Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

6 still has 6 stations, new one at Tijuana balanced by Matamoros outlet which went off air. Japan now has 5, up one from Jan., France and Brazil 4, increase of one each. Venezuela still has 3, but with considerably more programming in past few months. Only other countries with more than one station are Sweden, Belgium and Netherlands, with 2 each — but the second stations in Sweden & Netherlands are experimental. Sixteen other countries have one station each. * I* tile 4c While commercial TV is the rule in Western Hemisphere, must European stations are either run by or closely affiliated with government. Britain is due to get its first commercial outlets next year in London, Manchester and Birmingham, but they'll be owned by govt. -controlled corporation. Africa's first regularly operated station is privately-owned commercial outlet which opened in Feb. in French Morocco, although the stations in France are govt. -owned and non-commercial. Japan has 5 govt .-operated and 2 private stations (both in Tokyo), and in Europe commercial stations are planned for Monaco (Monte Carlo) and the Saar. In most foreign countries, TV programming is scanty and set circulation extremely low — and bread is still more important than TV to the average family. [Note ; New feature in fall TV Faetbook is the table of Principal TV Systems of the World, giving at a glance the technical TV standards adopted by nations following the American, British, French, European (CCIR) and Soviet patterns.] Personal Notes: FCC Comr. Robert E. Lee addresses luncheon of Washington’s National Press Club Tue. July 27 on “Labels, Libels and Equal Time” . . . Edward G. Smith, recently resigned gen. mgr. of WTCN-TV, Minneapolis, named gen. mgr. of WTVH-TV, Peoria, 111., recently taken over by Peoria Star Journal Co. . . . Joseph E. Baudino, v.p.-gen. mgr. of Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., nominated for chairmanship of BAB, succeeding Charles Caley, WMBD, Peoria; election in Nov. is automatic . . . Robert Fierman, ex-Foote, Cone & Belding and NBC-TV, joins Walter Reade’s WRTV, Asbury Park, N. J., on temporary assignment as program consultant until returning to Coast in fall . . . Richard D. Johnson promoted to production mgr. of WNBQ & WMAQ, Chicago, succeeding Alan Beaumont, who resigned to direct new NBC-TV Time to Live series . . . Claude Traverse, NBCTV color unit mgr., principal speaker at banquet of Northwestern U-NBC Television Institute Banquet in Chicago, July 30 . . . Jack Hoskins promoted to program director of WICS, Springfield, 111., succeeding James Harelson . . . Isadore Rosenblatt, ex-KTLA, joins CBS legal dept, in Hollywood, succeeding Michael Franklin, now in TV business affairs dept. . . . Bernard Platt promoted to gen. mgr.. Miles David to editorial director. Sponsor Magazine . . . Wallace A. Ross joins Box Office Television and Sheraton Hotel TV Network as gen. sales mgr. . . . Edward B. Bench Jr. named chief engineer of KSTM-TV, St. Louis . . . Patrick F. Welch, asst. mgr. of educational KUHT, Houston, named asst, to Dr. I. Keith Tyler, director of Ohio State U’s Institute for Education by Radio & TV, while working on Ph.D.; he’s replaced by Dr. Tom C. Battin, head of U of Florida TV-radio dept. . . . Dick Ashby promoted to production director of WMAZ-TV, Macon, Ga., succeeding Norman Gray . . . Rudolph O. Marcoux, ex-sales mgr. of WCMB, Harrisburg, returns to Maine to become business mgr. of upcoming WTWO, Bangor . . . Donald F. Langhan, WHEN chief engineer, promoted to director of technical operations of WHENTV, Syracuse, as Frank Spain moves to new post of director of engineering of WHEN-TV & WHEN . . . Allen Gunderson, chief TV engineer, promoted to director of engineering of KTVT & KDYL, Salt Lake City, as v.p. John M. Baldwin is designated director of TV-radio engineering operations . . . James E. Gordon, WJMR-TV, New Orleans, Sept. 1 becomes v.-p.-gen. mgr. of WNOE, Ch. 4 applicant in New Orleans, succeeding Benton Paschall, resigning to return to Los Angeles . . . Fred Littlejohn, ABC-TV mgr. of news & special events, off for European cities and Cairo July 20 to look over news facilities . . . Hal Cranton, ex-BAB, appointed senior writer of NBC-TV network sales presentations under mgr. David H. Hedley . . . Phil Cohan, ex-CBS-TV, named asst, to Glenhall Taylor, N. W. Ayer west coast mgr., on Hollywood TVradio originations . . . John I. (Bud) Edwards, who operated own Los Angeles ad agency last 3 years, named director of programs & production, KCCC-TV, Sacramento . . . Stuart A. Lindman promoted to program director of WMIN-TV, St. Paul . . . Irvin A. Eubanks resigns as sales mgr. of WKST-TV & WKST, New Castle, Pa., to devote full-time to own local ad agency . . . James N. Manilla, ex-film chief of Geyer Adv., joins TV staff of McCann-Erickson, N. Y. . . . Max Tendrich, Weiss & Geller TV-radio-media director, elected v.p. . . . Winfield Case resigns as Cunningham & Walsh TV-radio v.p. . . . Wm. Mcllvain promoted to v.p. in charge of TV-radio operations, N. Y. office of Leo Burnett Co. . . . Wayne Kearl resigns as station mgr., KGMB-TV, Honolulu, for reasons of health; dept, heads now report directly to C. Richard Evans, v.p. & gen. mgr. . . . Robert Allison, director of news & special events, KTTV, Los Angeles, joins Republican National Committee for duration of campaign, to take charge of TV newsreels . . . Lovick Draper named TV-radio director, Bozell & Jacobs, Houston. Brendan Mclnerney, appointed asst, to FCC gen. counsel Warren Baker, has spent most of career in govt, military procurement, was employed in N. Y. law firm of Satterlee, Warfield & Stephens 1946-48, worked for Gov. Dewey in 1948 presidential campaign. Louis C. Stephens is new legal asst, to FCC Comr. Hennock, succeeding Arthur Blooston who returned to FCC safety & special services bureau. Stephens has worked for various govt, agencies, was gen. counsel of International Refugee Organization in Geneva, most recently was in import business in New York. ■ Hollister Noble, 53, onetime editor of Musical America and CBS staffman, died July 20 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home in Sherman Oaks, Cal.