American television directory (1946)

AMERICAN TELEVISION SOCIETY AWARDS 1943 PLAQUES To WRGB, General Electric, Schenectady For the station contributing most to programming in 1942 To WNBT, National Broadcasting Co., New York For the station contributing most to television as a public service 1944 PLAQUES To WABD, DuMont, New York For the station contributing most to the art of commercial television To WRGB, General Electric, Schenectady For the station contributing most to the art of television programming To W6XYZ, Television Productions Inc., Los Angeles Honorable mention for. adaptation of motion picture techniques to television To Norman D. Waters, ATS President, 1941-1944 Special Service Award 1945 PLAQUES To Ruthrauff & Ryan, Inc., New York, for Lever Bros, show For the most consistent effort in developing effective television commercials To WNBT, National Broadcasting Co., New York For the most consistent sports programming For the outstanding television program, “Men in White,” directed by Ed Sobol To WCBW, Columbia Broadcasting System, New York For the best educational program, “Opinions on Trial” For the outstanding news program, “CBS Newscast,” with Everett Holies 1945 SPECIAL AWARDS To WABD, DuMont, New York For the development of television commercially To W6XAO, Don Lee, Hollywood For making television facilities available for commercial development on the West Coast To WBKB, Balaban & Katz, Chicago For preparing the Midwest for commercial television To Klaus Landsberg, W6XYZ, Television Productions Inc., Los Angeles For consistent technical excellence in television production To WRGB, General Electric, Schenectady For the best institutional commercial, “Conquest Over Darkness” For the outstanding contribution to children’s programming To Paul Alley, WNBT, National Broadcasting Co., New York For the outstanding editing of news films, “The War As It Happens” To WPTZ, Philco, Philadelphia For developing football television technique To Paul Mowrey, American Broadcasting Co., New York For preparing the American Broadcasting Co. for television To Dan D. Halpin, ATS President, 1944-1945 Special Service Award tent. But to determine why was another problem. The degree of acceptability was entirely contingent upon the indi¬ viduals viewing the production. Highly sophisticated material which may be thoroughly approved by people in cer¬ tain areas will often fall flat among people in other areas. Score cards on programs should provide the same num¬ ber of check places for dislikes as for approval to get proper balance in an objective rating. It is hardly possible, however, to expect stations on their check cards to ask if each program is poor, very poor or terrible as well as good, very good, or excellent. One group holds that the public is not qualified to judge program quality. Another believes that mass approval is the only basis for true judgment. For example, following the reasoning of the first group, radio fare in one country is placed entirely in the hands of a national director because he, in his wis¬ dom, knows who and what is best. The second group’s beliefs, carried to the full, recall the lines of “The Coliseum”: “Here where the millions’ blame or praise was life or death, the plaything of a throng.” An awards committee might well feel that a happy medium of these two philosophies is most desirable, yet decisions must be made solely on the actual merits involved in each case. There is also the awards philosophy that would recognize and honor numer¬ ous factors or persons for innumerable reasons. This policy leads to diminish¬ ing values for each award because the recognition is so scattered. Opposed to this practice is the fundamental truth that there is only one best. The cynic may blithely ask, best for whom, or at what? It is splendid to hear the director or producer of the best-rated program of 1944-45 modestly declare that good scripts are the prime requisite for good productions. These things must be considered by an awards committee, and the public’s reaction watched in more than a single local area. There are many things backstage, and in the higher offices which do not meet the eye. There are many programs which are highly commendable but not necessarily popular. The intensity of response may be just as important as the numerical volume of approval for either productions or policy. Progress Sincerely Evaluated All these debatable issues add up to a convincing reason why an award should be made to the members of an award committee. Their real reward is realized from knowing that they have approached their work without bias, labored intelligently and diligently to make their decisions valid beyond ques¬ tion. Their service is most worthy, and essential to television’s advancement. There is a hitherto unheralded value to these awards which should be recog¬ nized. For example, what reward is there, aside from remuneration, for the many people who are responsible for each program? After the presentation and the show is off the air, what tan¬ gible evidence of their effect is at hand? There is no box-office, no long run, no film record — only a new program sched¬ ule to be met with something new. The degree to which that new effort will be improved depends in no small measure upon proper recognition of true achievement. The ATS Awards are dedicated to this high purpose. ATS HISTORY {Continued from page 68) vision from varied and occasionally con¬ flicting points of view. For with the spring of 1944 television had come to life again in the big studios and the “future” of television seemed close at hand. Subsequently, the meeting-place was moved to the Barbizon-Plaza. Committees, always important in ATS work, shouldered heavier loads than ever. There was a committee pro¬ viding monthly programs, a committee doing educational research, another building a television collection in a corner of the N. Y. Public Library, to point out a few. The television program laboratory became one of the most popular activities, offering an oppor¬ tunity to members actually to produce their own shows on television. Panel discussion groups covering specific phases of television provided even more intensive exploration of members’ inter¬ ests than was possible through general meetings alone. And the yearly ATS Awards for outstanding work in televi¬ sion grew to be an increasingly impor¬ tant function of the Society. The 1945-46 season which has just begun finds a world at peace for the first time since the American Television Society was in its infancy. By rights the war should have stunted its growth, and yet, like the television industry it¬ self, ATS has emerged from the years of blight stronger in direction and pur¬ pose than ever before, with much to do and much to give in the new age ahead. 70