Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan - Mar 1951)

BASEBALL HARMONY NAB Pl™ Acce^ed CLOSER working relationship between baseball and radio-television stations and networks was set up last week by representatives of NAB, Radio-Television Mfrs. Assn. and National Assn. of Professional Baseball Leagues. Working in harmony for their mutual benefit, as contrasted with the partial TV ban adopted the week before by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Jan. 15], the professional baseball officials accepted a promotional plan offered by NAB. Under this plan NAB will prepare a promotional package of ideas and suggestions to be used by minor league clubs in boosting baseball attendance through radio and other means. The package will be distributed to minor league clubs at their seven regional meetings to be held during February, according to George M. Trautman, NAPBL president. NAB and RTMA spokesmen met last Monday with baseball officials at Mr. Trautman's office. He called the meeting after conferring in December with C. L. Jordan, executive vice president of N. W. Ayer & Son, Philadelphia, and his son, Jerry Jordan, who has produced extensive research material on the effect of TV on gate receipts. Mr. Trautman said Monday he did not concur with extremist views that baseball broadcasts were ruining or entirely to blame for loss in attendance last year. William B. Ryan, NAB general manager, outlined NAB's promotion plan to promote attendance in minor league areas. He said he was confident stations will cooperate. James D. Secrest, RTMA general manager, promised cooperation of the manufacturing industry. The promotion plan ties into the 1951 Golden Anniversary of the American League and Diamond Jubilee of the National League. NAB and RTMA agreed to consult NAPBL if the latter decides to conduct a research project to find the causes of decline in minor league attendance. Major league spokesmen agreed to maintain more strict supervision of major league game broadcasts in order to eliminate local friction with minor league clubs. Meeting Participants Also taking part in the meeting were Ben Halpin, RCA, and Dave Davis, General Electric Co., for RTMA; Justin Miller, NAB president; Charles Segar, National League Service Bureau; Lou Carroll, National League attorney; L. C. McEvoy, American League Broadcasting Dept.; Ben Fiery, American League attorney; Philip Piton, Robert Fuch, of Mr. Trautman's office. Status of college football telecasts was uncertain last week following the Jan. 12 decision of National Collegiate Athletic Assn. to declare a partial and controlled moratorium on football telecasts. The NCAA TV Committee, whose recommendation was adopted by the full association, was reappointed. Tom Hamilton, U. of Pittsburgh, is chairman. Other members are Ralph Furey, Columbia U., and Willis Hunter, UCLA. A TV Steering Committee is to be named. "We have a splendid base for future relationships with the TV industry," Mr. Hamilton told Broadcasting • Telecasting. He voiced surprise that so little opposition to the TV resolution had developed on the convention floor. During the floor discussion Bernie Moore, of the Southeastern Conference, reminded that Georgia Tech contended its attendance had been affected "very little" by television, with no effect on small colleges or high schools. Suggestion was heard in many quarters after the convention that some colleges, perhaps many, will be willing or anxious to have their games telecast. The NCAA reso lution carries no means of enforcement. Text of the formal resolution: WHEREAS, there is positive evidence that live television broadcasts have an adverse effect on attendance at college football games, and WHEREAS, the future growth and further expansion of the television industry indicate that this adverse effect on attendance will become increasingly greater, and WHEREAS, television has spread across sectional lines and involves colleges in all parts of the country necessitating collective action and agreement, and WHEREAS, loss of football gate receipts from drop in attendance threatens the economic structure of college athletics and the necessary support for essential physical training programs; It is resolved that the members of the NCAA agree to declare a moratorium on live telecasting of college football games for 1951, and It is further resolved that members will cooperate with the NCAA and the television industry to experiment with all types of television broadcasting to include such methods as delayed showing of films, use of highlights and special features, Phonevision, Skiatron, theatre television, special controlled live telecasts, and any other methods which may be developed. It is further recommended that a committee consisting of one member from each NCAA District be appointed by the Executive Committee to work on and direct this project of the NCAA. 17 r? 7 :M h.3 frre rime -Bmycrs N 1)1 A N A. \ N D 1 A N A A r~ ' ft/hftt you Gret on -rv Using 17 spot announcements it costs over 5 times more to use TV than it does to use CKLW's dominant 50,000 watt coverage. *. . . and . . . using CKLW you reach over 5 times more homes than you reach by using TV. Which means ... in this area it costs over 25 times more to reach one TV home than it does to reach one radio home when you use CKLW. For mere facts and figures on the sales impact of CKLW write today for the "Primer" . A complete S page booklet that every time buyer will want to read before dealing with clients. 50,000 WATTS • 800 KC Adam J. Young Jr., Inc. National Rep. CKLW * Cuyahoga County, Ohio not included! GUARDIAN BUILDING • DETROIT 26 Page 36 • January 22, 1951 BROADCASTING • Telecastin