Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1961)

PUBLIC AFFAIRS AREA AWRT asks, is broadcasting doing the job it should? Are radio and television doing their jobs in the area of public affairs? This overriding question and a few others such as tv's effectiveness in the news area — was highlighted at the Oct. 6-8 conference of the four New York state chapters of the American Women in Radio & Television. Theme of the Lake Minnewaska, N. Y., conference was "The Challenge: Public Interest, Convenience and Necessity." Among the chief topics: ■ FCC and broadcasters: Frank J. Shakespeare Jr., vice president and general manager of WCBS-TV New York, felt the proposed new station program application form could well be a step toward direct government influence over programming. ■ Radio and tv news: The feeling that broadcast news coverage keeps improving and newspaper coverage keeps sliding was highlighted at a Saturday morning panel on "The Changing Face of News Coverage." Participants included Walter D. Engels, manager, news and special projects, WPIX (TV) New York; Charles Shutt, manager, Washington Bureau, Hearst Metrotone News; Van Buren W. DeVries, vice president and general manager, WGRAM-FM-TV Buffalo, and Samuel Sharkey, editor, NBC News. ■ Programming: The three afternoon panelists felt the broadcaster has a definite responsibility to upgrade, and still please, his audience. Expressing "The Conscience of Programming" were Fran Allison, radio and tv personality; Edward P. Shurick, executive vice president, Blair Tv, and E. R. Vadeboncoeur, president, WSYR-AM-FM-TV Syracuse. "In the U. S., the 'people's air' is vastly safer in the hands of a local station manager, subject to all the pressures of his community and viewing audience . . . than it ever would be in the hands of a relatively remote commission in Washington," according to keynote luncheon speaker Frank Shakespeare. At the panel discussion on news coverage, Mr. Sharkey, comparing coverage of newspapers, and tv, said there is definitely better reporting today in tv. Newspapers, he pointed out, are becoming more and more partisan every day: "Papers are not doing a good job — their work is slipshod." Mr. Engels, on the same subject, noted "tv news has stayed cleaner than newspapers. We remember the old fashioned integrity in news." Mr. Shutt pointed out tv reporters now are pursuing a more interesting way to present news, and rely greatly on newsfilm services. Independence ■ Mr. DeVries, who feels a news department must have complete autonomy, said his station's news director reports directly to him, instead of to the program director. At the panel on "programming conscience,' Mr. Shurick spoke about Blair's Special Projects Div., organized to sell local public service programs. "We know," he said, "we can get people to watch good programs, and we're out to prove it to the advertiser." Media reports... Joins radio network ■ WOBT Rhinelander, Wis., has joined NBC Radio, according to Thomas E. Knode, vice president, NBC station relations. The outlet is a 1-kw station, owned and operated by Oneida Broadcasting Co. The affiliation brings to 192 the number of stations in NBC Radio. On the air ■ WETA-TV Washington, educational station, went on the air Oct. 2. The station, uhf ch. 26, is licensed to the Greater Washington Educational Television Assn., George A. Baker, station manager. NEWSPAPERS THAT MEAN BUSINESS IN SAN DIEGO Total Retail Sales of $1,290,068,000 last year ranked San Diego County 24th among the nation's 200 leading counties in this category. Note these comparative totals: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA .... $1,290,068,000 ALAMEDA (OAKLAND), CALIFORNIA . $1,284,885,000 FULTON (ATLANTA), GEORGIA . . $1,063,052,000 FRANKLIN (COLUMBUS), OHIO . . $ 921,529,000 Two metropolitan newspapers sell the important San Diego market: The San Diego Union and Evening Tribune. Combined daily circulation is 226,437 (ABC 3/31/61). "The Ring of Truth" COPLEY NEWSPAPERS: 15 Hometown Daily Newspapers covering San Diego. California — Greater Los Angeles — Springfield, Illinois — and Northern Illinois. Served by the Copley Washington Bureau and The Copley News Service. REPRESENTED NATIONALLY BY NELSON ROBERTS & ASSOCIATES, INC. fljc Bm Jlicjia Union Evening Tribune BROADCASTING, October 16, 1961 69