Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

PLANS FOR TV CITY IN MANHATTAN TOLD Proposed $300-500 million development in New York would have television center as main attraction, according to real estate tycoon William B. Zeckendorf, backer of project. A PROPOSED $300-500 million redevelopment of nearly 50 acres on Manhattan's west side as disclosed Thursday in New York envisions a "Television City" as its main attraction. The backer is real estate tycoon William B. Zeckendorf, who only last month joined with broadcast entrepreneur John C. Mullins, president of KBTV (TV) Denver, in projected station buying and has acquired 50% interest in KBTV. The New York enterprise would redevelop acreage bounded by 9th and 12th Aves. and W. 30th and W. 38th Sts. in mid-Manhattan, west of Pennsylvania Station, where an initial plan to erect a $100 million "Palace of Progress" atop the station, also backed by Mr. Zeckendorfs Webb & Knapp Inc., now has been abandoned. The project would be completed before 1960. The proposed area now is chiefly occupied by freight yards of the New York Central Railroad. In the Zeckendorf plan, rail tracks would remain underneath the project with streets and avenues undisturbed except for widening. The project would have 10 buildings including a hotel, a "great hall" building, a permanent world trade show, heliport, shops, restaurants, apartment buildings, parking facilities and a rebuilt Pennsylvania station among other features. The heart of the tv facilities would be a freestanding shaft, "Freedom Tower," soaring 1,750 feet into the air (the Empire State rises 1,250 feet) providing broadcast transmission facilities and large, horizontal areas for tv studios, heretofore unavailable in New York. For example. Mr. Zeckendorf plans space for four 200-seat studios and an additional 80,000 square feet for service areas in close support of the studios. An apartment hotel would be built for citizens of "television city," providing them with living accommodations near their jobs. Mr. Zeckendorf, who only a few weeks ago confirmed to B»T that plans for a New York tv center were still active [B«T, Dec. 19, 1955], told newsmen that a report that one major network— unidentified — was planning to move all of its operation but its main office to the West Coast, was as close as the edge of a dime balanced on end. He illustrated his point to the newsmen. Radio as Sales Tool Stressed by CBS Spot SUPERIORITY of radio as a sales tool for advertisers is stressed in a new booklet. "Time Is Money," prepared and distributed last week by the sales promotion department of CBS Radio Spot Sales. The study cites research data to show that $69,000 will buy 1.653 one-minute announcements on the 14 stations represented by CBS Radio Spot Sales, for a listener cost-per-thousand of 40 cents, whereas the same amount spent in newspapers will buy 37 full-page ads at a $7.51 cost per thousand. As compared with television, the booklet continues, CBS Radio Spot Sales' group buying plan offers a total of 294 station breaks "for slightly more than $7,000" while tv offers a total of 24 station breaks (in prime time on leading stations in 14 markets) for approximately the same cost. The presentation notes that "50 million people don't have tv. 37 million people don't read magazines. 18 million people don't read news COMPLETING ARRANGEMENTS for Gateway Chevrolet sponsorship of Boston Blackie (4:30-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.) for 52 weeks on KGO-TV San Francisco are (I to r): seated, John Allen, Ray Cormier advertising agency; Carroll Mincher, vice president, Gateway Chevrolet; James H. Connolly, ABC vice president in charge of San Francisco office; standing, Wayne Anderson, KGO-TV sales representative, and Dave Sacks, KGO-TV sales manager. papers, but radio reaches 94.7% of all U. S. homes" and not only provides a "bonus on wheels" (more than 31 million car radios) but is "getting even bigger." Housewife listening habits get special attention in the booklet, which points out that "the woman who buys for herself and the entire family . . . the woman who influences the purchases of major items . . . the young homemaker . . . has made radio a constant companion in the home: 95% listen to radio each week, 47.8% listen every day of the week. The young homemaker averages 5.2 days of radio listening each week." It also reports that "two out of three (66.5% ) will already have listened to their radios before leaving home to shop." "Like the housewife," the booklet continues, "there are influential consumers who listen wherever there is a radio — and it's important to remember that 'radio is everywhere.' " The presentation also outlines various types of saturation plans available on the individual stations represented by CBS Radio Spot Sales and presents success stories and lists of longterm advertisers on the various stations. Terry H. Lee New President Of Television Diablo-KOVR PROMOTION of Terry H. Lee to president of Television Diablo-KOVR (TV) San Francisco was announced last week by H. Leslie Hoffman, chairman of the board. At the same time. Mr. Hoffman announced the appointment of Frank G. King as vice president in charge of sales and Earl Jay Watson as vice president in charge of programming. Mr. Lee's promotion follows his appointment in February of 1955 as executive vice president and general manager of KOVR. Mr. King joined KOVR in June of last year and has been in charge of both local and national sales. Mr. Watson has been in the KOVR programming department since early last year. KDKA-AM-TV to Consolidate By May 1, H. C. Lund Says THE OPERATIONS of Westinghouse Broadcasting Co.'s KDKA-AM-TV will be under one roof by May 1, it is being announced today (Monday) by Harold C. Lund, WBC vice president in charge of the Pittsburgh stations. KDKA will move from the Grant Bldg.. where it has been located for 21 years, to offices adjoining KDKA-TV in Bldg. 1 of Gateway Center. "We also anticipate considerable integration of KDKA with KDKA-TV," Mr. Lund said, "including the consolidation of some activities which each station now performs independently." KDKA's present studios, designed for the big variety-type programs of the 1930s, are largely wasted in a modern operation, he said. The new quarters will have three small studios and a tape recording studio. Mr. Lund doubles as general manager of the tv outlet and L. R. Rawlins is general manager of KDKA. Similar integrated facilities are maintained by WBC in Boston (WBZ-AM-TV). Broadcasting • Telecasting January 9, 1956 • Page 95