Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

14 Telecasting Notes: Trend away from late-evening feature film in favor of live shows by all netw'orks is regarded as certain if Steve Allen’s 11:30-1 a.m. Tonight on NBCTV starting this fall (Vol. 10:31) proves as successful as a lot of people expect, notes Aug. 4 Variety, hinting CBS-TV will be next with live show. At stake is investment of millions of dollars by companies “dedicated to grinding out chopped-up-for-TV’’ feature films, story says . . . CBS-TV Film Sales, pitching for No. 1 position as film syndicator, expects to enter 1955 with 22 properties, representing potential gross of $10,000,000, or double its expected 1954 take, reports Aug. 7 Billboard. Among new shows will be Life With Father, Lineup, You Are There — all currently sponsored on network but available for local sponsorship in cities not used by network advertisers and as re-runs . . . Supreme Court will be asked to decide whether Republic Pictui’es can release Gene Autry and Roy Rogers movies to TV ; both reportedly have decided to appeal San Francisco appeals court rulings, which okayed TV showings (Vol. 10:24) . . . RKO is doing 2 pilot films of The Big Idea, about new inventions, as its first entry into TV syndication . . . Sam Goldwyn Jr., who trained at CBS-TV, then started own TV film p)-oduction in Hollywood, has decided to pull out of the field . . . Ambitious summer original on WLWT, Cincinnati, July 26-Sept. 27, is Let There Be Life, including heart operation, brain surgery, polio treatments, on-spot remotes, film & studio treatment of such subjects as blood, antibiotics, strokes, geriatrics, alcoholism — written by Frank Hart, produced by Nort Locke with supervision of Cincinnati Academy of Medicine . . . John Stone, asst, art director of WORTV & WOR, scored one of those story-book scoops this week when a Thunderjet crashed Aug. 3 in his hometown of Wantagh, Long Island, where he was vacationing; he w'as driving only block away, rushed to scene, phoned stations the story . . . New York Times has followed lead of Herald Tribune in eliminating daily logs of all AM stations except the 4 network keys, but tabloid Mirror is considering adding more TV-radio space . . . Rate Increases: KVAR, Phoenix and KVOA-TV, Tucson, released first combination rate card with $607.50 Class A hour, $121.50 min.; simultaneously KVOA-TV raises base hour from $200 to $225. with KVAR hour remaining $450;WTAR-TV, Norfolk, hour from $700 to $800, min. $140 to $160; WDAY-TV, Fargo, N. D., $200 to $300 & $40 to $60. Most of the 152 TV-radio editors polled by Sen. Hendrickson (R-N. J.), chairman of special subcommittee probing effects of TV-radio on juvenile delinquency, defended the TV industry, opposed regulatory reforms, and some opined that TV crime shows are as bad for “weakminded adults” as for impressionable children. Sen. Hendrickson drew no conclusions from opinions of these “experts” but did issue statement saying industry and parents must share responsibility for “shielding impressionable youngsters from crime and horror programs,” and got good headlines out of statement that problem won’t be solved as long as parents use TV set as “a sort of electronic baby sitter” and don’t exercise supervision over what the children watch. Further hearings of subcommittee aren’t due before Congress adjourns. NARTB got nowhere this week in its effoi'ts to get record manufacturers to modify recent order switching fi’om 78rpm to 45rpm in promotion shipments to radio stations (Vol. 10:30-31). NARTB radio v.p. John Meagher, after meetings with 5 major record manufacturers in N. Y. Aug. 5-6, said they felt concentration on production of less expensive 45s would enable them to serve more stations on a “no-fee” basis. Manufacturers represented were Capitol, Columbia, Decca, MGM, RCA