Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

at deadline WERE CLEVELAND CHARTS $25 MILLION CLOSED-CIRCUIT TV, RADIO SYSTEM Closed-circuit sound and visual program service for home subscribers, eventually covering entire Cleveland area, proposed Friday by Richard M. Klaus, vice president-general manager of WERE Cleveland. Project would involve investment up to $25 million. Six channels on Ohio Bell coaxial cable, leased to WERE, would provide wide range of programming service to home tv sets. Subscriber fee might run around $10 monthly under present plans. Advertising would be sold on some portions of programming. Service is designed to start within year, using test area of perhaps score of major apartment developments. At present Cleveland has three tv stations — KYW-TV, WEWS (TV) and WJW-TV on chs. 3, 5 and 8 respectively. Financing would be handled by WERE, with Ohio Bell running cable as funds are provided. WERE plan calls for development of separate community satellite centers for programming. These would be located in populous centers and have separate camera chains and other facilities. As facilities and list of subscribers expands, these centers eventually would be tied together. Service would then come out of proposed major entertainment center. Citywide service within five-year period is envisioned by WERE, with thought that eventually Cleveland grid would be tied in with similar wired service in other cities. "We propose to create a brand new form of mass communications and entertainment," Mr. Klaus said. Here is WERE plan to use six-channel capacity of coaxial cable: Ch. 2 — First-run films 11 hours daily, each film to be run three or four days. Commercials confined to station breaks. P&G, Miles, Ralston-Purina Vie for ABC-TV Time Slots It'll be like "High Noon" at ABC-TV tomorrow (Tues.) when several interested parties shoot it out for Tuesday, 9-9:30 p. m. slot next season. Procter & Gamble, just renewed for high-rating Wyatt Earp (Tues., 8:30-9 p.m.), wants to back it with new western out of William Morris-Four Star Films stable titled The Rifle Man. It must let Morris-Four Star know by tomorrow when option expires. At same time, 52-week contract of current 9-9:30 p. m. slot occupants, Miles Labs and Ralston-Purina (Broken Arrow) ends tomorrow and ABC-TV reportedly is as eager for new P&G business — giving soap company 60-minute exposure — as it is for Broadcasting Ch. 4 — Re-run films. Commercials would be sold, possibly on basis similar to tv broadcast stations and networks. Ch. 6 — Feature tv presentations including sports, musicals and theatrical events; only top evening hours; may be used to broadcast network programs not carried by local tv stations. Ch. 7 — Duplicates radio programming of WERE. Ch. 9 — Tv sports. WERE is key station for Cleveland Indians 40-station, four-state radio network. Away tv games could be carried, along with other sports, and keyed into wired services in other cities. Ch. 10 — Background music and home music service. Major portion of development work on Cleveland project was done by Leonard G. Trostler, WERE local sales manager, aided by Mr. Klaus; Harry Dennis, chief engineer, and Sam Elber, director of programming and promotion. Mr. Klaus said that while WERE's wired network would not come within jurisdiction of FCC, it would provide extensive public service and cultural programming. He suggested, for example, that closed-circuit facility could be provided to medical society, giving doctors latest information on medical and surgical techniques. Possibility of color service is being explored. WERE and Ohio Bell studied closedcircuit projects in other areas. Telephone company contacted top AT&T officials in New York. WERE would have exclusive use of wire grid built with its money and leased from Ohio Bell, but telephone company would be free to build similar facilities for any firm desiring to offer closed-circuit program service. Miles-Ralston renewal. Ralston, meanwhile, is taking no chances on being left out in cold; its agency, Gardner Adv., St. Louis, has option to pick up MCA Ltd.-Gomalco Productions' Leave It to Beaver series now on CBS-TV under Remington-Rand sponsorship and take it to ABC-TV, preferably in 8:30-9 p. m. (post-Disneyland) berth, now occupied by Bristol-Myers. NC&K Gets Vel Powder Colgate-Palmolive Co., New York, named Norman, Craig & Kummel, New York, to handle Vel powder, effective immediately, with $1.9 million billings. McCann-Erickson was appointed to service new soap product, with billings and name yet to be revealed. Lennen & Newell had been handling Vel powder until last February when it was BUSINESS BRIEFLY Late-breaking items about broadcast business; for earlier news, see Advertisers & Agencies, page 35. BANANA BOOM • United Fruit Co., N. Y., will promote its biggest and best banana crop with two-week increased radio spot budget effective immediately on 200 stations in 85 markets in U. S. and Canada. Current campaign, running on about 160 stations since March 9, will be included in increased frequency, which will amount to as much as 40 spots per , week per market. BBDO, N. Y., is agency. IN BUYING MOOD • American Oil Co., N. Y., mulling over 17-week radio-tv spot campaign (announcements and newscasts) in 120-market area along U. S. East Coast to begin end of May. No buying pattern or market strategy finalized. Joseph Katz Co., N. Y.-Baltimore, is Amoco agency. BALL BUYS • WOR-TV New York reported Friday sponsorship has been set for three-quarters of its coverage of 78 Philadelphia Phillies baseball games, to be telecast in New York area. Signed: United Vintners Inc. (wines), General Tire Dealers of New York Metropolitan Area and Bayuk Cigars Corp. IN FOR HALVES • Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. (Van Heusen's men's shirts and sportswear), N. Y., signed for one-half sponsorship of Suspicion (NBC-TV, Mon., 10-11 p. m.) on May 26, June 2 and 9. Grey Adv., N. Y., is agency. TV CLIENT ON WAY • Television will play important part in introduction of new Borden's instant mashed potatoes when product makes test bow in upper New York State and New England next month. Initially only WHYN-TV Springfield will be used, but look for more buys as distribution area is enlarged. Product — competing with R. T. French's instant whipped potatoes, General Foods Corp.'s Minit and McCormick Tea & Spice's brand — was to have made its bow earlier in year but introduction was delayed due to "production problems." After national distribution is achieved — by end of 1958, hopes Borden — product will be promoted on NBC-TV's Fury and People's Choice, both sponsored by Borden. Lennen & Newell is servicing product, its first Borden assignment. notified that account would be withdrawn. L&N retains Vel liquid detergent and Vel beauty bar. NC&K has recommended that bulk of advertising campaign for Vel go into television. April 14, 1958 • Page 9