Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

Irving B. Kahn to over-all TV program chief. Peter Levothas, Gales manager of short subjects, also assumes TV production responsibilities. They report to Alfred H. Morton, now titled director of TV. 3. Warner Brothers detailed pioneer sound chief Col. Nathan Levinson, noted in radio field for his World War I Signal Corps record and in movies for introducing the talkies, to watch every facet of TV. particularly as it applies to theaters; has instructed him to go limit in large-screen TV experiments (Vol. 4, No. 22). He's also helping prepare PCC cases for Los Angeles and Chicago station applications, due for bitter competitive fights. Formal application to FCC to purchase Thackrey West Coast properties (Vol. 4, No. 26) is due next week. 4. Philadelphia Fox Theatre large-screen TV setup, used so successfully for Louis-Walcott fight (Vol. 4, No. 26), has been dismantled, shipped to Hollywood where technical chief Earl Sponable's staff will conduct further laboratory experiments. System holds great promise but simply isn't good enough for theaters yet, say Fox officials, who laugh at trade paper report they're contemplating ordering 100 or more units from RCA for as many theaters. Not only do present custom-built test models cost about $100,000 each but, besides W'arner setup in Hollywood, there's only one more in existence (RCA's) and only a few more building. * * * * Everybody's an oracle who has achieved film eminence, thanks to Hollywood's /^^olifer^^ publicity machinery, so we hear or read almost daily about such things '“■“Ssl (a) Sam Goldwyn forecasting that TV wall force Hollywood to produce better pictures to retain boxoffice (he told us himself in Hollywood recently how enthused he was over prospect of using TV trailers to promote his pictures) ; (b) Barney Balaban predicting theaters will carry big news events on screens as they happen (vis.. Paramount's Louis-Walcott and convention shows); (c) David Selznick, Hal Roach, Cecil B. DeMille, Richard deRochemont, et al, indicating agreement w'ith RCA's W'ally Watts that TV will open up vast new' markets for films (Vol. 4, No. 21) — and casting about for ways of taking advantage of that market. DID SCOTUS BAR KOVIES FROI*! TV? Fact that U.S. Supreme Court found big movie firms guilty of anti-trust law violations in connection with theater ownership doesn't necessarily mean FCC will count them out as TV applicants — despite scareheads trade press. It's true Commission law'yers brought subject up 'in ^onnectTon w'lth proposed purchase of KSO, Des Moines, by Tri-States Meredith, part-ow'ned by Paramount, half owned by TV-seeking publishers of "Better Homes & Gardens." True also that Tri-States Meredith this week dropped KSO purchase deal, though remaining as applicant for TV in Des Moines. Lawyers differ on meaning of court's decision. Yet I point about anti-trust feature of Communications Act was raised in hearings involving movie interests ( Paramount -DuMont , San Francisco cases). But from what we can learn FCC has never yet turned down any applicant solely on such grounds. Moreover, political climate in Washington is changing, isn't as conducive to zealous trustbusting activities as it used to be and certainly no monopoly of TV itself is involved. On other hand, in stiffly competitive hearings involving movie interests (like Boston, Chicago, San Francisco), w'here Commission must eliminate some contenders, it's conceivable high court's May 3 decision might play part. DAMN. KELL AND DEWOCRATS: Wayne Coy's no Frank McNinch, so FCC won't do anything about those occasional "damns" (and we heard at least one "hell") that fell from lips of televiewed subjects, including Senator Barkley himself, during Democratic convention telecasts. Prudish ex-FCC Chairman McNinch' s tenure (1937-39) is best re1 membered for furore he created in citing NBC because Mae West made an off-color re; mark on the air. Nothing came of it, of course, except lots of publicity and I tighter radio self-censorship. But newness of TV medium, relatively more liberal use of language in movies I than on radio, does raise spectre of TV censorship. In Baltimore this week, Maryj land Theatre Owners Assn, asked State Board of Motion Picture Censors to extend its I scope to TV. Theatermen said frankly it's a competitive move. They caught board