Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

SIGHT AND SOUND Looks like East-Midwest coaxial is going to be used on “rotation" basis for so-called critical periods, such as Sunday nights. That’s latest compromise thinking of network top brass, following meeting Wednesday with Long Lines executives. Next confab Monday may okay details. Meanwhile, various TV commercials aw’ait hookup availabilities— including General Foods’ probable replacement of Author Meets Critics on NBC-TV Sun., 8-8:30 p.m., with comedian Danny Thomas; Kellogg’s Singing Lady, signed by ABC-TV for Sun., 6:30-7 p.m., EST, starting Feb. 13; contemplated increased schedule on CBS-TV for Ford Television Theatre, now once monthly, Sun., 7:308:30 p.m. Current spate of surveys about TV includes one by Audience Research Inc., Princeton, N. J. (Gallup), finding only 1.5% of nation’s 40,000,000 families have TV sets. Yet another by big ad agency, Geyer, New’ell & Ganger, 745 Fifth Ave., New York, finds TV as an advertising medium “fast approaching the national stage . . . far ahead of the time . . . expected.” Agency’s third annual TV report, by radio director Donald S. Shaw, approaches subject in businesslike, factual manner, points to growth of networking which it says justifies larger production budgets, includes commercial data on network operations and policy, expresses doubts about effectiveness of off-kinescope films. Magnavox third quarter sales of 89,394,546 and profits of 81,019,182 ($1.70 per share) during third fiscal quarter of 1948, ended Nov. 30, were highest in company’s history, reports president R. A. O’Connor. They compare with $6,700,792 sales, $485,257 profit (81<;) for same period of 1947. However, due to delay in getting into TV production and seasonal decline in radio-phono sets, Magnavox 9-month report shows decline from preceding year period: Sales $17,365,036 and profit $1,281,198 ($2.14) vs. $19,514,962 and $1,527,496 ($2.25). Motorola ended its fiscal year Nov. 30 with $57,400,000 sales, up 23% from 1947’s $46,700,000, expects sales of $75-80,000,000 in 1949, attributable mainly to TV and auto radio business. President Paul Galvin so reported to stockholders Dec. 20, adding that net profit figure isn’t ready yet but is expected to increase likewise over $2,510,410 recorded for fiscal 1947. Quarterly dividend of 25<r and extra of 25<( was paid, making $1.25 for year; company also is changiiig fiscal year to coincide with calendar year. Admiral’s 10 months ended Oct. 31 resulted in net sales of $50,899,834, net profit of $2,791,664 ($3.10 per share). Profit for same 1947 period was $1,501,511 ($1.67) ; sales figure unavailable. Coast-to-coast TV by 1950 isn’t in the cards, AT&T said when queried Wednesday about statement in Dec. 21 Wall Street Jou)~nal. Article by John Bridge gives good picture of AT&T’s $3 billion postwar program, and TV’s place in it, including 5,500 miles of TV-carrying coaxial already installed. It also recounts Bell Lab’s transistor development as vacuum tube replacement (Vol. 4:27). Flotelevision Inc. reports contracts for TV installations in 150 rooms of New York’s Hotel Delmonico and 100 in Hotel Sutton, 150 in Brooklyn’s Hotel Granada — making total of 9 hotel installations by company. Others are New Yorker, Roosevelt. New Weston, Essex in New York; Sherman in Chicago; Cleveland in Cleveland. Next TV synchronization hookups (Vol. 4:46,48,49,51), planned for January, are Detroit’s WWJ-TV and Cleveland's WNBK; also, Boston’s WBZ-TV and Schenectady’s WRBG will be “synchro-linked” with NBC’s New YorkWashington setup. Shakeup of NBC-TV is likely as result of Jan. 1 resignation of Noran E. (Nick) Kersta as assistant to v.p. in charge of TV, who nominally is Sid Strotz, now hack in Hollywood and unlikely to agree to return to New York. It won’t be surprising if Carleton D. Smith, director of TV operations, wins elevation to v.p., a logical selection. Kersta quits to become TV director of William H. Weintraub & Co., agency handling major network accounts, few yet in TV, including Kaiser-Frazer (Walter Winchell), Lee Hats (Drew Pearson), Seeman Eros. (Air Wick), Coshocton Glass, Revlon. At 37, he’s one of TV’s commercial pioneers, has been with NBC last 15 years except for wartime hitch in Marine Corps. He’s technically trained (MIT), member of TBA board, has been one of most sought-after young executives in TV, turning down numerous station and other offers. Clear sailing for Warner Brothers’ purchase of Thackrey stations (Vol. 4:30) seems indicated by FCC dismissal this week of Edward Pauley’s bid for KLAC-TV alone (Vol. 4:46). Commission said Pauley bid didn’t meet Warner deal under Avco rule since it was for only one station — Warner’s is for “packaged” KLAC and KLAC-TV, Los Angeles and KYA, San Francisco. Only hitch in getting final FCC approval for transfer now seems to be pending' requests by KARO, Riverside, and KFAC, Los Angeles for KLAC-TV’s Channel 13 (Vol. 4:19,36). Nor has question been raised of Warner involvement in theater anti-trust case, as it was in Tri-State Meredith application to buy KSO, Des Moines (Vol. 4:29). “Animatic” projector is ABC’s latest slice at cost of TV commercials. It’s a device for switching from one picture to another in 1 /200th second, thus achieving illusion of animation with very few pictures. ABC says equivalent effect of animation for one-minute spot can be obtained with 6 in. of Animatic film, compared with 36 ft. of conventional 16mm film. Comparing costs, ABC claims system could produce, for $400-Sl,500, almost as good effect as film of liUcky Strike’s marching cigarettes, which cost $20,000. Machine is product of Dunningcolor Corp., Hollyw(-od. ABC has exclusive rights for its stations and affiliates. Film producer Hal Roach announced this week he’ll devote his studio wholly to production for TV henceforth, his Hal Roach Television Corp. having started on six 30min. films due for completion by Jan. 5, 12 more to follow. He told press luncheon, “I regard TV films as the biggest opportunity to unknown players.” Wm. Morris Agency is representing Roach in TV, One of FM’s “First Families,” Yankee Network, this week dropped second CP for FM, in Hartford, Conn. First was WMNE, Mt. Washington (Vol. 4:38). In view of Yankee’s interest in transit FM (Vol. 4:51), pullout is rather surprising, though company still represents Transit Radio Inc. for all New England. Yankee’s remaining FMs are Boston and Worchester (on air), Bridgeport (CP). David Stevens moves from FCC's TV law section into AM as Dwight Doty steps up to take chief of AM position left vacant by resignation of Edward Kenehan (Vol. 4:50). Understanding is that Joseph Nelson will move into TV. Henry Rhea, ex-RCA transmitter sales, recently in consulting engineering partnership of Witty & Rhea, Dallas, has joined Philadelphia’s V FIL-TV as asst, chief engineer for TV. .Stratovision's next phase begins in .lanuaiy: experiments with miciowaving programs to plane for rebroadcast, be done commercially if FCC authorizes system.