Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

Station Acconnts: B. F. Goodrich Co., for footwear div.’s B.F.G. and Hood brand “P-F” (Posture Foundation) canvas shoes for youngsters, using 47 stations in 37 markets with film commercials featuring baseball stars in slow-motion action demonstrating their form, placed thru McCann-Erickson . . . Thomas J. Lipton Inc. (Frostee desserts & sherbet mixes), combining with Dixie Cup Co. (home dispensers & refill packages), in latter May starts $1,000,000 joint campaign, including TV-radio; Ruthrauff & Ryan, N. Y., is the Frostee agency, Hicks & Greist Inc., N. Y., is Dixie agency . . . Frank H. Lee Co. (hats) will buy weather spots 5 nights weekly in 10 markets starting in Sept., thru Grey Adv., N. Y. . . . RCA & Radio Corp. of Canada Ltd. have completed 45 filmed commercials at Bill Sturm Studios Inc., N. Y. . . . “Guaranteed Viewing Plan” of WOR-TV, whereby advertisers get minimum of 12 onemin. spots per week on run-of-schedule at package rate, now lists 9 sponsors: Block Drug Co. (Polident & Alkaid), thru Emil Mogul; B.C. Headache Powder, thru N. W. Ayer; Kools, thru Ted Bates; Raleighs, thru Russel M. Seeds; Arrid, thru Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles; CVA Corp. (Cresta Blanca & Roma wines), thru J. J. Weiner Adv. and Foote, Cone & Belding; Maybelline Co., thru Gordon Best Co.; White Rock (beverages), thru David J. Mahoney; Wise Potato Chips, thru Lynn-Fieldhouse . . . Among other advertisers reported using or preparing to use TV: U. S. Rubber Co., New York City (Keds footwear), thru Fletcher D. Richards, N. Y.; Chemical Inc., Oakland, Cal. (Vano plastic starch), thru Sidney Garfield & Assoc., S. F.; Hallicrafters Co., Chicago (TV sets, hi-fi phono), thru MacFarland, Aveyard & Co., Chicago; Nash Motors Div., Detroit (Nash Metropolitan), thru Geyer Adv., Detroit; Bev-Rich Products Inc., Philadelphia (canned soft drinks), thru Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles, N. Y.; Paine & Co., Los Angeles (Kitchen Fresh potato chips), thru Jimmy Fritz & Assoc., L. A.; Zonite Products Corp. (Larvex antiseptic), thru Erwin, Wasey & Co., N. Y.; Eastco Inc., White Plains, N. Y. (Espotabs), thru Street & Finney, N. Y.; Johnson & Johnson (Baby shampoo), thru Young & Rubicam, N. Y.; White Cap Co., Chicago (VaporVacuum sealing & caps), thru H. B. Law Inc., Chicago; Pleasant Grove Canning Co., Salt Lake City (Utah Valley canned foods), thru Axelson, Bennett & Clark, Salt Lake City; Jack’s Tasty Snack Corp., Oneida, N. Y. (CheeseTwists, Pop Corn, Cheddarette) , thru Pritchard, Daniels & Dreher, Ardmore, Pa. I Programming aid to uhf stations is nub of novel plans proposed by 2 TV film distributors. Big producer-syndica* tor Motion Pictures for TV Inc. (MPTV) asked FCC to rule on legality of plan whereby it would sell national spots on local stations at card rate, in exchange for supI plying the stations with equivalent value of film pro I gramming. Commission this week declined to rule, say ing such “advisory rulings” were contrary to its policy — j but this doesn’t preclude MPTV from trying out the plan. I Pres. Matty Fox wouldn’t elaborate on proposal or say whether or when he intends to put it into effect, but his petition said it would aid both vhf and uhf stations unable to secure good network programs — and particularly help ! build up uhf conversions. Another film distributor, Comet TV Inc. (New York), got big response when it offered its •j wares, in letter to uhf stations, at virtually any price , they say they are able to pay. Pres. Oliver Unger told us ( Comet will soon merge with another TV film distributor to ( become “major factor,” offering 160 top-flight features and i enough good TV film series to provide 1000 hours of programming a year. Theatre Owners of America, headed by Walter Reade Jr., pres, of Walter Reade Theatres (WRTV, Asbury