Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1955)

PROGRAM SERVICES NETWORKS a studio, go to the expense of a huge rental for an arena plus the additional not-so-incidental cost of the hired help that goes with such a promotion? It all boils down to the fact that thirty million persons, give or take a few thousand, will see the bouts either way and it's cheaper if studio-produced." Mr. Salak, The Ring's tv editor, suggests, admittedly with tongue-in-cheek, that all boxing events might be "canned" — filmed in a studio and then edited to fit television's time slots. Autocue Corp. Reorganizes, J. Elroy McCaw Joins Firm EXPANSION and reorganization of Autocue Sales & Distribution Corp., New York, visual prompting device service, was announced last week by Larry Merchant, president. In the reorganization, J. Elroy McCaw, president of WINS New York and associated in ownership of other stations, has joined the company on the executive level. In addition to Mr. McCaw's affiliation with the company, Autocue has ordered more equipment amounting to $250,000, increased its staff and opened offices at 1600 Gower St., Hollywood, with William Gargan Jr. as manager. Mr. Merchant said the firm had quadrupled its overall billings on tv and film during the last six months. At present, Autocue services shows on ABCTV, CBS-TV, and NBC-TV and has an exclusive arrangement for all programming on WRCA-TV New York. Autocue also has contracts with 58 advertising agencies and 22 film producers. KMBC-TV Effective September 28, 1955, KMBC-TV joins the nation's most dynamic and fastestgrowing television network, the American Broadcasting Company. For programming details, consult your Free & Peters Colonel or: H Don Davis, First Vice President ' I John Schilling, Vice Pres. & Gen. Mgr. George Higgins, Vice Pres. & Sales Mgr. fgf Mori Greiner, Director of Television Page 80 • August 29, 1955 DUMONT TURNS ITS CORPORATE BACK ON TV NETWORK, LEAVES IT TO DIE As of mid -September there'll be but one network show left. Still up in the air are approval of the stock spin-off proposal and the job futures of Ted Bergmann and Ted Cott. THE DuMont Tv Network is being left to peter out By the middle of next month, it'll be down to one network program — Monday-night boxing, a co-op feature. It dropped from three programs to two last Thursday, when Libby, McNeil & Libby's weekly quarter-hour All About Baby folded. The other program currently being networked, H. J. Heinz Co.'s Studio 57 (Tues., 8:30-9 p.m.), ends about the middle of September. The weekly boxing co-op is slated to continue "indefinitely." In addition DuMont has set a fall football schedule, but this is on a regional lineup. It embraces about 15 or 16 stations in New York State and New England, and will be presented with Atlantic Refining Co. sponsoring half and the other half being offered on a co-op basis. No known effort is being made to secure new network programs or network sponsors. This, of course, is in line with the policy made known by indirection a few weeks ago in connection with the proposed stock spin-off — yet to be voted on by stockholders — under which Allen B. DuMont Labs and its broadcast division would be corporately separated. The announcement of that plan said the new broadcasting corporation would operate the DuMont owned outlets as "local stations"; it made no mention of the DuMont network, and top authorities agreed then that it might be assumed the network would be discontinued if the spinoff plan is approved [B»T, Aug. 15]. Bergmann Continues Ted Bergmann, managing director of the broadcasting division, which includes the network as well as the owned stations, meanwhile is continuing in that position. His future plans have not been disclosed. Whether he would move into the new set-up, assuming the incorporation plan is approved by the stockholders, has not been indicated. On the other hand, sources among the Paramount Pictures interests, which represent about 29% of the DuMont Labs stock and which appears to have got an upper hand in policy management of the company, have indicated that a key but otherwise unidentified post in the proposed new DuMont Broadcasting Corp. would go to Ted Cott, now head of the ownedstations operation. The spin-off announcement said specifically that Dr. Allen B. DuMont, now head of the labs, would become board chairman of the new manufacturing corporation. It has been speculated that Paul Raibourn of Paramount Pictures and also currently secretary of DuMont Labs, might head the new broadcasting company. There also have been strong indications that Paramount is preparing for a major invasion of the tv network and film packaging field [B«T, Aug. 22]. While the DuMont network operation is dwindling away, its new Electronicam live-film camera system is reported making heartening progress. The first Jackie Gleason Honeymooners show recorded by the Electronicam system was viewed privately last week end was reported to have won enthustiastic reception. Electronicam filming of a series of five-minute shows featuring Les Paul and Mary Ford and to be sponsored on a national spot basis by Lambert Pharmacal Co. through Lambert & Feasley is to start this week, and a number of film commercials for other natioanl spot advertisers are being made by the Electronicam process. The Electronicam operation would be a part of the manufacturing corporation's functions under the proposed corporate split-up of manufacturing and broadcasting. CBS Claims Major News Beat With Algerian Revolt Films CBS-TV Thursday hailed what it called "some of the most sensational film to come out of terror-ridden Algeria" as a tv film news beat scored by CBS Newsfilm cameraman and correspondent Jacques Alexandre. The 300 feet of news film was shot on Tuesday in the province of Constantine, more than 100 miles east of Algiers, as French soldiers flushed rebels out of hiding places. Mr. Alexandre, according to CBS-TV, risked his life in shooting the film, which was shown on the network's Douglas Edwards With the News program Wednesday (7:30-7:45 p.m. EDT), with portions on a late news show in New York that night. Early the next day, footage was placed on The Morning Show. The film, which earned the cameraman an immediate $250 bonus from the network, depicted French soldiers shooting down rebels and recorded civilian and military personnel who were wounded in the massacre. CBS-TV said stills of the film were placed on news photo wires by United Press and International News Service and that Life and Coronet magazines requested stills after a viewing. Fall Coverage of Sports On Intermountain Network LYNN MEYER, president of Intermountain Network, announced the sale of all U. of Utah football and basketball games on the network's eight Utah stations. Co-sponsors will be Utah Oil Refining Co. and the First Security Bank system. A 10-minute scoreboard program will follow the game broadcast, sponsored by Fisher Baking Co., Salt Lake City. Coaches Jack Curtis and Jack Gardner will be featured on a sports program sponsored by Arden Meadowgold Dairies, which will follow the scoreboard. In addition. Burgermeister beer, San Francisco, will sponsor 19 pro-football games on the network's Nevada, Idaho and Montana stations, according to Mr. Meyer. MAGNIFY YOUR SALES IN THIS STABLE $140,000,000.00 MARKET University City •TV .lii • Rich Lumbering and 167 Mountainous Miles from Spokane Broadcasting Telecasting