Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

Mr. Weaver of the NBC representatives as reports of outstanding progress, and with this expression of confidence in Gen. Sarnoff and the organization he heads, we adjourn our meeting. Representing the NBC speaking contingent, along with Mr. Weaver, were John K. Herbert, vice president in charge of network tv sales, and Jacob Evans, director of advertising and promotion activities. NBC's various sales plans were outlined by Mr. Weaver in a question-and-answer session Tuesday afternoon and in greater detail Wednesday afternoon in a prepared talk. Most controversial are the network's plans to sell blocks of seven and a half minutes on the Kate Smith Show to advertisers and spots (under ROSAH) in five programs in the 10 a.m.12 noon non-sustaining period [B»T, Oct. 26]. Mr. Weaver admitted there are problems with respect to the Kate Smith segment but reportedly told affiliates they would be resolved in time. He also acknowledged that the 10:30-11 a.m. and 5-5:30 p.m. time segments are vulnerable. It is in the daytime periods that NBC has felt itself to be weak. Affiliates generally have been favorable to the ROSAH plan according to Mr. Weaver. NBC sales plans are being tailored to lure small advertisers and to capitalize on seasonal business. But some affiliates admittedly are concerned over the network's blueprint for the Smith Show which apparently would necessitate a revision of its rate structure covering 5, IV2 and 15 minute segments to correct disparities in proportionate charges, with some of them feeling it constitutes an infringement on their spot time and, therefore, their spot revenue possibilities. The Smith Show sales plan has IV2 minute segments at 20% of the hourly rate — a factor that has drawn criticism on the grounds that the network rate schedule sets up a higher charge (25% of the hourly rate) for shorter segments (five minutes). But NBC-TV authorities maintain that the 7Vi-minute sales offer, which also is used on Your Show of Shows, is designed to attract participation sponsors to those specific shows, and that accordingly the lower rate is justified. Five-minute blocks sold elsewhere in the schedule are not participations, they point out. At one point in Wednesday's meeting, one broadcaster, referring generally to NBC's sales plans based on the Weaver "editorial" time concept, expressed resentment of Mr. Weaver's remark— apparently made at other meetings — that "something is better than nothing." The broadcaster said such practice of underselling tv by special rates and other means would be unthinkable in the newspaper field. He alluded generally to flexibility which NBC has sought to introduce as a feature of its plans. Highlights of NBC's new program innovations are: • The network's morning soap opera block 10-12 noon, will continue, but Glamour Girl will be replaced in the 10:30 a.m. slot. • The new women's feature, Home, will debut Jan. 18, as an hour-long show starting around noontime with possible expansion, Monday through Friday, involving a reshuffle of Bride and Groom. The show will be sold in participations as on Today, which has proved such a financial success. Each charter sponsor on Home will be al lowed, within limits, to designate a special day which is important to him from a sales and promotion standpoint — to kick off a special campaign, for example — and on that day that sponsor will have all the commercials on the show. • Atom Squad will be replaced from 5-5:30 p.m. Programming plans also include a sizable array of production talent, according to Mr. Weaver. He also reported on Today, which he said reaches 50% of all homes "cumulatively," and "hopes" it may someday hit 100%. Mr. Herbert reported that Today, with Dave Garroway, has the highest gross of any NBCTV offering and will gross some $5 million this year. The original estimate made at Princeton was $3.75 million. He said 40% of the program has been sold for the first quarter of next year. Other highlights, on ratings: • My Little Margie on Wednesdays has a rating of 25 compared to 10.6 last year. • This Is Your Life outpulled CBS-TV's Pabst fights, according to Nielsen October data. • NBC has boosted its ratings about four points on Thursday evenings, while CBS-TV has dropped seven points — presumably on an average basis, it was reported. Mr. Herbert reported addition of seven and a half new hours sponsored for daytime periods since last May, or a gain in sponsored hours of 20%. Annual gross billings for NBC-TV will be 20% ahead of its total for 1952. As of November, gross was 22% ahead of November 1952. There are prospects for additional sales that would sell out NBC's 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. segment and