Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

PEOPLE at deadline Excise on All-Channel Sets Should Be Killed— Hoffman RETMA President H. Leslie Hoffman asked that 10% federal excise tax on all-channel tv receivers be removed in testimony at Friday session of Senate Commerce Committee's probe of network-allocations problem (early story, page 66). Mr. Hoffman, also president of Hoffman Electronics Corp. (tv set producer) and board chairman of KOVR (TV) Stockton, Calif, (ch. 13), said 4.5 million or 15.8% of 28.2 million tv sets produced since debut of uhf are uhfequipped, with 4 million conversions bringing total to 8.5 million or 22% of tv sets now in use. He said proportion of uhf-vhf set production to vhf rose to 28% in late 1953, but declined to 13% in 1955. He said that based on manufacturers figures representing 95% of color tv in 1956, some 66.5% of color sets in January and February were all-channel, but that same companies say only 10.6% of rest of their 1956 production will be uhf-vhf. Mr. Hoffman said if excise tax had been removed from uhf-vhf sets two years ago some 13 million more all-channel sets now would be in hands of public. Clifford F. Rothery, international president. National Assn. of Broadcast Employes & Technicians, criticized sale and re-sale of station licenses as against "home-town" tv, with seller taking capital gains advantages and buyer raising price of his commodity to recoup large investment. He said FCC encourages "wide-open trafficking of tv licenses" and lowering of licensee qualifications after first sale of station. This also increases control by national advertisers through multiple ownership and higher rates, he said. Network aspects of Senate Commerce Committee's inquiry will be heard next Monday through Wednesday (March 26-28) when network spokesmen and others testify. Second Group in Running For Birmingham Uhf Grant SOME may say uhf is dying, but it looks as if ch. 42 in Birmingham, Ala., has become prize worth fighting for. On Friday, second application for that uhf outlet was filed with FCC — by Winston-Salem Broadcasting Co. (WTOB-AM-TV Winston-Salem, N. C). Application came three weeks after first application for that frequency by Birmingham Tv Corp. (Harry & Elmer Balaban theatre interests) [B»T, March 5]. Winston-Salem application seeks 8.32 kw visual power, 916 ft. antenna above average terrain, plans to spend $202,471 building and $200,000 operating. Winston-Salem (James W. Coan, president) also holds grant for ch. 29 WOTV (TV) Richmond, Va., owns WSGN-AM-FM Birmingham, Ala., and WLOW Portsmouth, Va. Balaban interests have 50% of ch. 39 WTVO (TV) Rockford, III., and 34% of ch. 20 WICS (TV) Springfield, 111. Birmingham has three stations on air: ch. 6 WBRC-TV, ch. 10 WBIQ (TV) (noncommercial-educational), and ch. 13 WABT (TV). Outstanding is grant for ch. 48 WJLNTV. PRM, C&C Tv May Merge Motion Picture Libraries POSSIBILITY of merger between companies holding tv rights to largest and second largest motion picture blocks loomed as PRM Inc. and C&C Super Tv Corp. conducted negotiations in Miami. It was reported that no agreement had been reached. PRM, Canadian-American holding company in which Eliot Hyman, president of Associated Artists Productions, New York, is investor and guiding figure, explored feasibility of joining with C&C group, headed by Matthew Fox. PRM acquired Warner Bros, library of 750 sound features, 100 silent features and 1,500 assorted cartoons and short subjects for $21 million several weeks ago [B*T, March 5]. C&C Super Tv Corp. obtained rights to RKO's 650 feature films, plus assorted cartoons and short subjects, for $15.2 million, last January [B»T, Jan. 6]. Officials would not confirm that merger had been discussed. Mr. Fox said he had conferred with Mr. Hyman on "variety of subjects related to the tv industry," but would not pinpoint area of discussion. He stated flatly that no contract was signed. Source close to both firms told B«T Friday that consolidation of film libraries had been discussed. On top of merger report, PRM announced Friday it has appointed Associated Artists Productions as distributor of Warner Bros, library. AAP has begun extensive sales and advertising campaign to sell library, sending telegrams to tv stations, agencies and station