Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1962)

ing, Dr. Mack mused: "May it not be that these all-out efforts to improve the means of communications are covering up an unconscious desire to put off . . . the moment of truth when we must face the question, "For what purpose are these improved means to be used?' " During an afternoon qucstion-andanswer session, Mr. Gitlin urged members of the audience to write their local station managers if they expect to see more cultural programming in small-market tv. "You'll be surprised at the response," he said. Intelligent Letters Few ■ Underlining Mr. Gitlin's observation, Mr. Shakespeare, until recently vice president and general manager of WCBS-TV New York, said that while he was with the station he received no more than 12 "intelligent, constructive" letters a week from viewers. "Send more. Encourage people to write. ... It would have a sweeping effect," he declared. The same goes for commercials, Mr. Shakespeare said — viewers should write the station if a commercial offends them. "Advertising agencies want to tell you about the product so you'll buy it, not so you won't buy it." Mr. Shakespeare also expressed concern over possible government control of tv. He said there must always be a balance between the government's power and tv's power if we are to live in a democratic society. "Keep the broadcaster responsible to the community he serves. It is the slow way, the democratic way, the sure way." Wrather earnings hit $310,504 for half year The consolidated net earnings of Wrather Corp. for the first half of fiscal 1962 (ended Dec. 31, 1961) were $310,504, equal to $0.18 per share. Comparable figures for the like period of the previous fiscal year are not available because of a realignment of the corporate structure prior to the initial public offering in June 1961. The figures do not include those of A. C. Gilbert, toy manufacturer, of which Wrather acquired 52% in December 1961. Other Wrather properties include the Disneyland Hotel, Muzak Corp., Stephens Marine and the Lassie, Lone Ranger and Sergeant Preston of the Yukon tv series. The Lone Ranger tv series, after 14 continuous years of network exhibition, is now in syndication through Wrather's Telesynd Div., and results to date are encouraging Jack Wrather, president, said in his report to stockholders. Mr. Wrather also noted that Lassie, now in its eighth year on CBS-TV for Campbell Soup, "has maintained its position as one of the most consistently successful television shows." SAG, AMG extend pact during negotiations For the convenience of both parties, the franchise agreement between the Screen Actors Guild and the Artists' Managers Guild, talent agency association, has been extended until April 30. The former extension expired Feb. 28. A major item in the negotiations is SAG's insistence that actors working for minimum scale not be required to pay agents' commissions. Another is the withdrawal of all permissions for talent agents to act also as program producers, effective next September. WPIX signs for 'Paris' film Granada Television Network Ltd. of England and WPIX (TV) New York have completed an arrangement for broadcasting and syndication in the U. S. of "Paris — the Cancer Within," a one-hour program from a series of Granada documentaries. Produced in Paris, Granada's special report outlines the French-Algerian crisis and its effect on Paris. WPIX has not set a date for its first telecast of the program. ASCAP's '61 gross $33.1 million American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers took in $33,191,987 during 1961, George Hoffman, controller, told the society's west coast membership meeting Tuesday (Feb. 27). This was an increase of 2.7% over the 1960 gross of $32,344,135. Virtually all of the ASCAP revenue came from license fees paid by broadcasters and others for the use of music owned by ASCAP members, this part accounting for $32,891,095 in 1961. Of the total revenue, 19.88% went for operating costs, divided just about equally between salaries and home and branch office expenses, leaving $26,592,240 for distribution to members, Mr. Hoffman reported. Stanley Adams, ASCAP president, said the organization's membership now includes 5,679 active writer members and 1,902 publishers, plus 766 nonparticipating writers. Defending the society's legal expenses, particularly those resulting from hiring outside counsel for special assignments such as the tv rate dispute, Mr. Adams told the western members that in this case "our adversaries are the most powerful interests in America and we need the best to meet them." Educational outlets, WBC request series A half-hour radio documentary series, based on a study of America in 1831 by Alexis de Tocqueville and carried on NBC Radio since mid-January (Wed., 8:30-9 p.m.), has gained "such critical acceptance and audience approval" that the Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. and more than 100 educational radio stations have requested permission to carry the 14-part series after NBC completes its cycle in April. Dr. George E. Probst, director of the Tocqueville Project, last week revealed that Westinghouse and the educational stations have been granted rights to the series, Democracy in America, and added: "We must give credit for the growing interest in the series to the extensive promotional effort exerted by NBC and its local stations as well as the intrinsic value of the programs." Dr. Probst said approximately 130 NBC Radio outlets originally cleared the series for a mid-January start but in ensuing weeks additional stations requested the programs and presently 168 stations are scheduling Democracy. Both the network and affiliates, Dr. Probst said, have been "extremely cooperative" in promoting the program to local institutions, such as schools and Top ten evening programs from February report by age (Percentage of viewers familiar with a show who consider it "one of my favorites.") Total Audience 6-11 12-17 18-34 35-49 50+ Rank Program TvQ TvQ TvQ TvQ TvQ TvQ 1 Ben Casey 56 48 62 56 57 53 2 Bonanza 52 48 61 57 46 52 3 Saturday Night Movies 50 63 61 49 45 39 4 Disney World of Color 49 79 55 40 36 46 4 Doctor Kildare 49 49 62 54 40 46 6 Hazel 44 61 45 34 39 47 6 Red Skelton 44 71 48 38 36 42 8 Andy Griffith Show 43 60 52 40 34 42 8 International Showtime 43 56 36 39 35 50 10 Wagon Train 42 42 38 38 38 50 Copyright Home Testing Institute Inc., 1962 82 (PROGRAMMING) BROADCASTING, March 5, 1962