Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3. No. 9 TELEVISION DIGEST— 5 MINOW FUTURE NOT JELLED: The only thing new about FCC Chmn. Minow’s future is that he won’t be president of Communications Satellite Corp.; Air Force Under Secretary Charyk got that job (see p. 6). Minow doesn’t yet know his next move — though there’s little doubt he’s going to move. Appearing before Senate Commerce Subcommittee last week, he stated his situation simply. In good-natured vein, Chmn. Pastore (D-R.I.) asked Minow about published rumors. Said Minow: “I assure you that when I have made any decisions about my future, you will hear about them from me first and not read about them in the trade press.” Pastore: “Spoken like a true statesman, but not vei*y responsive.” Minow: “The fact of the matter is that I have made no decisions yet, but when I do you’ll hear from me.” You’re welcome, meanwhile, to speculate, advocate your own candidate, release trial balloons. Kenneth Cox’s appointment to FCC is due for Senate Commerce Committee vote this week. It’s assumed he’ll go through without trouble — unless Sen. Thurmond (DS.C.) still has unspecified questions to ask in closed session (Vol. 3:5 p2). Commercial Ch. 38, Boston, has been applied for by Boston Catholic TV Center Inc., an outgrowth of Catholic TV Centre, which since 1955 has been producing programs from own fully-equipped studios. Richard Cardinal Cushing is pres.. Right Rev. Walter Flaherty treas., atty. Henry Leen clerk. Station would televise non-denominational religrious fare & cultural progrrams. It has agreement with RCA to lease uhf receivers to be placed in schools & hospitals. Mostly sustaining, station would look to business to underwrite some program costs. RCA equipment would be used. Station Sales: KAVE-TV (Ch. 6) Carlsbad, N.M. has been sold with radio KAVE to John Deme, owner of radio WINF Manchester, Conn, for $250,000 by Voice of the Caverns Inc. (Edward P. Talbott, pres. & 51% owner). In another transaction, Zanesville Publishing Co. sold radio WHRV Ann Arbor, Mich, to Radio Ann Arbor Inc. (Frank H. Babcock principal owner) for $295,000. Zanesville Publishing owns WHIZ-TV & WHIZ Zanesville, 0. and WTAP-TV & WTAP Parkersburg, W.Va. Broker for both sales was Hamilton-Landis & Associates Inc. Southeastern ETV & radio broadcasters hold annual NAEB Region II conference at Tampa’s International Inn, March 29-30, more than 200 delegates to hear: Dr. John Caldwell, N.C. State College; William Harley, NAEB pres.; Richard Hull, Ohio State U., NAEB board chmn.; Gerard Appy, WGTV Athens & Region II TV dir.; Leonard Press, radio dir. WEDU Tampa is host; gen. mgr. LeRoy Lastinger is conference chmn. Grassroots FCC hearings into local TV service, a la Omaha, should receive industry cooperation rather than resistance, Peter Goelet, pres, of National Audience Board, charged in The Viewer, group’s publication. Such inquiries, he said, overcome complaint of “absentee management” leveled against FCC. New rep: KTVI St. Louis, Mo. to H-R Television March 18 from Blair. RCA will increase prices of “major items” in its broadcast equipment line by about 5%, effective March 15, Broadcast & Communications Div. vp-gen. mgr. C. H. Colledge announced last week. He said boost refiects higher manufacturing costs & increased value built into current equipment. Increases will apply to transmitters, antennas, cameras, tape recorders and control & switching equipment. Hikes follow by 6 weeks GE’s announced 3-5% increases in TV broadcast cameras (Vol. 3:2 p6). Gates Radio increased prices average of 5.5% Feb. 11 on all broadcast equipment except AM transmitter. Collins, Ampex. Continental Electronics & Sarkes Tarzian said they had no current plans for price boosts. Illusion of color on b&w sets without adjustment or adapter is being tried by 5 Storer TV stations. Austrian process, licensed here to General TV Corp., Ferndale, Mich., it gives chromatic effect for animation & line drawings by transferring artwork to videotape through special process. It’s not a substitute for true color, said Bill Michaels, TV div. vp; stations are using it for ID’s. Viewers reaction has been greater than expected. Similar process developed by Mexican engineer was shown to NAB convention 2 years ago (Vol. 16:15 plO). Electronically-taped fiashing lines of different lengths transmit shades of red, green & blue. One engineer said flickering of lines fatigues eyes’ rods & cones, producing “after image” in color. Station man bites dog in new study completed recently by WJXT Jacksonville. Nettled by familiar print-media criticism that TV is overloaded with commercials, WJXT research dir. Jim Landon checked sample week of advertising in Jacksonville Times-Union vs. all TV ads, local & national including network, on station. What Landon found: Of total space in newspaper (excluding Sunday edition) during week, average of 67% was ads. Of total airtime on station, commercials accounted for only 16%. Gross spot TV billings totaled $197,759,000 in 4th quarter 1962, up 11.2% from same 1961 period’s $177,827,000, TvB reports. Product classifications with major increases were automotive, 47%; confections & soft drinks, 27%; consumer services, 25.3%; cosmetics & toiletries, 19.5%; drug products, 16.4%; clothing, furnishings & accessories, 80% ; household cleaners, 21.2%; transportation & travel, 68%. Total 1962 gross billings were $721,212,000, 17% above 1961’s $617,.398,000. TV isn’t depicting properly “the maiming & invalidism that may follow gun play in real life.” So charges The PTA Maga.zine’s current issue in article titled “Time Out For Television.” Official organ of National Congress of Parents & Teachers reported that “rash of self-inflicted gunshot wounds” was turning up in doctors’ offices among amateur gunslingers who were matching their quick draw, with real Colts and real bullets, against whiz-bang TV types like Marshal Dillon & Palladin. Broadcast Pioneers 3rd annual Mike Award was presented to WSB-AM-FM-TV Atlanta at N.Y. banquet attended by top industry executives & 6 FCC commissioners. Award was given for “dedicated adherence to quality.” President Kennedy sent message calling attention to “vast contributions made to the public good by the broadcasting arts.” James M. Cox Jr., chmn., accepted award. WLW Cincinnati & WGN Chicago were previous winners. NBC Chmn. Robert W. Sarnoff will make principal address March 5 at Chicago World Trade Conference, on TV’s role in American democracy.