Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

PEOPLE at deadline ABA PROPOSAL DRAWS WIDESPREAD CENSURE Opposition to recommendation that American Bar Assn. retain its ban against broadcast courtroom coverage (early story, page 89) was sounded from at least four quarters Friday. Recommendation "reflects an unwillingness to recognize 20th century methods of communications", NARTB President Harold E. Fellows declared Friday. He said NARTB will ask permission to present radio-tv's case at ABA's forthcoming Atlanta meeting. Mr. Fellows noted that proposed revision of Canon 35 would delete three of four reasons presently given for excluding broadcasting. Its proposed revision relies entirely on assumption that radio-tv introduces extraneous influences which tend to affect participants in court proceedings and divert them from, proper objectives of trial, he said. Mr. Fellows then pointed out that in only instance where Canon 35 has been before court for hearing (in Colorado Supreme Court) ruling was made favoring broadcasting, subject to discretion of trial judge. Chief Justice Otto O. Moore of Colorado Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of broadcasting access, rapped new recom 300 on Hand as BPA Opens Sessions in Chicago Friday Attendance hit approximately 300 as Broadcasters Promotion Assn. opened convention-seminar in Chicago Friday, with sessions on trade paper advertising, on-theair promotion and sales presentation. Committee set up to submit nominations for president, first vice president, second vice president, secretary-treasurer and four directors included Montez Tjaden, KWTV (TV) Oklahoma City, and BPA second vice president; Paul Woodland, WGAL-AMTV Lancaster, Pa., and Ken McClure, WMBR-TV Jacksonville, Fla. BPA board adopted pre-convention resolution, after reportedly heated discussion, that organization "shall not endorse any contest or competition" by any other group and also appointed convention, resolutions and project committees to report Saturday. Ben K. Wells, vice president of sales-advertising, Seven-Up Co., at Friday luncheon stressed total selling as method of putting marketing concept to work, and stated "The advertising manager can do much to get the right answers and to insure that they are applied with vigor all down the line." He added, "Advertising alone and selling alone can do a certain amount in moving goods, mendation in "personal" statement. He urged ABA committee members to "come down from the ivory tower of super-intellectualism and deal in realities." Report of ABA committee was also criticized Friday by Radio-Television News Directors Assn. Ted Koop, RTNDA president, and Julian Goodman, chairman of association's freedom of information committee, in statement said bar committee's report "contains no new arguments except the novel contention that using discretion in permitting courtroom photographs or broadcasts would make the judge a censor. On the contrary, the judge is now a censor because he discriminates arbitrarily against 20th century forms of journalism." Statement added that matter would be discussed at RTNDA convention this week in Miami (story page 90). Herbert Brucker, chairman of freedom of information committee of American Society of Newspaper Editors, took issue with ABA report saying "It is inevitable that eventually — as in the assembly halls of the United Nations in New York today — facilities for photographing and broadcasting will be built into every American courtroom." but team them together with total selling and you've got jet propulsion." At opening Friday seminar BPA delegates were told by Jack Dorr, WBNS-TV Columbus, Ohio, that tradepaper advertising can be like "talking to ourselves" and reviewed his station's advertising program using New Yorker and Fortune magazines to reach media people for prestige and trade magazines for "small specifics," along with spot announcements on WCBS-TV New York. Other speakers stressed planning, ingenuity and originality, need for creating favorable impressions and distinctive characteristics. NBC Board Promotes Bilby Kenneth W. Bilby, NBC public relations vice president, elected an executive vice president at board meeting Friday. He is responsible for press, national advertising and promotion, exploitation, merchandising and continuity acceptance departments and also is member of NBC's policy-making executive council. Formerly with Carl Byoir Assoc., he was public relations representative to RCA Victor for two years before joining NBC as public relations vice president Sept. 3, 1954, at which time all of company's promotional activities were grouped under his direction. THEODORE J. GRUNEWALD, vice president and radio-tv director, Hicks & Greist, N. Y., elected director of agency. IRVING (SMITTY) KOGAN, public relations director of agency, named vice president. CHARLES M. SKADE, formerly controller of American Management Assn., to senior vice president — administration, Fuller & Smith & Ross, N. Y. Funeral services to be held today (Mon.) in Philadelphia for JACOB H. GEISE, 73, vice president in charge of finance, Young & Rubicam, N. Y., who died Wednesday. He had been with Y&R since its formation in 1923. CHARLES A. WINCHESTER, Young & Rubicam, N.. Y., to Doherty, Clifford, Steers & Shenfield, N. Y., as account executive in Bristol-Myers unit. Latest Station Transfers: Sales reported Friday all subject to FCC approval: WRMA Montgomery, Ala., has been sold by Ralph M. Allgood and Grover Wise to Stanley Raymond, Mrs. Dorothy L. Davis and Zenas Sears for $165,000. Negro-programmed station is 1 kw day on 950 kc. Buyers own WAOK Atlanta, Ga. Transaction handled by Blackburn & Co. WAND Canton, Ohio, sold by P. C. Wilson to Dover Broadcasting Co. (WJER Dover, Ohio) for $150,000. Station is 500 w daytimer on 900 kc. Dover company is owned by Mrs. Agnes J. Reeves Greer, who also owns WAJR Morgantown, W. Va., and WKJF-FM-TV Pittsburgh, Pa. Broker was R. C. Crisler Co. WZIP Covington, Ky., sold by Arthur L. Eilerman, Charles Grimes and Gregory W. Hughes to Leonard P. Goorian and Alfred B. Katz for $150,000. Mr. Goorian is veteran radio-tv personality in Cincinnati; Mr. Katz is Cincinnati attorney. Broker was R. C. Crisler Co. KATV (TV) Stays On Despite Fire Loss of between $400,000 and $500,000 was suffered Friday by ch. 7 KATV (TV) Pine Bluff, Ark., it was reported by station officials, when its Little Rock, Ark., studios were totally destroyed by fire of undetermined origin. ABC-affiliated station switched operations to its Pine Bluff studios with no interruption to service. Fire started at 3 a.m. Friday, blazed for 3Vi hours. WPRO-TV Opposes FCC Proposal WPRO-TV Providence last week told FCC that proposal to delete ch. 12, and offer station possible choice between chs. 8 or 13 would cost outlet almost $800,000 because it would have to abandon present transmitter tower and antenna site. WPROTV demanded quasi-judicial hearing with oral argument if FCC goes through with deintermixture. [Government, May 6]. Page 10 • November 4, 1957 Broadcasting