Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

State court refuses to act on radio spot A Pennsylvania judge has told protesting Democrats in Allegheny county that the state court has no jurisdiction over "allegedly objectionable matter* which is broadcast since ""it appears'* radio and television have been '"pre-empted" by the federal government. Ed Boyle. Democrat incumbent for county district attorney, protested a radio spot run for Republican Robert Duggan, which allegedly depicted Pittsburgh as a corrupt city. The spot was based on an Aug. 5 story in the Pittsburgh Press, which reportedly quoted mobster Joseph Valachi, according to GOP testimony. The Republicans said the statement had not been part of Valachi's testimony before a Senate hearing. A voice which sounded like Sena and interviews also will be heard on the five Triangle AM stations: wfil Philadelphia, wnhc New Haven. Conn.; kfre Fresno, Calif.; wnbf Binghamton, N. Y., and wfbg Altoona, Pa. Program notes... New NBC daytimer ■ NBC-TV plans on Dec. 30 to start Let's Make a Deal, an audience-participation game show that will replace People Will Talk. The new prize show will be broadcast Monday through Friday at 2-2:25 p.m. EST and will feature Monty Hall as host. Christmas show ■ Seven Arts Associated Corp., New York, plans to put into distribution for the holiday season a half-hour TV special, Mahalia Jackson Sings the Story of Christmas. The program will feature Miss Jackson singing seven Christmas carols. Christmas sounds ■ SESAC announced last week the new "Sounds of Christmas"' package consisting of five LP albums with more than 60 Christmas selections. The package, which includes music and scripts for 13 five-minute programs, is now available to broadcasters at SI 9.95. Pilot show ■ A pilot for a new halfhour comedy series, Take Me To Your Leader, will go into production next Monday (Nov. 18) at MGM-TV. Bert Gordon, who created the series with Robin Estridge, will produce the pilot, with Will Hutchins as star. The series is aimed for the 1964-65 season on ABC-TV. Wolper agreement ■ Wolper Productions will be able to use footage of Deutsche Wochenschau Productions in tor Joseph S. Clark (D-Pa.), was also used on the spot, describing "sleazy law enforcement" in Allegheny county On Nov. 1 the Democrats sought to enjoin the GOP from running the spot on wwsw and wryt, calling it "malicious, false propaganda." Friedman, Susman & Baime, Pittsburgh agency for Mr. Duggan, reported that the spot was being used on seven stations while the case was being argued. According to the agency, it fashioned a statement from newspaper articles on Valachi's testimony before the Justice Department. "We fashioned a statement uttered by a voice that was designed to sound like a precise quote. We admit that for its TV programs under an agreement made by David L. Wolper, president of the Hollywood documentary production organization, with Manfred Purzer, chief editor and managing director of the German newsreel company. The German company will be able to draw on the Wolper archives for its own use. First Wolper production to use the German company's material will be Berlin: Kaiser to Khrushchev, an hour program being produced for UA-TV. Radio today ■ Woodgate Associates, Buffalo, N. Y., is offering a new radio transcription library service called "Radio Today." Among the library's offerings are identification jingles, thematic logo beds, sound effects and comedy vignettes. Woodgate has branch offices in Miami, Kansas City, Mo., and Chicago. Coming up roses ■ A series of nine five-minute radio shows called Rose Bowl Report is being packaged by National News Service, Hollywood. The series — which will be aired Dec. 23 through Jan. 1 — will feature interviews with coaches, players and others involved in the football classic. New free offer ■ Records with 10 short interviews with authors and "other interesting people" are being distributed free by Ted White Productions, 345 W. 88th Street, New York. At least one Assignment: People record will be mailed out to recipient stations each month, but only one station a market will qualify for the radio series. Crime special ■ 20th Century-Fox TV has produced an hour special on the history of organized crime in the U. S., Anatomy of Crime, and has begun syn dramatic effect we used dramatic license and this voice and statement became part of a one-minute spot." On election eve, Nov. 4. Judge David Olbum, of the State Court of Common Pleas said, "In reaching our conclusion, it is not necessary for us to discuss the question whether this court has the power to enjoin the broadcast of allegedly objectionable material by a radio broadcasting station which is licensed by an agency of the U. S. government, and is subject in its operation to the rules and regulations promulgated by the FCC. It might appear that the entire field of radio and television broadcasting has been pre-empted by the federal government." On Tuesday (Nov. 5), Mr. Duggan was elected. dication of the program for television. Drawing from Fox Movietone newsreel and TV news film footage, the special follows crime in this country from pre-prohibition to the current Cosa Nostra investigations. French pact ■ Seven Arts Associated Corp., New York, has a publishing arrangement with Libraire Hachette in France to produce a reference library of practice materials for home study in conjunction with the TV series, En France, 26 half-hour French language instruction-entertainment programs now on 60 stations. The series is being presented by Seven Arts Associated Corp. and Time-Life Broadcast Inc. The books and records — a home-study course kit — is being offered on TV at the price of $24,957 TV series ■ TV producer Robert Herridge plans to produce a series of six full-hour TV dramas for presentation on Metropolitan Broadcasting stations. Production of the taped series, to be called Stages Seven, is expected to start this month with a premiere anticipated in December. Cliff hangers ■ Embassy Pictures is releasing to TV a new Sons of Hercules series of 13 color feature films, E. Jonny Graff, vice president in charge of TV, has announced. The features may be programed in full-length or as one-hour versions for "cliff-hanger" showing, Mr. Graff said. Comedy to pay TV ■ RKO General Phonevision announces that its subscription TV system in Hartford shortly will present a taped program of "TchinTchin," a comedy that played on Broadway last season. The play was taped BROADCASTING, November 11, 1963 83