Broadcasting (Apr - June 1960)

INTERNATIONAL British revise rules on commercial tv time Great Britain’s Independent Television Authority has announced further restrictions on time placement of tv commercials. Since programs are not sponsored there, the “magazine concept” of spot rotation is employed. ITA regulations limit advertising spots to six minutes per hour but allow carry-over within the broadcasting day. Consequently commercials have crept up to an average of eight minutes per hour during prime time. This situation has moved the ITA to new rulemaking: From Sept. 12 through Dec. 24, spot advertising will not exceed IVz minutes per clock hour; thereafter the maximum will be reduced to 7 minutes. The ITA dictum has led to widespread speculation as to whether program contractors will boost rates. The commercial time reduction would cost them some $14 million, indicating a rate increase in prime time would appear likely. A one-minute spot over the combined ITA network now costs an advertiser about $12,600. Second Canadian tv network being planned A rulemaking hearing for a second Canadian television network, this one operated by independent stations, is expected to be held at Ottawa sometime in June by the Board of Broadcast Governors. The hearing will be followed in September by a meeting of applicants for such a television network. Understood to be interested in forming a Canadian network operation is American Broadcasting Co., New York, and Spencer W. Caldwell, unsuccessful applicant for a ch 9 station license at Toronto last March. Mr. Caldwell operates S.W. Caldwell Ltd., and a number of other companies in film distribution and filming V ADVERTISING IN fcj BUSINESSPAPERS W MEANS BUSINESS In the Radio-TV Publishing Field only BROADCASTING is a member of Audit Bureau of Circulations and Associated Business Publications of commercials. Mr. Caldwell plans formation of an independent network organization to cater to the second stations licensed this year in Canada’s principal cities, with the stations buying shares in the network. Programs developed in these stations would be aired on the network, thus providing programs produced not only at Toronto, but also at Montreal, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. The present micro-wave network used by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., is operated by the Bell Telephone Co. of Canada, and communications divisions of the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways. It has ample facilities for a second tv network. Canadians form emergency group The Canadian government has formed an Emergency National Communications Organization (ENTO) to function as the executive agency of government in controlling and administering the national communications systems, including radio and television broadcasting. Announcement of the formation of ENTO was made by Transport Minister George Hees in the Canadian Parliament on May 18. Dept, of Transport officials stated that the move was the result of a general streamlining of the department which had been underway for some time. Following an extensive study, the Canadian government has decided that if its various agencies and private users with essential wartime functions are to make the best use of the services available after a nuclear attack it is necessary to develop an emergency organization. ENTO will be a planning agency in peacetime. Tv saturation hits 84% in Canada There are 3,674,100 television homes in Canada, representing 84% of all households in Canada, according to the spring 1960 estimate of the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement, Toronto. The estimate is based on a current Canadian population of 17,737,400 persons in 4,366,600 households. Since for some years Canada has had almost 100% radio coverage, no tabulation was made for radio. Highest percentage of tv homes is in Quebec province, where 92% of the 1,118,000 households have television sets for a total of 1,028,800. Ontario Pay-tv picture Figures on receipts of TransCanada Telemeter’s pay-tv operation at Toronto are not yet available. But the number of subscribers has increased to 3,000 from the 1,000 who were connected when operation began on February 26. There is a backlog of about 1,500 applicants. Between 50 and 70 connections are being made daily. Live programming on the pay-tv circuit so far includes only news and public service panel shows and commentaries. Film features are distributed by coaxial cable on two channels seven nights weekly. with 1,568,100 households is estimated to have 1,410,800 tv homes or 90% saturation. Other provinces: Nova Scotia, 83%; News Brunswick, 80%; Manitoba, 75%; British Columbia 75%; Alberta, 73%; Prince Edward Island, 72%; Saskatchewan, 68%; and Newfoundland, 51%. 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