Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

NETWORKS NBC RADIO TO UP COMPENSATION RARE BACKPAT A number of documentary and special events programs planned for this season on the tv networks are praised in an article in the Oct. 3 1 issue of The Reporter magazine, which describes such programming as "living history." Writer Marya Mannes claims that television alone, of all the communications media, "can give you immediacy and involvement and can make the past as alive as the present." She aserts that this "living history" programming belongs "in the main stream" of tv and is "potentially more capable of holding large audiences than any array of too familiar stars." A bullish report on NBC Radio's sales, billings and ratings — coupled with plans for two boosts in station compensation — won hearty approval of leaders of the network's affiliates last week. Members of the Affiliates Executive Committee meeting Tuesday in an unheralded session, were told that the number of sponsored hours on NBC Radio this September was 40% higher than last September, that gross billings were up 70%, that aggregate station compensation was up 200% and that for stations carrying the network's full commercial schedule the compensation gain was 300%. These figures along with rating gains and compensation boosts are being made public today (Monday) by Robert W. Sarnoff, NBC president, and George W. Harvey, WFLA Tampa, Fla., chairman of the Affiliates Executive Committee. Authorities emphasized that the 70% gain in gross billings, as against 40% increase in amount of sponsored time, showed NBC not only is selling more time but selling it at higher prices, and that the gains in station compensation reflected both these increases and a 1Vi% boost in compensation rates last January. On the strength of these advances, NBC announced two boosts in compensation of affiliates, one retroactive to Oct. 1 and the other to become effective April 1. The network also adopted a simplified method of computing station compensation, as worked out by David M. Baltimore, WBRE WilkesBarre, Pa. and developed by him and other members of the executive committee. The Oct. 1 station payment boost is an escalator increase that pays off for clearance of commercial programs — each station that clears above a certain level gets a 10% increase in compensation for all of the commercial time he clears. The "certain level" was not made public, but it was understood to be in. terms of commercial minutes and to represent about 85% of the commercial programs offered. At present, it is understood, clearances are at about the 80% level [Closed Circuit, Sept. 3]. The April 1 boost will be a straight 15% increase in compensation for all five-minute commercial programs cleared, including the five-minute news-on-the-hour broadcasts (85 a week), and the five-minute "Stardust" name-talent vignettes which are sprinkled through Bandstand, Monitor, and Nightline (about 30 a week expected by January). Although officials would not comment, observers estimated that these two increases, plus the IV2 % compensation boost last January and increased compensation through increased sales, plus NBC Radio's "no waste policy" of letting stations sell network sustainers, plus Monitor inserts for local sale, etc., would all add up to approximately $500,000 in additional revenue for affiliates during 1958. President Sarnoff said that "the substantial upward trend in program ratings and sales volume are such encouraging signs for the future that we have undertaken to establish additional compensation increases, with one of these steps effective Oct. 1, 1957, and another April 1, 1958. We are also delighted to adopt the compensation formula developed by the affiliates committee which will further streamline the accounting mechanics in making payments to stations." Chairman Harvey said the executive committee "wholeheartedly joins with NBC in endorsing the new compensation plans which reflect the improvement that has already taken place on the network and NBC's faith in the future of network radio. Joe Cujligan [Matthew J. Culligan, NBC vice president in charge of NBC Radio] has our complete confidence and the progress made under his leadership in programming and sales is a splendid achievement." Several rating gains were cited by Mr. Culligan in his discussion with the affiliates committee. He said that in the 10 a.m. to noon period NBC's share of audience jumped 37% in September over the preceding month, with the new My True Story racking up a 51% gain for 10-10:30 and Bandstand improving 30% from 10:30 to noon. He said NBC Radio "continues to lead the next network in share of audience for nighttime programming both in the weekly average and for five out of seven nights," and that in the 2:30-3:30 p.m. period NBC in September had a 12% advantage over the next network. He also noted that the NBC share for the 2-3 p.m. period, now programmed by the network, is 40% ahead of a year ago when programmed locally. Affiliate committeemen on hand for the meeting, held in New York, were Chairman Harvey and Mr. Baltimore; Ray Welpott, WKY Oklahoma City, vice chairman; Douglas Manship, WJBO Baton Rouge, La., secretary-treasurer; William Grant, KOA Denver; Kenneth Hackathon, WHK Cleveland; Harold Hough, WBAP Fort Worth, and Willard Schroeder, WOOD Grand Rapids. ' CINCINNATI, OHIO * 24.5*49.1 RATING SHARE SEPT., 1957, PULSE fj> Going Places with The Sheriff of Cochise" Breaking all speed records — that's "The Sheriff of Cochise," which has been scoring fantastic ratings all over the map, of which the one above is just a sample. It's moving so fast that 39 new episodes are now being made. So if you haven't got behind this great adventure series, what's holding you up? A Desilu-NTA Presentation 60 West 55th Street New York City 19, N. Y. PL 7-2100 Page 92 • October 28, 1957 Broadcasting