Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1953)

GOVERNMENT Bill Would Deny Educ. TV Money to State-Aided Outlets A MOVE to prohibit educational TV outlets operated by state-subsidized institutions from receiving financial aid won favor of a House committee in the Illinois legislature last week. A House appropriations group recommended a ban on educational television stations obtaining monetary support where the institution is state-financed. The recommendation followed hearings on that measure and another to channel $1 million each for outlets in Chicago and at the U. of Illinois at Champaign — Urbana. Would Ban Construction Denial of financial aid would have the practical effect of banning the construction and operation of an educational outlet at the U. of Illinois, whose budget already has been cut by the state. State broadcasters' groups and other organizations have scored the money-siphoning measure as a means of "putting a vehicle of propaganda in the hands of a government agency" [B*T, March 23, 16, 9]. AM Processing Plan Scrapped PROPOSAL to set up two processing lines for AM applications was withdrawn by FCC last week because of a decrease in number of pending bids. The plan, which would have given priority to applicants in communities receiving less than 25% coverage from primary AM outlets, was proposed April 17, 1952, but never put into effect. Adam J. Voong Jr., Inc. National Representative J. E. Campeav, President Guardian Building <* Detroit 26 NETWORKS NBC SHIFTS SPECULATED; CBS-TV CLAIMS SALES LEAD Brig. Gen. Sarnoff's references to NBC in his NARTB keynote speech, temporary shift of John K. West to New York and reports that several TV affiliates are re-studying their network tie-ins have raised questions about NBC plans for the future. REPORTS of unrest and impending shifts in the sphere of executive influence at NBC circulated persistently last week — despite repeated denials — in an atmosphere made tenser by CBS-TV's announced claim that it had taken the network television sales lead which NBC has held to date. CBS-TV's announcement, which also claimed first place in program popularity, cited $4% million in gross annual billings signed within a week to bring the network's April-signed new business total to $8% million, came in the wake of rumblings that a number of major NBC radio-TV affiliates might switch to CBS [Closed Circuit, May 4], plus entirely independent— and unconfirmed — reports that at least one major NBC executive is apt to leave as a forerunner to executive realignment. The NARTB convention keynote speech by Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, board chairman of both RCA and NBC, meanwhile heightened industry speculation — especially with his call for "sympathetic understanding and cooperation between networks and stations" and that he intends to take, if indeed he had not already started to take, a more direct active role in HERE'S HOW! . . . to sell more listeners per dollar invested than with any other major station in the Detroit area . . . use CKLW ... the station which produces greater low cost results for radio advertising dollar! Write for our siory. • CKLW covers a 17,000,000 population area in five important states! 50,000 WATTS 800 KC. Mr. West guiding NBC affairs. It also was noted that John K. West, NBC vice president in charge of West Coast operations, who also is the newest member of the NBC board, has been assigned to New York headquarters on a mission whose purpose and probable duration were not announced. Indeed, not even the fact of the assignment was announced. But authorities said the assignment included that of assisting President Frank White on special projects and serving as a coordinator between NBC and RCA officialdom, and that the mission was expected to last about two months. NBC officially appeared to discount the spate of reports that were circulating. Stories that several TV affiliates in important single-station markets were in negotiations looking toward the possibility of switching to CBS, both radio and TV, were denied as having been "inspired" and "spread" by CBS authorities. This charge was denied by CBS officials as sharply as NBC officials had made it. CBS-TV authorities maintained that several NBC affiliates had talked with them about "problems," and insisted that NBC had "cause for concern," although they conceded that CBS had not firmed up any "switches." Such problems as may exist between NBC and its television affiliates may be clarified in the forthcoming meeting, scheduled May 25 in New York, between the NBC-TV affiliates Committee, an independent organiaztion headed by Walter Damm of WTMJ-TV Milwaukee, and officials of the network. This meeting was called by the committee. One of the chief questions, it was reported, will be NBC's daytime TV programming, long a matter over which affiliates have expressed concern. On this subject, CBS-TV did not fail to point out — in a presentation coincident with its claim of sales leadership in TV — that as of April 1, it had 19% hours a week 'of sponsored daytime programming as against 7V2 hours for NBC-TV. Counting both daytime and evening, CBS-TV claimed its weekly total of sponsored hours stood at 47 as compared to 36.5 for NBC-TV. If there was any question about CBS-TV having acquired network television sales leadership, there has been none — for some time — about CBS Radio's sales dominance over the other radio networks. Publishers Information Bureau figures for the first quarter of 1953, just released, show that in combined gross billings CBS Radio and CBS-TV outdistanced NBC radio and NBC-TV by more than $2,275,000— $37,008,436 in the case oi the two CBS networks and $34,732,111 in the case of those of NBC [B«T, May 4]. Breaking these totals down, it is shown that Page 68 • May 11, 1953 Broadcasting • Telecasting