Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

FILM CONTINUED MOVIE PR'S UTOPIA Critics of the "cuffo plug" for Hollywood films on U. S. television would be dismayed to learn of the hunger of European tv station executives for just that kind of programming, according to Roger H. Lewis, United Artists Corp. national advertising director. Mr. Lewis, who returned May 19 from a two-week survey of tv stations in France. Italy, Spain. Great Britain and Germany, noted that where U. S. stations are clamping down on using Hollywood-produced promotion shorts, the budding tv industry in Europe is "hot" for anything that the Hollywood publicity machines grind out in way of promotion films and personal interviews of stars. But he admits that "this can't last." Predicts Mr. Lewis: just as soon as tv stations abroad accelerate programming content, they will begin rejecting the "puff" that now serves the vital purpose of filling airtime. trolled. Double system product usually comes out of studio production anyway, further assuring complete overall quality. With magnetic stripe, the whole photographic attention can be devoted to production of the highest quality picture, since the sound portion can be monitored as it goes onto the tape portion, inherently a better medium for the sound track to begin with. Even theatrical production is swinging to magnetic, but still under the double system. Lack of a single system printer which would produce optical and/ or magnetic prints from magnetic negatives has been the stumbling block to the use of magnetic in tv syndication. The CBS Newsfilm invention licks this problem. What formerly required days to produce enough syndication prints can now be done within hours or minutes, just as the present photographic system. CBS Newsfilm, through Mr. Rheineck's department, took a Bell & Howell model continuous film printer and had the film equipment manufacturer's Chicago office design to specifications an additional unit which would print a magnetic positive print from the original magnetic negative. Then a second unit was added, designed to specifications by J. M. Developments Inc., New York, which produces a positive print with regular photographic sound, without loss of sound quality, directly from the" original magnetic negative. This composite unit, under development by Mr. Rheineck and his staff since 1955. now is in regular operation at Du Art Labs, making both types of prints in one fast operation. J. M. Developments is headed by John Maurer, former camera manufacturer. Mr. Kany said the magnetic stripe means "high fidelity" has arrived in the news film field and is as significant a development as the long playing record was over the old phonograph. Page 50 • June 2, 1958 Reverse Stock Split Sought by C & C Tv C & C Television Corp., New York, will ask stockholders at a special meeting June 1 7 to approve proposals for a one-for-ten reverse stock split and for reduction in the authorized share of stock from 10 million to 3 million. If approved, the transaction will have the end result of authorizing the company to raise an extra $2 million in stock sales. A spokesman explained that the par value of stock now outstanding is 10 cents per share or a total amounting to $1 million. The stock has been selling at $1 per share on the American Stock Exchange in recent months, and, according to the company spokesman, the exchange initiated the onefor-ten reverse split. This means that if the plan is approved, there will be one million shares outstanding at $1 a share. If the second proposal is passed, C & C would be authorized to add an extra 2 million shares at $1 per share. The spokesman stressed the company merely is seeking the authorization but has made no immediate decision to make the added two million shares available for sale. Stockholders also will be asked to change the name of the company from C & C Television Corp. to Television Industries Inc. in order to "reflect more accurately the purpose of the company." C & C Tv owns the RKO library of feature films and other motion pictures, which it makes available to stations in exchange for time. The time is sold to International Latex Corp. under terms of a five-year agreement which reimburses C & C in the amount of an estimated $20 million over that period. C & C recently acquired control of Hazel Bishop Inc. In its annual report mailed to stockholders, C & C Tv reported a new income from television operations in 1957 of $937,323 but a combined net loss from the year of $205,257. The loss took into consideration the operation on non-tv subsidiaries which were transferred to National Phoenix Industries Inc. under a reorganization dated July 31, 1957. It was explained that up to last July, a company called C & C Super Corp. was in existence, which consisted of C & C Television Corp. and National Phoenix Corp., the latter composed of Lorraine Mfg. & Power Products and Nedick's Inc. Last July 3 1 , C & C Super stockholders voted to spin off National Phoenix Industries and establish a new company for television activities, C & C Television. The spokesman explained that it was the deficit operation of Phoenix Industries for the first seven months of 1957 that resulted in the combined net loss shown by C & C Tv for 1957. Stereotoons Formed to Produce Three Dimensional Animations Stereotoons, a new company specializing in the production of three-dimensional animated motion pictures for tv and theatres, has been formed by Don Hillary, retiring business agent for Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, 1ATSE Local 839, Hollywood. Stereotoons is at 1546 No. Highland Ave., Hollywood; telephone: Hollywood 3-2326! Associated with Mr. Hillary in the new company are Dave Fleischer, veteran producer-director of such animated films as the Betty Boop and Popeye series, and Jack Paar, a Disney animator for 19 years. The company's first production, a 20second public service tv film, is now being distributed to tv stations by mental health groups across the country. A theatrical short film, "Li'l Pedro and Tasty Taco," will be premiered in June in 36 Arizona theatres. NTA to Extend Trade Ads On Fall Programming Plans National Telefilm Assoc., New York has reported that its advertising campaign on behalf of the NTA Film Network has been "so well received" that the effort will be extended two more weeks. Originally the campaign in consumer and trade publications was scheduled to cover 1 1 advertisements in a three-week period. It is being lengthened to encompass 14 advertisements over five weeks and will involve expenditures of about $200,000. The decision is said to have resulted from "favorable response to the impact created by the campaign among advertising agencies and advertisers," which are now receiving full-scale presentations on the network's fall programming plans. The campaign was conceived by Kermit Kahn, director of advertising for the NTA Film Network and Ely Landau, board chairman, in association with Moss Assoc. Inc., New York, the company's advertising agency. UPA Inaugurates Friendly Pitch: Open Houses, Seminars to Order UPA Pictures Inc. this week will begin "telling" advertising agencies that there's more to commercial animation than merely to illustrate the Piel Bros. — Bert and Harry — two of UPA's "clients." At the request of agencies, UPA will conduct "seminar screenings," bicycling around town, as it were, flying squads of UPA people helmed by a studio producer. The UPA "team" will show five or six reels of animated film, cartoons and commercials, then answer any and all questions posed to it by attending agency personnel. One major agency, Compton Adv., already has requested two such seminars for its executives. Furthermore, UPA will hold "open house" each Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. at its New York headquarters, 60 E. 56th St., for all "communications workers" interested in seeing what animation is all about and how best it can be used for selling purposes. The screenings will be accompanied by late afternoon coffee. Both programs are under the direct supervision of Paul Garrison, transferred from Burbank to take over the sales operations of the New York office. He succeeds Eli Feldman, who resigned a fortnight ago to become vice president of sales at Pelican Films Inc., New York. Broadcasting