Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

NETWORKS CONTINUED mum requirements that can be visualized; (2) what can be done about unexpected shortages that may develop. "In other words, we have been trying to dig out the facility problems in those areas where we anticipate a request for a doubling of channels. And we are shaping plans to overcome these problems as early as practicable." He noted that the telephone company has "a highly efficient and flexible network" composed of 77,000 miles of channels and built at a cost of more than $250 million, and pointed out that this network meets the daily requirements of the three tv networks and a number of other customers "when the nation is on standard time." In announcing successful completion of the committee's negotiations with AT&T, Chairman Rogers noted that one problem remains — that of finding adequate circuits to provide full-quality color transmission to certain Florida stations. But he said the committee and AT&T were hopeful that this problem could be solved through allocations. Members of the committee at last Wednesday's meeting, 'held with AT&T Vice President H. I. Romnes, were Chairman Rogers, John T. Murphy, Crosley stations, and Edwin K. Wheeler, WWJ-TV Detroit. Absent were Harold Essex, WSJS-TV WinstonSalem, N. C, and Niles Trammell, WCKT (TV) Miami. Four First-time Advertisers, Four Renewals Sign With ABN Four new advertisers plus four renewals were announced last week by Thomas C. Harrison, vice president in charge of sales, American Broadcasting Network. Billings involved exceed $500,000, he said. . Buitoni Foods Corp. (spaghetti), through Albert Frank-Guenther Law, signed for a weekly segment of Don McNeill's Breakfast Club starting Jan. 3. Kitchen Art Foods (Py-O-My mixes) through Wright, Campbell & Suitt has bought three segments weekly of the McNeill show starting Jan. 15 and Magla Products (ironing board covers) has signed for a weekly segment starting Feb. 20 through Edward Lieb Adv. Sterling Drug Inc. (Fizrin) through Compton Adv. has signed for ABN's Late News Mon.-Fri. 7:55-8 p.m. plus five segments weekly of Herb Oscar Anderson Show. The contract was effective Nov. 25. Renewals for various segments of Breakfast Club were placed by Bristol-Myers (Bufferin) through Young & Rubicam; Campana Sales Co. (Italian Balm) through Erwin Wasey, Ruthrauff & Ryan; Food Specialties Inc. (Appian Way pizza pie) through Charles F. Hutchinson Inc. and Sleep-Eze Co. through Mottl & Siteman Adv. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (Camels) renewed co-sponsorship of 18 weekend news programs and weekday late news through William Esty Co. NBC Correspondents to Lecture Seven NBC foreign correspondents who will come home to take part in Projection '58, hour-long program over NBC-TV and NBC Radio Dec. 29, also will make an extensive lecture tour while in the U. S. They are Frank Bourgholtzer (Vienna), Leif Eid (Paris), Joseph C. Harsch (London), Welles Hangen (Cairo), Irving R. Levine (Moscow), Edwin Newman (Rome) and James Robinson (Tokyo). The network also has scheduled a series of five 15 -minute interview programs called NBC News Hot Seat (NBC-TV, Dec. 30-Jan. 3, 2:15-2:30 p.m.), on which correspondents — one each day — will be interviewed by other NBC newsmen. Don Lee-MBS Affiliation Set As Officers Sign Pact in L A. An agreement was signed last Thursday between Mutual and the Don Lee Regional Network under which west coast Don Lee stations will become direct affiliates of MBS, and Mutual will assume line charges of Don Lee amounting to approximately $250,000 a year [Lead Story, Dec. 2]. The agreement becomes effective Feb. 1. The contract with Don Lee further stipulates that it will continue to operate as a regional network but will limit its programming to 90 minutes a day. The remainder of the 1 6-hour broadcast schedule will be provided by Mutual, in contrast to the present arrangement under which the schedule is divided between MBS and Don Lee, varying with individual stations. The Don Lee Network consists of 51 stations in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska and Vancouver, B. C. The agreement was signed in Los Angeles by Armand Hammer, MBS board