Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

events programming. Its five-minute news programs on-the-hour are given free to stations for local sale, while the affiliates give on-the-half-hour news shows to the network for sales to national clients. Treyz Apologizes on ABC-TV For Remark on 'Wallace' Show Oliver Treyz, vice president in charge of ABC-TV, went on his network's Mike Wallace Interviews show Dec. 14 with an apology for a remark by the guest on the preceding week's program. Columnist Drew Pearson had said on the Dec. 7 Wallace show that the book, Profiles in Courage, which won a Pulitzer Prize for Sen. John F. Kennedy (D.-Mass.) , had been ghost-written for Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Treyz told the audience that "this company has inquired into the charge made by Mr. Pearson and has satisfied itself that such charge is unfounded, and that the book in question was written by Sen. Kennedy. "We deeply regret this error and feel that it does a grave injustice to a distinguished public servant and author, to the excellent book he wrote and to the worthy prize he was awarded. "We extend our sincere apologies to Sen. Kennedy, his publishers and the Pulitzer Prize Committee." It was the second such tv appearance for Mr. Treyz. Last May, he apologized for aspersions the self-styled "reformed gangster," Mickey Cohen, cast on the police chief of Los Angeles on the Wallace show the week before. ABC-TV also asked affiliates carrying the Wallace show on a delayed basis to delete Mr. Pearson's references to the Kennedy book before broadcasting the program. CBS-TV Affiliates to Hear Nixon Vice President Richard M. Nixon will talk informally to CBS-TV affiliates at their fourth general conference to be held at the Shoreham Hotel, Washington, in mid-January, the network announced Wednesday. Mr. Nixon will be guest of honor at a luncheon in the Blue Room of the Shoreham on Monday, Jan. 13. Dr. Frank Stanton, CBS Inc. president, will deliver the keynote address Monday morning. A talk by Richard S. Salant, CBS Inc. vice president, will follow. Other talks will be made by C. Howard Lane, vice president and managing director of KOIN-TV Portland, Ore., and chairman of the CBS Television Affiliate Assn., and Merle S. lones, president of CBSTV. WJIM-TV Revises Status WJIM-TV Lansing, Mich., announced last week it would become an optional-buy affiliate of all three television networks Jan. 1. It has been a basic, must-buy NBC-TV outlet and has had optional agreements with ABC-TV and CBS-TV. Its current weekly schedule, according to Harold F. Gross, president, includes 58 hours from NBC, 24 from CBS and 14 from ABC. WJIM operates on ch. 6. Two months ago it opened studios in Flint, Mich., to augment those in Lansing. CBS-TV Discussing Telecast Of Sunday Big League Game CBS-TV reported last week it is negotiating for a Sunday major league game-of-theweek baseball telecast in addition to the weekly Saturday presentation the network has been carrying for several years. Though the network would not give additional details, it is understood that five major league clubs — Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Redlegs — are considering participation in the project. The move is being undertaken despite the minor leagues' request to Congress for a new investigation of alleged antitrust practices and the objections of Baseball Commissioner Ford C. Frick. ABC-TV Thumbs Down SP Reaffirming policy that all advertising must be seen and heard and not "subliminal" on ABC-TV, Leonard H. Goldenson, president of the parent American BroadcastingParamount Theatres, last week advised all department heads: "Until such time as full and complete information concerning the effects of this technique is available for careful consideration, the ABC-TV network and its owned and operated stations, in keeping with their policy that all commercial announcements shall be clearly identified as such, will not broadcast messages utilizing the technique of 'subliminal perception.' This position is also in accordance with the recent recommendations of the NARTB Code Review Board." He said continuity acceptance director Grace Johnson should be notified if the network received any requests for use of SP advertising. Ann Gillis, NBC Producer, Dies After Long Illness Ann Gillis, 44, NBC producer of news and special events programs, died Monday after a long illness. Miss Gillis started her career in 1932 with WJSV (now WTOP) Washington, then became director of special events for CBS Washington, supervising program originations from the White House and others involving cabinet members and top government officials. She worked closely with President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his "Fireside Chat" broadcasts and was identified with political convention coverage. Joining NBC in 1944 as special assistant to the vice president in charge of news and special events, Miss Gillis was responsible for much of NBC's political convention coverage from 1944 to 1956. She was NBC's producer for Queen Elizabeth's visit to the U. S. last October. Her last project with which she was associated before her illness was working on a proposed news program for children. As a producer, she was associated with NBC radio's Who Said That? NBC-TV's Comment and On the Line shows (also on radio) and Bob Considine's portions of Tonight on NBC-TV. Survivors are her husband, New York Daily Mirror columnist William Slocum, and a daughter, Sara Linnie, 12. REJUVENATE your clients with amazing results by buying proven #1 TV station (KJEO-TV) in fabulously rich Fresno and San Joaquin Valley market. Consult your Branham man now for further fascinating details. We GUARANTEE you'll save your energies . . . get more for your monies ... on KJEO-TV Fresno. ACT TODAY! Broadcasting December 23, 1957 • Page 71