Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

6— TELEVISION DIGEST APRIL 22, 1963 Television Digest PUBLISHED BY TELEVISION DIGEST, INC. HEADQUARTERS: 2025 Eye St., N.W., Washington 6, D. C. Phone: 965-1985. TWX: 202-9654)979 EDITORIAL NEW YORK OFFICE ALBERT WARREN, 580 Fifth Ave. Editor & Publisher New York 36, N. Y. JONAH GITLITZ, Circle 6-2215 Managing Editor, TWX: 212-640-6938 Television Digest DAVID LACHENBRUCH, PAUL STONE, Editorial Director Editorial Director, CHARLES SINCLAIR, Television Factbook Contributing Editor VIRGINIA SNOWDEN, Managing Editor, PHILADELPHIA OFFICE Television Factbook 1 1 1 Beverly Rd. BUSINESS Overbrook Hills EDWARD M. KELLY, Philadelphia 51, Pa. General Manager Midway 2-641 1 RUDOLPH SAPPER, HAROLD RUSTEN, Circulation Manager Associate Editor TELEVISION DIGEST. Published Mondays. Services: $75-$150 annually. For group rates & other subscription services, write Headquarters. TELEVISION FACTBOOK TV & AM-FM ADDENDA Published Annually Published Saturdays AM-FM DIRECTORY Published Annually More programming by CATV systems, to provide local expression, is urged by Prof. Royal D. Colle, chmn. of Ithaca College TV-Radio Dept. In winter 1962-3 issue of Journal of Broadcasting, published by Assn, for Professional Bcstg. Education (U. of Southeni Cal., University Park, Los Angeles, Cal.), he suggests: “Where it is available, the burgeoning CATV industry could be a complement to the highly centralized programming offered over broadcast TV stations — it could truly be TV at the grassroots.” He also says: “Local commercials might be .substituted for the distant stations’ own local commercials where the latters’ advertisers do not expect someone to travel 200 miles to buy butter or tires. This raises some very sticky problems and would take much negotiation and real concern for public interest to overcome some potential difficult legal problems.” “Stale Federation” of broadcasters is advocated by Jack Roth, KONO San Antonio, pres, of Texas Assn, of Bcstrs. He said NAB isn’t representing broadcasters properly in political area — before Congress, FCC, etc. He urged all other state broadcaster associations to join movement, form separate organization with hq in Washington. Last week, he said he’d received favorable response from 5. Number of Texas broadcasters don’t agree with Roth. Roy Bacus, station mgr. of WBAP-TV Ft. Worth, said: “Roth doesn’t represent the views of this station — and I think he doesn’t represent any substantial number of Texas broadcasters.” Top FCC staff members will be featured at April 25 luncheon of Federal Communications Bar Assn., Willard Hotel, Washington. Chiefs of the 4 Bureaus and the exec, dir. will give short presentations, and heads of other main offices will be on hand for question-answer session. Another Record for CBS: Best first-quarter sales & earnings in history were reported by CBS Inc. Chmn. William S. Paley last week at stockholders meeting in N.Y. Without giving figures, he said quarterly earnings will exceed last year’s record $7,764,855 (87^ a share) by 257c, and for full-year outlook is for better sales & earnings than last year’s all-time high. In a meeting frequently disrupted by professional disgruntled stockholders such as Evelyn Y. Davis and Gloria Parker (the latter a nominee for Board of Directors on “Reform Ticket”), Paley enunciated — in answer to question — what appeared to be somewhat softer view of color: “Color TV is increasing in use to some extent. We are following the situation carefully . . . Color presently represents only 2% of the total TV sets. As the number of sets grows, we will increase our color broadcasting.” In answer to another question. Pres. Frank Stanton defended use of Nielsen national TV ratings and expressed confidence industry would find ways to improve audience measurement “in 6 months to a year.” He said that national TV Nielsens (as opposed to radio ratings and local TV ratings) “correlated well” with ratings supplied by other services. He said CBS is looking into charges made before House Commerce Subcommittee investigation of ratings, and is “working with the industry” to investigate. “If they don’t stand up,” he said, “we will use some other method for determining audiences.” In rundown of CBS’s 7 operating divisions, Stanton reported : TV netMork: Continued leadership in audience, advertisers & program popularity. TV stations: Four of CBS’s o&o’s — “and probably all 5 — continue to be first in their markets in sales.” Firstquarter sales for division as whole are running 10% above same period of 1962, the division’s best year. CBS Films is “world’s largest exporter of films made especially for TV,” distributes more than 75 program series in 63 foreign countries, with first quarter sales “well ahead” of last year. Radio: First-quarter revenues were up “substantially” over ’62, and “as of today, the CBS Radio Network already has more business on its books — that is, commitments for advertising revenue — than it achieved during the whole of last year.” Stanton also claimed biggest network radio audiences. CBS News: TV output in 1962 increased 34.5% over ’61, vith another increase of 18.5% in first-quarter 1963 over ’62 period. Columbia Records: Stanton claimed “over-all leadership in the phonograph record industry,” and worldwide progress for new CBS Records label. CBS Labs: “Attained its forecast sales for this year, and work is under way to build a backlog for 1964.” CBS International: First-quarter sales figures declined because of economic chaos in Argentina, from which the division received over $1 million in orders in first quarter ’62. Div. is expanding sales in Europe & Asia and at U.S. military PXs. First-quarter sales gains were shown in phonos, magnetic tape, broadcast equipment & appliances. Training course in TV writing, production & programming will be offered at Stanford U.’s 21st RadioTelevision-Film Institute, June 24-Aug. 17.