Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

'Tele^Ltatui. Local Talent for TV (Report 83) down an embankment, climbs aboard a moving train and ends up with not a hair out of place, not even breathing hard, and with not a spot on his well pressed suit! Yes, motion pictures bring us people as we wish they were ! Then, finally, we can define television by saying, "Television brings us people as they are !" If they have unruly hair, if they have boney knuckles— brother, they have them A By RICHARD MARVIN TELEVISION programming has developed its full share of headaches for stations located in metropolitan areas where there is a reservoir of professional talent available to carry out program ideas. But what about TV stations located away from the glamour areas, in cities which have very few professional enter * tainers available? Lack of talent or no lack of talent, these stations must turn out programs day after day which keep viewers interested in their sets, which maintain station prestige and which capture the enthusiasm and — most important — the dollars of local advertisers. With television so new, a certain number of inept and unimaginative local programs may be excused by this very newness, but it's an excuse which wears thinner every day the station is on the air. People who have paid money for TV sets expect programs they enjoy, and the mere fact that they live in a city which does not have much professional talent available makes no difference. They want results ! True, there are local sports, and those tired movies, and quiz shows, and hillbilly music, and a pleasantly increasing flow of good kinescopic programs from entertainment centers. These fill up the schedule, but there still must be a considerable quota of locally originated entertainment programs. Fortunately there are several precepts which, if accepted as true, can help TV stations in this situation to develop a strong group of local programs. These involve a series of three definitions — definitions which try to establish one of the primary advantages of TV. The first definition is about radio. It says, "Radio brings us people as we want them to be!" This seems true enough. We listen to a girl singer via radio, and through her voice we build up a mental picture. Regardless of what she actually looks like we revise her to fit our own mental pictures. To you she may be a willowy blonde, to the next person a petite brunette, to the next person a sultry redhead. Her actual appearance is unimportant — everyone builds his own mental picture of her as he wants her to be. fishfrys and in-between times holds forth in front of the firehouse. Or, he may be a banker who convulses society and the Country Club. Every city has its "card" (maybe several of them) and local TV should scout him out. He has proven that he understands local people and the'local sense of humor. Also, every city has its local Elsa Maxwell when it comes to giving amusing and novel parties. This person may be found either in the Country Club district or on the other side of the tracks. But local TV should find her (or him) and profit by this person's knowledge of local entertainment standards. LWAYS a champion of focal stations, Richard Marvin in his 21 years of radio experience "discovered" many local programs which he developed into network commercials— including Vox Pop from Houston, Grand '0/e Opry from Nashville and Double or Nothing from Washington. Now free-lance, and concentrating on television, he believes the TV counterparts of network successes such as these exist or may be developed on local television stations. NEXT we come to a definition of motion pictures, which reads, "Motion pictures bring us people as we wish they were!" Again, this seems true enough. Hours and hours are spent in makeup, lighting, and shooting people so they appear ideal. We're all familiar with the fact that many of our most glamourous stars look much different when we meet them on the street. And we're all familiar with the picture scene where the hero escapes from a speeding car, jumps on television, too! If they have personality, television reflects it. With little opportunity for elaborate makeup, with little time for extensive rehearsal, with no opportunity for retakes in case of an error — television brings them to us as they are. Eventually, as TV becomes more experienced in camera angles and makeup, and reaches the point where more and more time may be devoted to rehearsals and smooth production, the medium will lose some of the "people as they are" quality and pick up attributes of motion pictures. But for local TV with limited studio facilities and limited camera rehearsals this stage will not be reached for several years to come. In the meantime, local TV can accept the maxim "Television brings us people as they are!", and make it the keynote of their program policy. Foreget about professional talent, and concentrate on people as they are — looking the way people look, saying the things people say, doing the things people do! Every city has dozens of residents who have distinguished themselves by doing what people do so well that they have established themselves in local entertainment circles. They're not professional entertainers, but sometimes they're better than many of the so-called professionals who come sliding across our screens. For example, every city has its local "card." He may be a character who acts as m.c. at clambakes and Every city has numerous clubs which periodically stage entertainments. Eevery city has organized entertainment groups in the Police Department, Fire Department and other civil service units. Every city has its quota of barbershop quartets. Every city has High Schools with their bands, glee clubs, dramatic clubs and other entertainment groups. Every city has people who do their native folk dances. Many of the larger unions have entertainment groups. Every city has pretty girls. Every city has people who play every instrument from the bagpipe to the bugle. Every city has singers galore! To a degree this method of locating talent sounds like a perpetual series of amateur hours. But don't let the term "amateur" discourage you. Remember, these people have their own work, or profession, or attend school. Their families and interests are located in the town. Many of them have no desire to ever become professional entertainers. They entertain because it's fun — not because they ever expect to do much about it. You'll find them cooperative, interested, hard working and — if you are patient — you'll find a lot of g-o-o-d entertainment. These are the people who are doing the things which people do — and doing them well enough to provide local entertainment away from television. These are the people television should seek out. There's a very good possibility that through this method a TV station may develop a "stable" of local personalities. Iliili Suppose, for instance, that a very excellent singer turns up as soloist with the High School glee club. Suppose this same singer turns up again as the son of a policeman and sings with the Police Quartet. Suppose he turns up again on two or three other programs. He is beginning to become a local star! The same thing applies to dancers, musicians and comedians. The cream will rise to the top, and pretty soon the TV station will have an accurate file of the most popular entertainers in town — who can then be combined in a local variety show, or given regular programs of their own. So stop worrying if you haven't a local reservoir of professional talent. Start looking around your own back yard. Give your viewers entertainment of the people, by the people and for the people. Bring the neighbors who have entertained you and your friends for years to TV, doing the things they do best and naturally. Remember that "Television brings us people as they are!", and capitalize by moving in front of your cameras the people in your city who had proven capacities for entertainment before TV ever came into the picture. Mr. MARVIN Campaigns on TV AT least one political candidate in Boston will use television in his bid for office. Starting last week. Mayor James M. Curley appeared in a series of eight 15-minute broadcasts on WNAC-TV in his campaign for re-election. He will wind up his video series on election night, Nov. 7. The Build Boston Committee is sponsoring Mayor Curley's anpearances. The agency is Harry M. Frost Co. Inc. Page 58 • October 31, 1949 TELECASTING