evening hours are sold out as previously reported, Mr. Herbert said. He reportedly asked affiliates to go along with the flexibility concept in sales patterns to bring in new advertisers. Mr. Evans reported on a forthcoming survey whereby NBC will select a vhf city "which anticipates television within six months" and I PRE-LUNCHEON confab during NBC -TV affiliates meeting in Chicago last week brought together Walter Damm (r), WTMJTV Milwaukee, chairman of the group, and John T. Murphy, vice president in charge of tv operations, WLWT (TV) Cincinnati. interview prospective set purchasers on their brand-name merchandise buying habits. Same market will be studies again six months after the station takes the air. Mr. Evans also reviewed NBC-TV's three aggressive promotion campaigns in recent months, including trade and newspaper advertising. Mr. Weaver again explained his editorial con cept as applied to tv programming, with adve: tisers sharing the cost of programs. He felt was especially important with the advent o: color tv and expressed belief that television must have sales flexibility to progress. He predicted NBC will attract many "heavy goods" firms in the medium. Subject of shows sold by NBC's Tv Film Division also cropped up. Some affiliates complained that the network's Dragnet was being resold to competing network broadcasters under the title Badge 714 and was used in local newspapers as a competitive weapon against them, with ads reading "an NBC Film Network Show." Can't Guarantee First Refusal Robert Sarnoff, vice president in charge of the division, explained that his organization must sell films to any one station that requests them, and that NBC could not guarantee first refusal rights to its affiliates. He noted that the network must grant so-called film residual rights in order to get most properties and that talent requests them. NBC was able to give refusal rights on its celebrated Victory at Sea, because it owned the series, but that was not true of Dragnet. With respect to time to advertisers in established programs on a spot participation basis, some affiliates in smaller markets observed they have not been carrying such shows as Howdy Doody, Show of Shows and Kate Smith — presumably because of the limitation on advertisers' distribution and budgets. A total of 52 stations out of NBC's 126 operating tv affiliates were represented at the meetings, which also drew Harry Bannister, vice president of NBC station relations, and other network officials from New York. The conference opened with a luncheon Tuesday and the afternoon meeting was thrown open for floor discussion. Affiliates met in closed session Wednesday morning, launching the meeting with a discussion of ROSAH. They also took up network presentations and exchanged views on the sales and program plans. They went back into meeting after network talks late that afternoon, setting up the new executive committee and adopting the resolution "unanimously" on NBC's leadership. Attendance at NBC-TV affiliates meeting (excluding network executives): Harold P. See, KRON-TV; John M. Outler, Marcus Bartlett, J. Leonard Reinsch, WSB-TV; Bill Wagner, Ernest Sanders, Fred Reed, Mark Wodlinger, WOC-TV; George Norton Jr., Nathan Lord, WAVE-TV; Louis Read, WDSU-TV; Tony Provost, WBAL-TV; William Swartley, George Tons, WBZ-TV; Edwin K. Wheeler, WWJ-TV; William Schroeder, WOOD-TV; Stanley E. Hubbard, KSTP-TV. BiU Bates, WDAF-TV; George M. Burbach, KSD-TV; Frank Fogarty, Howard Stalknaker, Pay son Hall, WOW-TV; William Fay, WHAMTV; Robert Hanna, Ray Welpott, WRGB (TV); E. R. Vadeboncoeur, WSYR-TV; John T. Murphy, B. C. Barth, Ward Quaal, WLWT (TV); Allen Haid, William Rine, WSPD-TV; P. A. Sugg, WKY-TV. Alvin D. Schrott, Frank P. Cummins, WJACTV; Clair R. McCollough, WGAL-TV; Roland V. Tooke, WPTZ (TV); Norman Gittleson, W JARTV; H. W. Slavick, WMCT (TV); Irving Waugh, WSM-TV; Martin Campbell, Ralph Nimmons, James Moroney Jr., WFAA-TV; Harold Hough, WBAP-TV; Jack Harris, KPRC-TV. Hugh A. L. Halff, WOAI-TV; Ben Larson, Douglas Clawson, KDYL-TV; Wilbur Havens, Walter A. Bowry Jr., WTVR (TV); Lawrence Rogers, WSAZ-TV; Walter J. Damm, Russ Winnie, George Comte, WTMJ-TV; Al Holman, William Pape, WALA-TV; Gene De Young, KERO-TV; Joseph Rohrer, KRDO-TV; Douglas D. Kahle, KCSJ-TV. Fred Mueller, WEEK-TV; Harold W. Froelich, Elmer Balaban, Milton Friedland, WTVO (TV); Bob Lemon, Sarkes Tarzian, WTTV (TV); Jack S. Atwood, WCSH-TV; G. David Gentling, KROC-TV; Ed Craney, KXLF-TV; Harold H. Thorns, WISE-TV; Vern Nolte, WHIZ-TV; David Baltimore, WBRE-TV; Evans Nord, KELO-TV. Howard Fry, KFDX-TV; Thomas P. Chisman, WVEC-TV; James H. Moore, WSLS-TV; R. O. Dunning, KHQ-TV; Robert W. Ferguson, WTRFTV. Page 32 • November 23, 1953 Broadcasting • Telecasting