Broadcasting (Apr - June 1950)

NSTP PETITION A 1 JU Jf L SAG BROCHURE HENRY KASPEROWiCZ, of the Allen B. DuMont Labs, inventor of the new DuMont three-color direct view television tube, patent for which has been granted [Telecasting, May 22], stands beside video equipment at DuMont's research division in Passaic. A resident of Passaic, Mr. Kasperowicz filed for the patent on the tube in October of 1945, when he was only 27 years old. GROSS TIME May '50 Sales More Than Triple May '49 GROSS TIME sales of three TV networks in May totaled more than three times the gross of all four TV networks in May of 1949, Publishers Information Bureau reported last week. PIB figures also show that this ratio holds for the January-May 1950 TV network time sales, compared ★ to the same five-month period of and May 1949 and for the fivelast year. month period of each year follows Breakdown by networks com with DuMont data not reported paring time sales for May 1950 for 1950 : May 1950 May 1949 5 Mos. 1950 5 Mos. 1949 ABC CBS DuMont NBC TOTAL 367,701 1,009,043 1,582,555 2,959,299 132,146 243,241 61,394 460,440 897,221 1,520,680 3,704,312 5,925,985 11,150,977 230,804 860,747 354,127 2,028,831 3,474,509 ABC-TV NEW BUSINESS Neg" *6 Million License Changes Sought [ SEEKING more fair and equal 1 treatment for television producers regarding fees for business licenses, National Society of Television Producers, through its attorney, Max Gilford, has asked the Los Angeles j City Council for an opportunity to ■ presents its problems at a hearing. In a letter that compared various inconsistencies found in licenses ! for other industries, the society stated that the license ordinance should "be either amended to specifically take care of the television producers' problems and by scheduling a lesser rate, or that the entire license ordinance be revised as to all concerned and made more equal and fair and without discrimination which it now has" Letter stated that the license fee charged a TV film producer making a motion picture involving production costs from $1,500 to $10,000 is a minimum license fee of $50, for one picture. For 10 pictures a year, with total cost ; of $50,000, the fee is $100 per year; £ for 26 TV pictures costing $5,000 I each, the fee is $200 per year. Compared to this is the producer of B motion pictures cost ■ ing $50,000 to $60,000 each, at a rate of three to five pictures a year. • His income will be far in excess \ of the TV producer, although the : license fee is the same for both, i Producer of A pictures which ■ might yield in excess of $500,000, I pays $700 license fee; this fee remains the same even if he makes : 50 films costing a million dollars each. The independent producer pays same $700 fee even if he makes only one movie costing $501,000. Other charges of inconsistency J also were listed. COLOR ON COAST CBS Showing at Medical Meet I CBS color television will be demonstrated on the West Coast for the first time at the national convention of the American Medical Assn. in San Francisco June 26-29. The colorcasts will be microwaved six miles from the Fort Miley Veterans Administration Hospital to San Francisco's Masonic Temple, j . Sixteen receivers will be installed i for the demonstration. Smith, Kline & French Labs, Philadelphia pharmaceutical firm, will present the demonstration in cooperation with the Veterans Administration and the Stanford and U. of California' medical schools. Dr. Peter Goldmark, director of engineering research and development for CBS, will also participate. SEMINAR in television production being provided by Dept. of Extension Teaching and Information at Cornell U., Ithaca, N. Y., in connection with its advanced class in radio broadcasting. AN ESTIMATED $6 million in television billing was sold, or nearly so, by ABC last week. Eight programs, including one starring Don McNeill who has been signed to a 20-year contract by the network [Broadcasting, June 19], were involved. The contract with Mr. McNeill, the toastmaster of the radio show, Breakfast Club, on ABC for the past 17 years, is the longest continuing radio agreement ever signed with a personality. It is effective Jan. 1, 1951, and includes the entire McNeill family — Mr. McNeill; his wife, Kay, and three boys, Tommy, 15; Dennis, 14, and Bob, 9. In addition, the network will get the first option on the boys' services if they decide to follow in their father's footsteps. The television program will be called The Don McNeill Shoiv and is expected to start next October, on ABC-TV Wednesday nights. The present sponsors of the Breakfast Club, Swift & Co., Philco Corp. and General Mills, all are currently negotiating for sponsorship of the TV show. Details are expected to be consummated shortly. Chicago Origination The newly signed 20 year contract calls for Mr. McNeill to originate his program in Chicago for nine months out of the year, an eight-week vacation annually, two weeks origination in New York and two weeks in various points around the country. Among the television shows that ABC-TV has already signed up is the Treasury Men In Action, bought by Chrysler Sales Div., The Chrysler Corp., Monday, 8-8:30 p.m., starting Sept. 11, through McCann Erickson, New York. Explains Stand on TVA SCREEN ACTORS Guild, seeking to further clarify its position in the current dispute with Television Authority over TV jurisdiction, last week issued a 16-page brochure to its members outlining its contract proposals for telecast motion pictures, comparing them with TVA proposals and reviewing dispute between the two groups. Stating that the inferiority of TVA's complete schedule of conditions to SAG conditions is the result of "TVA's complete lack of experience in contract negotiations for actors in motion pictures and ignorance of the problems of such actors," the booklet listed 17 distinct points on which TVA contract proposals would undercut working conditions for motion picture actors. Among points mentioned were continuous employment, rehearsal time, travel time, work on Sundays and holidays. TVA, Guild claims, asks nothing on these, the booklet said. Ready for a TVA charge that the SAG minimum rate of $55 per day for single role in a single picture is too low, the Guild states that this rate is already established with motion picture producers, whereas TVA is only asking for a higher rate. There is quite a difference, SAG states, "between asking for something and getting it." Screen Actors Guild brochure stated it wants "an intelligent, honorable settlement of the television dispute," something that National Labor Relations Board elections may bring about. Obviously, it continues, "there can be no settlement as long as the TVA bloc on the 4-A's board seeks to force its will on motion picture actors." Another is Acrobat Ranch, sponsored by General Shoe Co., Nashville, Saturday, 11:30-12 noon, through Ruthrauff & Ryan, Chicago, starting Aug. 19. American Safety Razor and Heed deodorant's Sugar Bowl with Chico Marx is scheduled to start in October, Thursday, 10-10:30 p.m., through Ruthrauff & Ryan, New York [Broadcasting, June 19, also see page 19]. Ironite Corp. (mangle irons) will sponsor Hollywood Screen Test starting Oct. 2, Monday, 7:30-8 p.m. Brooke, Smith, French & Dorrance, New York, is the agency [Broadcastng, June 19]. Three other programs about to be set are Bendix with the John Reed King Shoiv, Wednesday, 7:30-8 p.m.; The Arthur Murray Program, Champagne Cup, Thursday, 9:30-10 p.m., and the Dodge Anta Show slated for Sunday, 7:30-8 p.m. Page 61 • BROADCASTING June 26, 1950 TELECASTING • Page 7