Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

WEEK'S HEADLINERS Robert H. O'Brien, executive vp and treasurer of MetroGoldwynMayer, New York, elected president and chief executive officer, succeeding Joseph R. Vogel. Mr. Vogel Mr. O'Brien was elected chair man succeeding George K. Killion. Mr. O'Brien joined MGM in August 1957 as vp and treasurer. He was elected executive vp in December 1961. Prior to joining MGM, Mr. O'Brien served as financial vp and member of board and executive committee of American BroadcastingParamount Theatres and executive vp of ABC. Mr. Vogel was president of Loew's Theatres prior to his election as MGM president in 1956. Mr. Killion, who was elected to MGM execu tive committee replacing Mr. Vogel, served as chairman since February 1958. He is president of American President Lines and member of board of Space Satellite Corp. Changes in administration were expected as result of MGM's earnings decline in fiscal '62. Gordon H. Johnson, senior vp and member of executive committee of DancerFitzgerald Sample, New York, elected executive vp. Mr. Johnson joined D-F-S in 1944 as account supervisor. He was elected vp in 1947 and senior vp in 1959. Mr. Johnson is filling post left vacant since October 1961 when Chester T. Birch became agency's president and Clifford L. Fitzgerald, chairman. Mr. Johnson For other personnel changes of the week see FATES & FORTUNES Alabamans unmollified by NBC-TV's apology Exchange of telegrams between Rep. Kenneth A. Roberts (D-Ala.) in Washington and NBC in New York Friday (Jan. 1 1) followed congressman's earlier complaint that NBC wouldn't let Alabama Gov.-elect George Wallace appear at half-time on network's Dec. 29 telecast of Blue-Gray football game because of objections by NBC's legal department. Rep. Roberts said reply from Tom S. Gallery, NBC director of sports, is unsatisfactory. He wants names of persons involved, despite NBC's apology, letters of explanation and expression of regret. NBC said refusal to let Mr. Wallace make tv appearance "apparently arose because of a misunderstanding on the part of NBC's production personnel at the game." Who invited Mr. Wallace was unclear Friday. Rep. Roberts also was irked because on same day of Blue-Gray game, California Gov. Pat Brown appeared on East-West game telecast. FCC refuses to protect catv from interference Catv systems may not claim protection from interference by translator stations, commission ruled last week in granting four applications for translator facilities. Commission granted applications of Claremont Tv Inc. for new vhf translator stations on chs. 2, 6, 10 and 12 in Claremont, N. H, to translate programs of WENH-TV Durham, WMURTV Manchester, both New Hampshire, WRLP (TV) Greenfield, Mass., and WCAX-TV Burlington, Vt. In making grant agency dismissed petition by Bellows Falls Cable Corp., area catv system which claimed that grant of translators in area would cause interference. Commission ruled that catv operators are not viewers, and are not entitled to interference protection given viewers, because they receive tv signals for purpose of redistributing them for fee, as opposed to free service provided by translators. Catv can alleviate interference, commission said, by changing antenna site or use of microwave relay. Commission warned, however, that it will not condone deliberate attempts by translators to create interference to catv. 3,298 uhf stations possible, study finds Present 1,500 uhf assignments can be more than doubled, to 3,298, according to report expected this week. Prepared by National Assn. of Educational Broadcasters, report is based on computer study done with aid from Jansky and Bailey, Washington, D. C, consulting engineers, and FCC. Project was financed with $55,258 grant from Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare under statute providing funds for development of new educational media. NAEB officials, however. say possible assignments uncovered by study would be available for commercial as well as educational television. NAEB will present report to U. S. Office of Education and FCC with recommendation that study be basis for new uhf allocation table. Present assignments wouldn't be disturbed under proposal. FCC staff is doing similar study without computer assistatnce; it is expected to be completed next month. It reportedly will roughly parallel conclusions in NAEB report. Senators get copies of delinquency report Senate Juvenile Delinquency Subcommittee report on television is now in "final form" and was circulated to subcommittee members Friday (Jan. II). said Sen. Thomas J. Dodd CDConn.), chairman. Senator would not reveal whether report, awaited since hearings concluded last spring (Broadcasting, May 21, 1962), includes proposals for legislation, nor would he say whether he has law-making ideas of his own on subject. But Sen. Dodd made it clear he is not closing door on possibility legislation could come from hearings. Report draft was reviewed by chairman late last year and sent back for revision, mainly to add "recently uncovered evidence" of effects sex and violence on tv have on children (Closed Circuit, Dec. 24, 1962). Kemper defends stand in ABC breach suit ABC's $452,000 breach of contract suit against Kemper insurance companies was challenged Friday (Jan. 11) and network was charged by defendant with failure to provide sponsor protection. James S. Kemper, board chairman, said his company was within its rights when it canceled out of ABC Evening Report after furor aroused by Nationwide Insurance's Howard K. Smith News and Comment show about Richard M. Nixon on which Alger Hiss appeared. Public confused show as Kemper's because announcement at end of Evening Report plugged Mr. Smith's program, Mr. Kemper argued. Therefore ABC violated sponsor protection clause of contract by putting announcement inside Kemper news program, he said. Jack Beall Jr., 64 dies Jack Beall Jr., 64, retired ABC correspondent, died in Washington hospital Friday (Jan. 11) of respiratory failure before surgery. Mr. Beall was born Dec. 6, 1898 in Waxahachie, Tex. He also had served at WLW Cincinnati, NBC in New York and on newspapers. 10 BROADCASTING, January 14, 1963.