Sponsor (Apr-June 1964)

FRIDAY AT 5 FCC s Loevinger for Law and Maximum Minimum Competition Washington — One Law Day speaker last week said, in effect, "it's fine, but let's keep it .it .1 minimum." I his u.is It t Commissioner Lee Loevinger. who spoke on the role of law in broadcasting .it the Dallas I elevision Programing Conference List week He parted company with views chairman, 1. William Henry, on the mattci of government attempts to uplift tv programing either by fiat or by raised eyebrow or In "jawbone enforcement." inger finds the fundamentals • \ nerican law are propcrlv geared to the minimum — and to prohibition of the untenable, rather than positively proscribing "right" standards. Applying this to regulation of broadcast programing, he thinks it is the FCC's loh to keep out of everything but the tbvious transgressions of fraudulent mJ or obscene programing. i In a choice between an agencv that vrnuts programing which is "banal. .•> or stupid," and one that can use the power and force of government to establish its own ideas of " — Loevinger would take the faire ( ommission and the banal icuous programing any day. IkIces cross his own barrier when it omes to requiring balanced presentaiofl of news and public affairs. Inarming the public is a fair require \d Club Swells RAB's Commercial Library New ^ ork — All of the radio cornIs entered tor the International (casting Awards competition nee 1960—1000 of them— have -en presented to the Radio AdvertisBureau. ic\men who have ben using -' library in their copy and creative -e.irch on categories in which they C work::'j for clients, now have acss to 7000 individual radio cornis either on tape or disc. RobH Alter. RAP v.p . announced. I he donated commercials come *t only from the United States, but om all over the world, including ch exotic are. is as South Africa. :>lon, India and British Columbia. meat in return for use ol the spectrum, he believes Loevinger sees onfj one right road Ol access to variclv and quality programing: variety and diversity in the whole broadcast structure. He wants diversified ownership, more spectrum in use. more stations, more networks, more access bv independent programed— and an open door to anv form of pa) t\. CAIN sen ice or whatever brings program competition. No one cm bring quality programing by regulation or exhortation, he believes Hut — I oevinger charges the broadcaster to "rclv less on ratings and more on their judgment." and to cultivate a keen sense of ethics. Top Broadcast Users Take Part in AFA Seminar New ^ ork A he.iw cmph.i radio and television is expected as 55 registrants trom leading advertisers, agencies and media, including timebuvers and other broadcast specialists, attend the AFA'l sixth annual Seminar in Marketing Management and Advertising, June 28 to Julv 10. ( ompamcs taking part include such major broadcast users as American Oil, I'.m American World Airwavs. McCann Brickson, Scott Paper and Young A Rubicam. Participants in the seminar break down into rough I v equal numbers of agency, media and advertising representatives and are described by AFA as men of middle and upper management caliber. Merger of Curtis, Seven Arts Denied New York — Curtis Publishing isn't merging with Seven Arts to form a new publications communications combine. So insisted Curtis chairmanpresident Matthew J. Culligan and Seven Arts president Eliot Hyman late last week, prompted by merger rumors that provided plenty of industry talk. Where there was merger smoke, however, there was a certain amount of fire. Both sides admitted that there had been talks. Both denied they were continuing, with Curtis' Culligan saving his firm was "not new in negotiations" on a merger. Seven Arts' Hyman said the talks have been "interrupted without agreement." What kept the rumor mills grinding was the sheer verisimilitude of the reports. Curtis has had financial reverses lately, with losses o\ $18.9 million in 1962 and S3. 4 million in 1963. Seven Arts has been prospering from shrewd tv syndication and movie deals, and grossed nearly 'sZO million last vear. Curtis, with a multi-million dollar tax loss on its books, wants to expand in the communications area. Seven Arts has no publishing interests and could conceivablv make good use of the Curtis backlog of literary properties, books and articles I uthcrmore. Seven Arts chairman I ouis B, c hesier, Canadian financier, was eased out last week, trading his Seven Arts debentures for the firms's part ownership in the gambling concession on Cirand Bahama Island. This left I hot Hvman more free than ever to discuss new deals for Seven Arts. Collins Teaches Two R's Washington — N \B s I.eRoy Collins says the broadcast industry must start Studying up on rights and responsibilities in international communication — and the time to begin is now. A special NAB committee will be appointed to help broadcasters learn their two international R's. Some ot the questions to be asked: What about programing responsibilities, when the programing will reflect this country abroad.' Who has the right to determine broadcast content? What rights will CS. broadcasters insist on for programs — and what rights will thev grant other nations.' American Women in Radio and Iv, during their national convention in I ulsa last Monday, Collins themed broadcasters two R's in news and programing as a love-andmarriage proposition As the old song has it. \ou can't have one without the oth( for commercials — re sponsibilitv tor their content falls on the broadcaster as "part of a tion's programin CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE **y 11, 1964