Broadcasting (Apr - June 1960)

Mg BROADCASTING THE BUSINESSWEEKLY OF TELEVISION AND RADIO April 11, 1960 Vol. 58 No. 15 NETWORKS PRIME FOR FALL BATTLE ■ A three-network scramble for tv audience begins to shape up ■ There’ll be decline in westerns, rise in situation comedy ■ CBS and NBC still strong on specials, ABC on regular shows The big guns with which the three television networks will fight it out for 1960-61 program supremacy were being set in place last week. Every indication pointed to the closest fight for audience favor that television has yet seen. ABC-TV and NBC-TV formally revealed their tentative new fall nighttime schedules in affiliates’ meetings which also left little doubt that their guns were being trained first on each other. CBSTV in No. 1 position by both ABC-TV and NBC-TV counts, had no affiliates meeting and revealed no plans, but it was learned that its nighttime schedule is approximately three-fourths set. The basic components of this lineup are identified in the chart on page 29. In addition to the array of regular programming, the networks were drawing up their “secret weapons” — the specials. The Difference ■ Many observers thought these might be even more telling than the regular series in the battle for audience, though this thought obviously was not shared by ABC-TV, traditionally long on regular programming and short on specials and planning to maintain much the same pattern next season. One of the things disclosed by the new program planning is what won’t be back next year — at least 47 programs now on the air are missing from current drafts of the schedule. ABC-TV will give up on The Alaskans, Johnny Staccato (also on NBC-TV now), Bourbon St. Beat, Original Amateur Hour, the Bronco and Sugarfoot combination (which may yet find its way back into the schedule). Broken Arrow, Keep Talking, Steve Canyon, Take A Good Look, Wednesday Night Fights (but ABC-TV will have Gillette’s fights on Saturday), Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, Man From Black Hawk, Black Saddle, John Gunther’s High Road, and Jubilee USA . CBS-TV gave up Alfred Hitchcock Presents to NBC-TV, and will drop The Texan, Dennis O’Keefe, Tightrope, Man Into Space, The Millionaire, Kate Smith Show, Be Our Guest, Ann Sothern Show, Johnny Ringo, Hotel de Paree, Manhattan, Mr. Lucky and Markam. NBC-TV turned in its Sunday Showcase specials series and its Friday night specials time period (while opening an hour on Monday to specials), lost Peter Gunn and the Gillette fights to ABCTV, and dropped Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre, Law of the Plainsman, The Lawless Years, Masquerade Party, Arthur Murray, Ford Startime, Wichita Town, Johnny Staccato, People Are Funny, Troubleshooters, M-Squad, Man and the Challenge and Man from Interpol. Westerns Down ■ The current standings turn up another interesting point: It looks as if westerns have reached saturation and from here on they will be fewer than in the past. ABC-TV has added only one new western this year, while dropping three of its old ones. At NBC-TV the score is reversed: Three new westerns against a single old one biting the dust. CBS-TV has plans to drop three westerns, and it’s New guns for NBC-TV ■ Don Durgin, sales vice president of NBC-TV, had the spotlight while one of the network’s new fall programming entries had the screen when affiliates and network officials got together at the NAB conven understood that there are no plans for new ones in the schedule. And while science and other space age developments will play a big role in planned public service and documentary shows, they’re waning as fictional material. Two space shows found their way into last year’s schedule. Both will disappear this year, with no replacements in that category. Mystery-detective shows are still popular, but there’s no overwhelming trend. ABC-TV’s adding three and dropping three. NBC-TV’s adding six and dropping three. CBS-TV’s dropping two at present does not have any new ones in its new schedule. Comedy and situation comedy look strong next fall. ABC-TV’s adding four, dropping one; NBC-TV’s adding three, dropping none, and CBS-TV, while dropping at least two, is known to have added three already with plans for several more. Specials Up at CBS ■ Specials will still be a major factor. CBS-TV is plan tion last week. The scene is from The Tall Man, a series built around the rivalry of New Mexico Sheriff Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. It goes into the Monday night 9 p.m. slot vacated by Peter Gunn, moving to ABC-TV. BROADCASTING, April 11, 1960 27