Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1958)

AWARDS Three CBS Shows Cited In Edison Media Awards CBS News' Public Affairs Dept. took three awards last Monday evening (Dec. 1), as the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation issued the 1958 National Mass Media Awards for Films, Television & Radio. CBS showed up strongest by winning the top citations for: Prudential Insurance Co. of America's Twentieth Century ("tv program best portraying America"); Monsanto Chemical Co.'s Conquest ("best science tv program for youth") ; and the sustaining New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein ("best children's tv program") . Special Edison Foundation citations were given in recognition of "distinguished public service in the interests of education." Winners: NBC Public Affairs for Continental Classroom; Washington County, Md., Board of Education for the county-wide in-school closed-circuit tv project; Broadcast Music Inc. for World of Mind (radio scripts prepared jointly by BMI and American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and the American Council of Learned Societies); WQED (TV) Pittsburgh for "the tv station that best served youth," and WFMT Chicago for "the radio station that best served youth." WQED and WFMT in addition to the scrolls also received for one high school student in each station's community a $1,000 Edison Scholarship for a college education. In receiving CBS' awards, voted along with other citations by 62 major national civic organizations, Public Affairs Director Irving Gitlin said, "It is of significance that both Twentieth Century and Conquest are sponsored programs and that without the cooperation of these advertisers and their agencies, the series would not be on the air today . . . ." Mr. Gitlin's remarks, alluding to the marriage of big business and education, were in keeping with the general tenor of the evening's proceedings. Speaking for the educators, Dr. O. Meredith Wilson, president of the U. of Oregon and chairman of the American Council on Education, warned broadcasters that their role went beyond that of merely acting as transmission belts. "Education," he said, "is dependent on communication. It is not well represented by the common analogy of a reservoir of knowledge, where facts are carefully stored, to be released at fixed intervals to sweeten the parched plains of ignorance." Radio-tv, he suggested, should lead in stimulating discussion, otherwise we might certainly begin "to contemplate" the "deplorable" sight of seeing the population "conditioned only to receiving ... to being told." Spokesman for the business community, which underwrites the Edison Awards, was Harvey S. Firestone Jr., board chairman of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. (ABC-TV's Voice of Firestone) . Said Mr. Firestone: We spend too much time selling each other on the superiority of competitive free enterprise— a wasteful act in that we usually sell to "friends and associates whose lives run A CERTIFICATE, good for a Mexican or Caribbean holiday, was given to Ralph Head (standing), vice president-marketing director of BBDO, by Al Stone, national sales manager of WCSC Charleston, S. C, for his entry in the station's national slogan contest conducted by its representatives, Peters, Griffin, Woodward. John A. Thompson (I) and Robert H. Teter (r) vice president-radio sales manager, and vice president-radio director of PGW, respectively, also were at the presentation. The contest called for ad and agencymen to send in a slogan telling "why an advertiser should buy the Charleston market." parallel to our own." Mr. Firestone suggested that the mass media ought to broaden this "audience base" by selling free enterprise to the broadest possible audience base — the mass media audiences. Writers Guild Announces Winners; Evans Recipient of $2,500 Prize Free lance playwright David Evans was presented with a $2,500 award by the Writers Guild of America on Nov. 20 for his teleplay, "The Gadfly" carried on ABCTV on Oct. 1, 1957. The prize money is a grant from the Johan J. Smit Foundation, New York, which is giving the award annually for television scripts "making the most valuable contributions to peace and human understanding." WGA also announced the winners of annual WGA awards for the best radio-tv scripts in 12 different categories, all broadcast during 1957. The winners