Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

PEOPLE at deadline Stay Against WCDA (TV) Use Of Albany-area Ch. 10 Denied Court of Appeals, Washington, denied request for stay against FCC's approval of temporary operation on ch. 10 Vail Mills, N. Y., by ch. 41 WCDA (TV) Albany, N. Y. Appeal and request for stay brought by WVET-TV Rochester, N. Y., applicant for Albany-area ch. 10. Stay appeal argued Thursday before Circuit Judges Henry W. Edgerton, E. Barrett Prettyman and Warren E. Burger. Meanwhile, FCC's approval of simultaneous operation on ch. 12 and ch. 20 by WJMR-TV New Orleans appealed to court by WJTV (TV) Jackson, Miss., and Oklahoma Tv Corp. WJTV operates on ch. 12; Oklahoma Tv Corp. (KWTV [TV] Oklahoma City, Okla.) is applicant for New Orleans' ch. 12. WJMR-TV's authority to operate on ch. 12 is experimental. RCA Plans New Color Warranties Three new types of consumer service warranty for one additional year, and RCA Victor color television sets in second-year use were announced Friday by E. C. Cahill, president, RCA Service Co. He said warranty extensions "reflect our confidence in the efficient and trouble-free operation of color tv receivers." $39.95 plan extends inital picture tube warranty for one additional year and RCA Service Co. will install replacement if receiver is within branch service zone. Second plan at $34.95 extends picture tube warranty additional year but does not include cost of service for actually replacing picture tube. $59.95 plan not only extends picture tube warranty one additional year but also extends initial warranty on parts and receiving tubes for additional 21 months. Sputnik Rocket Film Claimed INS-Telenews' bureau manager in Boston, Harry Mamas, claimed Friday to have filmed some 40-50 ft. of the rocket following Sputnik, Soviet Union's artificial "moon" satellite, and ABC-TV, which is fed INSTelenews film for its John Daly and the News (7:15-7:30 p.m. EDT) scheduled film for Friday showing. Meanwhile CBS Radio released to news publications film strip taken of oscilloscope displays of Sputnik's beeps made by CBS technicians in threeday period. Dr. Kenneth Franklin, astronomer with American Museum-Hayden Planetarium, appeared on CBS Radio's The World Tonight Thursday claiming satellite is transmitting its intelligence in code. Film strip shows variations in composition of 20 mc signal. Mr. Mamas' filming occurred at Cambridge, Mass., where Smithsonian astrophysical observatory staff was attempting sightings. Indicators Pointing to More Tv On Tap at Loew's MGM-TV Unit Though crippled by internal struggle for control — issue may be decided in part this week at special stockholders meeting — Loew's Inc., via its MGM-TV division, can be expected to accelerate tv activity, particularly if management issue is brought to close quickly. Indicator of Loew's tv direction: growing role in top management by Robert H. O'Brien, former financial vice president and secretary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres who last summer moved to Loew's as vice president and treasurer. Mr. O'Brien brings additional financial know-how to MGM's stable of movie tv negotiators, works closely with Charles C. (Bud) Barry, vice president in charge of MGM-TV. Both Messrs. O'Brien and Barry are among top-level participants for upcoming ABC-TV and MGM-TV exploration for deal on production facilities (see page 88). FDA Media Right Sustained Right of Food & Drug Administration to use media in informing public of products and foods it considers dangerous was upheld Friday in U. S. District Court, District of Columbia. Judge Alexander Holtzoff upheld constitutionality of public information section of Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act and declared it public duty of FDA to tell about worthless or dangerous products and services. Ruling came when suit was filed by Harry M. Hoxsey, Dallas, operator of cancer clinic, who challenged law after FDA had obtained help of radio, tv and other media in publicizing its views on clinic. RKO Television Moves in N. Y. RKO Television, division of RKO Teleradio Pictures Inc., has moved its New York offices from 1440 Broadway to 1270 Avenue of the Americas. Move is part of company consolidation with executive, administrative, sales, traffic, advertising, research and promotion housed under one roof. VALUE OF THE WEEK Green stamps — gift merchandise in return for business — are coming to Madison Ave. In elaborate but tonguein-cheek interpretation, Blair-Tv's Bill Vernon, account executive, plans to send Green "Vernon Value Stamps" to timebuyers who place orders with tv station representative. Buyer, once he has accumulated enough stamps, can redeem them for such "prizes" as lip reading course or 1957 Cadillac hubcap. Stamps and booklets are printed, and campaign is about to break. PHILIP L. JEFFERSON, National Brewing Co., Baltimore, to Norman, Craig & Kummel, N. Y., as account executive, effective Nov. 1. ROBERT E. McGINLEY, D'Arcy Adv., St. Louis, also to NC&K in merchandising field staff in Chicago. ROBERT A. DAVIS promoted from product advertising manager for cheese to general advertising manager of Kraft Foods Co., division of National Dairy Products. WILLIAM S. RAYBURN, formerly copy supervisor, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, N. Y, and at Kenyon & Eckhardt, N. Y., to similar capacity at Reach, McClinton & Co., N. Y. HENRY SLAMIN, for 10 years with Harry B. Cohen Adv., N. Y., to Grocery Products Div. of Donahue & Coe, N. Y., as account executive. ROBERT H. ALTER, for seven years salesman with New York Daily News, to national sales staff of Radio Advertising Bureau, N. Y. BPA Adds 2 Topics to Agenda Broadcasters Promotion Assn. announced Friday topics "Merchandising" and "Promotion Cooperation with Agencies and Syndicates" added to agenda of second annual convention and seminar of BPA at Sheraton Hotel in Chicago, Nov. 1-2. Paul Woodland, advertising-sales promotion manager, WGAL-AM-TV Lancaster, Pa., will preside over session on merchandising and John Hurlbut, sales promotion manager, WFBM-AM-TV Indianapolis, over that on promotion cooperation. Georgia Institute Scheduled Thirteenth annual Georgia Radio & Television Institute will take place Jan. 29-31 at U. of Georgia, according to Georgia Assn. of Broadcasters and Henry W. Grady School of Journalism, co-sponsors. George Patton of WBML Macon, chairman of the GAB education committee, heads institute planning committee. Meeting brings together radio-tv students and broadcasters for speeches and panel sessions featuring broadcasting leaders. CBS Host to Air Force Unit Five CBS executives played host Friday to some 100 U. S. Air Force officers in New York City in connection with Third Annual Air Force Information Services Seminar, sponsored by 9215th Air Reserve Squadron, unit of New York reservists employed in broadcasting, news, advertising and public relations fields. "Television 1957" was principal topic of seminar, and speakers included Louis G. Cowan, vice president of CBS Inc.; John F. Day, CBS director of news; Walter Cronkite, CBS news correspondent; Jack Bush, manager of film production for CBS Newsfilm, and Charles Vanda, vice president of WCAU-TV Philadelphia. Page 10 • October 14, 1957 Broadcasting