Broadcasting (July - Sep 1950)

TIME OUT is called for this group of executives attending the National Assn. of Radio Station Representatives' Spot TV Clinic luncheon, held at the Biltmore Hotel, New York, July 18. L to r: Norman Farrell, Weed & Co.; Ralph McKinnie, Paul H. Raymer Co.; Elliott Reed, Free & Peters; Donald W. Stewart, advertising division man ager. The Texas Co., and luncheon guest; T. F. Flanagan, NARSR managing director; Keith Dare, Headley-Reed Co.; Don Campbell, Edward Petry & Co.; Robert D. C. Meeker, Robert Meeker Assoc.; Don Kearney, The Katz Agency; John E. Porterfield, Paul H, Raymer Co., line up for the cameraman. FORD TOP NiTWORK USER o>jxj^ FORD MOTOR CO. once more was the top television network advertiser in May, with time purchases of $177,453 according to Publishers Information Bureau figures. The gi'oss rate data covers the TV networks of ABC, CBS and NBC, only, since PIB does not record the DuMont figures. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. was second, having bought $157,355 worth of TV time. National Dairy Products, Liggett & Myers, and P. Lorillard Tobacco Co. were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, thus placing three tobacco manufacturers in the top five advertisers on Television. Table I lists the top 10 advertisers. Smoking Materials Lead For the product groups. Smoking Materials — cigarettes, pipe tobacco and lighters — continued to lead the TV network clients by purchasing $546,457 worth of time in May. The Food & Food Products group jumped to second place from third in April, placing automotive products as the third largest user of TV. The Radio, TV Sets, Phonographs & Musical Instruments group ranked fourth and the Toiletries & Toilet Goods manufacturers fifth, in the month's video expenditures. The five-month period of January-May 1950, saw the same top product group buyer, Smokinig Materials, while Automotive manufacturers and suppliers were the second largest users of TV time. Food & Food Products ranked third, followed by Radio-TV Sets, TABLE I 10 LEADING TV NETWORK* ADVERTISERS IN MAY 1. Ford Motor Co. $177,453 2. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. 157,355 3. National Dairy Products 142,811 4. Liggett & Myers 120,220 5. P. Lorillard & Co. 113,543 6. RCA 101,939 7. General Foods 97,525 8. Mohawk Carpet Co. 87,374 9. General Motors 85,240 10. American Tobacco Co. 80,924 *On ABC, CBS and NBC; DuMont not reporting Musical Instruments & Phonograph producers, and Toiletries & Toilet Goods, in that order, for the five months. Table II shows gross billings for each client group in May and Jan.May, 1950. WATV CHARGE Answered by Schwimmer RADIO FEATURES, Chicago, plans to make its nationally syndicated Miss U. S. Television of 1950 beauty and talent contest "the biggest and best of its kind," Walter Schwimmer, president, said last week in answer to WATV (TV) Newark's charge that it telecast a similar show first. WATV objected to Radio Features' show on grounds that the format of the new package [Broadcasting, July 17] is identical with that of the station's Miss Television of 1950 contest as well as WATV's Miss Television of 194.9. Mr. Schwimmer, who said no official court petition for a restraining order has been filed, said WATV is only "one of half a dozen" stations or agencies with a beautytalent contest format for a video show. He changed the name of the Radio Features package to Miss U. S. Television of 1950, he said, so it would not conflict with WATV's Miss Television of 1950, as both shows are telecast in the New York area. WATV has been invited by Mr. Schwimmer to file any subsequent claims and objections with his legal staff. In the meantime. Radio Features is negotiating for network telecasting of the contest finals Sept. 2 from the Chicago Fair lakefront site. Plans should be set this week, Mr. Schvdmmer said. PHONEVISION Zenith Given Test Dele ZENITH Radio Corp.'s propose Chicago-area Phonevision test wa granted an extension of commenc; ment date to Oct. 1 by FCC las week. Previously authorized to begii last Feb. 1, the 90-day pay-as-you see television experiment wa granted a delay by the Commissioi upon assurance from Zenith it hai withdrawn its "contingent credit offer to manufacturers for buildinj Phonevision decoder outlets int their TV sets [Telecasting, Jul; 10]. FCC earlier had criticize Zenith on its decoder offer and ad vertisements regarding Phonevi sion allegedly published by Zenit!' dealers [Telecasting, June 5, 26] Zenith had offered TV set maker credit of 25(1; for each set equippe with a decoder outlet, the credi to apply against future royaltie of 50o per set when and if Phone vision were approved and if manu facturers then vnshed to obtain license under Phonevision patent; FCC's letter to Zenith regardin; the extension of authority state^ in part: As you are aware, by letter of Jun 21, the Commission informed you tha your actions in connection with Phone vision had not been consistent with th conditions imposed on your Phonevi sion authorization. However, you request for extension of starting dat is now granted on the representation contained in your letter of June 24 (1 that no agreements have been entere into with other manufacturers to in elude Phonevision decoder outlets i their receivers; (2) that the contingen credit offer made to other manufac turers encouraging them to instal Phonevision decoder outlets in thei sets has been withdrawn; and (3) tha you do "not propose to continue t encourage the installation of decode outlets by its competitors in televisio receivers manufactured by them eithe on the basis outlined in [your] sai letter of Feb. 10 to such competitor or by any other means." This grant is based also on the repre sentations contained in your previou letter of June 2, stating that you hav advised your dealers carrying mis leading advertisements concernin.; Phonevision that Zenith would pay n part of the cost of the advertisemen and that if the misleading advertise ments continued, the franchise woul be cancelled. DEFENSE BILL NBC-TV Covers Hearing. NBC television cameras wer grinding away last Monday an Tuesday for the benefit of daytim televiewers as the Senate Bankin j & Currency Committee began heai ings on President Truman's De fense Production Bill encompass ing partial mobilization control and allocations (see story pag 23). NBC-TV and its WNBW (TV Washington mobile units covere the hearings under the direction c NBC Producer Ted Ayers. Pre grams emanated from the Senat Office Bldg. Caucus Room and wer aired at 10:30 a.m. Officials caugh by the cameras included W. Stuai Symington, chairman of the Ns tional Security Resources Boarc and Charles Sawyer, Secretary 0 Commerce. TABLE II GROSS TV NETWORK BILLINGS* BY PRODUCT GROUPS FOR MAY AND JAN.-MAY 1950 PRODUCT GROUP MAY JAN.-MAY 1950 Apparel, Footware & Access $ 89,943 298,613 Automotive, Automotive Equip. & Supplies 387,901 1,729,455 Beer, Wine & Liquor 110,787 584,786 Confectioney & Soft Drinks 142,117 345,208 Consumer Services 17,580 76,815 Drugs & Remedies 24,660 97,470 Food & Food Products 406,514 1,512,967 Gasoline, Oil & Other Fuels 135,565 476,240 Horticulture 620 1,140 Household Equip. 196,973 764,743 Household Furnishings 197,004 751,756 Industrial Materials 9,698 9,698 Jewelry, Optical Goods 23,875 26,571 Publishing & Media 26,467 103,532 Radios, TV Sets, Phonographs, Musical Instruments & Access. 297,980 1,181,775 Retail & Mail Order 1,631 Smoking Materials 546,457 2,032,065 Soaps, Cleansers & Polishes 56,395 161,880 Toiletries & Toilet Goods 233,731 918,046 Miscellaneous 14,196 76,586 TOTAL 32,959,299 $11,150,977 *ABC, CBS, and NBC TV networks; DuMont figures not available Page 50 • July 31, 1950 Telecasting • BROADCASTIN<