Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

Schuster's Heads Retail Sponsors STORES BUY MORE ED. SCHUSTER & Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest department store and described as perhaps the largest single market radio user in the nation [Broadcasting, May 2], has further increased its time buying for the fall and early winter. The contract features a list of * expanded radio and television pur are buying WTMJ-TV time. Machases by clients of Cramer rine National Exchange Bank is Krasselt Co., Milwaukee agency. starting the second year of its Besides buying a TV schedule to famed Salute to Wisconsin [Broadpromote its own services, Cramer casting, July 25] . The budget for Krasselt has placed audio con this 9:30-10 p. m. Wednesday protracts for Golden Rule, large St. gram has been increased 80% as a Paul department store whose new result of its outstanding success schedule is described as the largest during the first year, according to daytime block purchase in Twin Cramer-Krasselt. City history. A third retailer. First Federal Savings & Loan Broadway House of Music, musical Assn., after an exhaustive 13department store, is running TV month test campaign comparing spots in Milwaukee. costs and results of television and The Schuster radio schedule other media, has quadrupled its totals 31 hours per week, six hours original TV budget, more than the record-setting lineup Plankinton Packing Co. sponsors last spring. a sports TV roundup, 10-minute Four Milwaukee stations — score board and feature program, WMIL, WEMP, WEXT and after all college and professional WMAW — are carrying the current football games telecast by WTMJlineup, scheduled to run at least TV. Starting Nov. 1 Plankinton through Christmas. Two morning will take the 5 : 59 p. m. spot, Monhalf-hours, an afternoon hour and days through Saturdays, for onea supper serenade half-hour are minute weather reports using the carried on WEMP, all Monday Harry S. Goodman puppet weather through Friday. On WMAW jingles and special commercials coSchuster is sponsoring a 20-minute produced by Goodman and Cramermorning program, half-hour musi Krasselt. The sponsor is testing cal matinee and 10:15-11 p. m. afternoon TV. serenade, Monday-through-Friday. Cramer-Krasselt will "eat some The WMIL package consists of of its own medicine" in starting a on-the-hour news from 8 a. m. to 26-week contract on WTMJ-TV. 5 p. m., six days a week; 15-minute The agency will use one-minute morning variety show ; quarter nighttime commercials built around hour musical at 1:15 p. m. and capsule stories of its local and Fritz the Plumber, 2:45-3 p. m. The national accounts, three last-named series are five Films have been completed by weekly. Schuster's WEXT con Cramer Krasselt for national tract includes three five-minute placement by Rolfs, division of musical segments, five-weekly. Amity Leather Products Co. (per Cramer Krasselt has placed a sonal leather goods) and for Alumfour-program television schedule inum Goods Mfg. Co. (Mirro). for Schuster's on WTMJ-TV Mil Schedules for the two accounts waukee as part of its expanded use have not been completed. of the medium on behalf of eight local clients. The programs include 15-minute segments of the Song Shop 4:15-4:30 p. m., thrice weekly, plus Roving Camera, a 9 :50 p. m. Sunday film show. Resigns From Avco Post In addition Schuster s is using spot announcements and special RAYMOND C. COSGROVE, presi events on WTMJ-TV. dent of Radio Mfrs. Assn., has Golden Rule, St. Paul, has signed resigned as executive vice presi with WMIN Minneapolis for 11 dent of Avco Mfg. Corp., it was quarter-hour broadcasts and 23 announced last week by Victor half-hour shows a week following Emanuel, Avco president, a successful test started on WMIN At the same time, it was an last May. The programs run from nounced Mr. Cosgrove will remain 9:30 a. m. to 11 p. m., mostly five as a member of the Avco board or six days a week. and in a consulting capacity to On WLOL Minneapolis, Golden management. He will also continue Rule has signed for 11 quarter to represent the Crosley Division hours a week, including six-weekly of Avco in the RMA. morning and five-weekly afternoon Reason for his resignation was musical periods. not announced but a reliable source Broadway House of Music, mu said he believed Mr. Cosgrove felt sical department store in Mil that between his executive duties waukee, is running a spot schedule for the company and his RMA post, on WTMJ-TV, using Cramer his work had been too rigorous. COSGROVE Krasselt one-minute films. Also using the agency's one-minute film commercials on the station are Pflugradt Co., General Electric distributor, and Milwaukee Co., investments and securities. Two other financial institutions It also was said there is no intention of immediately filling his post as executive vice president. Responsibility for those duties will revert to Mr. Emanuel, who delegated them to Mr. Cosgrove in June 1948. RCA ASKED FCC last week for two months' postponement of the Nov. 14 comparative demonstrations of color television systems, while Philco Corp. and Allen B. DuMont Labs, in the meantime went to the aid of Color Television Inc. in work on equipment for the CTI system, including a direct-view color tube. In its bid for delay of the comparative showings until January, RCA told the Commission it needs the extra time for adequate field-testing of its color system and for production of additional direct-view sets to permit a "fair" comparison with rival systems. Further, RCA contended, a postponement should be made so that CTI may participate then. FCC's official time-table for the hearings, issued the week before [Broadcasting, Oct. 17], made no provision for sessions after the completion of cross-examination, which is scheduled to start Dec. 5 and probably will take up most of the month. It called for Nov. 14 comparisons of the RCA and CBS color systems and black-and-white to be shown by DuMont. RCA told the Commission, however, that CTI not only expects to be given a comparative showing with RCA and CBS, but also has indicated, through counsel, that "CTI plans to have its equipment in Washington by the end of January for the purpose of such a comparative demonstration." The Commission is slated to go to San Francisco for an official look at the CTI system the week of Nov. 28, though Comr. Robert F. Jones suggested several times last week that this showing might better be held in the East. Preceding disclosure of Philco's and DuMont's decision to work with CTI, counsel for Radio Mfrs. Assn. reported that manufacturers feel each of the rival color systems is entitled to a demonstration with the best apparatus available. Thus, it was pointed out, CTI had been offered assistance on equipment problems including development of a direct-view tube, which figures prominently in the CTI outlook. CTI spokesmen have estimated that with a direct-view tube existing black-and-white sets might be converted to CTI color for about $65 to $75. Their current proposals, however, are based on use of projection sets. Using the projection method, they estimated CTI color sets would cost from 5 to 10% "more or less" than existing monochrome projection receivers ; that present projection sets could be converted for about $100, assuming a re-sale value of approximately $100 for the parts replaced, and that conversion of direct-view sets — again unless a direct-view tube is available— probably would cost $200. CTI Vice President George E. Sleeper Jr., who presented the estimates, was questioned sharply about his assumption that replaced monochrome parts would have a substantial re-sale value. Except for brief questioning of Dr. Peter C. Goldmark, developer of the CBS color technique, the week's sessions were devoted to CTI testimony, most of which centered on highly technical explanations of the all-electronic, "completely compatible" system. Witnesses were Mr. Sleeper and Samuel B. Smith and Col. Donald K. Lippencott, of San Francisco. The Commission meanwhile was told by Skiatron Corp., of New York, that it held patents on a "subtractive" color system which is superior to "additive" processes employed in the RCA and CBS systems, and that it would have witnesses available to testify after Nov. 15. FCC's intention to make its own tests of the RCA, CBS, and CTI color systems was made clear earlier in the week when Chairman Wayne Coy called upon these firms to deliver receivers to the FCC laboratories. (Detailed resume of hearings, page 42) Page 26 • October 24, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting