Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1959)

PROGRAM M I NG_ A TV SERVICE NETWORK? Video tape key factor in current analysis; Khrushchev coverage, football set pattern Can another television network be formed — and nourish? A full-grown, conventional network appears to be beyond the pale of reality. But on the drawing-board is a blueprint for a "service network" to provide selected types of news and topical programming to groups of stations on an interconnected basis. The prime protagonist of this project is United Press International. The catalyst is television's wonderchild, videotape recording. Through the years, plans for a service network have been proposed for both radio and television. The economic bugaboo has been telephone line cost. UPI believes that this consideration can be resolved, though admittedly it wont be easy. With little fanfare, UPI has implemented two projects that has given the organization a background in service networking: • On September 15-17, through its subsidiary, United Press Movietone News, UPI established and operated a onehour closed-circuit network that fed film coverage of the Khrushchev visit for video-tape recording by 11 stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and their subsequent use on local news programs. • During the current football season, UPI has established an interconnected network, serving 58 stations with a onehour tape program of each Saturday's Notre Dame football game for presentation on the air the following day. "K" Coverage Analyzed • W. R. Higginbotham, manager of United Press Movietone, who supervised the Khrushchev experimental coverage, is now analyzing various facets of the project: the cost of establishing a service network; the ways the cost can be met, including various uses of the circuit; technical problems, and types of programming material to be furnished. Mr. Higginbotham believes that a service network can become a reality and can make a useful contribution to television stations. He points out the service UPI ' is contemplating would provide about 20 minutes of newsfilm per day and notes that conventional networks, during their prime evening newscasts, utilize six or seven minutes of film footage. This factor, Mr. Higginbotham reasons, would make the UPI projected service useful to network as well as independent stations. Within the next few weeks, Mr. W. R. Higginbotham Studies "K" Coverage Higginbotham hopes to complete a financial analysis of the Khrushchev project and discuss it with station officials who participated in the undertaking. Their reaction will help to shape UPI's future steps. Diversified Programming • Mr. Higginbotham concedes that it is "exceedingly doubtful" whether a video network can be financed solely for the purposes of a news or newsfilm service. He adds, however, that a solution lies through supplying various programming (sports, documentaries, special events) that would be devised by participating stations and acceptable to all of them. The Khrushchev project was "a smashing success," according to Mr. Higginbotham. Without exception, stations praised the undertaking and only a few minor criticisms were voiced about such procedures as cueing. The quality of transmissions were called "excellent." The Notre Dame football package is produced by Newspix Inc., New York, with UPI serving as sales agent and arranging for telephone circuits. The game is taped at the field; fed by cable to a nearby tv station (usually WNDU-TV South Bend when Notre Dame is playing at home) and edited to a one-hour version. The narration by Harry Wismer and Edward (Moose) Krause is supplied during the re-recording of the tape. Several duplicates also are made for air-mailing to stations who are unable to receive the regular feed originating from WNDU-TV the following day. The Notre Dame project is under the supervision of Philip R. Curran, UPI's assistant director of client relations and Philip G. Reed, assistant general business manager. Conley Electronics buys SRTS library Purchase of the Standard Radio Transcription Services Music Library by Conley Electronics Corp., Skokie, 111., was announced in Chicago last Wednesday. The library will provide an additional source adaptable for Conley's new Moodmaster Automatic Background Music system for business establishments, according to Tom Parrish, director of audio programming. The library consists of over 7,000 selections recorded at an initial cost of $1 million. Among the artists in the diversified library (light concert, popular, dance, concert pop, vocal and novelty) are Tommy and limmy Dorsey, Bill May. David Lewinter, Bob Crosby and Frankie Lane. The library will provide material for "mood" music magazines, with music re-recorded through a special control process, setting volume and determining necessary equalization. The system is leased or sold through local distributors. Purchase of the SRTS library was understood to be the first of a series of acquisitions by Conley as part of an expansion and diversification program. Paramount film, vtr activity is expanded Paramount Picture Corp. is reorganizing its tv activity in film production and tape. The appointment of George Gruskin to head film programs and west coast operations for the new Paramount Tv Div. was announced last week. The division is headed by Robert J. Rubin, who works out of New York and provides liaison between East and West Coast. Mr. Gruskin, for many years identified with the radio-tv department of William Morris talent agency, will develop new programming for Paramount. Paramount tv tape activity is being operated separately, it was announced by James A. Schulke, vice president of Paramount Television Productions. A stepped-up syndication program gets underway next year under Al Goustin, who will be offering a minimum of three tape series a year, it was reported. KTLA (TV) Los Angeles, owned by Paramount, has been active in tape production. 82 BROADCASTING, November 2, 1959