Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Pre-Premiere Publicity for Tv Offered by New McDermott Firm To provide pre-premiere and premiere publicity, promotion and exploitation for new tv series, Pat McDermott Inc., Hollywood-New York public relations and personal management firm, has set up a new division, Premiere Publicity Inc. Premiere is offering a nine-week promotional package to sponsors, agencies, program packagers and syndicators. "Television business being what it is, program cancellations are discussed the day the second overnight Trendex comes in," Miss McDermott president of Pat McDermott Inc., said. "In order to protect your multi-million dollar investment you must build your audience before going on the air. She said that Premiere Publicity will build audiences by a "crash program" when it is needed most — before the crash. She pointed to the extensive promotion conducted by Hollywood movie companies prior to release of theatre films. Searle Heads California Firm Don Searle, veteran station operator, is chairman of the board of Special Events Inc., Southern California organization specializing in staging and publicizing such events as movie premieres, store openings, anniversary sales and the like. Quentin Brewer, partner in the Kansas City advertising agency, Bruce B. Brewer & Co., now like Mr. Searle a resident of Southern California, is president of Special Events Inc. The firm has acquired the equipment of Gordon Gray Advertising and is servicing accounts formerly handled by that organization. Roger (Jet) Hamilton has been named general manager of Special Events Inc., which has headquarters at 3833 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, Calif. Telephone is Texas 0-2551. Mr. Searle is president of KFNF Shenandoah, Iowa; KMMJ Grand Island, Neb., and KXXX Colby, Kan. Miller Opens Own Design Studio Irving Miller, art director for CBS-owned radio stations and prominent in CBS radio and television art departments for the past 12 years, has resigned to open his own design studio. Known as Irving Miller Studio, it is at 141 East 55th St., New York. Telephone: Plaza 5-1270. Mr. Miller and staff will concentrate on design and production of advertising, packaging and promotional material for both advertisers and agencies. Clients include WTOP Washington, among others. New Firm to Provide Tv Models Babs Ferguson, formerly with Hartford Agency, and Jean Colleran Foster, former model, have formed a new firm, Foster-Ferguson Agency, to provide advertising agencies and film firms with models for commercials. The new firm is at 141 East 44th St., New York. The agency will provide both male and female models, providing screening service before sending models to casting directors. PERSONNEL RELATIONS MGA FIRES DUAL Musicians Guild of America, newly organized competitor to the American Federation of Musicians [Personnel Relations, March 31] last week took the first step in its program of invasion of the AFM domain. On Monday MGA filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board's regional office in Los Angeles asking for recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent for musicians employed by the major motion picture producers. MGA specifically asked for certification as bargaining representative for all musicians under contract to the eight studios comprising the Assn. of Motion Picture Producers and for musicians employed by these companies for at least 30 days since Aug. 1, 1957 under the AFM agreements. The studios: Allied Artists, Columbia Pictures, Walt Disney Productions, MGM, Paramount, 20th Century-Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. MGA Chairman Cecil Read estimated that a total of 500 musicians is involved and he said that the MGA petition was accompanied by authorization cards signed by more than the required 30% of that total. On Wednesday Mr. Read filed another document with NLRB. This was an accusation that Eliot Daniel, president of AFM's Hollywood Local 47, and John Tranchitella, vice president of the local, were guilty of SALVO AT AFM unfair labor practices. Messrs. Daniel and Tranchitella, Mr. Read charged attended a rehearsal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday and warned the musicians that anyone who attended an MGA meeting, signed an MGA authorization card or in any way aided the new union, would be guilty of dual unionism and subject to loss of AFM membership. The Local 47 officers, Mr. Read alleged, told the musicians that if they lost their AFM membership they would also lose their jobs with the Philharmonic, as this type of employment did not come under NLRB jurisdiction. Mr. Read disputed this statement noting that the orchestra's radio broadcast, recording activities and out-of-state performances put it into interstate commerce and therefore under the NLRB. He further charged Mr. Daniel with ordering the local's business agents to picket an MGA meeting on March 30. Mr. Read claimed that nine ot the Local 12 business agents plus 15-20 other "Petrillo supporters" gathered outside the meeting place and passed out handbills warning members of Local 47 that attendance at the meeting would automatically make them guilty of dual unionism and subject to expulsion from the AFM. He said that 50-75 musicians attended the meeting despite these microwave relays conquer space barriers I I f if Micro Wave Relay Beam Reflector Head Perfect for parabolas up to 6-ft. diameter. Withstands torques of 225 ft. pounds in elevation and 150 ft. pounds in azimuth. Environmental treated for extreme weather conditions. $ 285.00 Relay Tilt Head Only 7*<T Whether it's a fixed station or a mobile unit, Ceco microwave equipment surmounts the communication barrier. Because Ceco equipment is built to a quality that is actually higher than the official standards. For dependable pickup and relay under adverse climatic conditions, you're wise to play safe with Ceco. ALL METAL TRIPOD Has cast top flange and upper leg portion made of one piece aluminum alloy castings. Legs slide easily and have tie-rods to center for automatic leveling. Accepts Balanced TV Head, Micro Wave Relay Beam Reflector Head(iiius.) and other similar professional tripod heads. $260.00 Metal Tripod only. RANK C. ZUCKER (TmiteRH €c^uipm€nT (6., inc. Dept.B 31 5 West 43rd St., New York 36, N. Y. JUdson 6-1420 Broadcasting April 7, 1958 • Page 85