Park, N. J.), holds next convention in Chicago, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Network Accounts: Chrysler all but signed this week as sponsor of 13 NBC-TV color “spectaculars” this fall (Vol. 10:13), with its 4 makes of cars sharing promotion. High-budget “spectaculars” produced by Leland Hayward, are scheduled at rate of one every other week Sat. 9-10:30 p.m.. Sun. 7:30-9 p.m., Mon. 8-9:30 p.m. . . . ColgatePalmolive renews Comedy Hour on NBC-TV starting Sept. 19, Sun. 8-9 p.m., thru Ted Bates & Co., leaving every 4th Sun. open for color “spectacular” . . . American Chicle Co. buys 20-min. of new Sid Caesar show on NBC-TV in fall, Mon. 8-9 p.m., thru Dancer, Fitzgerald & Sample; current sponsors of time. Block Drug Co. & Speidel {Name That Tune, 8-8:30) and Firestone {Voice of Firestone, 8:30-9) have been offered first chance at remaining 40 min. of Caesar show . . . Benrus, buying 10 min., became first sponsor of Max Liebman’s new Show of Shows in fall on NBC-TV, Sat. 8-9 :30 p.m., thru Cecil & Presbrey . . . E. I. duPont de Nemours Co., for its nylon products, buys 13 partic. on NBC-TV’s Home, Mon.-thru-Fri. 11 a.m.-noon, thru BBDO . . . Paper-Mate Pen Co. to be alt. sponsor (with General Mills) of Stu Erwin Show on ABC-TV starting April 30, Fri. 7 :30-8 p.m., thru Foote, Cone & Belding . . . Lincoln-Mercury Dealers Assn, to sponsor Toast of the Town thru summer, with m.c. Ed Sullivan taking 5-week vacation . . . GE sponsors Bing Crosby Show, featuring Bing’s second star role on TV, on CBS-TV Sun. April 25, 9-9:30 p.m., thru BBDO . . . Dave Garroway’s highly-successful 7-9 a.m. Today on NBC-TV is running well ahead of last year’s time sales pace, is expected to gross $11,000,000 for year, compared to $5,000,000 in 1953 (Vol. 10:3) . . . With co-op sponsors, Mon. 9:30 p.m. boxing bouts from Eastern Parkway Arena, Brooklyn, move from DuMont to ABC May 17; DuMont will continue fights at that time from other site. Army-McCarthy hearings due to start April 22 will be carried in full at start by all networks except CBS-TV, which gained tremendous stature with Ed Murrow’s stand-up battle with Sen. McCarthy (Vol. 10:11,15). With jam-packed daytime commercial commitments to consider, CBS said it would have only filmed highlights of each day’s hearings at 11:30 p.m.-12:15 a.m., and preceding day’s hearings would be covered on 7-9 a.m. Morning Show, with nevrsman Walter Cronkite interviewing personalities involved. Equally concerned with displacement of commercial schedules, NBC-TV announced it would cover hearings in full first 2 days, then decide whether continuance is worth the enormous time rebates and talent payments involved. ABC-TV & DuMont said they will cover hearings fully. Tentative times are 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 2:30-4:30. Ed Murrow-Sen. McCarthy feud (Vol. 10:15) has put Alcoa in “very uncomfortable position” but has been successful from public relations and advertising standpoint, said sponsor pres. I. W. Wilson. No stockholder has raised any objection, and responses after Murrow’s first telecast ran 3 to 1 in his favor, after McCarthy rebuttal remained 2 to 1 in Murrow’s favor. CBS reports phone calls, wires and letters up to April 12 totaled 16,443 in favor of Murrow, 6018 pro-McCarthy, or about 2% to 1. Advertising Club of N. Y., biggest of them all, to present bronze plaque of achievement at luncheon April 28 to Edward R. Murrow “for his realistic, accurate and individual depiction of the news through the great advertising media of radio and TV.” And this week Hamilton College announced it would bestow an honorary degree, his sixth, on Murrow June 6. ABC-TV’s Dr. I.Q., in first telephone quiz since Supreme Court overruled FCC ban on giveaways (Vol. 10:16), on Sun. April 26 and each week thereafter, will give $1000 to viewer identifying author of famed quotation.