Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

12 Network TV-Radio Billings January 1954 and January 1953 (For December reports see Television Digest, Vol. 10:5) Network tv billings continued record-breaking pace in Jan., according to Publishers Information Bureau, reaching $25,056,448 — a 45% increase over the $17,275,943 for Jan. 1953. CBS-TV retained lead, with record $10,713,329, while ABC-TV showed biggest percentage gain in year — rising 73% from $1,604,892 in Jan. 1953 to $2,780,574 in Jan. 1954. Network radio figures were down slightly from year ago — $13,224,393 this Jan. vs. $13,878,459 same month of 1953 — CBS maintaining top position with $5,192,906. The PIB tables for January: NETWORK TELEVISION Jan. 1954 Jan. 1953 CBS $10,713,329 $ 7,083,619 NBC 10.116,937 7,604,638 ABC 2,780,574 1,604,892 DuMont .. 1,445,608 982,794 Total .-$25,056,448 $17,275,943 NETWORK RADIO Jan. 1954 Jan. 1953 CBS $ 5,192,906 $ 5,157,148 NBC 3,391,873 4,260,555 ABC 2,830,654 2,674,622 MBS 1,808,960 1,786,134 Total $13,224,393 $13,878,459 Note: These figures do not represent actual revenues to the networks, which do not divulge their actual net dollar Incomes. They're compiled by PIB on basis of one-time network rates, or before frequency or cash discounts. Therefore, In terms of dollars actually paid to networks they may be Infiated by as much as 40%. Figures are accepted by networks themselves, however, and by the industry generally, as satisfactory Index of comparisons & trends. Big Ten outlined its regional football TV plan this week, and hinted that if NCAA TV committee doesn’t adopt it at March 15 meeting, it may televise games in defiance of NCAA controls. Big Ten wants to divide nation into geographical regions, with games to be televised according to either of these methods: (1) Any game could be televised on station or stations within region where game is being played, no team to be televised more than once at home and once away during season. (2) Any game may be televised nationally if it’s played before last weekend in Sept, or after weekend preceding Thanksgiving; but games played in the 9-week period in middle of football season must be televised on regional basis only. Within the rules, each college could negotiate its own TV rights, subject to approval of its opponent. Ten top agencies of 1953, out of 57 which did $10,000,000 or more business, are ranked in March 1 Advertising Age in this order (in millions) : J. Walter Thompson, $163 vs. $142 in 1952; Young & Rubicam, $138 vs. $120; BBDO, $137.5 vs. $118; McCann-Erickson, $106 vs. $94; N. W. Ayer & Son, $86.5 vs. $86.5; Foote, Cone & Belding, $72 vs. $70; Benton & Bowles, $57.5 vs. $52.8; Blow, $50 vs. $50; Grant Adv., $49 vs. $45; Leo Burnett Co., $46.4 vs. $37.6. Only Leo Burnett Co. is new to top 10, replacing Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, which fell to tie with Wm. Esty Co. for 13th. In 1952, 52 agencies did at least $10,000,000. Five additions were Weiss & Geller, $11 vs. $5 in 1952; Hewitt, Ogilvy, Benson & Mather, $10.7 vs. $8.5; Geoffrey Wade Adv., $10.4 vs. $9.8; Doremus & Co., $10 vs. $7.8; Ellington & Co., $10 vs. $9. Interconnected to AT&T network lines March 1 was WCOV-TV, Montgomery, Ala. when first section of 400-mi. Atlanta -toJackson microwave route was completed. Next in line for interconnection are KCEB, Tulsa, about March 6, and KMMT, Austin, Minn. & WSJV, Elkhart, Ind., about March 15. AT&T’s longer-range plans include microwave links to Waterloo, la. April 15, and Mobile, Ala. & Alexandria, La. Oct. 1. Call letter changes: WETV, Macon, to WNEX-TV; WHEN, Syracuse, to WHEN-TV, with WAGE (AM) becoming WflEN; KOED, educational CP for Oklahoma ffity, to KETA. “Strike it Rich’’ got clean bill of health from a N. Y. state legislative committee, but city welfare dept, reiterated its insistence that program’s producers file an application for license for public solicitation (Vol. 10:8). Joint Legislative Committee on Charitable and Philanthropic Agencies said close check indicated that money donated by listeners and viewers to the TV-radio program went to needy persons appearing on show “at an administrative cost of less than 2%,” and saw no need to hold public hearings. Committee added the program’s officials promised to investigate each case before calling needy persons to appear on show. Meanwhile, in Washington, Rep. Katharine St. George (R-N. Y.) March 3 introduced bill (HR-8196) to amend Communications Act “to require licensees to investigate persons and organizations on whose behalf contributions are solicited on radio and TV programs.” Attempted assassination in House of Representatives got heavier TV-radio coverage than any other news event of the last year or so, with exception of Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation. ABC-TV, CBS-TV, NBC-TV all had live pick-ups from House within IV2 hours after the tragedy. News editor John D. Connelly of WNBW and WRC, Washington, in House Radio Gallery at time of the shooting, personally apprehended Lolita Lebron, ringleader of the group of Puerto Rican Nationalists which shot 5 Congressmen. Rep. Alvin Bentley (R-Mich.), most seriously wounded of the group, is one-third owner of WKNXTV, Saginaw, Mich., which went on air last April. Rep. Kenneth A. Roberts (D-Ala.), who was wounded in the left knee, is member of House Commerce Committee, in charge of TV-radio-communications legislation. Opposition to FCC licensing fee plan (Vol. 10:5) was voiced by NARTB pres. Harold Fellows, who said fees “for the privilege of engaging in an established means of free communication are inadvisable and contrary to the historic policy of governmental encouragement of the instrumentalities of communication.” He said NARTB v.p. Ralph Hardy would testifj' March 16 before Senate Commerce Committee in opposition to Sen. Johnson’s bill (S. 2926) to amend Communications Act so as to permit “nominal” license fees. He said NARTB believes Congress should specifically forbid FCC to levy license fees. Five Pennsylvania uhf outlets jointly petitioned FCC this week to reconsider its decision authorizing WGAL-TV, Lancaster, to increase power and height and move site (Vol. 10:5). They argued that WGAL-TV’s new Grade B contours would completely encompass Grade B areas of 4 of the uhf stations and about 95% of the 5th, causing “grave and serious injury” and possibly depriving them of their network affiliations, since Lancaster station is affiliated with all networks. Petitioning uhf stations are Harrisburg’s WTPA, W'HP-TV & upcoming WCMB-TV and York’s WSBA-TV & WNOW-TV. RKO “has never considered selling its pictui'es for TV,” pres. James R. Grainger said this week. Despite some rumors that Howard Hughes, if he succeeds in plan to buy big film producer, would release its 800-picture backlog to TV, Grainger added: “It is true that [we have] received some ridiculous offers, but there has been no consideration of them, and there is no intention of so disposing of them.” Session on color TV film, ardently sought by independent film makers, will be conducted by NBC at Center Theatre March 10 for some 50 membei'S of New York Film Producers Assn. Program will include closed-circuit demonstration of color film supplied by NBC and FPA, plus (|uestion-answer ))ei'iod with NBC’s Barry Wood, Stan Parian and 0. B. Hanson.