Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

TV'S DST HEADACHE MAY TURN MIGRAINE There may be a repeat of the chaos created last October by New York's extended daylight savings time which shoved New York-originated programs one hour ahead in most of the country. Added worry: Bills in New York Assembly would have savings time start even earlier in spring. THE EXTRA MONTH of national division between daylight and standard time — estimated by some experts to have cost the three tv networks upwards of $1.5 million last fall [B«T, Oct. 3, 1955] — could become a semi-annual event under either of two bills currently pending in the New York state legislature. In addition to keeping New York on daylight time a month longer than the traditional end on the last Sunday in September — a practice started in New York and numerous other areas last year — the pending bills would start New York on DST a month earlier than the usual start on the last Sunday of April. Although ABC-TV announced coincidentally that it is installing special equipment in its Chicago studios to allow "unlimited local time zone repeats" during DST months (see story, this page), it was understood ABC-TV probably would join NBC-TV and CBS-TV in opposing the measures. It was deemed likely that the opposition would be spearheaded by the New York State Assn. of Radio and Television Broadcasters. One of the pending measures, introduced by Assemblyman Robert Walmsley (Republican), an attorney from Nyack, would start daylight saving time on the last Sunday in March. The other, by State Senator Pliny W. Williamson (Republican), a New York attorney, would put the DST starting date at the first Sunday in April. Both would continue DST through October. The fact that some areas are on DST and others on standard time always poses a problem in tv especially — the radio networks have comparatively little trouble providing delay service to areas as needed — and it is a problem that involves network affiliates, advertisers and agencies as well as networks. Take last October, for example: Programs which originated in New York in Class A or B time, for instance, reached some areas in Class B or C time. Otherwise unnecessary kinescope recordings became necessary in order to provide delayed broadcasts in some areas. Sports programs, which almost necessarily must be carried live, turned up on some stations in what is normally a children's block of programs, or in other untoward time periods. Sometimes stations had to cancel lucrative local shows in order to take a network program in the juggled time slots, in other cases a network was unable to deliver all the stations ordered by an advertiser. At other times, because of the time differences, some stations suddenly found themselves bereft of a network program and not only had to lose the income from it but had to spend extra money to program the time period locally. Time Zone Repeats Set By ABC TV in Chicago IN A MOVE compared to its pioneering the use of repeat broadcasts by tape recordings more than a decade ago, ABC is installing special equipment in its Chicago studios "to allow unlimited local time zone repeats of television programs when daylight saving time is in effect." John H. Mitchell, vice president in charge of the ABC Television Network, announced the development last Friday — at a time when, by coincidence, tv networks in particular were preparing to fight a New York State move which threatened to complicate further the always complex Daylight vs. Standard Time confusion. Mr. Mitchell said the new setup was unlike any equipment in use in network tv broadcasting and that it would enable ABC-TV to repeat programs within an hour after their original presentation in the East. Without describing the equipment, the announcement said it uses "a unique method of video delay which will enable tv programs to be stored for an hour and then replayed with no loss in quality." It will make Chicago the focal point for ABC-TV's delayed feeds to Standard time zones during the months when some areas are on Daylight time and others on Standard. Frank Marx, ABC vice president in charge of engineering and general services, described the new system as "a rather elaborate method" of recording on 35 mm film — not a kinescope process — which uses "new developing techniques that are still under wraps." Mr. Marx said the equipment, being built to ABC's specifications, is not related to the technique which ABC-TV was reported early last fall to be using as one approach to solution of the DST-Standard Time maze. That system was evolved from one designed primarily to enable ABC-TV to deliver its Mon.-Fri. Mickey Mouse Club — a film series — to affiliates at 5-6 p.m. local time, and was said at the time to be also working to the satisfaction of most advertisers and affiliates when applied, in general principle, to delayed programming to solve the DST-Standard Time problem [B»T, Oct. 3, 1955]. CBS Radio Shows Set For Movie's Promotion FIRST sponsorship of full network radio programs by a major Hollywood motion picture company to promote a film feature was claimed in New York last week. The large-scale, albeit short-term, purchase on CBS Radio which includes sponsorship of 30 segments of major programs over a period of three weeks, starting Feb. 8, was disclosed jointly by CBS Radio President Arthur Hull Hayes and Charles Einfeld, vice president of 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. The picture to be promoted is "Carousel," a CHARLES EINFELD (I), vice president of 20th Century-Fox, discusses the "Carousel" advertising deal with CBS Radio President Arthur Hull Hayes. Cinemascope '55 production that premiers in New York and other cities on Feb. 16 and winds up its first unveilings 10 days later in other major cities throughout the country. As pointed up by CBS, motion picture companies have contracted for spot and local radio in past years, but this is the first such placement on a network program basis. The segments will be sponsored in eight major CBS Radio programs: Bing Crosby, Amos V Andy, Jack Carson, Galen Drake, Juke Box Jury, Edgar Bergen Hour, Mitch Miller and Curt Massey. Mr. Einfeld said the network radio campaign was decided upon as an "important supplement" to newspaper, magazine, billboard and tv advertising— "We feel that network radio, with its vast audience at home and in cars, will be able to bring our advertising message to the infrequent motion picture clientele, attracting many more millions of customers into theatres where 'Carousel' is being exhibited." He noted also that the company took into consideration the delivery of the advertising messages by top radio stars. CBS Radio estimated that the commercials "in the aggregate" will create "gross listener impressions of more than 116 million." Agency for the film firm is Charles Schlaifer & Co., New York. 'Ozark Jubilee' Renewed A LONG-TERM contract was signed last week by Robert E. Kintner, ABC president, and Ralph D. Foster, president, Crossroads Television Productions Inc., for continuation on ABCTV (three Saturdays, 7:30-9 p.m. EST, and fourth Saturday, 7:30-8 p.m. EST) of Ozark Jubilee. Terms of the contract were not announced. No Mystery Here RECENT WORKS of fiction involving radio-tv figures unanimously have shrouded the identity of the central character— so it's refreshing to note that CBS librarian Agnes Law was revealed last week as the inspiration for the main character in the current Broadway pl?y, "The Desk Set." This development was disclosed by actress Shirley Booth, now starring in the play, who inscribed a program playbill to "Agnes Law, my alter ego." The stage star and "alter ego" met for the first time as guests of honor at a tribute luncheon, given by The Women Pays Club, composed of professional women engaged in the "lively arts." Miss Law has been with CBS since the formation of the broadcasting company in 1927. The locale of the play is a radio broadcasting reference library and the principal character is a lady with an unlimited fund of facts. It was reported by CBS Radio that Miss Law little suspected that she and the reference department were under study when "The Desk Set" author, William Marchant, paid frequent visits. The play's co-producer, Robert Fryer, formerly was a CBS casting director. Page 82 • January 23, 1956 Broadcasting • Telecasting