Broadcasting (July - Sep 1949)

LOOKING INTO TELEVISION LAW CANVASS Radio Attorney Probes Problems for Book THE LAW on some of the most difficult problems confronting television broadcasters — property rights, film contracts and the right of privacy —is canvassed at length by Harry P. Warner, Washington radio attorney, in the 1949 supplement for his book. Radio and Television Law [Broadcasting, Oct. 4, 1948]. ★ ■ The 115-page supplement, published fortnight ago, deals largely with law that has not yet had a chance to become clearly defined. Thus it not only is timely but is of especial value as a guide to wise handling of knotty legal problems which will face television operators. Where no clear body of law has been developed, it is helpful to know the problems, the background, and the law on related cases. This Mr. Warner has provided in detail. The worth of the study is further enhanced by Mr. Warner's method of treatment. It is written in unlegalistic language and the problems are approached from the Mr. Hanna CORNELL FILMS Hanna Heads New Firm CORNELL FILMS has been organized at Ithaca, N. Y., to produce commercial and public service programs for television stations and industry in general. Michael R. Hanna, general manager of W H C U and WHCU-FM Ithaca and NAB District 2 director, is head of the new concern which be I comes a unit of I the Cornell radio I properties. The company will produce film ] programs of an educational and in : formational type, utilizing the ex t tensive technical and research facilities of the university's photo science laboratory. Offices are in I Savings Bank Bldg., Ithaca. "The programs will emphasize I the showmanship of commercial telecasting rather than the dry, pedagogical side but still be highly authoritative," Mr. Hanna said. Ithaca has unparalleled resources in education, agriculture, drama, music, sports, engineering, nuclear physics, homemaking and nutrition, with many of the world's foremost authorities available. "Cornell Films will be a completely professional operation. Productional personnel will be drawn from the station. We will tie up the art of taking motion pictures with the art of visual broadcasting so the viewer will learn something and be entertained at the same time. "All facilities are now ready. A sample film is going into production and will be ready in the near future. We have commitments from several stations already. All films will be open-end." Cornell U., operating WHCU and WHCU-FM, is an applicant for a TV station. BROADCASTING • Telecasting viewpoint of the station and advertiser. Aside from the three chapters relating primarily to legal problems in the television field, there is a section on facsimile, the principles of its operation, its uses and prospects, and the FCC rules and regulations governing it. In his study of television film contracts Mr. Warner discusses the warranties which a television user should seek from a producer; the common law and statutory copyright of film; restrictions imposed by the American Federation of Musicians upon the use of the music track on films; music clearances and licenses which should be obtained; the role of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and other societies; the use of old film, and various union and guild problems. The station's rights in dramatic, musical, news and sports programs are studied in the chapter on property rights, together with methods for their protection: statutory copyright, common law copyright, and unfair competition. In his analysis of the right of privacy on television Mr. Warner outlines the principles which the courts may be expected to follow in this field, based on (1) the historical view of property rights; (2) its common law and statutory development; (3) limitations imposed in matters of public interest, and (4) an analysis of radio, motion picture and newsreel cases. Mr. Warner is associated with the Washington firm of Segal, Smith & Hennessey. He has devoted more than four years to the research for and writing of his book and this supplement, and he plans additional supplements as developments warrant. The book is published by Matthew Bender & Co., Albany, N. Y. AUGUST TELEPULSE 'Toast of the Town' Tops LEADING the top ten video programs again is Toast of the Town, according to the New York Telepulse listing for Aug. 1-7, while Godfrey and His Friends dropped to fourth place since the -July report. Crusade in Europe, the ABC Eisenhower documentary, made its first appearance in the top ten lists in the Aug. 1-7 report, in ninth place. Complete report follows: NEW YORK TELEPULSE TOP TEN SHOWS August 1-7 Toast of the Town WCBS-TV Original Amateur Hour WABD Kraft TV Theatre WNBT Godfrey and Friends WCBS-TV Fireball Fun-For-AU Stop The Music St. Louis vs Yankees Break The Bank ♦Crusade in Europe Summer Playhouse * Last 14 Hour includes Pal Headliner WNBT WJZ-TV WABD WJZ-TV WJZ-TV WNBT 36.0 31.1 29.6 27.8 25.9 25.0 24.2 20.3 19.8 18.9 Telestatus (Continued from page UU) sification. Although a great deal of music was presented on these programs, unless they were straight music, such as the Fred Waring Show, they were classified as variety (Table II). The same holds true of classifying live programs which might use film or slides in the presentation. If the show is predominantly live it is placed in this classification even though film and slide may have been used to some extent. Quiz programs which feature audience participation are placed in the audience participation classification. Network sponsorship of sports events was very low in June. In the spot and local fields, however, it was the predominant commercial program fare. Remote baseball telecasts, of course, took the lead, but horse racing, fights and other sports also were included. Spot advertisers bought 14 hours and 46 minutes of filmed sports and 10 hours and 37 minutes of live studio sports. Locally the money was on remote telecasts with studio live and filmed sports playing a relatively unimportant role. Announcements were second choice in the time purchases of local and spot advertisers, accounting for 23 hours and 3 minutes in the spot field and 26 hours and 45 minutes locally. Naturally no announcements were used on a network basis and children's programs were in second place with 124 hours. For network and local advertisers, dramatic programs were another high source of revenue to the telecaster. Although drama on the networks accounted for only 84 hours and 45 minutes (13%), and locally for 25 hours and 55 minutes (9%), this was still the third ranking classification in both categories. Drama on the network was predominantly, live while for the local advertiser, film was his chief source of supply. The spot advertiser made variety programs his third choice, relying mostly on live productions. TABLE III TV PRODUCTION METHODS (Hrs.-M!n.) Networks Spot Local Total Live 600:15 42:37 67:37 710:29 Film 46:45 45:34 60:15 152:34 Live & Fibn 5:45 14:11 19:56 Slide 9:02 14:43 23:45 Remote 7:00 181:43 145:31 334:14 Total 654:00 284:41 302:17 1240:58 LOS ANGELES :-Everything grows bigger in Southern California (even if that is Chamber of Commerce talk!) Television is no exception. We now have more TV advertisers than New York. And more local advertisers than any other city, as of June. When local advertisers invest advertising money, you know television has proved itself here. Take another look at your selling strategy in this area — smart money is going into TV TODAY. Radio Sales can show you KTTV's record. what's the factual story behind ''television in Los Angeles? We have just completed a 12-month survey, based on the Los Angeles Times Home Audit. Things like home ownership-rental figures, set distribution, number of children in TV homes, occupation and other basic material are included. Survey cost several thousand dollars to dig out, and worth every penny. This is the only largesample TV survey available for Greater Los Angeles. Radio Sales will have copies. Or write us direct. FRANK KING, our sales manager, is winging Eastward August 12th for several weeks. Frank has an up-to-the-minute story on television, so give him your kind attention, please. MORE studio space for KTTV. We leased two more studios, with over 10,000 square feet. Fall will see more big-time shows originating here, along with top-flight CBS' TV programs scheduled. 'i I I August 22, 1949 • Page 47