Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

5 Citizens Committee for Educational TV and Joint Committee on Educational TV, heard each Commissioner express faith in future of uhf. How to get viewers to convert to uhf was question tackled in panel sessions, with 2 Washington area commercial broadcasters exemplifying opposing approaches to problem. Richard Eaton, grantee of WOOK-TV (Ch. 50), saw little hope for lohf success until set makers equip all receivers with uhf at no increase in price. But pres. M. Robert Rogers of WGMS, Ch. 20 applicant, argued that uhf audience can be developed only by broadcaster himself, "not by manufacturers or anyone else." RCA hopes some day to eliminate vhf-only receivers, said home instrument merchandise mgr. Allan Mills — but it's an economic impossibility now. However, such simplification of set manufacturers' lines will some day make real savings possible. Uhf sets now constitute about 50% of RCA factory inventories, he stated. Industry-wide inventory of uhf sets was placed at 35.6% in January by RETMA exec. v.p. James Secrest, up from 32% in December, though output of uhf sets in 1953 averaged only 20% of total. Such difficulties, he said, are due to shift to "dual TV system" at time when 20,000,000 sets were in use. "It would have been a miracle if the adjustment had been accomplished without casualties." Heavy promotion of uhf stations is necessary and desirable, but you can't sell uhf converters or sets until there's a picture to watch, conference was told by RCA Service Co.'s J.D. Callaghan, who revealed RCA-NBC's huge campaign in Norfolk, to spur conversion before WVEC-TV went on air, produced "practically no results" until a uhf picture was available. While promotion can harness the incentive to convert sets, only good programming can create that incentive, he said. Personal Notes: A. L. Hollander Jr. named director of DuMont Network’s new operations dept, in charge of mechanical details of program production; Marge Kerr, ex-N. W. Ayer & Son, named mgr. of DuMont program development . . . Wm. M. Materne, coordinator of ABC-TV 0-&-0 stations, named asst, national sales mgr., reporting to Charles Abry; Baron Trenner Jr. named asst, to ABCTV program mgr. Charles F. Holden . . . Matthew J. Culligan promoted to sales supervisor of NBC-TV’s TodayHome unit, reporting to network sales v.p. George H. Frey . . . John Doley, pres, of W.ACH, Newport News-Norfolk, assumes duties of acting gen. mgr., succeeding Frederic F. Clair, now TV-radio consultant specializing in uhf, with office at 9642 Fourth St., Norfolk . . . Charles \V. Godwin, Mutual director of station relations, named asst, to ABC v.p. Ernest L. Jahncke, to specialize in station relations duties; he’s succeeded hy his aide, Robert VV. Carpenter . . . Walter L. Braeger, ex-WILS-TV, Lansing, Mich., named gen. mgr. of WNAM-TV, Neenah, Wis., replacing Steven Pozgay, now gen. mgr. of WTVP, Decatur, 111. . . . Don Mann, ex-WBBM-TV, Chicago, named director of TV, WOKY-TV, Milwaukee . . . Robert L. Heald named partner of Welch, Mott & Morgan, Washington law firm . . . Martin Olson named commercial mgr.. Lew Martin program director of WDSM-TV, Duluth-Superior . . . John Grandy appointed sales mgr. of KDAL-TV, Duluth-Superior . . . Judge Justin Miller, retiring NARTB chairman, nominated for 3-year reappointment as member of U. S. Advisory Commission on Information . . . .Arthur E. Duram, TVradio director of Fuller & Smith & Ross, elected v.p. . . . C. M. (Tom) Meehan, sales mgr. of radio WBZ, Boston, returns to Washington headquarters of Westinghouse Bcstg. Co. for “special assignment in the public relations field”; he’s succeeded by Wm. J. Williamson, ex-sales mgr. of WLWD, Dayton . . . Norman Nelson, ex-managing director of Southern California Broadcasters Assn., named BAB national promotion director . . . Powell Ensign named exec. v.p. of rep Everett-McKinney Inc., N. Y. . . . John D. Kelly, ex-mgr. of WSRS, named v.p. & asst, to Wm. M. O’Neil, pres, of W.IW, Cleveland . . . George C. Stevens promoted to sales mgr. of WNBC . . . Ron Harman promoted to chief coordinating producer, CBLT, Toronto . . . Wm. Monroe, ex-assoc. editor of New Orleans Item, appointed news director of WDSU-TV & WDSU, New Orleans . . . Ken White, Denver Post TV-radio columnist for last 7 years, joins KOA-TV & KOA as newscaster . . . Warren Abrams, Detroit mgr. of CBS-TV Spot Sales, transferred to N. Y. to work on sales for 7-9 a.m. Morning Show; he’s replaced by Tony Moe, ex-KNXT, Los Angeles . . . Gene Roth promoted to program director of KXLY-TV, Spokane . . . Lois Hennessy, ex-Seattle PostIntelligencer, named publicity mgr. of KPTV, Portland, Ore. . . . Wm. Stewart, ex-United Press Movietone News, named asst, to Frank LaTourette, CBS-TV Hollywood news director . . . Leon Drew, ex-Geller Theatre Workshop, named production mgr. of KNXT, Los Angeles . . . Wright Esser, ex-NBC Chicago & ABC Hollywood, appointed production mgr. of KGMB-TV, Honolulu . . . Michael Schwartz named TV-radio director of Co-Ordinated Adv. Corp., N. Y. . . . Martin Codel, publisher of Television Digest, and Mrs. Codel returned Mai'ch 5 from 4-week tour of South America. Pioneer FM station KE2XCC, Alpine, N. J., high power outlet operated since 1939 by late Maj. Edwin H. Armstrong, FM inventor, closed down March 6. It’s estimated Maj. Armstrong spent $1,500,000 building and operating station. Alfred McCormack, attorney for Armstrong estate, said he hopes way will be found to start station up again. Tower and other equipment will continue to be used by Govt, for classified work. William S. Paley, CBS chairman, gets NARTB Keynote Award for 1954 at Chicago convention May 25, which he’ll address, as did last year’s winner, RCA chairman David Sarnoff. Kenyon Brown, KWFT-TV, Wichita Falls, Tex., chairman of convention committee, said Paley was chosen from 14 industry leaders whose names remained on honor list following screening of 50 nominees. Jame.s B. McElroy, 44, appointed engineering asst, to FCC Comr. John C. Doerfer; he was chief engineer of Guatemalan govt, radio stations from 1937-45, operated his own station in Guatemala from 1945-49, has been employed by U. S. Navy since 1950.