The radio annual (1955)

Ziv Doubles Production Plans As Video Film Business Booms n D n n n n By JOHN SINN President Ziv Television Programs, Inc. A S 1954 drew to a close two important factors dominated the television film industry. The first was the fully expected but extremely rapid rate of the growth of television film as an important part of station programming. The second was the increasing number of stations interested in featuring regular colorcasts of filmed programs. The growth of the television film industry and its expanding market reflected itself in the number of new films produced, marketed, and sold to local and regional advertisers last year. n D n ZIV alone produced three of these new shows, each of which was sold in close to 200 markets, and in addition continued production on three other top selling features. These new series include "Mr. District Attorney," starring David Brian; "Meet Corliss Archer," with Anne Baker and Mary Brian, and "The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater." Continued in production were "I Led Three Lives," with Richard Carlson; "Favorite Story" with Adolph Menjou, and "Cisco Kid." The first of these programs, "Mr. District Attorney" reached saturation distribution in almost 200 cities within nine months after it was put on the market. D n n "Meet Corliss Archer" was purchased in more than 175 markets in only six months. The third of these programs, "The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre," was sold out in more than 180 markets even before the show went on the air. We confidently expect the Cantor program will set an all-time record in the industry for total markets sold. These sales records demonstrate that more and more local and regional advertisers are coming to rely on television film programs as an ideal means of putting across their sales message in individual markets. And film programming is filling more and more hours of both network and local station time with each succeeding season. Because this trend towards television film has become so pronounced during the past year, Ziv has decided to double its production of program series during 1955. To achieve this goal more efficiently, with better product and quality control, we have purchased the American National Studios in Los Angeles, now to be known as the Ziv Television Studios. We are scheduling production of all program series at these new facilities. n □ D Now in production for 1955 is our latest top appeal theatre type program "The Science Fiction Theatre" which opens up a host of stimulating new dramatic story lines of adventure, romance, mystery and imagination. Panel shows, dramatic programs, mystery, musical comedy, comedy and variety programs are now under consideration for 1955. All of these programs will be produced in the Ziv tradition of high quality, top star film series, and all will be produced in Ziv's color process, Zivcolor. Film in television programming is attaining greater importance each season. Color film in television is making important strides as well. And, just as 1954 witnessed significant expansion in the use of television film, so it also witnessed vital developments in color film programming. D D D We feel that the cost which color has added to our production expenses is not a risk but a wise investment. We are prepared today to provide advertisers and stations with fine color prints, prints which will be of the same high quality as our black and white programs, and prints which embody techniques far beyond the stage of trial and experimentation. This investment we feel, will begin paying big dividends and soon. The number of stations which have already contacted us for color prints in 1955 indicate we may well be on the threshold of the exciting new color era. 117