Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1963)

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATED TELEVISION GETS BREAK ITA to get more from 6 areas, less from 3, same from 1 Associated Television, programer in London weekends and the Midlands weekdays, will be the lone major commercial TV company in Great Britain to pay less rental to the Independent Television Authority next year. The breakdown last week followed announcement of increased transmitter rentals to commercial operators after new contracts are awarded later this year (Broadcasting, Sept 23). In addition, a higher tax rate on advertising goes into effect July 30, 1964. The reduction to ATV (see accompanying table) is in recognition of its high operating cost and the larger advertising levy it will be paying. Six of the smaller areas will pay more in ITA rentals, three have had their's cut, and one remains the same. Companies operating in five areas are not expected to pay any advertising revenue levy if their revenue stays at present levels as it would not exceed the $4.2 million free slice allowed by the new television act. The other five smaller companies will pay the levy. Hear Ye ■ Notices, paid for by ITA, inviting applications for the new contracts have been published in national and local papers throughout the coun try. The days and areas for which contracts are offered are broadly the same as present ones with the exception of the Welsh and West England area. There will be 14 contracts in all: London weekdays, London weekends and Midlands weekdays, North England weekdays, Midlands and North England weekends, Central Scotland all week, Wales and West of England all week, Southern England all week, North East England all week, East Anglia all week, Northern Ireland all week, South West England all week, The Borders (North England and South Scotland) all week, North East Scotland all week, Channel Islands all week. Two current areas, South Wales and West of England and West and North Wales have been merged. The two companies presently operating in these areas are discussing a merger following heavy losses by one. In order to provide separate coverage of the Welsh and English parts of the area ITA has asked the postmaster-general for a second VHF channel in South Wales. Five contract areas will be enlarged by new VHF transmitters. All contracts will run for three years subject to earlier termination or renew Changes for the big four companies, if their contracts are renewed: Associated-Rediffusion London weekdays Granada North weekdays Associated Television London weekends and Midlands weekdays ABC North and Midlands weekends Estimated Current New advertising ITA rental ITA rental revenue levy $2,660,000 $4,760,000 $11,200,000 2,385,600 4,480,000 8,960,000 2,864,400 2,660,000 10,220,000 1,761,200 2,380,000 5,460,000 'Amos 'n' Andy' sold in An official of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People expressed "regret" last week that the Amos V Andy series had been bought for showing over two TV stations in Africa. He said that the series does not typify the American Negro, but actually is "a stereotype and distorts the truth." He added: "We would not want our African brothers to think our lawyers are like the lawyers on Amos V Andy." The programs were bought by the Western Nigerian Radiovision Service in Ibadan and the Kenya Broadcasting Corp. in Nairobi, whose chief executives are said to be Africans. A spokesman for CBS Films, which Africa -NAACP objects distributes the series, commented "it was one of 45 series we sold in Africa, and they were selected by the broadcasters after careful screening of the product." The African services buying CBS Films properties were Nigerian Television Service, Western Nigeria Radiovision, Kenya Broadcasting Corp., Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Corp., Sierra Leone and Rhodesia TV. CBS Films international division has also announced first foreign sales of The Garry Moore Show, The Great Adventure, The Hector Heathcote Show and The Jerry Lester Show. The sales were made to Austrama Television, new licensee for a Melbourne, Australia, station. 80 al, depending on the timing of the introduction and extension of any second ITA network. If a second ITA commercial network begins before the end of the three-year period the contracts will terminate when the network starts. If the beginning of a second network is definitely scheduled for after July 1967, contracts will continue, subject to possible rental changes, until the second network opens, up to a total period of six years. Any contract terminated by the arrival of a second ITA network which applies to an area not covered by the new network will be renewed subject to the six-year maximum and reconsideration of rental. If by 1967 it seems that a second ITA network will not be introduced before 1970, there will be no extension of contracts and ITA will examine the whole pattern on a single network basis. Changes for the big four companies, if their contracts are renewed, are shown in table: TV public service shows added to festival list The third annual International Film Festival, which will be held Oct. 810 at the Barbizon-Plaza hotel in New York, has added a group of awards in TV public-service programs area. In previous years, festival competition was restricted to industrial film and TV commercial categories. The festival agenda will include a group of seminars on various phases of TV commercial production, TV public service programing and industrial film production. There will be continuous showings of outstanding industrial films, commercials and TV programs. In association with the festival there will be an exhibition of audio-visual equipment, techniques and services. Both the festival and exhibition are presented by Industrial Exhibitions Inc., 17 East 45th Street, New York. Herbert Rosen is director. The new public service TV film category, Mr. Rosen said, will include various groupings for programs and series produced by single station, station group or independent producer. Winners will be receive silver bowls. Labor board asked to mediate A jurisdictional dispute between the Association of Radio and Television Employes of Canada and the National Association of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians has resulted in the request by ARTEC for a conciliation officer to be appointed by the Canadian Labor Relations Board. ARTEC and Canadian Broadcasting Corp. negotiations at Ottawa for a new contract have broken down over the inter-union dispute as to BROADCASTING, September 30, 1963