are Joseph Mindell, half-hour tv anthology; Everett DeBaum, half-hour tv episodic drama; Eugene Roddenberry, tv western, any length; Kenneth Enochs, tv children's program, any length; Jerry McNeely, one hour tv anthology drama; Devery Freeman, one hour tv comedy; Irwin Rosten, tv documentary, any length; Elick Moll, tv program, more than one hour; Sydney Zelinka and A. J. Russell, half-hour or less tv comedy or sketch; Jules Maitland, radio documentary, any length; Stan Freberg, comedy-variety radio program, any length, and Thomas Hanley Jr., radio drama, any length. Winners received either engraved silver trays or plaques. Chicago Art Directors Name Best Commercials Award-winning commercials in the Art Directors Club of Chicago's 26th annual midwestern advertising art competition have been announced. ADCC presented gold medal, silver merit and special merit recognition awards for 17 tv commercials in two categories: the design of a complete unit and in art and photography. The winners were honored Nov. 24 at a dinner in Chicago's Palmer House. Five gold medal awards and one special miscellaneous citation represented the top six tv commercials from the midwest during 1958. Winning tv entries, encompassing live techniques and full animation, were displayed in Chicago's Prudential Plaza Nov. 25-Dec. 5. The recipients: DESIGN OF COMPLETE UNIT Film Commercials (Live Technique) — Gold Medal: art director, Don Tennant: photography, Universal-International; agency, Leo Burnett Co.; advertiser, Marlboro, Philip Morris. Art director, Jack Bramlette; photography, Elliot-Unger-Elliot; agency, Leo Burnett Co.; advertiser, Tea Council of the U.S.A. Silver Merit: photography, Howard Siemon; agency. Henderson Adv.; producer. Fred A. Niles Productions. Film Commercials (Full Animation) — Gold Medal: art director, Ben Goldstein: photography. Quartet Films; agency, W.B. Doner & Co., Detroit; advertiser. National Brewing Co. Silver Merit: art director, Alan Zaslove; producer, UPA Pictures Inc.; agency, Fred M. Randall Co., Detroit; advertiser. Pure-Pak Div., ExCello Corp., Pure-Pak Milk Container. Silver Merit: art director, Bob Johnson; producer. Sherman Glas Production; agency, D'Arcy Adv. Co.. St. Louis; advertiser. Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser. Commercials (Live and Animation) — Silver Merit: art director, WiUis J. Davis: animation producer, Ray Patin Studios; live action producer, Chicago Film and FeldcampMalloy; agency. Needham. Louis & Brorby: advertiser, S. C. Johnson & Son Inc., Glo-Coat. Silver Merit: art director, Alice Westbrook: producer, Kling Studios Inc.; agency, North Advertising Inc.; advertiser. The Toni Co., Soffning. Miscellaneous Special Award for the Use of a Theatrical Personality. McGoo, in Advertising: art director, Jerry Joss: producer, UPA Pictures: agency. Edward H. Weiss & Co.; advertiser, Carling Brewing Co.. Stag Beer. Special Recognition, Merit Award: art director/producer, Lawrence-Schnitzer Productions Inc.: photography, Gerald J. Schnitzer; agency. Campbell-Ewald Co., Detroit; advertiser, General Motors. Chevrolet Div. Maddest Commercial of the Year: art director, Walter Collins: photography, Sarra Inc.; agency, Fitzgerald Adv., New Orleans. ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Film Commercials (Live Technique) — Gold Medal: art director, Bob Johnson; photography, MPO Tv Films Inc.; agency, D'Arcy Adv. Co.; advertiser, Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser. Silver Merit: art director, Gerritt J. Beverwyk; photography, MPO Television Films Inc.; agency. Needham, Louis & Brorby Inc.; advertiser. Lever Brothers, Swan. Silver Merit: art director, R. C. Mack; photographer, Ed Beatty; producer, Universal-International; agency, Grant Adv. Inc., Chicago; advertiser, Dodge Div., Chrysler Corp. Film Commercials (Full Animation) — Gold Medal: art director, Ron Maidenberg: producer. Animation Inc.; artist, Ed Barge: agency, Bozell & Jacobs Inc., Omaha; advertiser. Skinner Manufacturing Co. Silver Merit: art director, Ron Maidenberg: producer, Animation Inc.; artist, Ed Barge: agency, Leo Burnett Co., Chicago: advertiser. Kellogg Co., Battle Creek. Commercials (Live and Animation) — Silver Merit: art director. Harry F. Grissinger Jr.; photography, Ray Patin Productions; agency, J. Walter Thompson Co.; advertiser. Libby McNeill & Libby. Page 88 • December 8, 1958 Broadcasting