Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

I ful that we will achieve black figures at Philadelphia within the next 12 months," Mr. Storer added. He said dividend payments are not to be cut since they represent about 35% of net earnings and 25% of cash earnings. In explaining the problem of the tv independent, Mr. Storer cited KTTV (TV) Los Angeles sales figures, which rose spectacularly from $412,151 in 1949 to $4,140,641 in 1953 and $8,943,000 in 1956. He said WBRC-TV sales in 1956 were less than 25% of the KTTV volume. WGN-TV Chicago was cited as another example of indei pendent growth. The four other Storer tv stations (WJBKTV Detroit, WSPD-TV Toledo, WJW-TV Cleveland and WAGA-TV Atlanta) showed an aggregate volume in October 1957 exceeding the same 1956 month by 4.6%. He said the stations are enjoying "an unusually fine season" and radio volume is up 15.5% for October. The Philadelphia market is a battle of tv giants, he said, with large expenditures needed at WVUE-TV to compete with the other three tv stations. Mr. Storer noted a slackening in demand from July to October, adding that business is now up "but our forward commitments from advertisers are of a short-term duration rather than the long-term 52-week contracts which we formerly enjoyed. I hope that this situation will change, but until we have a restoration of general commercial confidence, I am afraid we will have to be content with this dayto-day existence." Storer Broadcasting Names Shull Head of Company Film Office Thomas B. Shull, account executive on national and regional sales in the film division of Music Corp. of America, has joined the Storer Broadcasting Co., Miami Beach, Fla., as director of film operations. He will headquarter in New York City, reporting to George B. Storer Jr. Mr. Shull in 195455 was president and general manager of WTOM-TV Lansing, Mich., and prior to 5HULL that was an account executive in NBC's Chicago film division. For the Storer group he will direct film operations on the company level. Storer tv stations are WJBK-TV Detroit, WJW-TV Cleveland, WVUE-TV Wilmington-Philadelphia, WSPD-TV Toledo, Ohio, and WAGA-TV Atlanta. WRJN-AM-FM Holds Open House More than 5,000 Sunday visitors came to see the new Radio Park studios of WRJNAM-FM Racine, Wis., during the stations' seven-hour open house Nov. 10. The new building, situated on a square block in West Racine, cost $125,000 to build. Transmitters are adjacent to the 9,000-sq.-ft. plant. The WRJN-AM-FM move came one month before WRJN's 31st anniversary of broadcasting. Cott Named V.P. to Head NTA's Radio-Tv Properties Promotion of Ted Cott to vice president in charge of the radio and television properties of National Telefilm Assoc., New York, was announced last week by Ely A. Landau, board chairman of NTA. Mr. Cott will operate from New York headquarters, with local station managers reporting to him. Mr. Cott joined NTA last June and has been setting up the company's program for acquiring television and radio COTT stations. The com pany has gone on record as saying it plans to purchase the full complement of radio-tv outlets authorized by FCC. Mr. Cott participated in the negotiations for the purchase by NTA of KMGM-TV Minneapolis (approved last week by FCC, page 80) and WATV (TV), and WAAT-AM-FM Newark, N. J. The Newark sale awaits FCC approval. Mr. Cott is a veteran of more than 20 years in radio and television broadcast management. Before joining NTA, he was with DuMont Broadcasting Corp. 2Vi years, serving as vice president and general manager of WABD (TV) New York, WTTG (TV) Washington and the DuMont Sports Network. He was with NBC five years as vice president and general manager of WRCA-AM-TV New York and operating vice president of the radio network. Earlier, Mr. Cott had been with WNEW New York for seven years, latterly as vice president in charge of programming and operations, and with the city-owned WNYC New York in executive capacities. WTAX Poll Finds Musical Tastes, Points Its Programming That Way A jury of 17 Springfield, 111., residents prefer smooth arrangements of musical numbers and familiar popular hits, according to a poll conducted by WTAX Springfield. The jury idea was suggested by a plan in operation at WFIL Philadelphia [Stations, Oct. 26]. WTAX will alter several music shows to conform to the findings. Six of the 11 top choices (a tie was found for tenth place) represented large bands. The panel heard 100 numbers representing varying types of music ranging from show tunes and marches to hymns and rock-androll. Jury members were guests at a dinner and received gifts. No rock-and-roll number placed in the first 50 selections. Calypso met with varying success. A Harry Belafonte recording of "Mary's Boy Child" was in 19th place but his "Scratch, Scratch" was near the bottom. Hillbilly fared poorly but an Ernie Ford hymn, "Peace in the Valley," had a high score. Elvis Presley did not score well with his "Here Comes Santa Claus." The jury included four teenagers; two PTA members; one from the Springfield Council of Church Women, Junior League, Newcomers Club, American Business Club and Urban League. Others included a rural housewife, woman state employe, store saleslady, restaurant worker, owner of a small business and employe of a large industry. NBC Holds Special Ceremonies For New Stations in Pittsburgh The theme of an address at a luncheon Friday in Pittsburgh was brought up to date by an assertion that network radio is today's prime communication system for reporting news of the world and outer space. The speaker was Matthew J. Culligan, vice president in charge of NBC Radio. Occasion was a "Radio Renaissance Luncheon" attended by 300 business and civic leaders and marking NBC Radio's return to the Steel City via its new owned stations WAMP and WFMP (FM), purchased Nov. 1 . The network service officially was launched at 2 p.m. with the regular hourly news featuring newscaster Morgan Beatty who originated his broadcast from Pittsburgh. Also speaking at the luncheon was H. W. (Hank) Shepard, general manager of the stations. Mayor David Lawrence proclaimed the day "WAMP and WFMP Day." Walter O'Keefe, host of NBC Radio's Nightline, was m.c. NBC's Charles R. Denny, executive vice president, operations; Thomas B. McFadden, vice president of owned stations and NBC Spot Sales, and Jerry Danzig, vice president of network radio programs, attended the luncheon. TWO San Antonio stations, KENS-TV (ch. 5) and WOAI-TV (ch. 4), have started work on a joint tower they intend to make the tallest structure in Texas and the third tallest in the world. Supervising bulldozer work at the tower site southeast of San Antonio are (1 to r): James M. Gaines, president-general manager of WOAITV; Albert D. Johnson, general manager of KENS-TV; Hugh A. L. Halff Jr., chairman of the board of WOAITV, and Charles Jeffers, WOAI-TV director of engineering. The tower is to be 1,531 feet tall. Broadcasting November 25, 1957 • Page 75