Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

Late news breaks on this page and on page 10 AT Complete coverage of week begins on page 29 J\ j KTTV to Metromedia for $10 million-plus Negotiations for sale of KTTV (TV) by Los Angeles Times and Mirror to Metromedia was on verge of consummation Friday and announcement of transaction was planned today. Price for ch. 1 1 independent was believed to be in over-$10-million area. Upon FCC approval Los Angeles outlet will give Metromedia its seventh tv station — -five vhfs and two uhfs — as well as four am and four fm outlets. Metromedia stations: WNEW-AMFM-TV New York, WTTG (TV) Washington, KOVR (TV) Stockton, KMBC-AM-FM-TV Kansas City, all vhf stations: WTVH (TV) Peoria and WTVP (TV) Decatur, both Illinois (uhf outlets): WHK-AM-FM Cleveland and WIP-AM-FM Philadelphia. News of purchase negotiations came same week FCC cleared John W. Kluge, chairman and Metromedia president, of charge of participating in offrecord activities in 1957 hearing for ch. 9 in Orlando, Fla. (see page 66). Mr. Kluge was principal stockholder of group which received Orlando grant, now WLOF-TV. He does not now, however, hold any interest in Florida station. Metromedia owns Foster & Kleiser, outdoor advertising. It sold commercial international shortwave station WRUL, with transmitter at Scituate, Mass., to Mormon Church last month for over $1.7 million. Los Angeles Times-Mirror Co., owned by Chandler family, established KTTV in 1949. Operating on ch. 11, it uses 135 kw. Robert W. Breckner is president of Times-Mirror Broadcasting Co., KTTV licensee. LeSueur to Voice as Swing replacement Larry LeSueur, CBS news correspondent, New York, takes year's leave and joins U. S. Information Agency in Washington Tuesday (Jan. 15) as senior political analyst and commentator on Voice of America. Newsman with network since 1939, Mr. LeSueur fills post partially vacated in March 1962 when Raymond Gram Swing, 75, longtime commentator with networks and more recently in top VOA commentary role, reduced his schedule at Voice to concentrate on book of memoirs he is compiling. Mr. LeSueur will be paid $17,400 and will work under Alexander Klieforth, VOA program director. Ribicoff for radio-tv Connecticut's new Democratic senator, former HEW Secretary Abe Ribicoff, intends to become one of the most prolific users of broadcast media in maintaining contact with constituents. Questions propounded by folks back home will, whenever feasible, be answered by tape recordings for radio use. Senator has tape recorder at his elbow; was schooled in techniques by his close friend, Rudy Frank, vice president of WELI New Haven and state fish and game commissioner. Sen. Ribicoff attributes his election in large measure to judicious use of broadcast media during his vigorous campaign last fall. "They were major factors in reaching the electorate quickly and effectively," Sen. Ribicoff said, "and were singularly important because I could not launch my campaign until the eleventh hour due to my duties as a cabinet member in Washington." NAB joint board opens sessions in Phoenix NAB joint board opens week of committee and board sessions today (Jan. 14) at Camelback Inn, Phoenix, Ariz. After series of committee meetings, joint board convenes tomorrow afternoon followed by tv board Wednesday, radio Thursday and final joint session Friday. Range of subjects from cigarette advertising problem and President LeRoy Collins' contract renewal to legislative, regulatory and budget problems will be considered during week (Broadcasting, Jan. 7). Two members of 43-man board will be unable to attend meeting because of illness, NAB headquarters said. They are Julian Haas, KAGH Crossett, Ark., and Harold Essex, WSJS-AM-TV Winston-Salem, N. C. BBDO plans comments on FTC ratings order BBDO, New York, in anticipation of client puzzlement over initial newspaper accounts of consent decree signed by ratings services with Federal Trade Commission (Broadcasting, Jan. 7), reportedly has prepared commentary on ratings in hope of putting issue in perspective. Commentary, of media policy nature, notes BBDO. has never overemphasized ratings and that agency uses them for trends information. Agency says, moreover, it has always questioned adequacy of sample among all ratings services and has been pushing for enlargement of sample. Implication is that individual ratings themselves cannot be end-all to media problems. BBDO's comment is expected to be circulated this week to all of its clients. Authorities checking shortwave's programs Authorities are investigating operation of international shortwave station, transmitting with 50 kw power from Red Lion. Pa., in both English and Russian, and espousing extreme rightwing philosophies in tempo with John Birch Society. Station, transmitting since November, has reported its shortwave broadcasts are being used domestically by upward of 300 broadcast stations. According to FCC, international shortwave station, WINB, was granted in May 1960 to Rev. John M. Norris, to operate with 50 kw power, assigned to various frequencies in the international band (6-25 mc) depending on seasons. FCC public files on station were stripped, presumably because of investigation. Rev. Norris is also licensee of WGCB-AM-FM Red Lion. FCC holds up renewals for Pacifica outlets Pacifica Foundation licenses for fm stations in California and New York are being held up by FCC because of complaints about programming, FCC staff said Friday (Jan. 11). Senate Internal Security Subcommittee concluded two days of secret hearings on Pacifica stations Friday in which it followed up "information indicating that there may have been communist efforts to infiltrate a radio chain" (see page 72). Sen. Thomas J. Dodd (D-Conn.), vice chairman, conducted probe, which he said was held in executive session "to protect innocent persons from unfavorable publicity," had not gone into program content. When investigation would continue Sen. Dodd could not say, but he revealed other persons have been subpoenaed. more AT DEA ,(NE page 10 BROADCASTING, January 14, 1963 S