Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES CHURCHES RESIST PAYING FOR TIME National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA sets $1.8 million radio-tv-fllm production budget — reportedly largest of its kind in church history — but formally advised against buying time. Group cites NARTB code public service provisions. THE BROADCASTING & Film Commission. National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, which met in New York last week, approved a $1.8 million radio-tv-film production budget and formally went on record advising against buying of time for religious programs. The new NCCC budget reportedly is the largest of its kind in church history. The policy statement which advised radio and tv stations to heed the NARTB code in making free time available to religious groups was contained in a special resolution drafted by a Committee on Commercial Broadcasting of Religion. Though not mentioning stations or programs as such, the complaint obviously referred to ABC and MBS which, together, carry 17 paid-for religious programs on a regular basis. Pointing out that the NARTB code specifies "time charges to churches and religious bodies are not recommended," the church resolution said time sales to religious groups which exist today "are not in the best public interest." The resolution is the result of a month-long study, during which the Rev. S. Franklin Mack, executive director of the Broadcasting & Film Commission privately queried members of network public affairs staffs about the topic of "free vs. paid religious time." Dr. Mack told B»T Thursday that though adamant in his position toward a number of sects which sponsor radio or tv programs, he had nothing but unreserved praise for such programs as ABC-TV's Crossroads, sponsored by the Chevrolet Div. of General Motors Corp., or NBC-TV's The Greatest Story Ever Told, sponsored by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. "In fact," Dr. Mack said, "we commend the serious effort to spread the good word about religions by these sponsors." Point in Contention A spokesman for the Methodist Church, which is part of the council and which last month launched a series of 13 teleplays entitled The Way, for free distribution to U. S. tv stations, told B»T that "our bone of contention is that in this trend to buy more and more time — instead of getting it free — some of our local groups who aren't well off financially will be shunted into the graveyard shift of broadcasting." This sentiment was expressed in the resolution as "scheduling of sustaining religious broadcasts only in marginal or unsalable time." So far, only two network organizations are actively engaged in sponsored religious programming. Altogether, ABC Radio and ABCTV and MBS list the following sponsors: Billy Graham Evangelical Assn., Radio Bible Class, Healing Waters Inc., Wings of Healing Inc., Lutheran Laymen's League, Voice of Prophecy, Christian Reformed Church, Dawn Bible Students Assn., First Church of Christ Scientist, Highland Church of Christ, Free Methodist Page 36 • March 12, 1956 Church of North America, and the Gospel Broadcasting Assn. NBC confirmed last week a report that it "was considering" a request from Dr. Graham for regularly paid time. Should such a program contract be signed, it would be NBC's first of that kind, and provide Dr. Graham with a third nationwide outlet (he is also on ABC and Mutual). Thus, CBS would remain as the only network not engaged in selling time to religious organizations. Programs Supplied Free Free church programs currently being supplied by the National Council and its affiliated organizations to networks and stations include: The Way, produced through "an emergency fund of $296,000" [B«T, Feb. 6]; This Is the Life, a series of 26 half-hour films produced by the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church; a series of Person to Person type of tv interviews titled Man to Man; Frontiers of Faith; Look Up and Live; The Pastor and a series of puppet films portraying four parables of Jesus and stories in the lives of Moses and Joseph. The seven radio programs produced by the council include Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's The Art of Living and The National Radio Pulpit. Miner Announces Changes In Radio-Tv Department SEVERAL staff assignments have been changed at Dan B. Miner Co., Los Angeles, in a departmental reorganization, according to Hilly Sanders, vice president in charge of radio-tv. Al Buffington, veteran Miner staffer, has been elevated to associate radio-tv director in charge of production. Prior to joining Miner, Mr. Buffington headed his own production companies in Baltimore and Los Angeles. S. James Andrews, who recently joined Miner after S. JAMES ANDREWS (I), formerly with Maxon, is welcomed to Dan B. Miner Co. as associate radio-tv director by Hilly Sanders, vice president in charge of radiotv, and Al Buffington, associate radio-tv director in charge of production for the Los Angeles agency. five years with Maxon Inc., New York, also was named an associate radio-tv director. Timebuying duties were reorganized with Kay Ostrander named executive timebuyer and Sylvia Schultz timebuyer. Both are longtime members of the department. Barbara Ford, former secretary to Miss Sanders and prior to that with Ziv, was moved into the newly created post of radio-tv coordinator. Baseball Road Service To Cut Pickup Costs A NEW DEVELOPMENT that promises to reduce the costs of radio and television coverage of road games of major league baseball clubs was outlined to B»T last week by Dick Bailey, president of the newly-formed Sports Network Inc., New York. Mr. Bailey has made arrangements with all radio-tv agencies for handling all mechanical details of road coverage of games and estimated that cable costs and other expenses will total about $1 million this year for a savings of about 25% over the old system of individual handling. Sports Network Inc., Mr. Bailey said, will arrange the leasing of tv cables, lines for radio transmission, local connections, camera pickups in the various parks and other facilities for the broadcasts and telecasts on a contract basis with utility companies and stations. He explained that previously the agency for each sponsor negotiated separately for facilities as needed, and the costs were necessarily higher. Mr. Bailey, who currently is network and traffic coordinator for ABC and who held a similar post with NBC over the past 18 years, told B»T he conceived this method of operation several years ago, and discussed it several months ago with agency executives. Among the agency officials who assisted in formulating plans, he said, were Tom Villante, sports director of BBDO, and Harry K. Renfro, director of radio and television for D'Arcy Adv.. St. Louis. Mr. Bailey believes that the economies effected through Sports Network Inc. will encourage the use of more road games on tv, which will number about 300 this season. He also is planning to handle road coverage of professional and collegiate basketball and football games. Mr. Bailev will leave ABC in a few weeks to devote full time to his new project. He will maintain offices at 33 W. 46th St., New YorkCity. Mautner Elected President Of Midwest Agency Network MIDWESTERN Adv. Agency Network, comprising a dozen agencies with billings of $250,000-$ 1 miHion, discussed financial problems at a quarterly meeting in Chicago March 2 with Allan Copeland, head of the agency bearing his name, presiding as MAAN president. New officers elected by MAAN at its meeting were Norman Mautner, The Mautner Agency, Milwaukee, president; Fran Faber, Faber Adv. Tnc, Minneapolis, vice president; Gladys Lamb, Kelly & Lamb Adv. Agency, Columbus, vice president and treasurer, and Harold M. Baum, Allan J. Copeland Adv., Chicago, secretary. Winners in MAAN's new annual exhibits award competition were Roman Adv. Co., St. Louis (for Wee Walker shoes), Kelly & Lamb (for campaigns for Belmont gaskets and Norman furnace) and Mautner Agency (for a complete campaign for Ma Bench's herring). The regional agency group will hold its second quarterly meeting at Milwaukee's Schroeder Hotel May 25-26. B»T's Engelhardt Resigns WALLACE H. ENGELHARDT, western sales manager of Broadcasting • Telecasting, has resigned effective March 7. A successor will be named soon, according to Maury Long, B»T vice president and general manager. Mr. Engelhardt has not announced future plans. Broadcasting • Telecasting