Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

14 Latest “Videoto'vn” survey, Cunningham & Walsh’s annual study of TV owners in New Brunswick, N. J., produced these principal findings: (1) Only 8% have seen color, half of these enthusiastic about it, one-third calling black-&-white just as good. (2) Movie attendance among TV owners almost doubled last year’s, which was up 17% from 1952. (3) Magazine reading jumped 60%, mostly among women. Newspaper reading held steady. Entertaining and visiting dropped sharply. (4) Radio listening increased, with 23% of sample listening in morning vs. 12% in 1953. Afternoon listening held at 8%, evening listening going from 9% to 10%. (5) Average set is used 4% hours daily vs. 4% last year. Sets bought before 1953 were used 4% hours daily, those bought this year 2% hours. (6) TV was watched by 14% in mornings vs. 8% last year, 16% in afternoons vs. 14% last year. (7) Going into opinions for first time, survey found “people who had strong opinions to start with found them unchanged by seeing telecasts,’’ said this applied to Anny-McCarthy hearings. Senate TV investigators, preparing for Sen. Bricker’s network-uhf probe, will soon write networks asking extensive data on affiliation policies, coverage areas of affiliates, etc. Letter has already been drafted, awaits Bricker’s approval. This week probers requested large batch of material from FCC (Vol. 10:40), including Grade A & B coverage maps for all TV stations as of 2 dates — pre-freeze & post-freeze — together with other data on all stations, network affiliations, etc. Overwhelmed by volume of material requested — which includes some facts FCC doesn’t have — Commission told staff to confer with investigators to see whether requests could be narrowed down. NARTB convention committee this week tentatively selected Shoreham and Sheraton Park Hotels as sites for 1955 convention in Washington week of May 22. Special convention finance subcommittee was appointed, comprising Kenyon Brown, KWFT, Wichita Falls, Tex.; Clair McCullough, WGAL-TV, Lancaster, Pa.; Henry B. Clay, KWKH, Shreveport. Members of exhibition facilities subcommittee are Kenneth L. Carter, WAAM, Baltimore; Frank Russell, NBC; Ben Strouse, WWDC, Washington. Next meeting of convention committee is scheduled for later this month. Political broadcasting can be “a headache or a boon,” FCC Comr. Robert Bartley told NARTB district 10 meeting in Omaha Oct. 8, saying that station operator should plan now to “handle the problem, instead of letting the problem handle him.” He noted that it’s legal, but seldom satisfactory, to carry no political programs, and added that with careful planning “you will have a better program structure and come up with satisfied customers — and remember— one of these satisfied customers will be an incumbent.” TV-radio was barred from covering murder trial of Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard in Cleveland by Judge Edward Blythin, who told reporters: “This man is entitled to that much privacy. Any man on trial for his life must be given every protection he is entitled to and he is entitled to that privacy. While he is on trial he is the guest of the State.” Next TV stations due for AT&T interconnection: KTIV, Sioux City, la., Oct. 10; WBLN, Bloomington, 111., Oct. 15; WCNY-TV, Carthage-Watertown, N. Y. & WSAUTV, Wausau, Wis., Oct. 17. Put in service Sept. 29 was private relay link to WPBN-TV, Traverse City, Mich., from Grand Rapids. Power increases: WFAA-TV, Dallas (Ch. 8) now at 274-kw ERP; KFYR-TV, Bismarck, N. D (Ch. 5) this week began operation from iiermanent 704-1't. antenna at 100-kw ERP; KELO-TV, Sioux Falls, S. D. (Ch. 11) Oct. 4 switched to new 25-kw transmitter. FCC actions were in newspapers this week, frequently on front page. Lamb hearing became sensational with cross-allegations of immoral behavior (see p. 6), then newspapers got hold of an intra-Commission memorandum about employes’ personal conduct and played up one section frowning on “loud and disorderly parties.” The FCC memo was in implementation of President’s directive concerning conduct of govt, employes generally. It covered usual warnings about accepting gratuities, outside employment, disclosing confidential information, etc., but apparently went somewhat further than other agencies when it mentioned “loud and disorderly parties.” Comr. Hennock, though she hadn’t dissented from approval of memo, said she disagreed with it, called it “slap in the face” of employes, said “it’s like wori-ying over low-necked gowns on TV — there are so many more important things to do.” Comr. Hyde, acting chairman at time circular was issued Sept. 17, noted that memo specifically commended employes for past conduct. New FCC Chairman George C. McConnaughey took office this week, telling press he believes in “as few govt, controls as possible.” The rather slightly-built chairman, considerably more amiable than his photographs indicate, cleared up to some degree the confusion about his tenure as chairman, stating that he’d been designated chairman for one year but that “nothing has been said to me about rotation.” He has appointed as legal advisor Charles Gowdy, of Cincinnati, and brought with him from Renegotiation Board his secretary Mrs. Pearl Mohnkern. President Eisenhower, meanwhile, extended to former chairman Rosel Hyde, who now reverts to regular membei-ship, his “warm thanks for your contribution to the nation.” Application for Lewiston, Ida., Ch. 3 was filed this week by KIMA-TV, Yakima, Wash. (Ch. 29), which recently applied for Ch. 19 satellite in Pasco, Wash. (Vol. 10:38). Located on Wash, state line, Lewiston is 100 mi. from Pasco, 170 mi. from Yakima. Also filed with FCC this week was petition by KXLR to dismiss its application for Little Rock, Ark., Ch. 11, leaving Arkansas TV Co. free for grant. KXLR said it will receive $60,000 from Arkansas TV to cover part of its expenses in prosecuting application. [For further details about application, see TV Addenda 19-M herewith; for complete listings of all grants, new stations, applications, etc., see TV Faetbook No. 19 with Addenda to date.] Storer Bestg. Co. will buy WJW, Cleveland (ABC, 5 kw on 850 kc) for $330,000 from Wm. M. O’Neil. Purchase is contingent on FCC approval of Storer’s purchase of Empire Coil Co., owner of WXEL, Cleveland, and would give Storer combination TV-radio operation there. O’Neil, brother of Thomas F. O’Neil, pres of General Teleradio, will continue to operate Ohio Music Co., Muzak franchise holder in Cleveland, with WJW exec. v.p. Wm. Lemmon. Senate juvenile delinquency subcommittee, which holds bearings on TV “crime, horror and violence” Oct. 19-20 (Vol. 10:40), is scheduled to hear NARTB pres. Harold E. Fellows as one of closing witnesses Oct. 20. Official list of witnesses is still being prepared, is due to be announced next week. A TV fan and fellow veteran phoned Ken Porter, 38year-old handicapped ex-Marine from Phoenix, Ariz., immediately after Porter’s courageous story was dramatized Oct. 6 on NBC-TV’s This is Yojir Life — to offer his congratulations for the “most inspiring story” he had ever heard. The caller was Dwight D. Ei.senhower. I'ir.sf iiationul farm census to include tally of TV sets used in nation’s 5,500,000 farm homes, was begun Oct. 4 by Census Bureau.