chairman, and Willet H. Brown, Don Lee president. Paul Roberts, MBS president, said that new direct affiliation contracts for the Don Lee stations are being prepared and will be sent to them for signature shortly. Mr. Roberts also announced that Norman J. Ostby has joined MBS as general manager of its west coast division. Mr. Ostby formerly was vice president in charge of station relations for Don Lee. Previously, he had been in various sales and station relations posts for NBC and ABC (now ABN). His first assignment will be realignment of Don Lee stations under the Mutual banner. NBC-TV Shifts Sunday Schedule With the new nighttime version of NBCTV's Truth or Consequences starting in the Friday 7:30-8 p.m. time slot this week, the network has announced the following changes in its programming: Saber of London, currently in the time period scheduled for T or C, moves to Sunday 5:30-6 p.m. effective Dec. 22; Outlook moves from that half hour to 6-6:30 p.m., also effective Dec. 22, and beginning Jan. 5 My Friend Flicka moves from 6:30-7 p.m. to 7-7:30 p.m. Sunday, replacing Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour, which has been dropped by the network. Sterling Drug Co., N. Y., will sponsor the evening Truth or Consequences and continue to sponsor Saber of London in its new time period. Agency for Sterling is DancerFitzgerald-Sample, New York. Minor Leagues Go to Congress With Protest of CBS-TV Plan Tentative plans of CBS-TV to telecast a major league game each Sunday during the baseball season have stirred minor league protests, winding up in Congress as two Representatives were asked to take action against the proposal. The minors were seething last week at the annual meeting of organized baseball clubs in Colorado Springs, Colo. By Thursday, they felt they were getting the silent treatment from the majors and sent a telegram of protest to Rep. Emanuel Celler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. They talked by telephone with Rep. Kenneth Keating (R-N. Y.), who said he was in complete sympathy with their plight and promised to seek a reopening of the antitrust baseball probe held last summer. According to the minors, telecasting of major league baseball into their territory will cut attendance on Sunday, one of their most profitable days. The major leagues have telecast a Saturday Game of the Week in minor league territory for several years. Ford Frick, baseball commissioner, was quoted last week by the Associated Press as strongly opposed to the Sunday telecasts. He endorsed a threat by Frank Shaughnessy, International League president, to take the matter to the. courts. The league approved hiring of counsel and the stand was endorsed by Charles Hurth, president of the Southern Assn., and Dick Butler, president of the Texas League. Mr. Butler added, however, that it would be necessary to specify Saturday as well as Sunday telecasts in litigation. C. Leo De Orsey, a director of the Washintgon Senators, suggested the telecasts might justify preventive legislation. NBC-TV Buys Frontier Series MGM-TV's new Northwest Passage, color series based on Kenneth Roberts' best-selling novel of the American frontier, has been bought by NBC-TV for presentation next season, the network and MGM-TV announced last week. To be produced by Adrian Samish at the MGM studios, it will star Keith Larsen and feature Buddy Ebsen and Don Burnett. Whether the series will be presented in half-hour or hour-long programs apparently has not been set. Negotiations were conducted by Charles C. (Bud) Barry, vice president in charge of MGM-TV, and, for NBC by Robert E. Kintner, executive vice president in charge of tv network programs and sales, and Robert Lewine, vice president in charge of tv network programs. NETWORK SHORT Keystone Broadcasting System announces fourteen stations have signed as affiliates bringing network's total to 1,015. Stations: KYOU Greeley, Col.; KLGA Algona, Iowa; WNGO Mayfield, Ky.; WBSE Hillsdale, Ky.; WJMB Brookhaven, Miss.; KRES St. Joseph, Mo.: WKDX Hamlet, N. C; KRNS Burns, Ore.; WEAG Alcoa, WDNT Dayton and WCLC Jamestown, all Tenn.; KACT Andrews, Texas; WESR Tasley, Va., and KBBS Buffalo, Wyo. Page 46 • December 9, 1957 Broadcasting