Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

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16 Network TV-Radio Billings October 1954 and January-October 1954 (For September report, see Television Digest, Vol. 10; 44) (For preceding years, see TV Facfbook No. 19, p. 15) BS-TV NETWORK billings jumped again to an alltime record of $14,033,536 in Oct. from previous record of $12,944,665 in Sept., according to latest Publishers Information Bureau report. CBS-TV thereby retained its lead in TV rankings, though NBC-TV also jumped to all-time record — $12,307,403. Also at new high was ABC-TV, with DuMont only a shade under its record of last Jan. Month’s total for the 4 networks reached record $31,657,772, up more than $5,500,000 from previous record in Sept, and comparing with $23,409,053 in Oct. 1953. Aggregate of $254,425,834 for first 10 months of year compares with $179,330,993 for same 1953 period. Network radio pulled up somewhat in Oct., aggregating $10,940,099, compared with $10,445,475 in Sept, but down from the $13,829,106 of Oct. 1953. For first 10 months, radio total is $115,015,098 vs. $132,682,830 for same 1953 peidod. The complete PIB tables: NETWORK TELEVISION October October Jan. -Oct. Jan.-Oct. 1954 1953 1954 1953 CBS _ _ $14,033,536 $ 9,381,816 $117,032,072 $ 77,328,337 NBC _ _ 12,307,403 10,267,232 100,541,824 76,941,720 ABC 3,890,802 2,297,862 26,584,163 16,094,615 DuMont 1,426,031 1,462,143 10,267,775 8,966,321 Total.. $31,657,772 $23,409,053 $254,425,834 $179,330,993 NETWORK RADIO CBS $ 4.131,628 $ 5,478,455 $45,567,675 $51,422,613 NBC _ 2,735,080 3,493,950 28,106,616 38,145,994 ABC 2,502,439 2,671,103 24,199,694 24,173,422 MBS 1,570,952 2,185,598 17,141,113 18,940,801 Total $10,940,099 $13,829,106 $115,015,098 $132,682,830 NETWORK TELEVISION — January-October 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 May 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 Aug. 2,514,815 12,275,908 820,633 8,057,484 23,668,840 Sept. 2,660,601 12,944,665* 802,721 9,733,378* 26,141,365* Oct. 3,890,802 14,033,536 1,426,031 12,307,403 31,657,772 Tot. $26,584,163 $117,032,072 $10,267,775 $100,541,824 $254,425,834 NETWORK RADIO— January-October 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 3,639,273 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 1,558,196 2,618,614 10,764,481 July 2,098,823 3,821,234* 1,481,767 2,127,192 9,529,016* Aug. 2,160,025 3,844,135* 1,491,503* 2,075,531 9,571,194* Sept. 2,267,810 4,055,869* 1,523,161 2.598,635 10,445,475* Oct. 2,502,439 4,131,628 1,570,952 2,735,080 10,940,099 Tot. $24,199,694 $45,567,675 $17,141,113 $28,106,616 $115,015,098 * Revised as of Dec. 1, 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. Australian Broadcasting Commission has invited Alphonse Ouimet, CBC gen. mgr., to be consultant on its new TV system, and he leaves Ottawa Dec. 6. Already there, on same mission, is James C. Hanrahan, WEWS, Cleveland. Also on way to Sydney is Martin Michel, 20th Century-Fox TV specialist, who will help that company’s wholly owned subsidiary, 182-theatre Hoyts Circuit, in its application for a commercial station. Bids for construction of first 2 govt. -owned stations, in Melbourne & Sydney, have been invited by Post Office Dept., deadline Feb. 17. There are about 100 applicants for commercial stations. SALE OF KANG-TV, Waco, Tex. (Ch. 34) for $134,000 was approved by FCC with unusual speed, having been filed only last week (Vol. 10:48). Owner Clyde Weatherby, pleading for haste in approval of transfer to Claudia T. Johnson, wife of Democratic majority leader Sen. Lyndon Johnson, said losses were so great that station was in imminent danger of going off air. Other transfers approved this week: (1) Holders of CP for WIMA-TV, Lima, 0. (Ch. 35) got WLOK-TV there (Ch. 73) for $750 plus assumption of some $150,000 liabilities (Vol. 10:44), will drop own CP and radio WLOK, shift WLOK-TV to Ch. 35. (2) Wm. B. Dolph acquired 29% (29,000 shares, at $1 par), Wm. B. Quarton 20% (20,000 shares) of WMTTV, Cedar Rapids, la. (Ch. 2) with former 100% owner American Bcstg. Stations Inc. (Helen Marks, chairman), retaining 51%. (3) Wm. J. Gregory and Hoth family obtained control of KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Ch. 13) and radio KRDO through purchase of Joseph Rohrer’s 50.37% for $24,500 (Vol. 10:44). Applications for sales of CPs filed with FCC this week: (1) Joseph Novy, chief engineer of Chicago’s WBBM-TV & WBBM and Jerome F. Cerny, also of the Chicago stations, are buying CP for WJOL-TV, Joliet, 111. (Ch. 48), along with radio WJOL (250-w, 1340 kc) for $112,000 from Charleston, W. Va., group headed by Willard H. Erwin Jr., who also holds interest in Charleston’s WGKV. Novy & Cerny told FCC they plan to become Joliet residents, and Erwin group said it’s selling because it wants to give up holdings outside of W. Va. (2) KLFYTV, holder of shared-time CP for Lafayette, La., Ch. 10 asked permission to buy out companion CP-holder KVOLTV for $45,000 out-of-pocket expenses incurred by KVOLTV owners Lafayette Advertiser and KVOL gen. mgr. George H. Thomas. KLFY-TV is headed by Paul & Thomas DeClouet. Television Bureau of Advertising, in first board meeting since establishing offices at 444 Madison Ave., N. Y., this week reported $100,000 in dues — one-fourth of its $400,000 annual budget — has already been paid by charter member stations. Membership drive began officially Dec. 1, and pres. Oliver Treyz said stations have until Jan. 1 to submit dues, entitling them to be charter members. He said membership list will be made public after Jan. 1. He anticipated that at least 2 top positions in TvB will be filled this month. He also revealed that 2 major advertisers— whom he declined to identify — had voluntarily asked TvB to evaluate TV’s potential as an advertising medium for them. A firm of management consultants has been engaged to work on their problem, he said. Hearing on renewal of Edward Lamb’s WICU, Erie, was recessed until Jan. 4 by examiner Herbert Sharfman Nov. 30 when he refused to let FCC Broadcast Bureau attorneys seek depositions from convicted Communist leaders Gus Hall and Jacob Stachel (Vol. 10:48). Sharfman said “there are indications they will seek refuge under the 5th Amendment and refuse to testify” after FCC lawyers told him they had visited wardens of Danbury and Leavenworth prisons and were advised that both prisoners had gone on record against making the depositions. Sharfman requested Lamb’s attorneys to advise FCC lawyers by Dec. 13 which previous witnesses they want to cross-examine when hearing resumes. Only TV application this week was for Toledo, educational Ch. 30, by Greater Toledo Educational TV Foundation, headed by Paul Block Jr., v.p. of Toledo Blade, which is applicant for Ch. 11 in Toledo. Applications pending now total 175, of which 17 are for uhf. [For further details about aiiplications, see TV Addenda 19-U herewith ; for complete listings of all grants, new stations, applications, etc., see TV Factbook No. 19 with Addenda to date.]