representative companies, advising them of availability of films. NBC Reports Partial Sales Of Political, Grid Packages ORDERS for partial sponsorships of two big NBC packages — political conventions and election night coverage, and National Collegiate Athletic Assn. football telecasts — reported Friday by NBC authorities. They said Sunbeam Corp. had signed for one-fourth sponsorship of approximately $5 million political package and tentatively ordered one-fourth of NBCTV's NCAA football coverage, and that RCA had tentatively ordered one-fourth of conventions-election coverage. NBC-TV has acquired rights to eight national telecasts in NCAA program and hopes to acquire, as last year, rights to five regional telecasts. For one-fourth sponsorship of 13-game package its price is understood to be about $930,000. Agency for Sunbeam is Perrin-Paus, Chicago; for RCA, Kenyon & Eckhardt, N. Y. UPCOMING March 19-22: institute of Radio Engineers National Convention & Radio Engineering Show, Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y. March 21-22: N ARTE Tv Code Review Board, Ambassador Hotel, N. Y. March 22: Kentucky Broadcasters Assn., Brown Hotel, Louisville. March 23-25: Arkansas Broadcasters Assn., Hotel Marion, Little Rock. For other Upcomings, see page 111. A. B. BROWNE, account executive, MacLaren Adv. Co. Ltd., Montreal, and T. RUSSELL HAUGLAND, senior account executive, Cockfield, Brown & Co. Ltd., Montreal, to Kenyon & Eckhardt, Montreal, as manager and account executive, respectively. RICHARD F. McGEARY, account executive with General Teleradio in Hollywood since 1952, joins NBC Spot Sales, Los Angeles, March 26. ALAN BEAUMONT, program manager, NBC Central Div., transferred to NBC New York as director of Home show effective April 23. He has been in Central Div. for past three years. RICHARD B. BAKER, sports director, WSAI Cincinnati, appointed director of operations. SHERMAN K. ELLIS, chairman of board, Raymond R. Morgan Co., Hollywood, has resigned, effective April 1. HERBERT O. NELSON, head of own S. F. agency, elected vice president of CampbellEwald Co., S. F. Campbell-Ewald absorbs Nelson agency with Rancho Soup Co. and Filice Perrelli Canning Co. accounts. MBS, Affiliates to Confer On New Contract Today NEW AFFILIATION contract plan due to be submitted by MBS officials to 14-man Mutual Affiliates Advisory Committee at two-day meeting opening today (Mon.) in Hot Springs, Ark., Mutual officials said Friday. They did not divulge details of proposal, except to say it was not expected to be so radical as 1953 plan (which affiliates finally rejected), whereby among other things, network option time would have been almost halved and affiliate compensation for carrying network commercial shows would have been paid in programs for local sale rather than in money [B»T, July 6, 1953, et seq]. Kops Heads Conn. Assn. DANIEL W. KOPS, general manager, WAVZ New Haven, was elected president of Connecticut Broadcasters Assn. Friday at second annual meeting of group, held at Chashire, Conn. He succeeds J. Maxim Ryder, manager of WBRY Waterbury. Other new officers: Charles Bell, WHAY New Britain, vice president, and Eric S. Hatch, WBIS Bristol, secretary treasurer. Newly elected directors: Gerald J. Morey, WNLC New London; G. Kruttschnitt, WMMW Meriden; Julian Schwartz, WSTC Stamford, and Rudy Frank, WELI New Haven. Franklin M. Doolittle, president, WDRC Hartford, was presented plaque for pioneering efforts in radio. Local 47 Revolt May Top AFM Intl. Board Agenda PROSPECT that anti-Petrillo revolt at Hollywood AFM Local 47 will top agenda of March 27 meeting of AFM International Executive Board in New York appeared Friday as special IEB panel on West Coast announced completion of on scene investigation (early story, page 90). Panel said amended charges have been filed against Cecil F. Read and other antiPetrillo leaders at Local 47, with trial expected in early April in New York or Chicago. Local 47 board, controlled by Read faction, Friday afternoon ordered March 26 membership trial of its recording secretary, Maury Paul, Petrillo supporter. Read spokesman told B*T no trial of Financial Secretary G. R. Hennon planned "until we see how he comes along." Mr. Hennon is Petrillo backer. Broadcasting • Telecasting March 19, 1956 • Page 9