Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

"SCREEN CAN HOLD POSITION" {Continued from preceding page) al imperfection as "compared with motion pictures" ; and divided the imperfections into two classes : artistic, and "those inherent in the physical media." Of artistic imperfections, he said: "These are usually a result of the spontaneity and the lack of time which television has to make its record — and also are economic." He added that in the making of a picture, however, there is "more second guessing than most outside the studios realize." Analyzes Relative Costs of Pictures and Television And, of the economic angle, he added that in films Grade A features cost for negative and positive from $500,000 to $4,000,000 for from 60 to 150 minutes of playing time, giving a cost of from $8,000 to $25,000 per minute; and that, *in television entertainment, "how such sums can be profitably handled except by a direct return from every possible listener and values in accordance with the benefits received, is unknown at the present time." Of imperfections inherent in the media, Mr. Raibourn said: "As to the relative limitations of the physical media involved the very best a 35 millimeter theatrical motion picture can now do would be a comparative standard of 1,200 to 1,400 lines .as compared with the theoretical possible 525 at present available on television. "At 525 lines I should say increasing the number of lines will not add much picture quality unless brilliance is increased above the degree usual at present. Mr. Raibourn then examined television in relation to the entertainment provided by motion picture shorts. Their costs, running from $1,000 to $8,000 per minute, begin, he said, to "merge with the higher range of sound broadcasting costs" ; and he added : "If the relative values of sight and sound as selling media are anywhere near what we are all assuming they are, it is possible advertisers will be willing to put advertising on before their public at an amount which will correspond to these figures." Doubts Theatres Will Be for Television Exclusively Mr. Raibourn doubts exclusively television theatre. There is not enough material, unless the programs comprise soap operas and education, and he observes, the public does not like these in the theatre. He explained why Paramount, producer, distributor, and theatre owner, supported television. The largest theatre owner, the company keeps daily records of attendance. Attendance varies with production, weather, season and opposition. It also varies with events of national interest, such as prize fights, Presidential talks. The theatre business being of fixed cost, large attendance decreases can turn weeks ordinarily profitable into losses. Television, Mr. Raibourn said, could "accentuate this tendency." In 1937 and 1938, Paramount inquired about television, was told no apparatus was available for it, decided to develop its own. "Since then," he said, "our study has convinced us that the theatre will lend certain values to television which are not possible in the ordinary home assembly." These values, he said, were not ready for disclosure. Staff Photo M. H. AYLESWORTH: "Television in the theatre will not be a novelty, but ... if there is a post-war slump at the box office, exhibitors will find that it will bring in the customers." Urges Definition Of FCC Power {Continued from preceding page) sion which followed the last war because industry and Government are planning better," he said. Within five years after the war he prophesied there would be 2,000,000 television sets in the United States. Queried on what he thought of the theory advanced by Columbia Broadcasting System recently that television set manufacturers hold back product for five years until all technical improvements ' had been made after the war, Mr. Aylesworth replied, "I don't know the CBS theory, or the NBC or RCA theory. All I know is that the public will want television right after the war. They'll buy television sets and if a new model comes along with more improvements a year or two later, they'll buy that one. Before the war people bought automobiles every year. If they have the money and the desire they'll buy new television sets. Set manufacturers, perhaps, will arrange for trade-ins the way car manufacturers do. But the important thing is that the public will want to see television in their homes." Expects Telecasters to Develop Own Talent Hollywood talent, Mr. Aylesworth believes, will be used more for pictures made in the studios which will be sold by the radio companies to sponsors than for straight dramatic or entertainment pictures. The telecasters, he said, will develop their own talent, the way radio built up its program talent, but if star live talent is needed, the motion picture companies will furnish it. Asked whether the radio industry would have to expand greatly its self-regulatory morals code to meet the new needs of television, Mr. Aylesworth said, "I don't see any great public policy question in television different from that of radio. Of course, it is true that television will be the uninvited guest in the home, and therefore will be somewhat different to handle, but the industry will structurally strengthen its code without any difficulty. After all," he added, "radio has had a very good record in this direction for years. You know, people won't accept things on the radio that they do in the motion picture theatre." Mr. Aylesworth's principal interest at the moment is to see a new Federal Communications Act drafted and passed by Congress. In discussing his own ideas for a new law as proposed in an article published June 19 in Broadcast Advertising, he reiterated that the entire radio industry should have a hand in drafting the new bill. He doesn't believe that legislators know the radio business sufficiently to be able to write the new Act without guidance. Urges Communications Act Be Made More Explicit Briefly, Mr. Aylesworth proposes that the new Communications Act be more explicit in defining the powers and duties of the Federal Communications Commission "beyond the standard of 'public interest, convenience andi necessity' which, like a kimono, covers everything but touches nothing." He proposes that a "single administrator' be appointed to handle the licensing of radio"* stations and that a separate "court of appeals' be set up to aid the administrator in his func tioning. He advocates business practice regul ation by the Federal Trade Commission whicl now governs other communication media lik newspapers and magazines and also examine radio scripts. The new act, he recommends; also should take into consideration the futur i problems which will arise out of the develop ment of television and frequency modulatio: broadcasting." Preview Picture For Telecasting The first film production for telecasting, by tl new RKO Television Corporation, was previewei by trade press writers Friday last, at the Pat! New York home office. National Broadcasts Company press representatives squired the write™ into the projection room, explaining that the a j proximately 30 minutes of silent newsreel clijj would be supplemented by other footage, and bof groups integrated, in a sequence to be determine by events, in the NBC television coverage Mond;j night, of the Republican Convention in Chicago. ! The coverage comprised the footage shown afl footage made by RKO through Pathe for NBC the convention and flown to New York for t| | Monday night and subsequent telecasts whi through relay systems covered New York, Schenej tady and Philadelphia. As a first production, the footage is of mentio.il as a production for television, it may not fairly | judged, even when accompanied by narration, whii. was written over the weekend by NBC pfi sonnel and on Monday night to be narrated \ \ them. It is not original ; it is a library collectic ( its approach is necessarily the motion picture i) p roach. Whatever originality of approach was J be seen on the television receiver was in i| sequence of the clips and the commentary wl them.— F. E. S. Aid ODT Travel Drive The Office of Defense Transportation in its n drive against civilian travel, will use every av; able publicity channel, including a film bulk titled. "Last Furlough," for July 20 release. 14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY I, I