Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

Section of RADIO DAILY. Friday. December 2. 1949 — TELEVISION DAILY is fully protected by register and copyright PUBLIC SEEKING 'TV-TEST' SETS TELE TOPICS ENCOURAGED BY favorable press re, *™ ception of the new Paul Whiteman show and mentions of the production advantages of its huge 66th Street studio, ABC is planning to make fuller use of the converted stable when the 1950 budget goes into effect. Several new shows are in the works as well as revamped formats for some present airers which will be changed to make use of the facilities. The web has spent piles -j of dough on studio facilities — witness the I 66th St. installation and the old Vitagraph lot in Hollywood, which dwarfs the N. Y. building — in the belief that they will pay off in the long run. This has been recognized in the trade for some time now, and yesterday it was spread to the general press by John Crosby in his syndicated column. Speaking of the ABC studio he said: "It is one of the few spots in central Manhattan with enough ceiling height and floor space to give the electricians and cameramen a little elbow room. The Whiteman show is evidence that ABC's heavy investment on 65th Street may , eventually pay dividends." . . . ABC received a backhanded compliment in this respect last spring when an agency, about to debut a major variety show on another web, asked ABC if they could originate the stanza at the ABC plant. The web's answer was, of course, "Sure, if you place the show on ABC." Contract had already been signed with the other net, however, and the program went on from a theater. • LA ILTON BERLE will make his first appearance on CBS tonite when he takes part in an hour-long variety show , originating at a new Winston Television Store in Flatbush, 11 p.m. Pickup will be bankrolled by the store and will include Henny Youngman, Vincent Lopez, Sam ■ Levenson, Esy Morales and representatives ' of the major set manufacturers. Production is being handled by Scheck, Dahlman and Black. . . . The terrible fate of a ■ '"TV producer who revised an author's work is the theme of a drama written by Fred Coe, NBC manager of new program development, to be aired on "Lights Out" Monday nite. Script was adapted for tele by staffer Ethel Frank. • IARAINE DAY arrived from the Coast ™ yesterday with Mr. Durocher to make her TV bow opposite Peter Lind Hayes on /'Inside U.S.A." next week. . . . Nine Satjrday nite Roller Derby remotes from vari>us points in New Jersey will be aired by M5C beginning Jan. 21. . . . John Horstr nann, Jr., formerly with WCAU-TV, has noved to WOR-TV as assistant director * >n sports remotes. . . . New series of 'epsi Cola spots, combining live action Ivith stop motion, has been completed by arra for the Biow agency. John Allen TV Head For Lever Brothers John R. Allen has been named to fill the newly-created post of television manager for Lever Bros., it was announced yesterday by James A. Barnett, vice-president of the company in charge of advertising, who also told of four other appointments to the Lever advertising division, all effective Dec. 5. Allen will come to Lever from Grant Advertising Agency, New York, where he is vice-president in charge of TV. He will co-ordinate and supervise all Lever video activities. Howard R. Bloomquist, advertising manager of the Toni Company, Chicago, Illinois, will join Lever as advertising manager for a group of Lever brands. Appointed as advertising manager for another group of Lever brands is George B. Smith, who will come to Lever Brothers from his post as package goods account executive with Foote, Cone & Belding, New York. Named as assistant advertising manager for a group of Lever brands is Paul Laidley, Jr., now with the Fred Gardner Agency. George T. Duram, now media director, New York office, of DancerFitzgerald-Sample, Inc., has been appointed media director for the Lever organization. Circulation Boost Hearst Radio chief Tom Brooks yesterday predicted that Baltimore, now boasting 100,000 receivers, will have 150,000 by spring and 200,000 by next fallwinter. He attributed part of the credit for the boost to manager Harold Burke's 60-hours-a-week program sked on WBAL-TV. Brooks said that overall output next year will reach 4,000,000 sets, all of which will be channelled into existing markets. rr Crusade" Films Sold By Two ABC Outlets The Detroit Edison Company has signed with WXYZ-TV as sponsor of the entire 26-week series of Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Crusade In Europe" starting in early January, it was announced yesterday by James G. Riddell, general manager of the station. The "Crusade In Europe" video sale marks the first in a series of sales of the cooperatively sponsored program, according to ABC. The films will be sponsored by Stromberg Carlson over WHAMTV, ABC's Rochester, N. Y. TV affiliate starting during the second week in January. The WHAM-TV account was placed directly. Industry Leaders To Attend Second Chicago TV Confab Chicago — The second annual Television Conference sponsored by the Chicago Television Council to be held March 6-8 is expected to draw top executives from all over the country, according to George Harvey, WGN-TV sales manager, president of the local TV council group. Harvey said that FCC Chairman Wayne Coy, Allan B. Du Mont, Senator Edwin C. Johnson and other nationally known figures have been invited to attend. Short cuts to video progress with case histories, practical tips on management, production and engineering will be the aim of this year's meeting, Harvey said. He pointed out eleven panel discussions have already been scheduled and plans are for three luncheons, each being addressed by a figure of national prominence. Kay Kennelly, Olian Advertising, Chicago, is in charge of reservations. "Red" Quinlan, WBKB, has been appointed publicity director for the conference. Harvey said: "We expect to have the same earnest group of executives who were present last year as well as scores of new managers, account executives, program directors, independent producers and TV engineers who are all now getting their baptism of fire in this business." He added: "It was vastly stimulating last year to see so many executives share their television experience with others. We expect to achieve the same forward spirit this year. No words will be wasted. Abstract speeches and blue-sky talk will have no part in our 1950 conference. We want to learn how John' does it and 'John,' in turn, can add to his own fund of experience by attending the 1950 conference." Would Aid FCC In "Field' J udging" Polychrome Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington— The FCC has had a raft of requests from the general public for placements of color sets during the field testing the Commission has asked. Indicative of high public interest, hundreds of people have sought, on the basis of reports in the general press, to have demonstrator sets installed in their homes. Actually, there are probably not more than a dozen sets which could be installed at this time. A mere handful of sets h?ve been readied both by CBS and RCA, with no definite indication on the sets prepared bv Color Television, Inc. Arco Electronics has applauded the Commission's decision to have the public participate in field testing, and has spoken of making available kits containing the comoonents for conversion of present home sets to color — or for constructon of color sets. As yet, however, there is no indication that .such kits can be readied in the near future. Fifth Annual TV Institute Expected To Draw 1,000 About 1,000 industry registrants from all parts of the country are expected to attend the fifth annual Television Institute and trade show to be held at the Hotel New Yorker, Feb. 6-8, according to Irwin A. Shane, general chairman of the event and publisher of Televiser, which sponsors the meet. An additional 50,000 persons are expected to visit the two floors of receiver and equipment displays open to the public. Shane said. The Institute will be combined with the annual Television Film Conference, which is expected to draw some 500 representatives of producers, distributors and film directors of stations and agencies. The film sessions will be held Feb. 8. Panel speakers at the Institute will include representatives of the FCC. stations, networks, agencies, advertisers, producers, manufacturers, researchers and engineering and education groups. Makes Bid For Plant Chicago — A bid of $1,250,000 has been made for the plant of the bankrupt Majestic Radio and Television Corp. in Elgin, Illinois. A Chicago attorney, Joseph Schwartz, made the offer, but refused to say whom he Was representing.