Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

6 Motion Picture Daily Monday, March 2, Television Today IN OUR VIEW T HE news gathering functions, privileges and rights of the television industry and the TV media are again to the forefront of the news. This time the matter involves a decision of last week by the FCC making Section 315 of the Federal Communications Act applicable to regularly scheduled newscasts. Until the decision, such news broadcasts had been considered beyond the restrictions of the section in question, which concerns equal time for candidates for political office. The matter came about when LaiDaly, candidate for mayor of Chicago, petitioned the FCC for equal time on WBBM-TV, Chicago, after that station had broadcast regular news clips of Mayor Richard Daley and Congressman Timothy Sheehan, candidates. Sig Mickelson, CBS vicepresident and general manager of CBS News, and Leonard Goldenson, president of American BroadcastingParamount Theatres, voiced immediate and vigorous protest against the un-thinking, patently discriminatory action of the FCC, both executives promising immediate legal steps to correct the situation. As Mr. Mickelson put it: "The issue involved here presents a vital and fundamental question of free speech and a free press. There is no question that broadcast journalism has established its position as one of the essential media for the transmission of news to the American people. If even the regularly scheduled news programs must turn their microphones . . . away from any news event which involves a person who happens to be a candidate for office, free press and the right of the people to be informed suffers a shattering blow. The FCC's decision will virtually black out election coverage on radio and television —both network and local . . ." The news broadcasts which were offered by WBBM-TV were entirely legitimate news material, and should certainlv have been so considered by the FCC. Mr. Goldenson made the point that the fallacy of the FCC's application of the restriction "is obvious when we BROOKS COSTUMES Women Editors on 'Tactic' Show Tuesday Nina Dorrance, editor of True Story Magazine; Robert Stein, editor of Red Book, and Allene Talmey, editor of Vogue, will be among the group of editors of national women's magazines who will be seen on the panel of the latest program in the "Tactic" series of television shows on cancer control. This will be telecast tomorrow, from 10:30 to 11:00 p.m., EST, over NBC-TV network facilities to educational stations, it is announced by the American Cancer Society. NBC commercial stations will carry the program on a delayed basis at a later date. NTA 'Hour of Stars' Now Sold in 34 Markets National Telefilm Associates' hourlong "TV Hour of Stars" series has been purchased by 11 television stations during the past two weeks, Harold Goldman, president of NTA International, Inc., has announced. The series, recently put into national distribution, now is sold in a total of 34 markets. "TV Hour of Stars" comprises 90 hour-long films made especially for television by 20th Century-Fox and Warner Brothers. It is hosted by John Conte. consider that it would . . . require equal time grants when requested, every time a network or individual station reports on a news conference held by a President of the United States, nominated to succeed himself by primary and/or party convention It is difficult to see how, in good conscience, the FCC can do other than reverse its own hasty and illadvised decision on a matter so vital to the welfare of the television industry and the people of the nation. In another connection, the expanding aspects of news gathering as a prime function of the television medium was emphasized last week to 800 journalism students from some 500 schools in the New York area by executives of NBC and its news forces, at the first annual NBC Broadcast News Conference for High School Editors. Electronic journalism is coming more and more to the front in the world in which we live today, and although the likelihood of its replacing the newspaper is extremely remote, its importance in the dissemination of news is daily growing. The limitless boundaries of the TV and radio signal, and its ability to advise vast numbers of people at the same time give it a unique and vital role. In this expanding world there is room and to spare for all. — Charles S. Aaronson Bill Would Limit Nets' Power Over Stations From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, March 1. Rep. Bennett (R., Mich.), top-ranking Republican on the House Commerce Committee, introduced a bill to limit the power television networks have over affiliated stations. He said he felt this was needed to improve television programming. His bill, he said, would require TV networks to provide affiliated stations with a balanced program structure. The bill, Bennett said, would prevent networks from restricting affiliated stations from using programs originated locally or supplied by other sources, and would require networks to make network programs available to the maximum number of stations. A network would be barred from exercising any control over rates charged by stations for programs not supplied by the network, and networks would have to file with the Federal Communications Commission copies of all station contracts. No contract could run more than two years. Committee Member Last Year Bennett was a member of the Legislative Oversight Subcommittee last year, and said the work of that group and other investigations had convinced him it was necessary for Congress to lay down ground rules for the regulation of networks, rather than leave the matter to the FCC. TV-Web Practii To Get FCC Pro MPEA Hears ( Continued from page 1 ) tors henceforth will not be required to make prepayments of their import taxes. Corkery will leave here on Wednesday for Buenos Aires for a three-week visit during which the new Argentine film agreement will be studied. He will also visit the Film Festival at Mara del Plata, March 10 to 20. The U.S. will have two official entries, M-G-M's "The Journey" and Columbia's "Me and the Colonel," and an invited entry, United Artists' "I Want to Live." A report was also made to the MPEA meeting that a new four-year agreement between the industry in the Philippines and labor unions there had been concluded, retroactive to Oct. 31, 1958. It provides for reopening on the subject of wages after two years. A report of progress on the longpending Mexican film labor union negotiations also was made to the meeting. It was announced that Herbert Erlanger, Motion Picture Association secretary, was scheduled to leave here yesterday for Rome to make a study of Italian tax questions. Intermountain Unit Sold WALSENBURG, Colo., March 1.The Fox Theatre here, a unit of Fox Intermountain Theatres, has been sold by the circuit to Frank Piazza of this community. No change in house policy is planned. From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, March 1. Federal Communications Comm has ordered an investigation leged practices of television net in seeking to control television to pre-empt television time. The commission did not set and place for the investigation ing only that it would be carri< "at such times and places as the lie interest and the proper dis of business may require." Obs< felt, however, that the bulk of tl vestigation would take place York and Hollywood. James D. Cunningham, chief hearing examiner, will preside £ hearings, the commission said, with counsel from the commis broadcast bureau. 'Public Interest' to Be Weigh Among other things, the inve tion will look into the extent to network ownership or control of grams is desirable or necessary i public interest; the extent, if ai which networks try to exclude grams not owned or controlle them from access to television kets; the extent to which networl mand financial interest in inde: ently produced programs befor hibiting these programs; and tl leged network practice of tyinj use of network time and facilit programs owned and controlle the networks. The FCC said that the Depart of Justice has also conducted an trust inquiry into this field and its data available to the commi MPIC to Suspend ( Continued from page 1 ) 1, 1959. At the same time, the mittee voted to maintain the porate structure of the organiz; in order that the council may b activated at any time in future, is deemed necessary by the indi Suspension of MPIC marks ck 10 years of service the councii given to the production branch the industry. The council was cr in 1949 as a "blue ribbon" body, broad-scale representation, enabl to speak and act in behalf of tb dustry. Its range of activities d these years touched a wide v; of problems, such as cooperation the government during war peace, House Un-American Acti Committee hearings, exhibitor li: etc. It has played an important roi the "watchdog" of the industry's lie relations, acting effectively ii buttal to attackers and detracto the industry. It has also maintained a libra information, providing a sourc documented material for dissei tion within and without the inch as well as a speakers bureau.