Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

Are YOU a Pmm? Hmm? "You ARE," it sayi here, "if you're a promotion manager (director, supervisor, vp in charge of, or any comparable cognomen) ." Where does it say this? Why in BROADCASTING • TELECASTING'S brand-new newsletter for radio-TV promotion people— first issue of which went into the mails about a week ago. If a copy didn't come out (like, say, on your desk) , please communicate with us at once by the most expeditious means at your command. This new service to those forgotten men (and women) of the radio-TV business is called, aptly enough, "PROMOTION in MOTION". Its purpose: to review and preview the activities of station promotion all over America . . . and all kinds of promotion, too. Sales, audience, trade, merchandising, institutional, or you-name-it. Biased as we are, we think you'll find "PROMOTION in MOTION" helpful and pleasant reading. So if your copy hasn't arrived —and you'd like to be on the list for this periodic newsletter— let us know. It's free to bona fide radioTV promotion people, or those in allied fields.* * Such as, for instance, station managers, oioners and similar kibitzers in the Promotion Department. What's a "Pmm"? Simple. This handy abbreviation is borrowed from B-T's famous Yearbooks where it designates that indispensable fellow, the Promotion Manager. Write to: BROADCASTING-TELECASTING 1735 DeSales Street, N. W., Washington 6, D. C. PERSONNEL RELATIONS of IBEW-IATSE conflict. Last year, the tv industry in New York failed in its efforts to cover the opening of the New York Coliseum because of union dispute. And when CBS-TV last Dec. 9 covered the National Automobile Show from the Coliseum, the network could not bring in its lighting crews, having instead to use the exhibition hall's regular house lights. The IBEW-IATSE dispute in Chicago, which likewise threatened to curtail tv coverage of certain special events, was settled after the NLRB forced the issue, and IATSE now takes care of all lighting assignments, in and outside of tv studios. In Los Angeles county, IBEW now lights tv studios but IATSE lights theatres and remotes. Outside the county, IBEW handles all lighting save in those places serving as broadcast origination points serviced by IATSE. Such places would normally encompass night clubs. Tv Writing Quality Drop Seen by WGAE WRITERS GUILD of America East last week assayed the role of the writer today in view of the latest trends and developments in television and indicated that his economic position is not seriously jeopardized but his standards of literary quality are imperiled. The evaluation of the writer's status, presented at a craft meeting in New York, was embodied in a series of reports prepared over the past seven months by a group of WGAE members. Similar reports are in preparation by a committee of the Writers Guild of America West, which covers Hollywood writers. A report covering employment, prepared under Evelyn F. Burkev, executive director of WGAE, was highlighted by the disclosure that the median income of all members for the calendar year 1 956 amounted to $6,000-6,250, said to be about $2,000 above the median income of 1955. Miss Burkev attributed this striking increase larselv to the "decidedly higher" fees for individual scripts. Miss Burkev noted at the outset that 225 members were eliminated from the study because in 1956 they reported no income at all from radio-television-motion pictures. She explained that many of these were beginning writers or were persons employed in capacities other than writing. She declined to reveal the WGAE membership covered by the study. In a breakdown of writers' salaries in 1956, Miss Burkey said about 30% earned less than $2,500; 14%, $2,500-$5,000; 30%, $5,000-$ 10,000; 15%, $10-$ 15,000; 5%, $15-$20,000; 1.3%, $20,000-$25.000; 1.1%, $25.000-$30.000; 2.2%, $30,000-$40,000; 0.7%, $40,000-$50.000; 0.7%, over $50,000. Miss Burkey added that about 70% of WGAE writers' fiscal year income came from tv; 23% from radio and 7% from the screen. A report prepared jointly by Stuart Little and Fitzgerald Smith made the point that none of the three networks has immediate plans to consolidate its facilities in New York. Philo Higley told WGAE that over the past three and a half years, Hollywood has tripled the number of hours of network program it originates while New York's figure has grown only slightly despite approximate 70% expansion in total programming. Stephen Flanders reported that new techniques, such as video tape, color tv and improved cameras, are not likely to affect the status of the writer because the medium always will require creative personnel. William Pfaff and David Shefrin jointly reported there is a trend in network programming for this fall toward adult mysteries, feature-personality shows with variety format and adult westerns and away from spectaculars and comedians [see page xx]. Jerome Ross said that on the basis of a survey among WGAE members, networks and agencies prefer suspense and melodrama teleplays and consider such themes as civil rights and segregation, politics and religion as "controversial." Some WGAE members believed that program buyers are becoming more squeamish about plays dealing with controversial topics. Lois Jacoby reported that the growing use of feature films in the daytime, using time period formerly occupied by live or filmed series, has reduced opportunities for writers slightly, but added she believes this situation is temporary. Critic Gilbert Seldes criticized the general level of television programming, claiming the medium shunned controversal themes and subordinated esthetic considerations to appeal to the mass audience. AFTRA Dinner May 13 for Jaffe Marks Union's 20th Anniversary TO CELEBRATE its 20th anniversary this year, the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists is giving a testimonial dinner in New York May 13 for retiring legal counsel Henry Jaffe. At the same time, AFTRA said, the labor group will announce the establishment of the George Heller Memorial Foundation and awards. Messrs. Heller and Jaffe were among the founders of AFTRA. The dinner will be held at the Sheraton-Astor Hotel. AFTRA said, "The leadership of these two men has written for AFTRA a history of ever-improving wages and working conditions for performers and of maintaining a friendly and honorable relationship between labor and management. The foundation will benefit performers who appear in radio and television and in the years ahead, as the industry grows, can become an inspiring and enduring accomplishment in the entertainment world." AFTRA said networks, agencies and other organizations are participating in the national dinner. Dinner tickets are priced at $15 per person for AFTRA members, $25 for nonmembers and $40 per person for first tier boxes seating six to 10. Eddie Cantor is honorary chairman of the event. Schreiber Leaves Labor Union FRANK P. SCHREIBER. formerly vice president and manager of WGN-AM-TV Chicago, resigned as assistant to president at Local 1031 of Intl. Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Chicago. He plans to return to radio-tv field. Page 62 • April 29, 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting