Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)

0 AUGUST 3, 1959 Networks More taboiU MOSCOW TAPED DEBATE: The extensive coverage by U.S. netwoi’ks of the Nixon-Khrushchev taped hassle in Moscow (see p. 3) had more than its shai'e of cloakand-dagger melodrama, little suspected by viewers who watched the high-level debate in their living rooms during the July 25-26 weekend. First, there was the spur-of-the-moment 5000-mile dash by Ampex v.p. Philip Gundy from Moscow to N.Y. with the original tape reel. Business rivalries were submerged as Gundy rushed to Moscow’s airport in a limosine borrowed from RCA pres. John L. Burns, also in Russia for the U.S. Exhibition (the tape, in color, had been recorded by Ampex from RCA color cameras at the U.S. display). With SAS holding planes for him at connecting points. Gundy made the Moscow-Stockholm-Copenhagen-New York flight overnight, leaving the Soviet capital at 5:30 p.m. (Moscow time) on July 24, arriving in N.Y. at 8:30 a.m. (N.Y. time) the next day. He immediately delivered the precious tape to NBC-TV, and later to CBS-TV, which functioned as a pool facility to make b&w netwoi’k copies. A delicate situation developed, meanwhile. At 6:45 a.m. July 25, Edward Freers of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow phoned NBC to ask that network (which planned to air the tape that day at 2 p.m.) to hold off pending “simultaneous” TV exposure in Moscow. A violation, Freers pleaded, “might endanger” the Nixon visit to other Russian cities. The State Dept, confirmed the plea. NBC-TV had a tough decision to make, as did the other networks, now equipped with duplicates of the 16% min. tape. Getting a kinescope version of the tape to Moscow was certain to take at least another 24 hours (which it did) — and the Russians apparently had decided on no schedule to put it on the air. Newspapers & radio, meanwhile, had received transcripts. NBC made up its mind. “After viewing the tape, we decided the American people were entitled to see it as soon as possible,” said an official spokesman. CBS took a similar stand, news v.p. & gen. mgr. Sig Mickelson stating that to deprive U.S. viewers of the tape would be “unconscionable, and an abridgement of the American concept of a free press.” ABC joined in a united front. All 3 networks aired the Nixon-Khrushchev tapes as special news shows in monochrome at 11 p.m. July 25 (NBC had dropped its plans for a 2 p.m. show). Each TV network provided its own commentary and framework, and the tapes were uncut. The next day, ABC repeated the tape at 3 p.m., CBS at 5 p.m. (pre-empting The Last Word), and NBC (in color) at 7 p.m. CBS gave the tape a partial 3rd exposure on its Sunday News Special with Walter Cronkite at 11 p.m., completing the coverage. Ampex’s Gundy, who whisked the tape past Mo.scow guards at one end and U.S. Customs at the other wrapped in what he described to us as “an old dirty shirt,” provided still another highlight of the “Kitchen Conference.” Following the taping session, Soviet Premier Khrushchev himself pushed the playback button on the color-equipped .\mpex recorder in Moscow and stared in delight at his bald, barrel-chested electronic image. “Ooh!” said Khrushchev (as reported to us by Gundy), “like real!” * Networks presented united front when Khrushchev withdrew Russia-to-N.Y. broadcasting facilities from ABC correspondents John Daly and Edward P. Morgan July 30. Khrushchev complained of what he termed “indecent treatment,” by ABC-TV of his video-taped conversation with Nixon. According to CBS correspondent Paul Niven, “this was an open Soviet attempt to punish one network by giving the other 2 a competitive advantage.” CBS and NBC correspondents refused to accept the offer of a direct radio circuit and all 3 networks reported by telephone by way of London. The broadcast circuit was denied ABC an hour before broadcast time in Sverdlovsk, Siberia. At week’s end, the ABC-Khrushchev feud was still smouldering. NBC and CBS radio networks announced plans on Friday for Aug. 1 afternoon airings of the audio portion of Nixon’s “farewell” address scheduled to be made Saturday on Moscow TV. ABC’s John Daly, however, told ABC in N.Y. that he had requested pennission on Friday to obtain live transmission or a recording of the Nixon speech, but had received “no indication that either would be granted.” Inquiries by ABC at the Soviet Embassy in Washington brought no clarification, ABC said. Network Television Billings June 1959 and January-June 1959 (For May report, see Television Digest, Vol. 15:27) Six-Month Rise: Network TV gross time billings soared to $309,380,932 during first-half 1959, up 9.3% over the same 1958 period. On a June-to-June comparison, the gross increased 10.7% to $48,472,139 in billings. ABC continued to show the biggest gain, up 20.9% in June-to-June business and 19% in period-to-period billings. NETWORK TELEVISION June June % Jan. -June Jan.-June % 1959 1958 chansre 1959 1958 change $ 8,930,114 $ 7,387,586 -|-20.9 $ 61,422,516 $ 51,617,801 -(-19.0 21,630.941 19,733,057 + 9.6 132,537,670 124,047,416 4 6.8 17,911,084 16,648,462 -f 7.6 115,420.746 107,406,232 -| 7.5 Total $48,472,139 $43,769,105 -flO.7 $309,380,932 $283,071,449 -f-Ts 1959 NETWORK TELEVISION TOTALS BY MONTHS ABC CBS NBC Total January $10,647,078 $22,129,248 $19,299,853 $52,076,179 February 10,024,460 20,806,220 18,053,828 48,884,508 March 11,565,031 23,265,395 20,728,315 55,558,741 April 10,309,263 22,093,785 19,753,172 52,156,220 May 9,946,570 22.612,081 19,674,494 52,233,145 June 8.930.114 21,630,941 17,911.084 48,472,139 Note: Figures revised as of July 24, 1959. These figures do not represent actual revenues as the networks do not divulge their actual net dollar incomes. The figures are compiled by Broadcast Advertisers Reports (BAR) arid Leading National Advertisers (LNA) for TV Bureau of Advertising (TvB) on the basis of one-time network rates, or before frequency or cash discounts. ABC CBS NBC NETWORK SALES ACTIVITY NBC-TV Chet Huntley Reporting (Sun., 5:30-6 p.m.), produced by Reuven Frank. Kemper Insurance Co. (John W. Shaw Adv.) Daytime segments, 9 alt.-wk. 15-min. segments on 8 different programs. Miles Labs (Wade Adv.) Give My Regards to Broadway, Jimmy Durante special. Sun., Dec. 6, 8-9 p.m. W. A. Schaeffer Pen Co. (BBDO). World Championship Golf, eff. Oct. 11, 4:30-5:30 p.m. on film, with Bob Crosby as host and commentator. Alt.-wk. order. A.S.R. Products (Kenyon & Eckhardt).