Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

12 Magazine concept of tv sponsorship, as represented by NBC-TV’s 3 participation-type shows, Today, Home and Tonight, will gross the network an estimated $17,250,000 in 1955, New York Herald Tribune business & financial editor Donald I. Rogers reported in Sept. 29 column, quoting memo from NBC pres. Sylvester L. Weaver to exec. v.p. Robert Sarnolf. Memo gave these past and projected grosses for the 3 “magazine” shows: Tonight went on air this week with gross billings of $500,000; projected gross through end of year, $1,000,000; for next year, $2,000,000. Today grossed $1,300,000 in 1952, its first year, $5,000,000 in 1953, $6,250,000 so far this year, is expected to gi'oss $9,500,000 for all of 1954, $10,000,000 for 1955. Home has booked gross billings of $2,700,000 from its March 15 start through end of 1954, with anticipated gross next year of $5,250,000. Bringing network TV within the budgets of smaller advertisers, the “magazine” shows have helped broaden NBC-TV’s sponsorship base, as compared with its primary competitor, CBS-TV. This is Rogers’ analysis: In 1953, NBC had 165 advertisers, compared to 95 for CBS; in first 5 months this year, NBC has 131, CBS 90. “NBC has brought 25 new advertisers into network TV this year, compared to 12 brought in by CBS.” Last year NBC had 18 TV advertisers who spent less than $100,000 in all media, while CBS had 2. Two out of 3 of NBC-TV’s advertisers last year — total of 106 — used only NBC network for TV shows, while more than half of CBS’s advertisers — 54 — also used other TV facilities in addition to CBS. Application to sell WSFA-TV, Montgomery, Ala. (Ch. 12), now under construction, plus radio WSFA (5-kw, 1440 kc, NBC) for $562,598 and assumption of obligations — to WKY Radiophone Co., subsidiary of Daily Oklahoman interests— was filed with FCC this week by Montgomery Bcstg. Co. (Vol. 10:38). Purchaser, controlled by E. K. Gaylord, operates WKY-TV & WKY, Oklahoma City. Sellers, headed by pres. David E. Dunn, are quitting broadcasting because of illness among principals and pressure of other business. WKY Radiophone’s balance sheet shows gross operating profit of $1,378,451, net after federal and state taxes of $299,311 in 1952, $1,605,777 gross and $414,238 net in 1953. Its capital stock is $500,000; surplus as of Jan. 1 was $1,562,692 and Jan.-Aug. operating gain was $280,215. Grantee reports tower now being erected, transmitter building completed with all equipment in place and being wired, studio building 85% done, with all equipment on hand. Manager is to be Hoyt Andres, now WKYTV asst. mgr. Solid backing of TV code was expressed by networks this week following meeting of NARTB code review board with NBC pres. Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, CBS pres. Dr. Frank Stanton, ABC v.p. Ernest L. Jahncke Jr., and DuMont managing director Ted Bergmann. Networks pledged renewed adherence to provisions of Code as best possible defense against criticism by Congress, according to announcement by code board chairman John E. Fetzer, WKZO-TV, Kalamazoo. TV helps fight juvenile delinquency in Britain, reported Sen. Hennings (D-Mo.) on his return from London — quoting a “top Scotland Yard official” as saying, “it keeps them off the streets.” Hennings is member of Senate subcommittee investigating juvenile delinquency in U. S., which holds TV hearings Oct. 19-20 (see p. 3). Interconnected by AT&T to network circuits, in addition to stations listed last week (Vol. 10..39), in time for World Series: KTVX, Muskogee, Okla.; WINT, WaterlooFt. Wayne, Ind. Also in time for Series, John Boler put into service his private Federal-built microwave connecting his KXJB-TV, Valley City, N. D. and KCJB-TV, Minot. Educational TV is a reality for 15,000,000 who live within range of 7 operating non-commercial stations — and 30-40,000,000 will be added to potential audience when 13 stations already financed and building are on the air. That’s from second annual report by National Citizens Committee for Educational TV to its governing board. Station construction is strongly influenced by population, along with availability of vhf channel, says report, giving this progress: “In all instances where 1,000,000 or more people are within broadcast range of a reserved vhf channel, stations are either on the air or well advanced with plans and building, with 2 exceptions: Minneapolis-St. Paul and Milwaukee. In 3 cities of 700,000 or more, this is the situation: Houston is on the air, Seattle is building and New Orleans is well advanced with fund raising. In areas of less than 500,000: Memphis has funds and assets on hand to build a station; so have Oklahoma City and Tulsa, which will be part of a state network; Alabama is nearly ready to serve a wide area with state-financed stations; 3 stations in North Carolina are almost on the air.” Report signed by exec, director Robert Mullen conconcludes: “We felt that this is most encouraging progress even though at times it has seemed slow, and despite some setbacks.” Cubans saw first live TV from U. S. this week, thanks to “relay plane” circling 8000 ft. over water between Florida and Cuba. Novel World Series relay worked this way: Cuban Airlines DC-3 plane equipped with power generating equipment, 3 TV receivers and transmitting equipment, cruising in 5-mi. circle about 55-mi. north of Cuba coast, picked up signals from Miami’s WTVJ, relayed them to Goar Mestre’s CMQ network, which has interconnected outlets at Havana, Matanzas and Santa Clara. “The results obtained by our airborne relay were most satisfactory,” said Mestre after first game. “The signal was strong and consistently good, and our sports commentators were able to give play-by-play voice telecast from the shortwave radio report which came in almost simultaneously with our reception of the picture.” Relay plane’s crew had some anxious moments when first game ran into extra innings — by the time Dusty Rhodes hit his gamewinning homer in 10th, plane had been in air 4 hours and 20 minutes and was nearly out of gas. Back at full power just 27 days after Hurricane Carol toppled its tower and damaged transmitter (Vol. 10:36), WBZ-TV Sept. 28 was operating from WEEI-FM tower with new transmitter and antenna. Since huiTicane it had been using standby equipment. Other recent power & height increases: WMAZ-TV, Macon (Ch. 13) Sept. 26, to 250-kw ERP; KHSL-TV, Chico, Cal. (Ch. 12) Sept. 24, to 10-kw transmitter; WHP-TV, Harrisburg, Pa. (Ch. 55) Sept. 17, to 12%-kw transmitter. TV film for Congressmen, Report to the People, featuring President Eisenhower and Cabinet members in a review of Republican achievements, is being offered at cost — $45 in black-&-white, $100 in color. Produced by Robert J. Coar, in charge of Congressional TV-radio facility, film runs 27 min., leaving candidate 2 min. for own message. Coar said 98 Republicans have ordered film so far, but he expected some Democrats to buy it, too. Hemispheric “Broadcasting Day” will be celebrated throughout Latin America Mon. Oct. 4, under auspices of InterAmerican Assn, of Broadcasters (lABB), with which NARTB is affiliated. President Eisenhower sent letter to Emilio Azcarraga, owner of XEW-TV, Mexico City, and in es. of I ABB, warmly praising radio as an “extraordinarily powerful instrument by which to advance understanding among the peoples of the free world.” Annual outing of Federal Communications Bar Assn, at Horace Lohnes’ farm in Vienna, Va. will be Oct. 30.