Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1962)

Questions put to Chicago tv stations In preparation for its hearing on local tv programming in Chicago, the FCC has asked a series of questions of the four commercial stations there. Many are very similar to questions in a new programming reporting form now under FCC consideration. Stations receiving the questionnaire were WBBM-TV, WBKB (TV), WGNTV, and WNBQ (TV). The text: I. COMMUNITY NEEDS AND GENERAL STANDARDS 1. (a) A statement describing efforts made by your station, during the last license period, to ascertain needs and interests of the public within the area you serve. (Please indicate whether such efforts were confined to the Chicago metropolitan area or whether they extended beyond.) Such statement should include, but not be limited to, the scope of consultations with civic leaders (such as public officials, educators, cultural and religious leaders, and representatives of agricultural, business, professional, labor, charitable, and service organizations) with respect to the public service needs of their agencies, organizations, or groups. (b) Describe what you have done to develop and present broadcast material to fulfill the needs and interests ascertained through the efforts described, including, but not limited to, a statement of how you have undertaken to advance the activities of civic, educational, charitable, cultural, and other service organizations, apart from broadcasting announcements furnished by or on behalf of such organizations. (c) Describe facilities, staff, and equipment available for the development and production of program material. Include here such items as, for example: studio facilities; libraries of program material maintained and services subscribed to; cameras, tape recorders, remote equipment, etc.; staff personnel used as talent in program production. 2. Describe station's policies with respect to programming standards. Indicate steps taken to assure that appropriate station personnel are aware of these standards. II. PROGRAMMING DURING JANUARY, 1962 1. Exact copies of station logs for the month of January, 1962. 2. Total number of hours station was on the air during the month. 3. (a) Number of hours of commercial network programs. (b) Number of hours of sustaining network programs. (Item II, 3. not applicable to WGN) 4. (a) Number of hours of local live programs. (b) Number of other hours. 5. (a) Number of hours of local live programs in each of the following categories: religious, .agricultural, educational, news, discussion, talks. (b) For each program during the month in each category, give the following information: title and brief description; time and day broadcast; length of program; sponsored or sustaining. In addition, for each religious program indicate whether it is devoted primarily to religious music. 6. List the musical and dramatic talent used in the production and presentation of locally originated programs during the month of January, 1962. 7. For each program broadcast during the month of January, 1962 designed primarily for children under 12, give the following: title and brief description; time and day of broadcast; number of times and amount of time broadcast. III. OTHER ASPECTS 1. The number of station personnel currently employed full-time or part-time in the development, production, or presentation of each of the following types of programs: news, children's, religious, agricultural, educational, sports. 2. Give the station's local advertising rates for (a) one hour program (b) one minute announcement and (c) 20 second announcement. Describe discount structure for local advertising. 3. For the month of January 1962 give the percentages of local time sales from (a) commercial announcements, (b) participating sponsorship and (c) from single sponsorship. 4. (a) Describe the station's policy in the presentation of opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance. Satellite question continues in orbit HARRIS TO HEAR ROBERT KENNEDY FOR ADMINISTRATION Art Institute of Chicago; Donald P. Anderson, Illinois Institute of Technology and president of the University Broadcasting Assn. of Chicago; Dale Pontuis, president, Roosevelt U. Teachers Union; Marian Larson, Pan American Board of Education; J. J. Price; Henry S. Distelhorst, Salvation Army; Allen Carpenter, president, Chicago Businessmen's Orchestra; Robert B. Johnson, State Street Council (100 downtown merchants). Also, Raymond A. Jones, executive secretary, and Sanford Wolff, attorney, Chicago local of AFTRA; Dr. Frank F. Sakamoto, midwest chairman, and Joe Sagami, Chicago president, Japanese-American Citizens League; Felix Jasinski; Leif G. Brush, an unemployed radio newsman formerly with WJNC Jacksonville, N. C, and WNAK Nanticoke, Pa.; Rudy Monroe; Russell Barta, executive director, Adult Education Centers (an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago); Eugene S. Zemans, executive director, John Howard Assn; Forbes Shepherd, executive director, Independent Voters of Illinois; William Ragolio, executive director, Goodwill Industries; Beatrice L. Hector, National Audience Board, and Rev. C. William Billingslea, president, Northern Christian Leadership Conference. Five others who filed earlier appearances were reported March 5. The administration last week continued to take a pounding at Senate Space Committee hearings on its proposal for a privately owned communications satellite-corporation. But it is readying one of its star performers for the second stage of the legislative battle, which begins tomorrow (Tuesday) before the House Commerce Committee headed by Rep. Oren Harris (D-Ark.). U. S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy is scheduled to testify March 20 on behalf of the administration's bill (HR 10115) which would permit the public, as well as international communications carriers, to own the corporation that would operate the proposed system. Asst. Atty. Gen. Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, who testified before the Senate Space Committee last week, had originally been scheduled to reappear before the House Commerce Committee. After the administration bill began coming under heavy fire in the Senate committee, however, the Justice Dept. sent word that the attorney general himself would testify. Also expected to be represented at the hearings, which will run about two weeks, are the National Aeronautics & Space Council, FCC, National Aeronautics & Space Administration, AT&T, International Telephone & Telegraph, the State Dept. and Hawaiian Telephone Co. Administration concern began mounting when it developed that Sens. Robert S. Kerr (D-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Space Committee, and Stuart Symington (D-Mo.), a committee member, preferred a measure introduced by Sen. Kerr to the administration bill. The Kerr proposal (S 2650) would limit ownership to international carriers. The administration's dismay increased when the FCC endorsed this proposal two weeks ago (Broadcasting, March 5). An identical House bill (HR 9696) will also be before Rep. Harris' committee. AT&T Opposes Kennedy ■ Industry opposition to the administration bill was led last week by AT&T, which said the proposal would create an inefficient and unwieldy organization. James E. Dingman, executive vice president, also said the tight government control allowed by the bill would "smother the initiative and leadership which are es 48^ (GOVERNMENT) BROADCASTING, March 12, 1962