & allied services executives parade to Capital for hearings into ratings, lifting equal-time restrictions, TV-radio coverage of committee hearings (p. 1). NEW FACTBOOK— INDUSTRY'S BASIC REFERENCE— in mails next week, including ARB circulation data, contour mops, dozens of updated directories and statistical compilations (p. 2). STATE PRESIDENTS HEAR MORE MILITANT NAB in Washington conference, demand 'qualified broadcaster' on FCC, applaud campagin to eliminate Sec. 315 and lift courtroom ban (p. 2). FULL-TIME THEATER NETWORK of closed-circuit colorcasts planned by National General Corp. using GE Talaria light-valve projectors with new color techniques; precurser of pay-'TV network seen (p. 3). BIGGEST GROWTH SINCE 1956 was clocked last week by TvB in report on 12-month gross time billings figures of 3 networks, 196162. Jump was 12.2%, total gross neared $800 million (p. 4). ABC TO RESCUE OF DROP-INs, soys there's 'misconception' that it would switch programs to uhfs in 8 markets if vhfs aren't added. N.Y. Regents seek 17 more uhf ETV reservations. Airborne group suppUes engineering for permanent system (p. 4). MINOW BRIEFS SENATE, outlines progress of ETV, all-channel set law, AT4T regulation before Communications Subcommittee (p. 6). Consumer Electronics TINYVISION HEATS UP: Sony slashes $40 from list price of 5-in. battery set; other importers expected to meet competition. Westinghouse tests 6-in. Mitsubishi transistor set as possible import (p. 7). PROFILE OF A TV DISCOUNTER: Analysis by Audits & Surveys Inc. finds 76% of discount houses sell TVs, radios & phonos, and that 66% of discounters operate in fair trade states, 51% offer credit facilities, 35% provide delivery service (p. 8). SINGLECHANNEL FM SETS, merchandised through stations, strike paydirt for Auditron Corp., which has sold 45,000 in 8 months. New byproducts: weather radio, multiplex for doctors (p. 8). NEW RECORDING SYSTEMS, announced by RCA Victor & Columbia Records, help assure better disc tracking, higher fidelity, 'improve apparent quality of phonos' (p. 10). IEEE AT FRONTIERS of electronics at upcoming convention, keyed to microcircuits, space, microwave (p. 10). RCA 4 ZENITH AT PEAK: Both set 1962 record sales & earnings. RCA profit rose 45% to $51.5 million on 13% sales climb to $1,752 billion. Zenith earnings jumped to $19.6 million from 1961's $18 million on 14% sales gain to $312.2 million (p. 11). PHILCO REGAINS VIGOR: Consumer Products Div. is approaching breakeven point & 2 of 4 key divisions which v/ere losing money when Ford took over are now in black (p. 11). BIG BROADCAST WEEK IN WASHINGTON: Like Harvard professors, out-of-town executive talent will parade to Washington — mostly from N.Y., mostly broadcast-connected. Reason: ratings, right to cover House committee hearings, and removal of equal-time restrictions for 1964 elections. (1) Biggest & most newsworthy clambake will be House Sptecial Investigations Subcommittee hearings into rating services, tmder Chmn. Harris (D-Ark.). It wiU last 2y2-3 weeks, with witnesses from all segments of industry, NAB's Gov. Collins wUl be first Tues., foUowed by FTC Chmn. Dixon, ABC-TV's Thomas Moore, NBC-TV's Walter Scott, CBS-TV's James Aubrey, CBS Radio's Arthur Hayes, NBC Radio's William McDaniel, ABC Radio's Robert Pauley, Mutual's Robert Hurleigh. Heads of rating services ore not expected until March 11. TV producers, TV-radio station executives & owners also will be caUed in all-embracing probe. No definite decision made on ad agency or client witnesses, although committee has been in touch with them.