Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

iday, December 16, 1960 National ?rp Selling ATTO PREMINGER's "Exodus" ) received substantial assistance the editorial pages of "Life's" Dec. issue. Sal Mineo and Jill Haworth, e youthful stars of this U.A. film, ,sed on Leon Uris' best-seller, apar on the full color front cover. In this issue are pages of photos ade on location in Israel and filmed the brilliant natural colors of the ■ar East. These scenes from "Exois" have been made into a picrial essay appearing on four reads. On the opening one there is dramatic scene from the film— a ip loaded with refugees, in search the "Promised Land," moving into e harbor at Haifa. "Life" says the film goes beyond e book: to tell a tale in proud pas| mi of how well and skillfully Jews id to fight, it adds a hatred of vionce, a cry for peace." Walt Disney's "Swiss Family Robson" starring James MacArthur, orothy McQuire and Janet Munro is been selected as the picture of ,e month for December by "Sevenen." The main editorial feature in ie issue of this teenagers' magazine based on the Columbia film "Pepe." • "Spartacus" has been awarded the aecial Merit Medal for December I "Parents" magazine. This U-I film ars Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier id Tony Curtis. These stars appear i an attractive, "on location" photo, i the "Family Movie Guide" section \ 'Tarents" December issue, adja;nt to the award announcement. "Butterfield 8" starring Elizabeth aylor and "The World of Suzie ^ong" starring Nancy Kwan, both ?ceived laudatory reviews in the )ec. 6 issue of "Look." In the opiion of the reviewer the most effecive female roles have often been hose of defiant heroines who are bad outside— good inside." These wo stars carry on the bad-girl movie radition with dazzling portrayals of rring women. — Striking ads on Paramount's "CinlerFella," MGM's "Where The Boys Are," and Columbia's "The Wackiest ,,>hip in the Army" appear in the December issue of "Seventeen." Motion Picture Daily l*A*»m™ Tfi42» 'Washington News' Urges Prompt FCC Decision On Pay-TV Trial; Indicates Favoring License From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The "Washington Daily News," a Scripps-Howard paper, has editorially urged the Federal Communications Commission to "come up with its decision promptly" on a pay television trial. The paper notes that the FCC's Broadcast Bureau "makes the plausible point that there is no way of finding out what effect pay television will have on so-called free tv without trying it out," and indicates that it favors the grant of the pay-tv license. , . The "Daily News" also says that the "testing ground for any new business is the market. If the customers never get a chance to use it, how will they ever know whether they like it or don't like it?" The editorial observes that RKO General, "which owns a string of tv stations," is "ready to give the idea a showing in Hartford, Conn., if the FCC will agree." As the paper's editorialist sees it, "the only issue here is whether a new enterprise should have a fair opportunity to offer its wares to the public; whether the enterprise will succeed is beside the point. The public will determine that-and anyone willing to invest the time and money in risking that verdict is entitled to the risk." Florence Somers selected "The Sundowners," as "Redbook's" picture if the month for December because n her opinion it is a good-natured ;tory full of humor. The authenticity if its characterizations, its customs ind background give it a universal appeal. In addition to the Australian scenery there are excellent views of kangaroos, koala bears and other wildlife. Walter Haas Stanton Sees Kennedy On USIA Operations From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 15. The president of the Columbia Broadcasting System, Dr. Frank Stanton, discussed operations, problems, and opportunities of the U.S. Information Agency with President-Elect Kennedy. Stanton would give no details of the meeting, nor would he comment on whether he and Kennedy had discussed candidates for the job of U.S. LA. director. He denied that they had talked of CBS commentator Edward R. Murrow or any other CBS employee for the post, but did say they had "talked about what the job required." No Quick Decision Planned Kennedy said that "it will be a little while" before he chooses a director for the information agency. Kennedy also noted that while he has no plans to invite the heads of other networks to discuss U.S.I.A., he would be glad to chat widi diem about this matter if they want to come and see him. NAB Radio Code Board To Meet in D.C. Jan. 12 From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 The Radio code board of the National Association of Broadcasters will meet here on Jan. 12 and 13. The meeting was called by code board chairman Cliff Gill, president and general manager, Station KEZY, Anaheim, Calif. The board members will review activities since last summer when die name of the document was changed from Standards of Good Practice for Radio Broadcasters to The Radio Code of Good Practices and administration of the code was changed from an honor system to one with enforcement provisions. NAB staff members said any suggestions from radio code subscribers would be welcomed. FCC Members ( Continued from page 1 ) capital investments in the very broadcast facilities that most need improvement in the public interest." Instead, Hyde advocates "a most comprehensive administrative evaluation of all pertinent factors pertaining to each transfer or assignment of a broadcast license, with an additional burden of persuasion resting upon those licensees or permittees who are divesting after short tenure or in other circumstances giving rise to a question of trafficking." Commissioner Bartley concurred in issuance of this rule because it "looks toward some curbs" on trafficking in licenses. But he would rather have more stringent criteria applied. He notes that in assignment and transfer of a broadcast station, "competition for the facility is precluded by statute." With this advantage, he observes, "die proposed assignee or transferee should also have a greater responsibility than meeting bare minimum qualification requirements." Bartley favors a rule which "would place upon an assignee or transferee the burden of an affirmative showing widi respect to implementation of, or improvement among, the following public interest areas: (A) licensee responsibility, (B) integration of ownership and manasement, (C) local residence, (D) diversification of control of mass media, (E) fostering competition among broadcast stations (F) participation in community affairs, (G) direct supervision of the station, (H) public service responsibility, (I) and a continuing awareness of and attention to the needs of the area to be served. If the showing is meritorious and the applicant is qualified in all other respects, consent would be granted without a hearing." Otherwise, the application would be subject to a hearing "to determine, on the basis of the issues still unresolved, whether consent to the transfer or assignment would be consistent with die public interest, convenience and necessity. " Who's Where Arthur D. Stamler, a former broadcast newsman, station manager, and public relations executive, has joined the public relations staff of the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, D.C, John M. Couric, manager of public relations, announced. Stamler entered radio in 1951 as a program supervisor on WBUR, Boston. □ Appointment of Robert M. Fairbanks as an account executive in die San Francisco office of CBS Television Spot Sales was announced by Robert H. Perez, manager of the San Francisco office. Appointment becomes effective immediately. Fairbanks has been a member of the sales staff of KNXT. □ Bob King, formerly general manager of KSWO-TV, Wichita Falls, Tex., has been named vice-president and general manager of WTVP-TV, Decatur, 111., owned and operated by the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp. King formerly was in programming and sales management posts at WFAA-TV, Dallas. □ Robert Justman has been named production liaison executive, and J. Albert Trescony head of casting, for MGM-TV, Hollywood, it has been announced by Robert Weitman, vicepresident in charge of television production for the studio. | You Are Invited to I A.M.P.A.S i I I 44th Annual | CHRISTMAS b j LUNCHEON | I PARTY I I | I Tuesday, Dec. 20th $ 1 At 12:15 P.M. I |. Georgian Room g » % § Hotel Piccadilly f I 227 West 45th St. 1 For Reservations: I HANS BARNSTYN # PLaza 3-2434