Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1957)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, July 9, 195 Television Pro and Con Argue Pay TV ( Continued from page 1 ) Electronics and the subscription television should be unwilling to entrust the decision to Con were Skiatron Zenith Radio Corporation. The third proponent (and promoter of its own toll TV system), Telemeter, filed its comments yesterday, asking for FCC authorization without any tests. James M. Landis, special counsel for Skiatron, also urged the FCC to give approval for "full subscription television operations," but added that if the operations are limited, they should be for a minimum of five years and in metropolitan areas. E. F. McDonald, Jr., president of Zenith, in a preliminary statement to Zenith's comments, asked the Commission to "reject our petition altogether rather than bog us down in further endless administrative hearings and proceedings." He warned further that long delays in authorizing subscription TV "may lead to creation of a wired TV system in major cities that will reduce broadcasting to a third rate service." Typical of the views of the opponents were the comments of the American Broadcasting Company, which said that Congress should decide the controversy. "If we are to have a new national policy," it said, "it should be decided by the direct representatives of the people. There is no good reason why the proponents of Who's Where Elliot F. Alexander ha.s been named manager of advertising and promotion for the ABC Television Network's Western Division, it was announced by John H. Eckstein, director of advertising and promotion for the network. Alexander will coordinate the advertising-promotion services of ABC Television on the West Coast in his newly created position. □ Claude H. Frazier, managing director of Storer Broadcasting Co.'s WAGA Radio Station in Atlanta, was elected vice-president of the multistation radio-TV chain at a recent director's meeting. Also elected a vice-president, was Lionel Baxter, managing director of Storer's WIBG Radio in Philadelphia. □ John F. CundifF, formerly sales manager of KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has joined WNHC-AM-TV, as sales manager. ...NEXT TIME IN NEW YORK gress. In his preliminary statement, Zenith's McDonald charged that the networks and the "movie theatre interests" have been using the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters "as a stalking horse to kill off the potential competition of subscription TV." He also mentioned the American Telephone and Telegraph Company's cooperation "in providing wire facilities in Bartlesville, Okla., and said it was "entirely possible that the telephone company may have serious designs on the field." The ABC comments emphasized that House Commerce Committee chairman Harris (D., Ark.) had challenged the Commission's legal authority to okay and regulate toll TV. ABC also argued that Telemeter and Skiatron now are apparently willing to try wired circuits for toll TV, and that only Zenith is insisting on broadcast channels. The issue in the controversy, ABC said, is whether the American system of free television will survive. It argued that the Commission's job was to foster this system, "not to authorize or 'encourage another system which coidd lead to its destruction. Congress should be afforded an opportunity of stating its views before irrevocable changes are made in the system which the Commission was established to aid and develop." If the Commission refuses to refer the question to Congress, ABC said, it should at least decide whether toll TV is in the public interest and might not destroy free TV before it authorizes toll TV tests. Trial Would Be 'Harmful' The 19-page CBS brief emphasizes that network's opinion that "trial demonstrations would not provide significant information and would produce consequences harmful to the public." As a result, it says, "the Commission should hold hearings, study the impending wire services and establish technical standards." Hearings should be held, says CBS, because, although "the Commission has received written comments from interested parties, no witnesses have yet been heard or cross examined. We believe that this goes far to explain the Commission's conclusion that the present record is inadequate." The wire operations referred to by CBS are the ones said to be planned in Los Angeles by Skiatron. The NBC comments held more or less to the company's original line that subscription television simply "is not in the public interest." As an example of what is likely to happen, should toll TV become a reality, it REVIEW: The Rising of the Moon John Ford— Warner Bros. An affectionate tribute to Ireland, the land of his ancestors, and it: people is being made by the great director John Ford in this film, whicr shows clear evidence of being a labor of love. He journeyed to the Emerald Isle to film it, using Irish actors, including some of the famed Abbey Players. And he took with him on the trip his long-time writing collaborator, Frank Nugent, to prepare the script. The result of their endeavors is what might be described as a Valentine, alternately sentimental and comic, to the Irish temperament and mores. The sentiments expressed may be slight, but they are genuine and to-the-point. Lacking marquee names and being frankly and intentionally a "little" picture (it is so described in the foreword) it will require careful selling in the local market. Its major appeal is likely to be to the discriminating patrons in the art houses— in addition, of course, to communities where the Irish-American population is large. The format chosen by Ford and Nugent is that of three short films within one, with the stories having no relation to each other except the common theme of illustrating aspects of Irish character. The best of the trilogy, in this observer's view, is the last, which is based on Lady Gregory's play, "The Rising of the Moon," here retitled "1921." Essentially a suspense story, it recounts the escape from prison of an Irish patriot sentenced to die during the Black and Tan days. Through the efforts of his compatriots, all bound together in the common cause, the hero makes his way to the docks and a boat to safety. The storv is thin, but it serves to exemplify patriotism without resort to the maudlin. The characteristic of pride is celebrated in the first vignette, "The Majesty of the Law," from a short story by Frank O'Connor. In it an elderly Irishman goes to jail rather than pay a fine for having assaulted one of the enemies of his family. This episode is on the stagey side but is enlivened by some humorous dialogue about the "art" of making moonshine. And actor Noel Purcell gives the character of the prideful old man a touching dignity. The middle vignette is devoted to the prankish side of Irish character and is based on a comedy called "A Minute's Wait" by Martin J. McHugh. Its setting is a railroad station where the departure of a train is delayed by a number of farcical incidents proceeding mainly from the reluctance of the passengers to be rushed. The humor is broad and slajxlash throughout. Appearing in the film before each episode to introduce it and tell its source is Tyrone Power, whose name should help in exploiting this Four Provinces' production. Running time, 81 minutes. General classification. Release, August 10. Richard Gertner points to the Skiatron-Brooklyn Dodgers negotiations, saying that should the Dodgers conclude these negotiations it may cost a televiewer $75 a season to see the Dodger games which he now sees free. "It is clear," says NBC, "that field demonstrations will not help determine the fundamental public policy issue which is presented by proposals to authorize pay-television. This issue is whether the public interest will be advanced or prejudiced by establishment of a system under which (a) the public pays for programs which are now available without charge; and (b) every pay program blacks out a free program. "A field test cannot demonstrate the effects of these considerations unless it is as extensive in scope as an ultimate full scale pay-television operation would be. If the demonstration is not conducted on a full scale basis, it will not develop the national circulation and revenues to provide the type and volume of program attractions which would reflect a pay television operation in actual practice. "If, however, an unlimited fullscope 'demonstration' were permitted, the investment required would tend so <to entrench the system that it would not be possible to terminate it after experience had demonstrated the adverse public effects. . ." In conclusion, the NBC statement points to the Commission's "doubt" whether or not it has the authority to rule on toll and mentions two bills now pending in Congress "which are addressed to the basic public policy issue presented.". . . We urge the Commission not to authorize paytelevision, including field demonstrations, until the Congress has resolved this basic policy issue." Booker — Biller Excellent opportunity for live wire for top foreign film distributor. 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