Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

1 < NEW SERIES VOL 3, No. 11 TELEVISION DK3E8T— 3 (11) Distinctions between vhf & uhf shouldn't be played up to public. Rather, pitch should be about "fTlI-phrrrmpl sets." Said rep Adam Young : "Sell 'more channels' instead of 'something new.' " (12) Pioneer dealers "will cash in" on uhf, and industry con sell 8-9,000,000 sets annually — if uhf stations develop — according to NARDA Chmn. Mort Farr. (13) National advertisers aren't as prejudiced against uhf as some think, are interested in number of viewers reached, according to Yoimg. But local advertisers "ore interested in results, not numbers," scdd William Putnam, WWLP Springfield, Moss. (14) There's great need for statistics on retail sales of all-channel sets & converters. No one compiles these, though EIA's county-by-county figures may help, said Sondwick. (15) Educators are confused, said JCEB's David Stewart, "because they've had to learn about vhf, uhf, closed-circuit, airborne and 2,000-mc transmissions." Lee did masterful job of leading discussion, was warmly commended by participants, who included good cross-section of telecasters, associations, manufacturers (17 of the 21 set makers, mostly presidents, exec, vps, gen. mgrs.), educators, govt., engineers, lawyers, etc. Lee is asking 20 members to serve on an executive committee which will meet in Chicago April 4 at Conrad Hilton, after NAB convention, to block out areas of study. Then another meeting of full membership will come in late April or early May — "and we'll see where we go from there," said Lee. FCC RENEWS TVs ON 'LOCAL-LIVE' ISSUE: FCC last week renewed 70-plus TV station licenses which had been held up by so-called "6-to-ll" issue — referring to telecasts of local-live programs (other than news-weother-sports) during prime time (Vol. 2:50 pi). Stations comprised 3 groups, according to staff analysis: (1) About 30, which staff recommended be renewed, after being sent letter saying FCC assumes past local-live performance is indicative of future plans. (2) About 35, which staff said needed to be questioned with another letter asking for plans. (3) Some 9, which had responded to FCC letters — but from which staff wanted more information. Commission renewed them all, sent no fvuther queries to them. Some commissioners voted for renewal because they believe FCC has little or no authority to get into such program matters. Others found no sense in singling out 6-11 p.m. Others voted that way because Commission's 1960 program policy statement still awaits implementation via new program forms — and they don't believe stations should be kept dangling because of Commission's own delays in spelling out just what kind of program information it seeks. It's imderstood vote for first group was imonimous, though Chmn. Minow thought letters should be sent first group. Vote was 5-2 on other 2 groups — Minow & Henry dissenting. Real significance of foregoing won't be known until it's seen what Commission finally puts into its program form. LOW RATINGS FOR SMALL-FRY SURVEYORS: Biggest frog in ratings pond, Nielsen, is yet to be heard in House hearings on ratings, but Chmn. Harris (D-Ark.) last week let it be known he believes Congress needs to do something about program-surveying business. As Special Investigations Subcommittee held 2nd week of hearings, Harris said subject has been under study for 5-6 years, but "nothing effective" has been done. "We watched FTC progress," he said. "We waited a long time before anyone did anything.Last October, we decided to open the whole thing up." Eager to lead industry toward improved techniques, NAB reportedly has approval of ARB & Pulse for cooperative imdertaking. If it materializes, it's •understood, NAB and the firms would supply funds. Last week's testimony provided serious charges, especially against "smaller" firms. Even more basic is continued questioning by committee of ratings' reliability, validity & methodology, and the use made of figures. Rep. Moss (D-Cal.), for example, no sooner complimented ARB's James Seiler as "model of candor and cooperation," when he immediately asked: "How reliable ore ratings?" Seiler's answer: They're valuable os a guide limiting area in which "good judgment should prevail." He regretted uses some people made of measurements. On basis of committee's findings, especially more