Victor. WSIX-TV, Nashville (Ch. 8), along with WSIX (5-kw on 980 kc, ABC), has been sold for $800,000 by the Draughon family, with Louis R. Draughon continuing as gen. mgr. and one-third owner of newly formed WSIX Inc. W. H. Crisswell and R. D. Stanford Jr., local shopping center developers, will own one-third each, and each of the 3 stockholders will invest $100,000 in new capital for WSIX Inc. Pro forma statement filed with FCC this week with application for transfer of ownership shows WSIX-TV had time sales of $349,397 in the 5 months to June 1 ($160,270 from network, $102,267 national, $86,859 local) which with other income totaled $369,348. Expenses were $144,725 ($45,650 direct, $33,443 program, $23,902 technical, $22,179 general & administrative, $19,548 sales), so that profit before taxes ran $224,623. Station lost CBS-TV affiliation in July when WLAC-TV (Ch. 5) began operating. Assets on June 1 are stated as $555,339, including $354,973 fixed, $103,190 cash, $95,330 receivables. Liabilities include working capital $140,758, reserve for depreciation $32,511,, notes payable $148,320, accrued $9125, profit & loss $224,623. Note: WSIX radio balance sheet for same 5-month period showed $75,902 total income ($66,661 from time sales) and $62,831 expenses, for profit of $13,071. Radio assets are shown as $441,373, including $202,014 fixed, $114,990 invested in WSIX-TV; liabilities include $253,592 w'orking capital, $172,757 reserve for depreciation. WTBO, Cumberland, Md., holding CP for WTBO-TV (Ch. 17), has been sold for $110,000 to newly formed Tennessee Valley Bcstg. Corp. whose pres, and 69c stockholder is Arthur W. German, ex-Republic Pictures eastern sales mgr. for TV. Wm. J. German, pres, of W. J. German Inc., distributor of unexposed film, is director; Edward G. Murray, film buyer with WPTZ, Philadelphia, v.p. & stockholder; Morris H. Bergreen, attorney, secy.-treas., 109^. Reason for sale, stated in transfer application filed with FCC, is that Charles E. Smith, 10% owner, has moved from city and is no longer available as mgr. Others selling are Howard Chemoff, S2.5%, now a San Diego TVradio consultant; Ben K. Baer and family, 32.5%; George H. Clinton, 109c, and smaller holders. Chemoff & Baer control WTAP, Parkersburg, W. Va. (Ch. 15), and Chemoff is 5% stockholder in Ch. 2 applicant for Oakland, Cal. WTBO’s May 31 balance sheet filed with FCC shows $86,890 total assets, $50,726 chargeable to “goodwill.” Liabilities include $32,514 surplus, $50,000 capital stock. KTXL-TV San Angelo, Tex. (Ch. 8), on air since June 1953, seeking to obtain more operating capital, this week asked FCC for permission to sell 68 shares at $100 per share to Marshall Formby and Lowell Smith, who would then hold 10% each. Stock comes from holdings of equal owners A. D. Rust and B. P. Bludworth, each retaining 40%. Formby operates radio KPAN, Hereford, Tex., and owns 40% of radios KFLD, Floydada and % of new KTUE, Tulia, both Texas. Smith, rancher & banker, is Bludworth’s brother-in-law. KTXL-TV had $60,089 net deficit for quarter ending March 31, 1954, according to balance sheet filed with application. Total liabilities were $245,269 compared with assets of $185,180 — $153,044 fi.xed, $31,528 curx-ent. Fox, Wells & Co., N. Y. investment firm, is disclosed as purchasing principal in negotiations expected to be closed shortly for $2,800,000 purchase of KFSD-TV & KFSD, San Diego (Vol. 10:31). It’s headed by Heywood Fox, whose family was once major factor in American Optical Co. and whose firm now owms about 2897 of Olympic Radio and 26.7497 of uhf WWOR-TV, Worcester, Mass. (Ch. 14). Taking part in San Diego negotiations is James Rogers, ex-Benton & Bowdes, who helped set up WWOR-TV; he’s slated to become the San Diego stations’ executive officei', although a new manager will be selected.