Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

Fit an Theutre Men Discounted W I Imtr Long expected and long discounted, the fting of the television station freeze by the "ederal Communications Commission still aused film industryites, particularly theatrenen in the virgin territories, to start appraisng the future. The obvious question in the ninds of production, distribution and exhibiion people was: What would this mean to heatre boxoffices? The answer was not nearly as apparent. The FCC thaw provides for the opening of ,053 new stations in the U. S., its territories ind possessions, both on Very High Fre(uency and Ultra High Frequency channels. Considering that only 108 stations are now >perating, the new allocations may seem )verwhelming in their effect on the TV inlustry and those competitive media, including lm theatres, which have been affected by it. Yet consider these facts: In such already horoughly saturated TV areas as New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago, e theatres that had been shuttered in the iast few years were chiefly marginal houses hat had survived by virtue of lush war and arly post-war year profits. The same fate nay face those theatres in areas that will be >pened to TV reception, but it hardly seems ikely that much effect will be felt in current ideo territories. Moreover, the low quality of entertainment that TV has been able to supply even n the present concentration of stations will vletro Taking 100 Theatremen fo Hollywood To View Product I On the basis that "seeing is believing", tfetro-Goldwyn-Mayer is taking some ;iundred circuit and independent theatremen is guests of the company to its Culver City • tudios to view forthcoming product. It was believed to be the first undertaking of this magnitude in industry history. The gigantic junket was arranged by 'Zharles M. Reagan, vice-president and ,'eneral sales manager. The exhibitor toppers will be taken to the Metro studios by a fleet of chartered planes. The representatives will include members of he five exhibitor associations participating n COMPO, i.e., Allied, TOA, ITOA, Western Theatre Owners and Metropolitan Theatre Owners of New York. Thus, it was pointed out, representatives of the large and -mall theatres who have an important position in their zones of public influence will be present, and will be able to return with an official report to their units. Said Reagan: "I wish it were possible to transport a thousand exhibitors instead of a hundred. That being impractical, we feel that thriugh the avenue of exhibitor organizations, their officers and our customers in strategic locations, we could get the best possible opinion and merchandising counsel". The exhibitor contingent, arriving May 8, will be hosted by production chief Dore Schary for three days, tour the studios and meet key production personalities, stars and | APRIL 21, 1952 be diffused manifold in the inevitable thin spreading of programming over the greatly increased number of outlets. Added expense will be necessary for the present set-owner to accommodate the UHF channels as well as the additional number ol VHF channels set up in the FCC's redistribution of allocations. Adapters needed for UHF reception are estimated to run from $10 to $50 apiece. The TV stations, too, will have to space their transmitters farther apart from one another so that one channel does not interfere with another, meaning higher costs to the already financially troubled videomen. And where will the sponsors come from to pay for all the additional programs that will be necessary in the expanded setup? Such factors have led theatremen to the belief that the long-awaited opening of TV BULLETIN NEWS and OPINION METRO'S REAGAN Seeing Is Believing featured players. At the screenings the M-G-M promotion department, headed by Howard Dietz, will outline the ad-publicityexploitation plans as well as conduct a forum of opinion on merchandising. floodgates — plus the time involved in financing, constructing and getting the new stations into operation — do not pose a malignant threat to the theatres. For Hollywood, the new order held even less foreboding. While the number of theatre playdates might possibly be curtailed due to the closing of more marginal houses, the demand for film programs for the expanded, program-hungry market was undoubtedly due to rise sharply. The movie industry served notice that it was not going to sit idly by while the channel allocations were being handed out, despite the FCC's statement indefinitely postponing hearings on theatre television channels. "We shall not relax or mark time while awaiting a new date," Si Fabian, chairman of the National Exhibitors' Theatre Television Committee, declared. Disappointed by the postponement, which the FCC said was due to the press of its agenda, the NETTC head felt that "a most comprehensive case" could have been presented on the previously scheduled hearing date, May 5. The Commission, he added, will be advised of the hardships and expense to the various executives, engineers and legal staffs involved in the continuous postponements. "We are confident that the Commission understands these factors and will move as promptly as possible to establish a new date for the hearing," Fabian said. Hughes Shut-Down Move Due To RKO's Own Problems An incensed industry was both privately and publicly boiling over Howard Hughes' intimation that Hollywood was so infested by Communists that it was necessary to close his RKO studio in order to weed them out. The general reaction in Hollywood was that the RKO shutdown had more to do with its own peculiar production and financial problems than with the red issue. Hughes' public announcement of his giving "leave of absence" to 100 employees who are "innocent victims of the Communist problem in Hollywood," and that he was discontinuing production cast a Red shadow on the entire industry, it was felt, and subjected it to unjust criticism, supplying additional fodder to the publicity hunters who have plagued the industry. The RKO chief's announcement elicited immediate criticism from Gunther Lessihg, president of the Motion Picture Industry Council, and Roy Brewer, of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes. Lessing expressed the view that Hughes was doing the film industry a "distinct disservice in spreading the impression that it is infiltrated with Communists . . . White I do not minimize the need for ridding the industry of any Reds within it, I cannot agree with Mr. Hughes that Communist influence is so great it could actually contribute to the closing of a studio". (Continued on Page 14) 11