Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

14 Network TV-Radio Billings July 1954 and January-July, 1954 (For June report see Television Digest, Vol. 10:31) (For preceding years, see TV Factbook No. 19, p. 15) Network tv billlngs dipped to $22,944,803 during July while network radio fell to new 6-year low of $9,567,329, according to monthly Publishers Information Bureau report. The TV compared with $16,217,790 in July, 1953 and brought total for 7 months to $172,957,857 as against $121,190,222 for same 1953 period. Radio’s 7-month $84,093,643 compares with $95,001,140 for 1953. CBS-TV widened lead over NBC-TV by more than $3,700,000 in July, reaching all-time record of $11,861,534. CBS-TV’s 7-month billings of $77,777,963 compare with $51,659,088 in same period 1953, and compare with NBCTV’s $70,443,559, which is up from $52,272,180 in same 1953 period. In radio, though it continued to lead, CBS in July fell to 5-year low of $3,889,547; the other radio networks also went to new lows. The complete PIB tables: NETWORK TELEVISION July July Jan.-July Jan.-July 1954 1953 1954 1953 CBS .-.$11,861,534 $ 7,422,337 $77,777,963 $51,659,088 NBC _ — 8,149,533 6,903,092 70,443,559 52,272,180 ABC 2,310,281 1,299,471 17,517,945 11.175,743 DuMont 623,455 592,890 7,218,390 6,083,211 Total $22,944,803 $16,217,790 $172,957,857 $121,190,222 NETWORK RADIO CBS $ 3,889,547 $ 4,870,463 $33,604,356 $36,162,972 NBC _ . 2,127,192 3,494,330 20,697,370 28,227,119 ABC 2,098,823 2,030,989 17,269,420 17,386,830 MBS 1,451,767 1,830,467 12,522,497 13,224,219 Total -$ 9,567,329 $12,226,249 $84,093,643 $95,001,140 NETWORK TELEVISION — January-July 1954 ABC CBS DuMont NBC Total Jan. $ 2,780,574 $10,713,329 $1,445,608 $10,116,937 $25,056,448 Feb. 2,502,372 9,965,481 1,108,157 9,368,148 22,944,158 Mar. 2,640,699 11,379,631 1,205,526 10,981,690 26,207,546 Apr. 2,554,484 10,921,640 1,068,374 10,802,535 25,347,033 Mav 2,411,656 11,488,168 988,350 11,033,987 25,922,161 June 2,317,879* 11,448,180 778,920 9,990,729* 24,535,708 July 2,310,281 11,861,534 623,455 8,149,533 22,944,803 Tot. $17,517,945 $77,777,963 $7,218,390 $70,443,559 $172,957,857 NETWORK RADIO— January-July 1954 ABC CBS MBS NBC Total Jan. $ 2,830,654 $ 5,166,174 $1,896,925 $ 3,391,873 $13,285,626 Feb. 2,494,737 4,749,512 1,783,452 3,176,849 12,204,550 Mar. 2,764,547 5,456,351 2,034,961 3,639,278 13,895,137 Apr. 2,367,636 5,044,943 1,891,998 2,962,839 12,267,416 May 2,307,029 5,116,152* 1,908,198 2,780,725 12,112,104 June 2,405,994 4,181,677* 1,555,196* 2,618,614 10,761,481 July 2,098,823 3,889,547 1,451,767 2,127,192 9,567,329 Tot. $17,269,420 $33,604,356 $12,522,497 $20,697,370 $84,093,643 * Revised as of Aug, 27, 1954, Note: These figures do not represent actual revenues to the networks, which do not divulge their actual net dollar incomes. They’re compiled by Publishers’ Information Bureau on basis of one-time network rates, or before frequency or cash discounts, so in terms of dollars actually paid may be inflated by as much as 40%, However, they’re generally accepted in the trade as an index. ■ Whither network radio? CBS radio affiliates ponder subject at their convention in Chicago’s Edgewater Beach Hotel, Sept. 1-2, where new rate structure probably will be announced. NBC radio affiliates executive committee chaii-man Robert D. Swezey, WDSU, New Orleans, this week announced appointment of this study committee to make “full and projected study of the patterns and economics of radio network broadcasting and their adaptability to changing conditions”; Wayne Coy, KOB, Albuquerque; Walter J. Damm, WTMJ, Milwaukee; Ralph Evans, WHO, Des Moines; J. Leonard Reinsch, WSB, Atlanta; Edwin K. Wheeler, WWJ, Detroit. Group will name own chairman. Add skywriting to the “casualties” forced by