Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

5 Personal Notes: victor M. Ilatner, onetime CBS v.p. in charge of promotion, later with R. H. Macy & Co. and head of own public relations firm, elected McCann-Erickson v.p. . . . Ralph R. Hotchkiss, Maxon Inc. v.p. on the Gillette TV account, resigns to become v.p. of Compton Adv. . . . C. H. Cottington, ex-McCann-Erickson, Ayer and Erwin Wasey, named exec. asst, to Earl R. Collins, pres. & sales mgr., Hollywood Television Services, headquartering in N. Y. . . . Wm. Dozier, CBS-TV exec, producer of live dramatic shows, shifts to Hollywood as director of network programs under v.p. Harry Ackerman . . . Terrence McGuirk promoted to head CBS-TV’s special sales unit for its “Extended Market Plan” for small -city affiliates (Vol. 10:50-51) . . . Capt. Sam W. Townsend, pres. & gen. mgr. of WKST-TV & WKST, New Castle, Pa., has organized and is CO of new naval reserve unit for 4th naval district . . . Earl Minderman, onetime asst, to ex-FCC chairmen Wayne Coy & Paul Walker serving last 2 years with National Citizens Committee for Educational TV, elected exec. v.p. of Greater Washington Educational TV Assn., planning to file for non-commercial Ch. 26 . . . John H. Battison, ex-Capitol Radio Engineering Institute, Washington, and son-in-law of veteran Kansas City broadcaster Arthur B. Church, elected 1955 chairman of Calgary Ad & Sales Club; he recently went there to be gen. mgr. of new CHCT-TV, and McMillan Co. is shortly bringing out his third book on TV titled Planning & Producing TV Commercials . . . Fay Day, ex-CBS-TV Spot Sales, named sales development director of Quality Radio Group, new program & sales organization headed by Ward Quaal, WLWT, Cincinnati; Idella Grindlay, ex-WABC-TV & NBC, appointed program coordinator . . . G. Paschall Swift promoted to national sales mgr., WGR-TV, Buffalo . . . Fred M. Kiefer promoted to asst. mgr. of NBC merchandising dept., reporting to mgr. Murray Heilweil . . . Herman Liveright promoted from exec, producer-director to program director of WDSU-TV, New Orleans, succeeding Hubie Weiss . . . Jack Irvine, ex-KONA, Honolulu, appointed gen. mgr. of Sheldon Sackett’s KVAN, Vancouver, Wash., holder of CP for K VAN-TV (Ch. 21) ... Arthur Snowberger, chief engineer, elected exec. v.p. & director of the 6 radio stations of Richard Eaton group, which holds CP for WOOK-TV, Washington (Ch. 50) and WTLF, Baltimore (Ch. 18) . . . Alan J. Hughes promoted to sales development mgr., CBS Radio Spot Sales central div., Chicago; Jack Woolley to Los Angeles office as mgr. . . . Buddie Marino, ex-NBC-TV, New York, named program mgr. of WCAN-TV, Milwaukee, succeeding Dean McCarthy . . . O. P. (Bob) Bobbitt, from AM affiliate, named sales mgr. of KTBC-TV, Austin, Tex. . . . Jim McGovern, ex-KGTV, Des Moines, named promotion mgr. of upcoming KEYD-TV, Minneapolis (Ch. 9), due this month . . . Howard Eaton promoted to national sales representative of KTVW, Tacoma, Wash. . . . J. Maxim Ryder, WBRY, Waterbury, elected pres, of Conn. Broadcasters Assn.; Aldo deDominicis, WNHC-TV, New Haven, v.p.; Walter B. Haase, WDRC, Hartford, secy. . . . Jack Gilbert promoted from asst, station mgr. to station & operations mgr. of KHOL-TV, Kearney-Holdrege, Neb., succeeding Duane L. Watts; A. B. McThillany named national sales mgr James C. Hanrahan, gen. mgr. of WEWS, Cleve land, back from 7-week trip to Australia. This week’s Time Magazine devotes cover article to Walt Disney, pegged largely on his ABC-TV Disneyland, while Newsweek’s cover is given over to George Gobel, the NBC-TV comic. After Time’s “Man of the Year” for 1954 is announced. New York’s WRCA-TV will start series under that title. Sat. 1-1:15 p.m. Bing Crosby and CBS chairman Wm. Paley conferred this week on possible weekly 30-min. program next fall starring