Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 20 TELEVISION DIGEST-5 SHAPE OF FCC^S TV PROGRAM FORM: Proposed new TV program form, designed to implement FCC's famous July 1960 statement on its programming policy, finally has been submitted to Commission by its special committee: Comrs. Bartley, Ford & Cox. It's on agenda this week. Proposals haven't been made public, but we've learned their essence. Actually, it isn't a single proposal; its 3: (1) Staff's, which Cox had headed. (2) Bartley's. (3) Ford's. They agree on quite a few matters, disagree on some. Here's what we understand to be nub of proposals: (1) Bartley: Public is to be canvassed, and station is to tell what it finds of public's needs & interests. Some for city leaders — who are to be identified. Station is to evaluate these needs. Then, programs to meet needs in following year are to be listed. Total number of public service announcements in various categories ore to be given. If programs vary from earlier plans, FCC is to be told why. If foregoing isn't adequate, according to station, it can supply whatever added data it wants. The needs-survey must be done within 6 months before filing, and covers area receiving acceptable signal. (2) Staff: Station is to poll public & leaders for needs, in same way Bartley proposes — but it doesn't need to show how it evaluated these, concept being that program schedule will reflect station's evaluation. A Proposed Typical Week is to be submitted, showing breakdown by 7 program types, source, length & frequency. The 7 types are taken from the 14 in FCC's 1960 Policy Statement; the 7 remaining types ore to be listed separately — giving details of each program for coming year, Nov. 15 to Nov. 15. The 7 latter types include: minority programming, local self-expression, local music, children's, etc. Staff suggests surveys cover Grade B area. (3) Ford: Station submits narrative statement covering methods station employed, in preceding 6 months, to learn needs and complaints. Then, station gives statement telling what kinds of programs ore scheduled to meet those needs — with brief description of all such regularly scheduled programs, including day & time of telecast. Station is also to describe programs presented as result of its survey — and to indicate what kinds of programs were offered to local groups which failed to cooperate, leaving the shows unproduced. Major changes from proposals ore to be explained each Nov. 15 — with particular attention to programs proposed but not telecast. Records must be kept for 3 years, unless FCC orders them kept longer. Ford would have surveys cover areas getting "acceptable signal," not Grade B. Once g program form is adopted, FCC believes, stations will know what information must be given Commission — reducing number of charges that staff is trying to dictate programming by "letter writing" campaign attempting to steer stations in particular directions. All-ohanncI “clinic” in N.Y.’s Carne^e Hall, under sponsorship of govt.-industry Committee for Full Development of All-Channel Broadcasting, drew attendance of about 250 retail, distributor, technician & set manufacturer personnel. Comr. Lee, featured speaker, told group FCC hopes to propose new uhf allocation plan within month, chided N.Y. State Board of Regents for sitting on its 10 uhf ETV allocations. Panel of experts (Vol. 3:19 p9) answered questions from floor, which varied from method of using remote control with all-channel receivers (answer: use “U” position on dial for first channel, strips for any others) to why there is “no network programming on uhf” (answer: there is in some locations) to complaints about “govt, interference” through all-channel-set law. At earlier press conference, Lee predicted “within our lifetime we will have 200 million people and 100 million TV sets” and suggested that there’s “pretty good chance in the near future for a 4th TV network,” based on anticipated expansion of uhf. Lee said new proposed allocations plan, due in a month, will provide for following number of channels per city (including vhf & uhf, excluding ETV) : one in cities of 10-50,000; 3 for 50-150,000; 5 for 150-500,000; 7 for 500,000-2 million; 9 for 2-5 million; 11 for 5 million-plus. “Group W” is new identification for Westinghouse Bcstg. Co. (no corporate change). Concerned about groupstation identification, WBC had Psychological Corp. survey ad community, and it found only 1/3 could define what it is & does. Group W — with unique eye-catching, bold lettering designed by Lippincott & Margulies — will apear in heavy ad & promotion campaign breaking today (20) in iV.V. Times, Herald-Tribune, national & trade magazines. Lettering of same type as Group W will also be used by group’s 5 TVs, 6 AMs. Westinghouse sees industry-wide need in establishing group operation as separate communications & advertising force. Pres. Donald McGannon said that 18-month campaign is planned, that extra costs are involved — but that total expenditures won’t greatly exceed normal advertising-promotion budget. Plans include presentation to advertiser-agencies groups in major cities. Central American TV Network, 6-nation group associated with ABC International, reaches 110,000 sets today compared with 48,000 when it was formed in May 1960 by 5 stations, ABC reports. Half-hour prime time now costs $366 on 6 stations against $281 then. Celebrating 3rd anniversary, CATVN countries are Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama.