Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

CLOSED CIRCUIT — Transfers in transit New year began with four known negotiations involving television station transfers totalling around $25 million. Three of stations are held by original licensees and fourth is outlet that changed hands five years ago. None has yet reached contract-signing, but handshake stage reportedly has been reached on two transactions. Time, ABC-TV in news deal In next fall's schedule ABC-TV has all but buttoned up Tuesday 10-11 p.m. period for weekly information program hour. Deal is near for showing on alternate Tuesdays of hourlong documentaries produced by Robert Drew for Time-Life Broadcast, subsidiary of Time Inc. Speculation is that on other Tuesdays expanded version of Close-Up, now weekly halfhour on Tuesdays at 10:30-11 p.m., will be scheduled. Some 10 Drew documentaries are already in the can, produced with original intention of syndication by TimeLife Broadcast. Mr. Drew, now independent producer financed by TimeLife, attracted attention with several documentaries on ABC-TV Close-Up in 1960-61, among them "Yanqui, No!," study of anti-American developments in Venezuela and Cuba. Interesting footnote: Deal for new Drew series on ABC-TV is being worked out with Tom Moore, vp in charge of network, not with Jim Hagerty, boss of news. External calm "Don't rock the boat" approach to internal crisis precipitated last November by NAB President LeRoy Collins' anti-cigarette speech prevailed week before NAB board meets in Phoenix for its winter meeting (story page 53). Subject of Gov. Collins' contract extension is not on formal agenda, but will be handled by five-man negotiating committee. No one is happy about situation, but predominant pre-meeting view was that broadcasters should not air troubles publicly. Odds-on bet is that nothing will be resolved formally and that negotiating committee will still be negotiating when board adjourns its sessions Jan. 18. Slow gestation Special FCC "committee of commissioners" is trying to effect compromise on long-planned new tv program reporting forms. FCC is split several ways over latest recommendation of Broadcast Bureau Chief Kenneth Cox, soon to be commissioner himself, and it's reported newest product will have little resemblence to form released for comments year and half ago. For this reason, FCC is expected to seek third round of industry comments since it first announced in July 1960 that new forms would be adopted "shortly." Working on compromise are Commissioners Newton Minow, Frederick W. Ford and Robert T. Bartley. There will be separate program forms for am stations which will not be considered until tv questions are settled. Help from the Hill Under consideration at FCC is legislative recommendation to Congress that would authorize commission to extend hours of operation of daytime radio stations without affording dominant stations on channels opportunity to oppose degradation of service at formal hearings, as now is required. Some members of Congress who have been pressured by daytimers have asked FCC to find solution, and proposal under consideration is designed to appease them. All alike Wholesale changes in copy themes of aspirin and other analgesic commercials may be in offing. Article in Dec. 29 Journal of American Medical Assn. reported that tests had found no significant differences in working speed, effectiveness and duration of Anacin, Bayer aspirin, Bufferin, Excedrin and St. Joseph's aspirin. Bayer, working from advance reports, was on air same day with copy plugging Journal article and stressing that for speed and gentleness on stomach Bayer is as good as any — including some that cost more and, incidentally, concentrate their copy on exactly those virtues. Bayer agency: Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, New York. Power play in Britain Commercial television interests in Britain are dismayed by television bill that goes before Parliament this month. They say it would give Independent Television Authority, ruling body of commercial tv, powers far more dictatorial than were suggested by government White Paper (Broadcasting, Dec. 31, 24). If bill passes, ITA will be empowered to become as influential in commercial tv operations as BBC is in non-commercial, according to one informed view. Here's how one London observer has sized up ITA's authority proposed in new legislation: "It's [ITA's] control over advertising will, if it chooses to make use of its powers, be as complete as if it were selling the advertis ing time itself. Its control over programs will be as complete, if it wishes, as if it were itself arranging them." Cliffhanger continued General Electric Co. will have to do more explaining to FCC in its bid for license renewals of WRGB (TV), WGY and WGFM (FM) Schenectady, N. Y., because of licensee's conviction of non-broadcast connected criminal antitrust violations. Renewal applications were argued at length at last week's meeting before FCC decided to require additional information from GE. Licensee already has been quizzed several times on applications that have been pending two years. Broadcast Bureau argued for renewal last week while general counsel's office felt hearing is necessary. Westinghouse Electric Co. was convicted at same time as GE, but its stations were renewed nine months ago (Broadcasting, March 5, 1962) because (1 ) licensee was Westinghouse subsidiary, not parent company; (2) programming on WBC stations was judged superior, and (3) Westinghouse showed what FCC spokesman described as "better attitude" at outset of investigation. Counter-programming Republicans are still kicking around ideas on best way to get broadcast exposure similar to that obtained by President Kennedy last month on allnetwork discussion program, A Conversation with the President (At Deadline, Dec. 31, 24). Although GOP national committee isn't talking about "equal time" in legal sense, committee says top network news executives have said they would be "readily receptive" to program giving GOP viewpoint "offered in proper format." GOP considers offer "money in the bank," but is being cautious how to use it. Although discussioninterview format is cheapest, consideration of feature program such as films used at both parties' national conventions in 1960 is not ruled out. Minow's choice Sylvia Kessler, currently acting chief, is choice of FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow as chief of Renewal and Transfer Div. of Broadcast Bureau. Other commissioners, however, have own candidates for post and no action has been taken on chairman's recommendation. Miss Kessler, former head of Opinions and Reviews, has been division's acting chief since last August. Published every Monday, 53rd issue (Yearbook Number) published in November, by Broadcasting Publications Inc., 1735 DeSales St.. N. W., Washington 6. D. C. Second-class postage paid at Washington. D. C, and additional offices.