Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

at deadline Advertising Media Tax Idea To Be Explored in St. Louis Second city, St. Louis, will consider local taxes on advertising media and their sales, similar to levies imposed Nov. 15 in Baltimore (story page 35). Alderman Alfred Harris intends to propose to Dec. 6 meeting of St. Louis board of aldermen that study be made of matter. Levies would be 4% gross sales tax on advertising sales plus 2% tax on advertising media's gross receipts. Hugo Autz, president of St. Louis Advertising Club, said Friday that media will work alongside city officials in exploration of other more suitable means of raising city funds. He declared, however, that media "feel it would not be a good tax." Mr. Autz indicated that "little man" and not large national advertiser would feel brunt of such levies. Bureau of Advertising of American Newspaper Publishers Assn. protested proposal's threat to advertising, "the life blood of American business," and said it not only hits manufacturers and retailers, but that it eventually is paid by consumer and working man. KXOA-AM-FM Sale Announced; KGA Purchase Filed at FCC Sale of KXOA-AM-FM Sacramento, Calif., by Lincoln Dellar to Kalval Inc. for $500,000 announced Friday. Kalval Inc. comprises Riley R. Gibson and associates, owners of KXO El Centro, Calif. Station is 1 kw on 1470 kc and is affiliated with MBS and Don Lee. Mr. Dellar has 14% interest in KOVR (TV) Stockton, Calif., which has been sold to Gannett Co. (newspaper-radio interests in New York and other states) for $3.1 million, and with wife has 50% interest in KJR Seattle, KNEW Spokane, both Wash., and KXL Portland, Ore. Transaction, subject to FCC approval, handled by Hamilton, Stubblefield, Twining & Assoc. Filed Friday for FCC approval was $250,000 sale of KGA Spokane, Wash., by Bankers Life & Casualty Co. to Gran Broadcasting Co. Gran principals include L. F. Gran, 80%; Herbert Cameron, 10%, and Arthur Vogel, 10%. Mr. Gran owns midwest theatre chain and his son, Bruce R. Gran, formerly owned 32.57% of WREXTV Rockford, 111. Mr. Cameron currently is manager of WEOL Elyria, Ohio. ABCaffiliated KGA is on 1510 kc with 50 kw. St. Louis Purchase Stands FCC denied protest of St. Louis Amusement Co. (former Fanchon-Marco Theatre interests) against Commission's Oct. 23 approval of purchase of ch. 4 KWK-TV St. Louis by CBS for $4 million and relinquishment of ch. 1 1 KMOX-TV St. Louis (which CBS won in comparative hearing) to un successful three applicants. St. Louis Amusement Co. had been in ch. 1 1 hearing, but withdrew after it failed to persuade Commission to bar CBS from hearing — on ground network was so good it undoubtedly would win contest. NT A Suit Asks $1 Million-Plus From UA, Five Individuals Complaint filed with New York State Supreme Court disclosed Friday that National Telefilm Assoc., New York, has instituted damage suit for $200,000 each against United Artists Corp.; Arthur B. Krim and Robert S. Benjamin, president and board chairman respectively of UA; Eliot Hyman, president of Associated Artists Productions; Harry Zittau, AAP treasurer, and Ray Stark, AAP vice president. Action by NTA, according to counsel, Hays, Sklar & Hertzberg, New York, charges defendants with "inducement to break a contract and unfair competition." Suit by NTA follows action by United Artists against Louis Chesler and Maxwell Goldhar, who represented majority stockholders of AAP in signing contract selling more than 50% of AAP stock to NTA. In turn, five minority stockholders of AAP seek temporary injunction restraining sale of AAP majority stock with hearing to be held tomorrow (Tues.) (story, page 73). Columbia Records Realigns Duties of Top Executives Realignment of executive responsibilities at Columbia Records announced Friday by President Goddard Lieberson. Herbert M. Greenspon, formerly director of operations, named to newly-revived post of executive vice president with broadened responsibilities, in addition to his supervision of manufacturing and technical operations, research and development, electronic products, transcription services and Cryton precision products. Columbia's expanded branch operations will be under direction of Kenneth Glancy, named general manager, Columbia Records Distributors Inc. Milton Selkowitz, formerly manager of special markets, has been appointed national sales manager, Columbia Phonographs, to aid James Sparling, general manager of Columbia Electronic Products. L. Laurence Goughan, formerly manager, military sales, replaces Mr. Selkowitz as manager of special markets. Springfield Petition Denied Hopes of WWLP (TV) Springfield, Mass. (ch. 22), that it could use ch. 72 for space of translators in its New England area (see page 68) dashed when FCC turned down petition on ground too many intermediate uhf channel changes would be required to accommodate station. WWLP has satellite • BUSINESS BRIEFLY Late-breaking items about broadcast business; for earlier news, see Advertisers & Agencies, page 35. FIVE MARKET CAMPAIGN o Transogram Co., N. Y., for three of its products (Little Country Doctor Kits, Pyrocon modeling material, and do-it-yourself stained glass window kit) entering six markets in $50,000 buy of one-minute film spots and sponsorship of 15-minute segments of various children's programs, effective immediately, to run through Christmas. Markets: Louisville, Ky. (WAVE-TV) ; Lancaster (WGALTV); Harrisburg (WTPA [TV]); Rochester (WHEC-TV); New Haven (WNHC-TV) and New Orleans (WJMR-TV, WDSUTV). Agency is Lester Harrison Inc., N. Y. SPOTTING FOR PEPSODENT • Lever Bros. (Pepsodent), N. Y., via Foote, Cone & Belding, N. Y., reportedly purchasing tv spots in number of markets for two-month scheduling and starting in early December. KIWI AT NEW AGENCY o American Div. of KIWI Polish Co., Pottstown, Pa., appointed Cohen & Aleshire, N. Y., as agency for company's complete line of shoe polishes. Account formerly serviced by Street & Finney, N. Y. ch. 32 WRLP (TV) at Greenfield, Mass., and ch. 79 translator at Claremont, N. H.; also holds cps for translators at Newport (ch. 71) and at Lebanon (ch. 81), both N. H., plans to operate group of translators in northwestern Mass., southwestern N. H., and southern Vt. WMGM in Five-Year Yankee Pact WMGM New York will broadcast all New York Yankee games next season as well as spring training exhibitions under new five-year contract, according to Yankees, sponsor P. Ballantine & Son and station. WMGM, from 1941 to last season, carried Brooklyn Dodger baseball, while for past ten years Yankee games were on WINS. IRE Again Plans for N. Y. Institute of Radio Engineers' national convention to be held again at WaldorfAstoria and New York Coliseum March 24-27, 1958, with more than 55,000 engineers and scientists from 40 countries expected to attend, IRE said Friday. Radio engineering show at Coliseum is expected to accommodate approximately 850 exhibitors. Highlighting convention will be two special symposia on "Electronics in Space" and "Electronics Systems in Industry." Broadcasting December 2, 1957 • Page 9