Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

AWARDS Western Programs Fare Poorly In Latest Tv Awards by 'Look' CBS-TV and NBC-TV ran neck-and-neck this year with seven winners each of the Look magazine tv awards for 1957 while ABC-TV came in third with two programs, it was announced Saturday by Cowles Publications Inc. The eighth annual awards are contained in the Jan. 7 issue of the magazine out today (Monday). Surprisingly, noted Look, none of tv's "highly-rated westerns" managed to land a single winner in the voting of 309 newspaper tv critics for the period Nov. 1, 1956-Oct. 31, 1957. Only network programs were considered. Syndicated programs did not qualify. The awards ceremony will take place this coming Saturday on NBC-TV's Perry Como Show. CBS-TV winners were See It Now (best public affairs series) ; I've Got a Secret (quiz-panel series); Phil Silvers Show (best situation comedy); Alfred Hitchcock Presents (best half hour dramatic series); Playhouse 90 (best hour-or-more dramatic series); Jack Benny Show (best straight comedy series); Edsel Show (best musical). NBC-TV winners were Steve Allen Show (best variety series); Tonight (best novelty series); World Series coverage (both best sports and best special programs); Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Green Pastures" (best dramatic show); Perry Como Show (best musical series). ABC-TV winners were Omnibus (best educational series) now seen on NBC-TV; ONE OF THE FIRST 100 MARKETS j~ ^ " MtO*f^ feJjfS THE BO*w % ■ ■ y WHBF RADIO & TELEVISION COMING! Greatly Expanded TV Coverage from a New 1000 ft. Tower REPRESENTED BY AVERY-KNODEL, INC. Disneyland (best children's series), and although the show went off the air very early in the year, also Bishop Fulton J. Sheen's Life Is Worth Living. Many of the series picked were repeaters from the 1956 Look awards. Mr. Benny supplanted comic Sid Caesar whose show left NBC-TV this past spring. ABA Sets Public Service Awards For Radio-Tv, Other Media A national program of annual public service awards to radio, tv and other media for "outstanding contributions to public understanding of our legal and judicial systems" will be conducted by American Bar Assn. The awards will be announced and presented at the association's annual meetings, starting with ABA's 81st convention in Los Angeles Aug. 25-29, 1958. An awards committee will select recipients, having set next Feb. 15 as the deadline for entries based on programs or articles during 1957. The program already has been authorized by ABA's board of governors. The awards, with the symbol of an engraved gavel, will be given for "noteworthy service" in the areas of "(1) increasing public understanding of the intrinsic values of our systems of law and justice; (2) cooperation with the organized bar to improve court administration, or in other bar activities in the public interest, and (3) explaining the role of the lawyer in American life." The decision to inaugurate the awards program was explained in this announcement: "Legal subjects are being discussed and portrayed with increasing frequency by the media of information and entertainment. The American Bar Assn. wishes to recognize constructive efforts to inform people of the essential roles of laws and courts as bulwarks of a free society. We believe such efforts on the part of the media are in the public interest also because they contribute to the aim of the bar to improve court administration and maintain high professional standards. The ABA awards are intended to accord national recognition to truly outstanding public service of this type." The bar association last month announced plans to cooperate with CBS Television Film Sales on a proposed legal dramatic series, Attorney -at-Law [Film, Nov. 25]. It's understood CBS Television Films Sales has chosen a story line for a pilot film. Lasker Awards Contest Opens Radio-television programs dealing with medical research or public health during 1957 are eligible for one of three Albert Lasker Medical Journalism Awards presented by the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation, it was announced last week. Deadline for entries is Feb. 3, 1958. Scripts will be rated by the foundation's board on the basis of accuracy, significance, timeliness and proficiency in the translation of technical information into lay language. Awards have been increased this year from $1,000 to $2,500 plus a citation and a silver statuette. EDUCATION WBC Educational Film Report Given to Office of Education A report to the nation, "Education '57," was presented to the U. S. Office of Education last Monday by Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. The documentary, a half-hour film produced by WBC, was accepted by Lawrence G. Derthick, U. S. Commissioner of Education. Twenty-five copies are being distributed for tv showing. Comr. Derthick thanked Donald H. McGannon, WBC president, for this contribution to public knowledge of the problems facing educators. Taking part in production of the film were Carroll Hanson, publications director of the Office of Education; Gordon Hawkins, WBC director of education; Rod MacLeish, chief of the WBC Washington bureau; Chet Collier, WBZ-TV Boston, plus staff personnel at the five WBC tv stations. Richard M. Pack, WBC vice president, was executive producer. Allyn Edwards was narrator. Educational Tv Estimates Its Audience at 12 Million The audience of educational (ETV) television stations now totals 12 million, according to Dr. Ryland Crary, education director of Educational Television & Radio Center, Ann Arbor, Mich. He said this "surprising" figure had been attained despite the fact that ETV stations "have been more concerned with building good educational programs than with obtaining mass viewership and big ratings." Dr. Crary said the 12 million figure "represents a conservative estimate based on six audience studies supported under ETRC's program of grants-in-aid for research." He explained it does not include viewers of educational programs broadcast over commercial stations or pupils involved in closedcircuit tv instructional programs. ETRC provides ETV stations with programs of an educational nature. ETRC Logs 'Doctors in Space' Doctors in Space, a filmed series on problems of rocket flying, begins on the 26 stations of the National Educational Television network next month. KUHT (TV) Houston, Tex., under contract to the Educational Television & Radio Center, Ann Arbor, Mich., started filming the 13 programs nearly two years ago. Each show features a space medicine expert from the ranks of medical doctors, armed services and industry. HOWARD E. STARK s u STREET EL 5-0405 50 EAST 58th STREET NEW YORK 22, N. Y AUInquiries Con/identiaF^ Page 80 • December 23, 1957 Broadcasting