Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1963)

BENNY TO GO HOME TO NBC After 15-year run on CBS radio and TV networks, comedian to return to scene of his broadcast start Jack Benny, who left NBC in the beginning of 1949 to join CBS in a $2,260,000 capital gains transaction, is returning to NBC in the fall of 1964 with a program on the television network. The announcement of Mr. Benny's plans was made last Wednesday (Sept. 25) by NBC Board Chairman Robert W. Sarnoff who said it was a "privilege to announce his return to NBC, and we look forward with pleasure to another long association with Jack and The Jack Benny Show." The new NBC contract was negotiated with J. & M. Pro services of Mr. Benny. The Benny program on CBS-TV is seen Tuesday, 9:30-10 p.m. EDT, under sponsorship of the General Foods Corp. and State Farm Insurance Co. Following the NBC announcement, an official of State Farm Insurance reported the company would be a co-sponsor of the Benny show on NBC-TV, although the network has not announced a program day or time. The agency for State Farm Insurance is Needham, Louis & Brorby, Chicago. It was no secret that Mr. Benny was displeased with the scheduling of his ductions Inc., owned largely by the comedian and, in part, by Revue Productions, a subsidiary of MCA Inc. The length of the contract and its financial terms were not divulged. CBS had no official comment on the development, but one source close to the network said Mr. Benny is completing the final year of a two-year contract. He claimed the network had an option to renew the pact for another year, but CBS elected not to exercise the option on the performer's services. Past Peak? ■ The reasoning at CBS seemed to be that Mr. Benny, who will be 70 next February, is past his peak. With a strong lineup of name personalities in its fold, including Jackie Gleason, Danny Kaye, Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas, Phil Silvers and Judy Garland, CBS feels it can forego the 60 (PROGRAMING) program this year in a time slot following a new series, Petticoat Junction. Last season his program followed the popular Red Skelton Show but this year CBS-TV moved the Skelton presentation ahead a half hour without moving up Mr. Benny's show. Earlier this year, Mr. Benny protested the change, but the network was not swerved. CBS sources noted that although Mr. Benny's nighttime show is leaving the network, his program may be viewed in daytime hours for several years to come. As part of an earlier contract, the network has a five-year lease on 110 Jack Benny Show films that it may use for daytime reruns. Raids Of 40's ■ Mr. Benny was one of the central characters in the so-called "talent raid" by CBS upon NBC in the late 1940's. Starting with Amos V Andy in 1948, CBS lured Mr. Benny, Edgar Bergen and Red Skelton away from NBC later that year or in early 1949 (Broadcasting, Nov. 29, 1948 et seq. ). In the cases of Mr. Benny and Amos V Andy, CBS held out the attraction of capital gains benefits to the performers. The $2 million Amos 'n' Andy deal was approved by the Internal Revenue Service on the basis that they were selling "characterizations." Mr. Benny received $2,260,000 in a transaction approved by the IRS on the basis that he was selling a company that produced other programs and a motion picture. In a reminiscent mood in 1956, Mr. Benny told a Broadcasting editor in a special interview that the reason he moved from NBC to CBS was to "make some money like everyone else would like to make." He said he had been "happy" at NBC and the "deal was strictly business" (Broadcasting, Oct 15. 1956). Mr. Benny started on NBC with his own radio show in 1932 and remained there continuously until January 1949 when he shifted to CBS. He began on CBS-TV in 1950 as the star in four shows, and increased his appearances gradually until 1960 when he became a weekly regular. NBC sources said the network had no intention of conducting a "raid" on CBS talent. Four stations sign for Latin baseball Four radio stations have been signed to broadcast the first Latin American players' baseball game to be held on Oct. 12 at the Polo Grounds in New York, and negotiations are continuing to add other radio-TV stations to the lineup. Sports announcer-producer Guy Le Bow, who is handling arrangements for the contest in which Latin American stars from the National and American Leagues will play, reported last week that the following stations have signed for the broadcast: wado New York; kdet Tucson, and kifn Phoenix, both Arizona, and kipi Pueblo, Colo. Philip Morris cigarettes and Schlitz Brewing Co. will sponsor the game over wado. The game's play-by-play will be broadcast in Spanish. Mr. Le Bow has appointed National Time Sales to represent his company, Pan-Video Productions Inc., New York, to obtain additional radio and TV stations in this country for coverage of the game and Fremantle International to sign stations outside the U. S. Mr. Le Bow noted that plans call for live broadcasts to some cities and by delayed tape to others. BROADCASTING, September 30, 1963