The Independent Film Journal (1954)

Allied Receptive To Distrib Move ] oint Committee On 1 oil TV Organized To Fight Medium With the National Allied resolution leav¬ ing it up to the discretion of the board of directors whether or not to press for govern¬ ment intervention in the motion picture busi¬ ness, industryites are waiting expectantly for someone to make the next move. The Allied board has the next three months to decide “whether conditions in the industry have so changed as to make resort to legislation un¬ necessary.” If, at its annual meeting, the board con¬ cludes that “only legislation of the kind pro¬ posed in the bill can save the theatres, espeJ cially the small town and sub-run theatres,” then the delegates have pledged to “do all in our power to secure the bill’s enactment.” The Allied conventioneers pledged to work both individually and in co-operation with the Emergency Defense Committee in their fight for passage of the bill, once introduced. The resolution was prepared by Col. H. A. Cole, exhibitor leader and chairman of the resolutions committee, and passed by an overwhelming majority of convention dele¬ gates. EDO Approved Earlier in the resolution, approval was stated of the existence of the Emergency Defense Committee, along with the three other points in the program adopted by the Allied board at its August meeting. Of the remaining three points, one was the drafting of the bill and another a statement of sup¬ port for the Makelim Plan and all other similar plans that would supply needed product. The fourth point approved was the “keep¬ ing the door open for the reception and con¬ sideration of any proposals the film com! panies, or any of them, may offer, or any reforms they may voluntarily adopt for re¬ lieving present intolerable conditions, espe¬ cially as they affect the small town and sub-run theatres.” Expressing support for the bill drafted by Myers were Ben Berger, Trueman Rembuseh, Jack Farr and Horace Adams. Sev¬ eral Allied members voted against the bill, but they were greatly outnumbered. The Federal Trade Commission, which would be made the government agent for control of film prices, is currently studying the Myers bill preparatory to the opening of Congress. Await Board Meeting Nothing will be done about the bill until the Allied board meets in February, accord¬ ing to Abram F. Myers, Allied board chair¬ man and general counsel, who drafted the measure. The Department of Justice has not asked for a copy of the proposed legislation, Myers revealed. In answer to published criticism of Myers by Harry Brandt, ITOA px-esident, Ben Mar¬ cus, National Allied pi’esident, issued a letter stating that Myers “has contiibuted more than any other individual during the past 25 yeai’s to the welfare of the independent exhibitor and the industry as a whole.” In a letter addressed to Brandt and reKased to the pi’ess, Marcus called the New Yoi’k exhibitor’s criticism “grossly unfair and unjustified.” The Allied executive noted that “none of us were, or are we now, overly eager for government control . . . but distribution to this day refused to give us any worthwhile relief.” Organized theatre opposition to pay-asyou-see TV took shape during the past two weeks following an announcement of the for¬ mation of a Joint Committee on Toll TV. Immediate reactions were forthcoming from leaders of the various subscription video systems, ranging from warnings that prog¬ ress can not be stopped to declarations that pay TV and the theatres could work together. The committee was organized in Chicago and will be headed by Alfred Starr and True¬ man Rembusch, both former presidents of their i-espective national organizations, TOA and National Allied. Philip F. Harling, as¬ sistant treasurer of MMPTA was named com¬ mittee treasurer, and James Arthur, of SCTOA, appointed secretary. A legal committee consisting of Abram F. Myers, National Allied board chairman and general counsel; Herman M. Levy, TOA gen¬ eral counsel, Arthur and Harling was also appointed. Other Groups Invited A statement from Starr and Rembusch declared that the committee “was not limited to members of the motion picture industry, that all groups interested in preserving free home television for the American people would be invited to become members of the committee.” While no one named the other groups that would be invited to join in the fight against subscription TV, it was reasoned that these would probably include advertising agencies, networks, transit companies, restaurant own¬ ers, theatre concessionaires, and candy com¬ panies. No word has been forthcoming from the leading radio and television networks, which have l-efused to comment on the situation. One spokesman did point to the success of the “Million Dollar Movie” show on WORTV as evidence that there is an audience for new films on TV. Latest statement of support for the ex¬ hibitor action has come from George Kerasotes, vice-president of United Theatre Own¬ ers of Illinois. The exhibitor leader declared befoi’e a meeting of his regional unit that “coin-in-the-slot TV, as currently proposed by the petitions pending before the FCC, is a very real and ominous threat to our busi¬ ness of motion picture exhibition.” Monopoly Feared Iverasotes termed pay video a “new men¬ ace to exhibitors,” adding that it will “create a new communications monopoly in the hands of a few stations, most of which alreadv ai’e owned by individuals or firms that already control the radio and newspaper out¬ lets in their communities.” The speaker noted that “such a monopoly most assuredly would soon put motion pietures under the supervision of the Federal government.” Additional support for the committee may be sought from COMBO, it is thought, for consideration by that group’s annual meet¬ ing of dii’ectors and executive committee, tentatively set for Nov. 15-16 at the Sheraton-Astor. Chief difficulty foreseen here is that COMPO maintains a policy of acting only on unanimous agreement of its members. The chief fly in the ointment would be MPAA and SIMPP, both of whose mem¬ berships are split on the subscription TV idea. Paramount, an MPAA member, is principle owner of Telemeter, one of the contenders in the pay video race. Meanwhile, representatives of the various subscription TV systems have been declaring their feelings in the matter. The exhibitors’ action was called a “declaration of an in¬ feriority complex” by Arthur Levey, presi¬ dent of Skiatxmn Electronics and TV Corp. The Levey statement followed a meeting of executives of his firm and Skiatron TV, Inc., headed by Matthew Fox. The two com¬ panies, interested in Skiatron’s SubscriberVision, met to decide how to meet the ex¬ hibitor action. Levey declared that exhibitors feel “ap¬ prehensive” because “they are fighting a rear-guard action against progress in the entertainment world.” The executive declared that Skiatron’s slogan is “let the public de¬ cide.” Seeks Public Decision The Skiatron head noted that theatre men, “these hai’dened long-time foes of television now interestingly enough pose as the great protectors of television.” He added that “it will take far more than a declaration of war against toll TV to persuade the public that it should be denied the freedom of choice confei’red by subscription television.” Levey claimed that public opinion polls show that the public prefers top entertain¬ ment at home to attending theati'es. He stated additionally that pa^ TV would prove more economical for families than theatre attendance. A more pacific view was expressed by Paul MacNamara, vice-president of Inter¬ national Telemeter Corp., who stated that he believes toll TV and theatre groups can work together. He urged that the two in¬ terests try to seek some “common ground,” adding that he does not think that pay video is “necessarily destructive” to the theati'es. Suggests Research Program The Telemeter executive suggested that a rsearch program be instituted to woi-k out some program by which the two groups could solve the difficulty. He stated that there must be some way by which the the¬ atres could participate in the subscription television pattern. An attack on the exhibitors’ action was issued in Chicago from Comdr. Eugene F. McDonald, Jr., president of Zenith Radio Corp., which is pioneering Phonevision. McDonald described exhibitor opposition as “trying to stop the wheels of progress with a fly swatter.” He added that there is “room, need and public demand” for theatres and pay video. The Zenith head cited past events, in which groups have tried unsuccessfully to stoo new inventions. He alluded to attempts bv in¬ door theatre owners to stop the gi*owth of ozoners sevex-al years ago. These attempts failed, McDonald declared, because progi’ess cannot be stopped. The executive argued that there is no con¬ nection between opposing subscription TV ( Continued on page 22) THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— October 30. 1954 7