Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

J/ JANUARY 24, 1949 TV, 'A GOING BUSINESS CBSCIinicOpens in N. Y. HARD facts of television's future were discussed Friday at the opening of the three-day television clinic held by CBS in New York on the theme, "Television Is a Going Business as 1949 Begins." Before the registration lists were closed, approximately 250 executives from stations around the country and from Canada, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Alaska and Hawaii were expected to attend. The clinic is the second held by the network. The first, conducted in March 1948, was regarded as so successful that it was decided to hold the second one and extend it over a three-day period. Concern for the future of television, said J. L. Volkenburg, vice president and director of television operations, arises not from any alarming or unhealthy crisis, but because of its tremendous expansion. He said the clinic would demonstrate that television is now a highly practical advertising, selling and entertainment medium. Best means of insuring growth of TV, said Mr. Van Volkenberg were programs of high network caliber. He also maintained that the high cost of TV programming means that network productions are the quickest, safest and most economical way of spreading the costs. He cited as examples the CBS Bob Howard program, requiring a crew of 20 in TV, could be produced for AM broadcast with three people, and the Ford Theatre which requires 40 people in TV but only 16 in AM broadcasts. 'New Money' Several national advertisers are showing willingness to raise "new money" for television ventures, according to David Sutton, CBS-television sales manager. This money, he emphasized, would not come out of any present advertising appropriation. "In one case," said Mr. Sutton, "the client has informed its agency that it will be willing to meet % of its television billings with such outside funds." He asserted this gives reassurance that leading advertisers are •lot thinking of television as a subte for present and satisfactory bi t ' sing media, but are thinking 'f it as a direct selling medium and are charging up its costs to such other budgets as sales or demonstration. He also pointed out that the record of the last ten months indicates that impressive amounts are being invested in television on the local level. He said 84 out of TV's 237 advertisers last April were retail outlets. As of Jan. 1, there are 183% more — 238 retail outlets using television locally, he said. Retailers are the largest single group of television advertisers today, he concluded. Charles Underbill, CBS-TV director of programs, stressed that the job of television programming is "to raise the sights of video's viewers." He said TV should do this by presenting inspirational material, educational subject matter, drama, comedy, music, news and sports. Programming trends and objectives, he said, are becoming clearer because of competition among networks and stations and responses from listeners. "But they are far from crystal clear," he added, "and no one yet can afford to predict in detail the shape and end-result of television." Concerning daytime programming, Mr. Underbill said that although it has been the target of much discussion, it has developed in an atmosphere of theory and experiment with very few indisputable facts to guide it. "There is yet little known about listening habits to indicate when the daytime audience is most dis posed to watch television," he said. "And very little experience to indicate what the daytime audience would most like to see at what times." Service appeals, he went on, will be important in daytime television. "But where we are asking women to watch as well as listen we wonder if we shouldn't give them a satisfactory reason for watching and a satisfactory result in terms of self -improvement. And yet, at the same time, to be realistic about it, we know that there is no substitute for the attraction of an appeal that is primarily entertainment. Therefore we are feeling our way in both directions and gauging the response as best we can as a guide to future development." Will Abide by Style Although CBS is concerned with daytime programming, he nevertheless emphasized that at present CBS television will stand or fall on the character of its nighttime programming. "It is still only the beginning," Mr. Underbill concluded. "Ahead of us are so many exciting developments— bigger stages, better lighting, many more programs, the best in musical comedy, review, ballet, drama, and the best in talent, talent which eventually will come to television as the Mecca be HOLDING the line in recent telephone balloting for contestants on KFI-TV Los Angeles Television Talent Test program are (I to r): Kevin Sweeney, KFITV sales manager; William Cies, soles manager of Packard Bell Co., Los Angeles (radio and TV set manufacturer), program sponsor; Robert Raisbeck, radio director of Abbott-Kimball Co., same city. yond even Hollywood where an artist can achieve pre-eminence among audiences of millions." E. K. Jett, vice president of the Baltimore Sun Papers in charge of radio and TV, speaking on films for TV, reported that WMAR-TV Baltimore had processed more than 160 miles of 16mm film for local programming in little more than a year. This included ten commer-cial shows weekly and more than 125 commercial spot announcements made for sponsors. WMAR cameramen are at present shooting 1000 feet a day. He stated that regular theatre motion pictures can be made into good television fare if care and taste is used in programming. To make certain rental films meet the station's standards, however, they are viewed for story or program content before purchase. Then they are viewed over a closed circuit to test the technical qualities. Mr. Jett set forth several characteristics of a good rental film. Sound tracks must be good and should be previewed over a closed circuit. Pictures with numerous long shots or panoramic shots are not good for television's small screen, he reported, advocating the choice closeups or medium shots. He asserted a film department is indispensable in rounding out a television station's operations. He also cited its value as a good-will builder by covering all kinds of community affairs. He concluded by summarizing WMAR-TV's time on the air, showing its commercial programs totaled 26.10% of its time, or 583 hours and 9 minutes. Its sustainers totaled 78.90% of its time, or 1648 hours and 16 minutes. G. Bennett Larson, television director of WCAU-TV Philadelphia, advised TV executives to engage talent experienced in the fields in which they will appear before the cameras and then "don't waste too much time rehearsing them or you will kill their act." "Get people who know what they are doing in the beginning," he counseled. "Show them what to do in the matter of where to stand, what camera they are to look at and you have a show." Actual operations in the new CBS television studios were observed by the visitors. The schedule also included study of remote telecasts of WCBS-TV, operations at WPIX New York, WCAU-TV Philadelphia and WMAR-TV Baltimore. Page 36 • January 24, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting