Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1960)

10 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, May 18, 'q Public Favors TV Censoring, Survey Shows Special to THE DAILY PEEKSKILL, N. Y., May 17. An overwhelming majority, 85 per cent of the TV viewers queried in a new study conducted by Communication & Media Research Services, Inc., here, want or approve of some form of "censorship" for programs, according to a report issued by the research organization. "This strong feeling in favor of 'censorship' is accompanied by considerable confusion as to whether there is at present any type of governmental network or other control over TV material," the report stated. "Most people assume, for example, that commercials are subject to some sort of control although they are not sure just who has the authority to exercise it. Actually, 94 per cent of those tested thought that some sort of approval is necessary for TV commercials. A majority of those surveyed believe TV programs are presently subject to legal obligation to provide programmatic material in the public interest." Monthly Report Planned The report, based on a representative sample of Eastern TV viewers who replied to anonymous questionnaires, is the first of what are to be monthly reports of a continuing study of public attitudes and information about television, undertaken by CMRS. The research organization has been pre-testing TV programs and commercials for networks, ad agencies and sponsors. "While the precise meaning of the word censorship either as used in die study or as defined by the viewer himself was not stated by the report, the fact that so large a proportion of average viewers of TV are ready to accept its implication should be disturbing both to the TV industry and citizens in general," CMRS said. Pursuing the question of censorship, the study asked respondents what they would consider the best authority to control TV censorship. "Federal government agencies" was the answer of 36 per cent of the respondents, while 22 per cent felt this problem should be dealt with by TV stations and networks. "Parents and civic "roups" were selected by 17 per cent of the respondents as censoring bodies, and 17 per cent assigned this duty to "educators." "State government agencies" were picked by eight per cent while only three per cent felt that "sponsors," themselves, should be allowed to censor TV. musifex co 45 w. 45 st. n.y.c. AROUND THE TV CIRCUIT with PINKY HERMAN. TOM EWELL, star of the Broadway click, "Thurber Carnival," will be CBSeen as star of a new half hour situation comedy series in the Fall. Ewell will be the onlv male member of a family consisting of his wife, mother-in-law and three daughters. Slotted Tuesdays (9-9:30 P.M.) the program will be co-sponsored bv Quaker Oats and Procter & Gamble. . . . Stanley Adams' grand standard dittv, "Little Old Lady" (with the twinkle in her eye) typifies Salt Lake City's song queen Maryhale Woolsey (Otto Harbach also hails from the Mormon Capital). Maryhale, who wrote the beautiful dittv, "When It's Springtime In The Rockies" is the grandmother of 11 children. (When It's Off-Spring Time In The Rockies.") . . . Double AAscap defter Jimmy McHugh in Gotham to attend the "salute to Cole Porter" last week at the Met and for huddles with Film Producer Joe Levine with whom he's associated in the music biz. . . . The first of two interesting telefilm programs of the "America At Work" series will be seen TVia WABC, Sunday, May 29 (12:30-1:00 P.M). Titled "The Making of a Motion Picture With Union Labor" was filmed in Washington, D.C. by the AFL-CIO. . . . After a couple of successful years with Disnev, Jack Fine has taken over as Nat l Publicity and Promotion Chief for the Amy Label. . . . Tip to Talent Scouts: — Phone Paul Brenner, deejay at WAAT (Newark, N.J.) and ask him to let you meet his beautiful and talented young protege, Susie Lee. The 18-year-old doll was just recently named "Miss Broadway of 1960." . . . Filmed at 20th Century-Fox studios bv Roncom Video Films, Inc., two new half hour programs, "Happy" and "Tate" will summer-replace "The Perry NBComo Show." i£ 2£ 2$. Joe Moss, Prexy of the Moss Adv. Agency returns next month from a six week tour of Europe. . . . After 8 years as Ass't Producer of the "Sid Caesar Show" on each of the 3 nets, Len Kanter has become Commercial Sales Mgr. at H F H Productions, Inc. . . . Allen Swift will address the American TV Commercials Festival & Forum at the Hotel Roosevelt Friday. . . . Because the telecast over the ABChain of the Championship Boxing match between Ingemar Johannsen and Floyd Patterson conflicts with the NBC simulcast of the "Emmy" Awards, execs at the ATAS are neutral— they don't care who kayos whom so long as it happens in the first or second rounds. . . . Berton Schneider, who joined Screen Gems in 1954, after serving as Production Asst. to Sam Katzman at Columbia Pix, has just been upped to Director of Business Affairs by Veep Jerome Hyams. . . . Gillette has signed to sponsor for another two years the "Rose Bowl Football Games.'' The exclusive radio and TV rights has just been signed by NBC and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Ass n. . . . Paramount Pix may sign Merv Griffin to star in a musical moom pitcher. . . . Maestro Paul Taubman may baton the original Toscanini Symphony Orchestra on a concert tour plus three NBCasts. . . . Bob Banner Ass'ts. will CBSummer-replace "The Garry Moore Show" with a mystery-adventure series, "Diagnosis Homicide," to be scripted respectively by Bill S. Ballinger, Alvin Boretz, Joel Carpenter, Max Ehrlich and Ernest Kinoy. dramatic jazz background music ci-6-4061 NLRB Hearing June 20 In ATPP-SEG Case From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, May 17.-The National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint charging unfair labor practices against the Alliance of Television Film Producers for refusal to bargain collectively with the Screen Extras Guild. Hearing on the complaint is set for June 20. H. O'Neil Shanks, executive secretary of the SEG, said the complaint is based on the refusal of the Alliance to meet and bargain collectively with SEG unless such meetings take the form of multi-association bargaining between the guild on the one hand Measure on Aid to TV Stations Killed From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, May 17. The House rules committee has killed, by voice vote, a measure which would have provided for a system of Federal aid to establishment of educational TV stations. and the Alliance and Association of Motion Picture Producers, negotiating jointly, on the other. SEG's contract with the Alliance expired April 2, 1959, Shanks explained, adding that SEG has not previously bargained on a multi-association basis. FCC feels It Should Hold Rein Over Wei From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, May 17. Federal Communications Comm has told the House Commerce mittee that it endorses efforts by gress to empower it to regulat TV and radio networks. FCC does not, however, appn Government licensing for net\ The Commission wants its nev ! thority to be limited to conti "policies, practices, and act which may adversely affect the i of broadcast licensees to operate stations in the public interest." FCC also endorsed propos; stiffen the rules governing trans broadcast licenses. It would not far as a bill introduced by Cha ' Harris (D., Ark.) in requiring hearings be held for all radio ai license transfers. Wage-Hour Exempti i Asked for Small Mar fc From THE DAILY Bureau I WASHINGTON, May 17 j lengthy statement requesting e tion of small-market radio and T tions from the Federal wage-hor has been submitted to the Lai ( D., Ga. ) subcommittee of the labor committee by the Nation sociation of Broadcasters. Charles H. Tower, manag NAB's department of broadcas sonnel and economics, filed a Hj statement with the group. It as in part, that "legislative rel needed because the unusual unique operating conditions in j station broadcasting make stri« herence to the overtime provisi the law, at best, awkward ai| worst, impossible. "Such relief is justified becaus employers in the small-market casters' business environment a; now subject to the law; nor wil of them be covered by those pre j for extended coverage which are given serious consideration.' Expect Action Tods On Community TV From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, May 17. Senate, after a sharp debate, 1 ferred until Wednesday final ad a bill to permit the Federal munications Commission to community-antenna TV syste agreed to limit debate to 3/2 ho eluding discussion of a motion 1 Monroney (D., Okla.) to retr bill to committee-a procedui would effectively kill it for tl