Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1960)

AT DEADLINE LATE NEWSBREAKS ON THIS PAGE AND NEXT • DETAILED COVERAGE OF THE WEEK BEGINS ON PAGE 31 STANTON HITS PROGRAM POWER No middle ground for FCC, says CBS head In face of stiff S^-hour cross examination by FCC Friday (Jan. 29), CBS Inc. President Frank Stanton stoutly maintained that there is no middle ground in any government regulation of tv programming. (For report on Dr. Stanton's prepared testimony, see page 43.) Commission has no business getting involved in programming content, he stressed. He reiterated, under questioning of Chairman John C. Doerfer and other commissioners, that FCC jurisdiction in program area is restricted to com j parative proceedings only. There cannot be "a little bit of regulation" in programming content, he said, and expressed opinion that Commission scru-l tiny of how licensee determines needs j of public would result in "a field day for lawyers." Failure of affiliates to clear network sustaining and public service programming is of concern to public but is not proper area for FCC consideration, Dr. Stanton stated. Comr. John Cross said he had difficulty seeing how "great good" would result as result of current public spotlight on tv programming if FCC does not take action. Witness replied that there already are many signs of improvement and that public is final "touchstone" in programming and public definitely is not "status quo." Dr. Stanton said there is great deal of misunderstanding among critics who charge network schedules are full of murder, mayhem and mediocrity. He pointed out wide range of programming on any given night and that in only one half-hour time period of networks' schedules for week is same format offered by all three at same time. "This is a lot different than the image that is created by some critics," he countered. There is no basis to charges that public really pays for "free" tv, Dr. Stanton said. Product prices, he estimated, would go up if advertisers shifted their tv expenditures into other media. "For most kinds of advertising, tv does a better job than any other media," he stated in giving the reason for tv's rapid growth in past decade. Dr. Stanton also strongly disputed contention of many that tv avoids controversy. He named long list of CBSTV programs which did not deal with "sweetness and light . . . These are hard-hitting, dramatic programs." Asked about deletion (by advertiser) of word "gas" from one such program, Dr. Stanton said such actions were "sporadic and atypical." Particular instance was poor case of judgment by CBS executive, he said, and would not happen under new network policies in dealing with advertisers (see earlier story, page 46). Required programming statistics in FCC renewal forms are obsolete, Dr. Stanton felt, and he said he is not sure Commission should require any programming information and what use is intended of such listing. Questioned by Chairman Doerfer on CBS' editorializing policy, Dr. Stanton said present rule-of-thumb is not to state opinion unless owned stations or network have something to say. "Within the year," Dr. Stanton said, "it is likely that the CBS networks (both radio and tv) will have regular editorial periods." CBS developed its tv programming by "hard work and money," Dr. Stanton testified. Network went $53 million in red before it turned corner in tv, he said, adding that government directives or government scrutiny had nothing to do with this development. Last session of current phase of FCC investigation, which began with public hearing Dec. 7, is scheduled this morning (Monday) at 10 a.m. in Rm. 7134 at Commission. ABC President Leonard Goldenson is only witness scheduled to testify. Station sales Following station sales were reported Friday, both subject to usual FCC approval: • WJPB-TV Fairmont, W. Va.: 50% interest sold by J. Patrick Beacom to Thomas P. Johnson and George W. Eby for $100,000. Mr. Johnson will own 47.5%; Mr. Eby, 2.5%. Transaction was result of merger agreement when Messrs. Johnson and Eby were principals of Telecasting Inc., applicant opposing WJPB-TV Inc. for ch. 5 in Fairmount. WJPB-TV, now on ch. 35, holds permit for ch. 5, granted Nov. 4, 1959. Messrs. Johnson and Eby are principals in now-dark ch. 22 WENS (TV) Pittsburgh. Mr. Beacom also owns WWW Grafton, W. Va., and WBUT AM-FM Butler, Pa. WJPB-TV is affiliated with ABC and CBS. • WCAT Orange, Mass.: Sold by William R. Sweeney to Ralph Mellon for $70,000. Mr. Mellon is chief engineer and part owner of WPAZ Pottstown, Pa. Broker was Haskell Bloomberg. WCAT is 1 kw daytimer on 1390 kc. KDKA, AFTRA extend pact pending talks KDKA-AM-TV, Westinghouse stations in Pittsburgh, and American Federation of Radio-Television Artists agreed Jan. 29 to extend their contracts through Feb. 21 while current negotiations continue. Two-year contracts covering about 70 staff announcers and freelancers were to expire Jan. 31. Employes of stations had voted unanimously Jan. 21, during negotiations, to authorize strike if necessary to enforce contract demands. Doerfer, Kintner on AFA program More than 500 advertiser, agency and media men will meet in Washington Friday (Feb. 5) for annual midwinter conference of Advertising Federation of America at Statler-Hilton Hotel. In course of day-long agenda worked out last Friday (Jan. 29), conferees will have opportunity to quiz federal regulators and lawmakers. Opening session at 10 a.m., presided over by Arthur C. Fatt, conference vice chairman and president of Grey Adv., will give delegates chance to quiz FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer; FTC Chairman Earl Kintner; Harold T. Schwartz, Internal Revenue Service assistant commissioner, and E. K. Hartenbower, KCMO Kansas City, of NAB Tv Code Review Board. Mack confined Former FCC Comr. Richard A. Mack has entered psychiatric institute in Miami under court petition signed by his father, Charles Mack. Mr. Mack entered Jackson Memorial Institute Thursday for observation and examination. Second trial of Mr. Mack and Miami attorney Thurman A. Whiteside, on charges of conspiring to throw Miami ch. 10 grant to National Airlines, was scheduled to begin Feb. 2 in Washington. First trial ended in hung jury. BROADCASTING, February 1, 1960 9