Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

closed circuit: ST. LOUIS AD TAX • St. Louis proposal to tax advertising media [see page 9] may be easier to beat than similar measure which was adopted in Baltimore. In Baltimore, Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, already at odds with local press, helped to conceive plan and then had it rammed through city council that has consistently supported administration. St. Louis Mayor Raymond R. Tucker, who has good relations with local radio-tv and press, is not connected with authorship of tax suggestion in his city. • "Tv Key," syndicated newspaper column which carries previews of network shows, is worrying network chieftains. Reportedly, bad review can hurt ratings even before program gets off ground. Network officials are debating whether to refuse to let "Tv Key" representatives see rehearsals or preview shows in future. • BARROW REPORT • FCC's Network Study Committee (Chairman Doerfer, Comrs. Hyde and Bartley) to all intents goes by boards with decision that full Commission will consider Network Study (Barrow) Report to speed submission to Congress. Instead of briefing for threeman committee, entire Commission will meet for two days during week of Dec. 16 to hear Dean Roscoe L. Barrow and other members of his staff analyze 7 14 lb., 1,327 page report. Commission hopes to have its recommendations in hands of Senate Commerce Committee soon after next session of Congress opens (Jan. 7). • It's doubted whether Commission as group will be disposed to approve all Barrow Report recommendations and, more particularly, those "booby traps" on program regulation which were secreted in body of report but which do not show in recommendations and conclusions. If FCC cannot complete its work in time for Congressional deadline, it may simply transmit Barrow report with its own recommendations to come later. • NO HOPE • It hasn't been announced yet but Maria Helen Alvarez will take Bob Hope's place in ownership of WREX-TV Rockford, 111. Sale of station to HopeAlbert Zugsmith group for $3 million received FCC approval in October. Mr. Hope and associates, 50% owners of buying syndicate, are dropping out, and Mrs. Alvarez will substitute — for 60% interest. Mrs. Alvarez is 38.9% owner of KFMBAM-TV San Diego, KERO-TV Bakersfield, both Calif., and KYAT (TV) Yuma, Ariz. • // can now be explained why Frank Stanton, CBS president, has been spend ing day or more each week in Washington for past year. He's been member of toplevel civilian committee, headed by H. Rowan Gaither Jr., former president of Ford Foundation, which drew up secret defense report submitted week ago to President, Office of Defense Mobilization and National Security Council. • ONLY THE BEGINNING • With acquisition of WDAF-AM-TV from Kansas City Star for $7.6 million cash, National Theatres Inc. is understood to be considering other station acquisitions and probably will seek maximum vhf quota of five outlets. Theatre exhibition chain, one of nation's largest, has upwards of $20 million available for "diversification" which includes station acquisition. Charles L. Glett, president of National Film Investments Inc. subsidiary, has long background in broadcasting, including vice presidencies of Don Lee and CBS and presidency of RKO Pictures [Closed Circuit, Nov. 25; story page 62]. • People who think of spot radio campaigns in terms of short drives may alter their viewpoint when they see results of timebuyer survey conducted by Radio Advertising Bureau. To be released shortly, survey shows that during first half of this year average radio campaign ran 22 weeks. • WIRING NEW YORK • How is Selectivision — wired subscription tv system — going to get cables to home owners in New York area? Company which claims to have contracts with three movie exhibition chains for toll tv project [see page 81] proposes to run own coaxial cables through subway and utility tunnels to master antenna systems of large-scale apartment developments. Reason: AT&T line charges are too expensive! • FCC is going to take firsthand look at subliminal perception as soon as it can clear time for demonstration offered by James Vicary, president of Subliminal Projection Inc. FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer broached proposal to fellow commissioners and they're all apparently interested in clearing up mystery of subconscious technique. Rub is to find time on FCC schedule with holiday season approaching. Showing may be in week or 10 days. [See story page 31.] • INFLATING RATINGS • New technique of allegedly artificially stimulating local station ratings, without resorting to money giveaway gimmicks, is developing, notably by newspaper-owned tv stations. In one market where only newspaper owns competitive tv outlet, it's reported that during survey check period, paper is loaded with spotlight display on programs carried by newspaper-owned outlet. Other stations can't compete because of high cost of space. When survey period is over, according to reports, newspaper-owned station spotlight ads drop down to normal. • Miller Robertson, station manager of WTCN-TV Minneapolis-St. Paul, on Dec. 8 becomes station manager of new ch. 7 KIRO-TV Seattle which is scheduled to begin programs tests between Christmas and New Year. He will report to Saul Haas, president-general manager of K1ROAM-FM-TV. KIRO-TV will be CBS affiliated and represented nationally by Peters, Griffin, Woodward Inc. • STITCH IN TIME • AT&T has promised to deliver circuits it formerly said it didn't have to enable NBC-TV to deliver network programs at accustomed local times throughout daylight saving time period. Lawrence H. Rogers (WSAZ-TV Huntington, W. Va.), chairman of special NBC-TV affiliates subcommittee of stations which stay on Eastern Standard Time year around, was assured by AT&T last week that microwave facilities would be made available. Until AT&T came through, it looked as though EST stations would be prevented from joining NBC-TV taperecorded delayed broadcast schedule [Closed Circuit, Nov. 18]. • KOY Phoenix is claimant of industrywide championship in civic affairs. John R. (Jack) Williams, program director and part owner, was re-elected mayor of Phoenix Nov. 12 for second two-year term. John Hogg, president and part owner, was elected president of Phoenix Better Business Bureau last month, while seven of station's staff members currently hold civic or association offices. • RADIO ON RISE « Resurgence of radio reflected in report of WGN Chicago by Ward Quaal, vice president and general manager. Station is sold out daytime from 5:30 a.m. sign-on until 7 p.m. (except for public service periods), 72% sold out from 7-11 p.m. and 52% sold out from 11 p.m.1:05 a.m. sign-off. It's 80% sold out weekends (Sat.-Sun.) day and night combined. Business was up 39% for October 1957 as compared with same month last year. Television sales of WGN-TV are up 18.6% over October 1956. • Cunningham & Walsh and Young & Rubicam both have made presentations to American Tobacco Co. for Lucky Strike account, but for moment, at least, account will stick with BBDO. Lucky Strike, which bills about $15 million, has been serviced by BBDO for past decade. Broadcasting December 2, 1957 • Page 5