Crosby in his first regular TV show. NslWOrk Accounts: “Biggest single advertising me dium in the world” is the way CBS-TV describes itself on basis of 50% increase in 1954 gross billings over 1963. In year-end review, CBS-TV said 114 advertisers used network, of which 42 were new to CBS-TV and 21 were new to TV. Statement took indirect slap at NBC-TV’s color “spectaculars” for same sponsor every 3rd week, saying keystone of CBS success was continuity in programming — broadcasting same program week after week on same schedule. During year, 45 new TV affiliates were signed, bringing total to 202 . . . DuMont reports 44 national advertisers used network in 1954, estimates its gross billings for year at about $13,250,000, compared to $12,374,353 last year . . . CBS-Columbia to sponsor Ldfe with Father on CBS-TV Tue. 8-8:30 p.m. starting Jan. 4, thru Ted Bates; network originally announced CBS-Columbia would sponsor Adventures of Kingfish, new filmed comedy series using Amos ’n’ Andy characters, in that time period, but debut of latter is being postponed . . . Philip Morris and Procter & Gamble sign 2-year renewal of I Love Lucy on CBS-TV Mon. 9-9:30 p.m., thru Blow; in Canada Sylvania signed as alt. sponsor (with Heinz) of Lucy on CBC-TV . . . ABC-TV, enthused by success of Disneyland, has asked Disney to prepare a daytime children’s film program, tentatively planned for Mon.-thru-Fri. 5-6 p.m., opposite NBCTV’s Hoivdy Doody . . . Revlon to be alt. sponsor (with Nash-Kelvinator) of Danger on CBS-TV Tue. 10-10:30 p.m., thru Wm. H. Weintraub & Co. . . . Manhattan Soap to sponsor Thu. 15-min. segment of Ding Dong School on NBC-TV starting Jan. 20, Mon.-thru-Fri. 10-10:30 p.m., thru Scheideler, Beck & Werner . . . Chesebrough Mfg. Co. (Vaseline) buys one quarter of Cotton Bowl football game from Dallas New Year’s Day on NBC-TV, thru McCannErickson . . . American Chicle Co. to sponsor special Victor Borge variety show after Rose Bowl game New Year’s Day on NBC-TV, 7:30-8 p.m., thru Ted Bates. Buick’s pitch for Jackie Gleason (Vol. 10:51) finally bore fruit this week with 2-year contract for $11,000,000 in talent costs alone — hailed as “biggest talent purchase in TV history.” Buick will sponsor filmed Honeymooners on CBS-TV Sat. 8:30-9 p.m. next year, to be preceded by a live Gleason show 8-8:30 p.m., for which sponsor has not been announced. It will drop Milton Berle Show on NBC-TV Tue. 8-9 p.m. NBC-TV said several “top-flight” sponsors have expressed interest in sponsoring a 30-min. Berle series on film, preferably on Sat. night. Agency for Buick is Kudner. Assn, of National Advertisers appoints Rex Budd, Campbell Soup Co., as chairman of its TV-radio steering committee, succeeding Edwin W. Ebel, General Foods. Committee members are Max Banzhaf, Armstrong Cork Co.; John H. Boyle, Reynolds Metals; Walter Craig, Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Henry Gorski, P. Ballantine & Sons; R. M. Gray, Esso; Albert Halverstadt, Procter & Gamble; C. J. Hibbard, Pet Milk; Palmer McKay, Sun Oil; Stanley Pulver, Lever Bros.; A. Craig Smith, Gillette Safety Razor; W. M. Stedman, American Home Products Corp. ; H. S. Thompson, Miles Laboratories; Frank Tucker, B. F. Goodrich Co.; Joseph Wicker, Steiding Drug. Station Representatives Assn., at annual meeting this week, elected as officers: pres., Adam J. Young Jr., succeeding John Blair; v.p., Arthur McCoy, Avery-Knodel ; secy., Joseph Timlin, Branham Co.; treas., John E. Pearson. Directors: Mr. Blair; Joseph J. Weed; Russel Woodward, Free & Peters; George Brett, Katz Agency. Television Bureau of Advertising (TvB) reports $220,000, or 557c of its 1955 budget of $400,000, had been voluntarily subscribed by networks and stations as of Dec. 21. H. W. Newell, 57, pres, of Lennen & Newell Inc., major N. Y. agency, died in N. Y. Dec. 19.