Radio annual and television yearbook (1953)

FILM— BACKBONE OF VIDEO Growing Demand Felt For Screened Programs By JOHN L. SINN. President. Ziv Television Programs, Inc. THERE is no better report on the status of filmed television today than the fact that three of Ziv's films are each being shown on about 70 stations. It's not a question of whether stations will telecast filmed or live shows — they need filmed shows. In many markets we are selling packages of six or eight programs. Only this week I received a letter from a midwest educator who lamented the fact that although television has now come to his city, he will never see he many wonderful programs which have been broadcast over the national networks in the past few years. Because they were live they were as ephemeral as any sight or sound, which, once seen, vanishes forever. If all programs were on film, the new station in this man's area would be able to select the best and he and his neighbors would be able to sit back and watch entertainment that a king couldn't buy. And this is true every time and every place where a new television station goes on the air. In addition to the wonderfully entertaining programs that would be available, it would be a great public service for each new television station as it goes on the air to show on film the great news events, current events, sports, interviews, campaigns, political conventions, and the other significant history of the past five or six years. If it only started with the great political conventions in Philadelphia in 1948, say a wonderful, important daily or weekly feature could be shown the local audiences to bring them up to date on what television has been showing since that time. This would not only be a great public service, it would also be an excellent instrument for local promotion. For example, this program could also be shown during the day at special school assemblies, and at other special, attention-getting groups. Because it would be on film, such flexibility and permanence would be possible. We know that listeners don't know, or don't care, whether they are watching live or filmed television. Not only in the case of historical features which I mentioned above, but also for dramas, comedies, interviews, press conferences or even news. In other words, everything, certainly all news events, should be filmed as well as telecast live, not only for posterity but also for the man who happens to be busy in his office or driving his truck, when the news event took place and who would love to see it that night. In addition to the advantages film offers to stations, film is equally important to agencies, sponsors, writers, performers and technicians — more and more of whom are insisting they will work only in film. For their own varied and individual reasons, ranging from the artistic to the economic, these people are finding film the best medium for television programs. These people like the ease and freedom they can get with film. They like films' exciting range from illusion to realism. The actors like the comparative freedom from the director's stopwatch as well as the reduced chance of ending up in a hospital; the writers like being able to create a scene that doesn't have to be played inside chalk marks; technicians like the opportunity film affords for perfection; sponsors and agencies like knowing what they are buying; producers and distributors like being able to place the programs on many stations; directors like the artistic liberty and freedom of creation they are permitted — and above all, audiences love the wonderful things that can be done on film, the plays and stories that could never be told except on film, the great illusions they can watch on film, and the security of knowing that no matter what is happening, anywhere, if there is a film camera anywhere around, sooner or later they can see it, too, on their television screens. We don't want to debate the relative merits or advantages of film and live. Both are indigenous to television and each must certainly do its best to give the audience the programs it wants. We do point out, however, that there are increasing numbers of the creators and performers and sponsors who find film the perfect medium for them. 85