Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

NETWORKS ABC SEES CHANCE TO RIVAL TV NETWORKS CATCH BY 1958 Three years after its merger with United Paramount Theatres the 'third network' can look back on satisfying advances and forward to bright prospects. B#T has prepared the following status report on its operations and outlook at midpoint of its first 'five year plan.' WHAT ARE ABC's chances of catching up — in the reasonably near future — with CBS and NBC? ABC's President Robert E. Kintner says they're good. He's confident that ABC will overtake the others by early 1958. Three years ago ABC was a hungry operation. Then, finally, the long-awaited merger of ABC with United Paramount Theatres received FCC's approval in February 1953, and gladsome coin became available from UPT's well-stocked bank account. Officials cautioned that miracles would not occur overnight, but at the same time they set themselves a goal — to pull abreast of the other networks in five years. Mr. Kintner's views on the progress of the "five year plan" and the prospects of attaining parity on schedule were given B*T in an anniversary-month interview which also ranged across ABC's color television plans, entry into spectacular-type programming next fall, network radio outlook and planning, as well as its progress toward the goal of equality (excerpts from the interview start on page 68 ) . "We think that in two years' time the three networks will be on a par in all respects." Mr. Kintner asserted. "We hope in that period that the FCC will take such action that there can be three competitive services in the largest population communities of the country. We think the result would be good for all networks and that programming would be improved. It would be good for the advertiser by giving him a greater choice, and obviously it would be good for the public because it would give better and additional program service. While we expect to reach these goals in two years, I don't want to appear cocky, because I must say that NBC and CBS are pretty tough." As evidence of ABC's "decided progress" in the past three years, Mr. Kintner cited ABC-TV billings: up from $21 million gross in 1953 to more than $50 million in 1955. And time sold: up from approximately 35 quarter-hours in January 1953 to 150 in January 1956. And audience: up 43%, for a typical commercial message, in a year's time. The following table shows how far ABC-TV has come — and indicates the size of the gap still to be closed — in the pursuit of the frontrunners. Figures are for gross billings, as compiled by Publishers Information Bureau: 1952 1953 1954 1955 ABC-TV 518,353,003 21,110,680 34,713,098 51,393,434 CBS-TV $ 69,058,548 97,466,809 146,222,660 189,018,121 NBC-TV $ 83,242,573 96,658,551 126,074,597 163,384,796 Coincidentally, it is understood that ABC-TV currently is working on a new rate card to become effective for the new fall season [Closed Circuit, Feb. 27]. The statistics cited by ABC to show its rise have to do, almost exclusively, with television. ABC Radio's billings have improved during the past 60 days, but it is generally accepted as fact that, financially, ABC-TV is helping to carry ABC Radio. This is a situation that Mr. Kintner hopes to correct, although it is not unique in network radio today. In any event, Mr. Kintner sees no prospect of Page 66 • March 5, 1956 another network radio rate cut, feels there would be room for four and maybe even five radio networks "if radio were properly used as an advertising medium," notes that as part of its revitalization program ABC is "spending more money on radio" now than at any time since tv came in, and says flatly that, come what may, "ABC is going to stay in the radio network business." He feels much of network radio's trouble stems from "the fact that television is so glamorous that advertisers and their agencies actually are not giving sufficient time and thought to radio buying, which would pay them off in the long run." ABC's planning obviously encompasses both radio and television. In television, ABC expects to get into spectacular type programming — Mr. Kintner calls it "special programs" or "little shows" — this fall with, for instance, two shows from the Metropolitan Opera produced by the Met's Rudolf Bing, and "six very adult programs ... of an offbeat character" to be produced by the Theatre Guild. Among other innovations, one of nine new film properties for which first films were made last month, is a "command performance" series produced by John Gibbs that will be "the first specially shot television show of 90 minutes that will go on every week." "In addition," Mr. Kintner said, "we will have International Theatre, an hour show produced by Sheldon Reynolds; Wire Service, an hour show produced by Don Sharpe; Frontier Judge, a half-hour show produced by Jack Chertok; Publicity Girl, a half-hour show produced by Jack Chertok; Tempered Blade, a half-hour CAN ABC-TV CLOSE THE GAP? This chart shows what it's up against. Figures in millions of dollars. X represents the unknown billings figure for 1958, the year President Kintner predicts his network will come abreast of CBS-TV and NBC-TV. 200 180 160 140 120 100 NBC-TV 80 CBS-TV 60 40 20 ABC-TV 0 • • • t • • • • / ! • / • * • > 1 • • • • '52 '53 '54 '55 '58 Broadcasting • Telecasting