Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

2— TELEVISION DIGEST MABCH 25. 1963 FORD ON RADIO — IT'S NOT 'AMOS 'N' ANDY': FCC Comr. Fred Ford's long-sought project is in the works. It's the job of updating Commission's knowledge of radio programming, followed by modernization of rules to conform with that knowledge. In FCC meeting last week, it's imderstood that Commission unanimously approved Ford's motion: Instruct staff to prepare for an en banc hearing, such as that conducted for network programming. Here's essence of Ford's thinking: "We still regard radio, officially, in light of what it was in the days of Amos 'n' Andy. We need to regulate the industry that actually exists — rather than the one we think exists. What is radio? What do we expect of it? I don't think we know enough to write a program form for radio. Those percentages for program categories, the ones we use now, bother me. Is a complicated statement of proposed program necessary? "I believe that the FCC should send out staff members to study the programs of different kinds of stations— clear channel, regional, local, etc. — not to beat the stations over the head, but to be able to tell us what stations do." Ford believes that Commission's TV programming inquiry, which culminated in July 1960 statement on FCC's program policy (full text in our Special Supplement No. 7, Aug. 1, 1960), was one of most useful jobs FCC has ever done. Now, he says, let's do the same for radio. NEW FOCUS ON SYNDICATION: Non-network programming of all types is increasingly in spotlight as NAB Chicago meeting draws closer. Competition is getting keener for station's syndication budget, both here & overseas. We've noticed definite upbeat of activity on a number of major syndication fronts in past few weeks. Much of this will be translated into stepped-up sales campaigns, promotion efforts & extensive trade advertising. Some highlights : • 'Off-network' reruns: Term "off network" is being used in same way booking agents once drummed up trade for vaudeville acts which "hove just played the Palace." Warner Bros., for example, is predicting contract commitments totalling $10 million by year's end for off-network properties like Bourbon St. Beat & Hawaiian Eye. Four Star TV, syndication offshoot of Hollywood telefilm major, has plimked down $1.5 million to clear residual rights (for 10 years) to The Rifleman & The Detectives, will soon launch soles campaign. ABC Films, MCA, 20th Century-Fox — among others — are pushing hard on off-network film product. Seldom mentioned by syndicators, however, is one major problem. Hour-long syndicated rerxm shows are dandy buy for independent stations with flexible program schedules, but present a headache to network affiliates which must usually spot such shows in early-evening time, or in place of movies late at night. In turn, this creates problem of producing enough revenue from non-prime time low-rate advertisers to justify expensive purchases of 60-min. rerun p>ackages — which sometimes draw j>oor local ratings. • Feoture films: There's steady demand for features, and the good ones play on & on in TV. Source at United Artists Associated, which handles large libraries of pre-1948 Warner Bros. & RKO pictures, told us in N.Y. that "business is as good as ever" on individual-picture sales of films like "Casablanca," now that block selling is outlawed as pressure tactic. New features are scarce, snapped up quickly. A 30-picture package from 20th Century, consisting of films seen on NBC-TV's network movie series, has been sold (according to 20th) in 31 markets so for, for gross of $1.75 million, with sales averaging over $100,000 weekly. Embassy Pictures, which recently joined independent "TFE — '63" exhibit near NAB convention os a late starter, today virtually uses TV os replacement for theatrical runs in small neighborhood houses. Low-budget pictiues are particularly ripe for out-of-theaters, onto-TV circuit; a movie like "Marty," for instance, could today make back its entire production budget (about $300,000) in TV alone in about 2 years with network exposiue plus rerun, and off -network showing via syndication in top 100 markets. • Overseas syndication: Foreign market gains steadily in syndication importance, with beyond-U.S. set count now standing at over 65 million (see our new 1963 Television Factbook). But this is one area where supply often exceeds station demand, and where artificial quotas, price ceilings & notional prides are problems.