Radio annual and television yearbook (1954)

Films to Play Major Role in Television Broadcasting By ARCHIE MAYERS President Unity Television Corp. To forecast the responsibility and future use of films on television, one need not resort to the crystal ball. There is sufficient backgroiund, history and documentary evidence to furnish most of the answers regarding the part that film has played and will play in future telecasting. However, before looking into the future it may be well first to review the past. In the so-called early days of television, assuming that 1946 would serve as a springboard, the motion picture as related to television was an orphan and stepchild; and quite often referred to as a 'dirty word' spoken of only in hushed tones. And why not? Wasn't television supposed ito be the electronic transmission of live figures and live shows? And A^as it not the intention and hope of the 2onimercial producers to substitute live television for mechanical devices, meaning in one instance motion pictures ? This certainly was the basic aim of television but quite often theory is superseded by reality. In the minds of many of the producers and telecasters, reality represented that form of visual projection, reigardless of Whether it was ''live" or on film. To project this viewpoint to a conclusion of the present-day, facts and statistics prove that motion pictures are as igreat a reality as live shows, the only difference being that one is projected electronically from a live stage, whereas the other is transmitted mechanically. Thus, it poses the question "What Is The Difference?" Actually, there is no discernible difference. It takes a practical expert and one highly attuned to these respective arts to look at a screen and differentiate between "live" and film. Given a good positive print with intelligent understanding of the electronic arts, with proper timing and projection, a play on motion picture film serves the same purposes as a live show without any of the failures that quite often occur in live production — particularly when one con siders that a motion picture film may be edited, the rough spots removed and generally primed to perfection before it is projected. During the past seven years, the usage of motion picture films on television has grown beyond anyone's conception. From 1946 to 1948, film being considered a stepchild, was mostly employed for program fillers and standby usage. But in 1949 its practical and economical values were "discovered." Most of the 108 stations on the air at that time developed an awareness that motion pictures were more than a substitute; it being divined that motion pictures were the real McCoy. This discovery was no mere accident; it was ibased upon: (1) Quick availability of many thousands of shows. (2) Public acceptance of predetermined values and star names. (3) Ease of handling and operations, and last but not least; (4) The economic aspect. The latter had great significance to station ^ operators, proigram directors, teclhnicians and sponsors. They quickly saw and determined that motion pictures, having all of these qualifications, could be purchased at a fraction of the cost of live shows, could be obtained at a reasonable portion of the rate card — and furthermore, could be auditioned beforehand to determine acceptability for the respective markets. Also, a tremendous economical factor not to be ignored is the advantage of residuals, which may be enjoyed only through film production — and certainly not through live sihows. Thus, the general idea of using motion pictures on television (began to snowball, and in the year 1950 grosses realized by distributors and station time sales catapulted into substantial figures. So the momentum continued through 1951, 1952 and 1953, until the gross volume done through motion pictures totalled in excess of thirty or forty million dollars for 1953. 998