TV. At least so said Andy Stinnis, v.p. of Skywriting Corp. of America, while in Washington to plug Top Frost, frozen food product. TV is taking toll of the celestial scribbling business, because people seem to prefer TV to the blue yonder. F'CC’s “SATELLITE” policy (Vol. 10:32-34) still isn’t the answer to uhf coverage of small towns, in opinion of experimenters WJTV, Jackson, Miss. (Ch. 25), and Sylvania. This week, both urged FCC to take the lowpower approach. In informal application, WJTV asked for full commercialization of booster installed by RCA and serving Vicksburg, otherwise blocked out by high bluff (Vol. 10: 17,31). It suggests that WJTV’s present STA be expanded to include booster. Citing RCA technical report, station says that booster produces no increase in interference while providing Vicksburg with good signal. Booster employs 10-watt transmitter, produces about 1-kw ERP with directional antenna. If FCC approves commercial operation, station will buy booster from RCA, operate remotely, turning it on and off by time clock. Sylvania termed FCC policy “woefully inadequate” as far as giving service to small towns is concerned, told Commission that its low-power proposal (Vol. 9:38) is much more likely to bring service to towns not now served. Letter states : “While we here at Sylvania believe that the Commission’s new policy will have a beneficial effect in that it will make available to an increasingly larger segment of the population TV programs which are now denied to them, we should like to point out that the practical benefits to be derived from this new policy are very limited in scope and the policy is woefully inadequate in that it fails to make provision for furnishing TV broadcasting service to those small isolated villages and towns which cannot financially support the minimum station now permitted by the Commission’s rules.” Sylvania said there are nearly 8000 towns under 10,000 pop. which can’t afford stations contemplated by FCC but might support low-power units. Sylvania also submitted report on tests in Emporium, Pa. for MayJuneJuly. Three stations were operated: KG2XDU on Ch. 22, with KG2SFZ as an on-channel booster with it, and KG2XEL on Ch. 82. KG2XDU operated 1633 hours in 3-month period, and 13 maintenance trips to unattended site were required. Experiments were made with transmission of color and duplexing of sound and picture on one transmitter. Appeal to Supreme Court from last week’s EastonAHentown decision by Couit of Appeals (Vol. 10:34) would be advisable if possible, in opinion of FCC gen. counsel Warren Baker, but he points out that several steps are necessary first — all of them containing uncertainties. FCC has to decide whether it wants to appeal, then Solicitor General has to concur, then Supreme Court has to agree to accept case. Court of Appeals ruling is regarded as significant because court delved deeper into reasons for FCC’s decision than it usually does and because it felt FCC discounted significant findings of examiner. Lighting and marking of tall towers is unsatisfactory. Govt.-industry subcommittee of Airdromes, Air Routes & Ground Aids finally agreed this week. Job now is to find some system that will work. Engineers expect to come up with adequate tower lighting-marking. They have grave doubts of ever making guy wires equally visible to pilots, but they believe guy wires are insignificant hazard if towers have sufficient visibility. Power increases: WIS-TV, Columbia, S. C., from 10 to 25-kw, Aug. 20; WHO-TV, Des Moines, from 10 to 50-kw, Aug. 23; WBUF-TV, Buffalo, from 1 to 12-kw, Aug. 28; KPTV, Portland, Ore., from 1 to 12%-kw, Aug. 26. All powers are transmitter output. AT&T extended network facilities to one station this week — WJNO-TV, West Palm Beach, Fla.