Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

NETWORKS CONTINUED NBC to Cover AMP A Awards Next March, Academy Announces The 30th annual presentation of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards will be made March 26, 1958, and will be broadcast exclusively by NBC radio and tv. George Seaton, AMPA president, and John K. West, vice president of NBC's Pacific Division, jointly announced the date for the first academy show to be sponsored by the Motion Picture Industry itself, rather than a commercial sponsor as in the past. The broadcast will be financed by contributions of 0.25% of revenues from domestic film rentals contributed by all organizations and individuals participating in motion picture profits. NETWORK SHORT Keystone Broadcasting System announces 20 new affiliates. They are WBLO Evergreen, Ala.; WCQS Alma, Ga.; WDAX McRae, Ga.; WNES Central City, Ky.; WKLX Paris, Ky.; KCLP Rayville, La.; KTLD Tallulah, La.; WMTE Manistee, Mich.; WMAB Munising, Mich.; WNIL Niles, Mich.; KDUZ Hutchison, Minn.; KAGE Winona, Minn.; WITT Lewisburg, Pa.; WPCC Clinton, S. C; KCAR Clarksville, Tex.; KEPS Eagle Pass, Tex.; KLVT Levelland, Tex.; KSOX Raymondville, Tex.; KDXU St. George, Utah, and WPRW Manassas, Va. PROGRAM SERVICES TOLL TV GETTING CLOSER IN L. A. Toll tv came a step nearer reality for Los Angeles last week when the city council approved applications of three companies for franchises to construct and operate closedcircuit television systems within the city. Technically, the franchises cannot be awarded until an ordinance has been passed authorizing such action, but the 1 l-to-2 vote in favor of granting the franchises indicates that there will be no trouble in getting the eight votes necessary to approve the ordinance. The next step on the path to getting the systems into operation is an agreement with Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. for installation of cables to transmit the pay tv programs from a central point of origin to the homes of subscribers. This could be achieved in one of two ways: by getting from the telephone company the right to install cable connections on its poles, or by asking the telephone company to make the proper installation itself and to sell this service to the toll tv operators. The companies whose applications were approved are Skiatron Tv Inc., Harriscope Inc., Fox West Coast Theatres and International Telemeter Corp. The last two have made a joint application for the closed-circuit toll tv franchise in Los Angeles, since the city insisted that the franchises be non-exclusive. Each of the applicants bid only on its own franchise instead of entering into competitive bidding, and each of the three bids Folks flip over WWDC 1st eight straight months in Washington, D. C— in share of total weekly audience, 6 A.M. to midnight— PULSE, January through August offered the same terms to the city: A flat payment of $100, 2% of gross revenues (or 1 % and 5 hours of time a week which the city may use for educational or other civic programming) and the posting of a $100,000 bond to insure the city against loss. In exchange, each company will receive a 21year non-exclusive franchise giving it the right to operate a toll tv closed-circuit system in Los Angeles. Discussions between the three companies and PT&T for program transmission service, which have been going on for some time, will undoubtedly be accelerated now, but late last week no one would hazard a guess as to when terms would be set, contracts signed and work begun to install the cables, let alone when the installation would be far enough along to permit starting program service. If, as reported, Skiatron has the tv right to the 1958 games of the Los Angeles Dodgers (formerly of Brooklyn), this company would certainly be expected to exert every effort to have as many homes as possible connected for service by the opening of the baseball season next April. The telephone company rejected Skiatron's proposal for an open wire line system [Program Services, Oct. 7] as unsatisfactory, even if less expensive. Jerome Doff, Skiatron vice president, declined to discuss the Dodgers contract last week, but he did say that a statement can be expected from Walter O'Malley owner of the Dodgers, within the next week. Skiatron is also an applicant for closed-circuit tv franchises in San Francisco and San Diego, and in San Francisco has testified to paying Horace Stoneham, owner of the Giants, an advance of $500,000 on an agreement giving Skiatron exclusive tv rights to the Giants games when that team moves to San Francisco next year. Harriscope Inc., licensee of KWTO-TV Casper, Wyo., and permittee of KTWX-TV Sheridan, Wyo., as well as a producer of tv programs and commercials, plans to utilize closed-circuit tv to provide a communications service for industrial organizations as well as an entertainment service for home viewers, Burt I. Harris, president, said Thursday. Reporting that negotiations with PT&T for pole rights will be started shortly, Mr. Harris said that installing a toll tv system is an expensive undertaking and the chance of getting the money back from the sale of entertainment to the public is a calculated risk. But the same lines, used for industrial service, can provide immediate income and lessen the risk. Louis Novins, president of International Telemeter, declined to discuss his company's plans beyond saying "there's lots of planning being done." He said that conversations have been held with PT&T but that he could not say when installation will be started. ASCAP Meets in Chicago Today American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers will hold its first midwest meeting today (Monday) at 6 p.m. at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, according to Paul Page 106 • October 21, 1957 Broadcasting