Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

THE FIGHT AGAINST FEEVEE GOES INTO HIGH GEAR 30 Million To Vote No! The heralded showmanship powers of movie theatremen are being put to a most exacting test. The objective in this instance is not to deliver a gross on a new film, but to protect their business, for upon their ability to "sell" a crusade to thirty million Americans may depend the very future of exhibition. The target of this do or-die campaign is that potentially deadly rival of the movie theatre — toll television — and its aim is to throw the signatures of 30,000,000 anti-feevee citizens before the U. S. Congress ere the inevitable issue comes to a showdown. Every segment of exhibition — owners, managers, employees, circuitmen and one-house operators alike — is setting out to win the signed support of John Q. Public and his family for the contention that payTV is "contrary to the public interest". Architect of the campaign to wipe out the slot forces with the ammunition of public opposition is the joint committee against pay-TV. This industry arm, captained by feevee's everpresent foe Philip F. Harling, is in the process of completing distribution, through National Screen Service, of 18,000 battle kits to every theatre in the U.S. PETITIONS VITAL Central item in the kit are the petitions to be signed by moviegoers and other citizens, then to be mailed to Congressmen from each theatreman's district. Under the heading, "To the Congress of the United States of America", the petition urges representatives to vote in favor of House Joint Resolution 130 and Resolution 6245 or "any other legislation, which would ban PayTelevision in all forms, as being contrary to the public interest." Above their signatures, the petitioners declare their opposition to all feevee "schemes and proposals" because: "(1) It is contrary to the American tradition the airwaves are free and in the public domain and its use by the payment of tolls subvert this tradition; "(2) Free TV and Pay-TV canno: exist together because both would depend upon the same sources for entertainment and free TV would be eliminated; Teu vow YOU DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR TELEVISION SHOWS IN YOUR OWN HOME! SIGN THE PETITION TO CONGRESS to BAN PAY TV! "(3) Pay-TV is nothing more than free TV without commercials, and the commercials would come later; "(4) Pay-TV would impose a financial burden upon all the American wage-earners and work a hardship to persons with limited income, our older citizens, invalids and shut-ins dependent upon television for their entertainment, recreation and education." "The missive finally asks Congress to "put a halt to this attempt to hoodwink the public." The anti-pay-TV drive via petition could not have been more carefully designed and detailed for exhibition had it been a global promotional push for one of the multi-million-dollar productions. Step-by-promotional-step, the joint committee has provided a blueprint that, if executed to the letter both within the theatre and outside, promises to flood the halls of Congress with concrete evidence of enough grass roots antipathy to checkmate the grandiose plans of the tollsters for a long time to come. The procedure in the house is similar to that employed in the time-tested stunt of obtaining patron reaction to certain controversial films — although on a much larger and more eye-catch ing scale. Petitions and pencils or ballpoint pens are to be placed on a table in the lobby, as near to audiencetraffic as possible. A 15 x 25 inch sign provided in the kit ( see illustration on this page) are to be displayed in a conspicuous position near the table. The committee directive urges that an "outsider such as a club woman, a union member, a civic leader" man the table, inviting people to sign and answering their questions about payTV. If an outsider is not available, theatre personnel can be employed. ONE-WEEK PUSH The ideal length of the audiencesigning drive is a week to ten davs, with only adults of voting age, of course, eligible to join in the push. At the end of that time, theatremen are to put the petitions in the envelope provided and mail it to thir respective Congressmen in Washington, then fill out a form letter addressed to Harlin<>, in which will be disclosed when and to whom the petitions were mailed, and how many signatures they contained. Thereby, the joint committee will have on file a complete record of the progress of the campaign, down to the number of patrons petitioning each representative. If additional forms are required — and Harling and his coworkers are counting on it — a collect telegram to the committee's New York address (1585 Broadway) will bring them free of charge. "Even more effective" than insidethe-theatre work, notes the committee, "will be what you can do away from your theatre, by having public organizations circulate petitions and solicit signatures for you." Petitions coming from such groups as women's clubs. Rotary clubs, labor unions, PTA's Elks, American Legion posts, etc. — in other words, those elements with no business interest in the cause — also will prove invaluable in the fight against tollvision, according to the committee. The bold announcement on the envelope containing the kit best summarizes the extent of the campaign and the intensitv with which it is being waged: "The' Material in This Kit Will Save Your Theatre and Protect Your Job! " Film BULLETIN September 5, I960 Page 13