Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1950)

12 Telecasting Notes: Newhouse Newspapers, which own Syracuse’s 2 dailies and WSYR-TV there, have purchased Portland Oregonian for $5,000,000, but deal doesn’t include its AM station KGW; Oregonian once had TV permit but dropped, then reapplied . . . Edgar B. Stern, New Orleans cotton broker and a major stockholder in Sears Roebuck, has sold his 90% interest in WDSU & WDSU-TV for $1,185,000 to new corporation, to be owned 67% by Edgar B. Stern Jr. (now in Army), 20% by gen. mgr. Robert D. Swezey, 10% by commercial mgr. Louis Read, 3% by counsel Lester Kabicoff . . . Theater pickups of Rose Bowl game telecast are specifically forbidden by CBS, holding exclusive TV-radio rights, according to letter to Los Angeles area exhibitors from Howard S. Meighan, CBS v.p. . . . San Francisco’s KPIX and Los Angeles’ KTTV have agreed former should carry entire daytime program from latter Jan. 1, including Gillette-sponsored Rose Bowl game. Prudential-sponsored Tournament of Roses Parade, etc. . . . “TV Sets for Vets” is slogan of fund-raising campaign for VA hospitals being conducted by KPIX . . . WCBS-TV, New York, Dec. 24 starts Sun. a.m. operation with 2% hours of children’s shows beginning 10 a.m. . . . ABC’s WXYZ-TV, Detroit, has moved up daytime schedule from 10 to 7 a.m., operating until 1 a.m. . . . WHEN, Syracuse, now starts day at 11 a.m. . . . RCA reported investing $50,000 for 121^% interest in new musical show. Make a Wish, staff v.p. Mannie Sacks handling; it owns 35% of smash hit Call Me Madam, in which it invested $225,000 . . . DuMont’s Captain Video series to be made into 15-episode movie serial by Columbia Pictures . . . ABC’s Hollywood AM operations to be consolidated in modern building, 1539 No. Vine, giving 58,000 sq. ft. space; TV operations continue separately at old Warner lot on Prospect & Talmadge. Broadcast Advisory Council spent Dec. 14 seeing top Govt, leaders — President Truman, State Secy. Acheson, Defense Secy. Marshall, Commerce Secy. Sawyer, NPA Administrator Han-ison, others. Council, comprising broadcasters and telecasters (as well as RTMA president Sprague, NAB officials), were told of importance of broadcast medium in bringing news and information to people, its value for morale purposes. First intervention into sale of Don Lee Network to General Tire & Rubber Co. (Vol. 6:42-43, 45) came this week. Oilman Edwin Pauley’s Television California (operator of experimental TV station in San Francisco) petitioned FCC to declare Don Lee TV application for San Francisco not for sale. Pauley held that legally applications can’t be sold. He wants FCC to put that city’s Channel 2 (which had been reserved for Don Lee since 1948) back into the pot if it approves sale. He also suggested FCC hold open hearings before approving transfer, alleging various inconsistencies. Pauley and TV-radio manufacturer H. Leslie Hoffman were unsuccessful bidders for Don Lee package, and latter also has been reported considering intciwening. Purchase of 5-kw AM station WSAI, Cincinnati, by George Storer for $225,000 plus $25-35,000 net quick assets, means another TV application for that city. Fort Industry, owned by Storer, will put application in next week. If FCC aproves sale, it means Storer will probably sell one of his present 7 AM stations (WJBK, Deti’oit; WSPD, Toledo; WAGA, Atlanta; WLOK, Lima; WGBS, Miami; WWV.\, Wheeling; WMMN, Fairmont). Storer also operates TV stations in Detroit, Toledo, Atlanta, is TV applicant for Miami and Wheeling. Atlantic City Press and Union, with their stations WBAB & WBAB-FM, sold this week to group headed by R. L. Adams, publisher, Bethlehem (Pa.) Globe-Times; retiring publisher Albert J. Feyl interests have been applicants for TV since early 1948 (TV Addenda 3-L). Fact that NSRB chief Stuart Symington is known to be seeking top executives for Washington defense agency posts lends to belief that may have been purpose of his White House visit with CBS Chairman William S. Paley Dec. 13. They left by side door, evading repoilers, and no comment was available from office of either. During World War II, Paley seiwed as colonel in psychological warfare division of SKAEF. ASCAP broke off negotiations with TV broadcasters’ committee this week, sent out per-program contracts to TV stations calling for fees on its own terms. One of major reasons for negotiation failure was ASCAP’s insistence that music fee be paid not only on program using music of its members but also on announcements following such programs. Temporary agreement with TV stations was extended for 30 days following receipt of contract. Subject undoubtedly will be aired by telecasters at Jan. 19 NAB-TV Chicago meeting. Negotiations between NAB and TBA on merger of 2 organizations into an NAB-TV (Vol. 6:46-47,49) have begun, will continue in effort to come to agi’eement before Jan. 19 NAB-TV Chicago meeting. Representing NAB are Robert D. Swezey, WDSU-TV; Eugene S. Thomas, WORTV; William Fay, WHAM-TV. Representing TBA are .Jack Poppele, WOR-TV; George B. Storer, Fort Industry Co.; Lawrence W. Lowman, CBS; Joseph A. McDonald, ABC; Paul Raibourn, Paramount (KTLA). Can states censor TV films? U. S. Supreme Court has been asked to decide by Pennsylvania Board of Picture Censors. Appeal followed ruling by U. S. District and Appeals courts that State censers have no authority over televised films (Vol. 5:44, 50). Contesting State’s appeal are WPTZ, Philco; WFIL-TV, Philadelphia Inquirer; WCAU-TV, Philadelphia Bulletin; WDTV (DuMont), Pittsburgh; WGAL-TV, Lancaster. Big Ten, which banned telecasts of all its grid games this season, will lead fight against live football telecasts at National Collegiate Athletic Assn, meeting in Dallas next month, athletic directors indicated at Chicago conference. Eastern College Athletic Assn., at recent New York meeting, heard special committee call TV a “threat,” citing 14.88% drop in attendance at its football games this year. But Notre Dame athletic director Edward Krause told Chicago dinner that telecasts have made millions of friends for university, which will continue them if NCAA permits. Theatre telecasting of Big Ten football was “outstanding success,” United Paramount Theatres secy.-treas. Robex't H. O’Brien told Big Ten athletic directors at Chicago conference last week. He gave these figures on total theatre attendance during 6 Saturdays that games were telecast vs. figure for same Saturdays last year: State Lake, Chicago — 11,708 vs. 7252; Tivoli, Chicago — 7952 vs. 1709; Michigan, Detroit — 7359 vs. 3694. WCAU-TV isn’t telecasting color during CBS showings in Philadelphia. Signals are sent from New York to Philadelphia terminal via coaxial, thence to viewing room at 1118 Chestnut St. by microwave. Receivers used include industrial sets made by new entrant in color field, Gray Research & Development Corp., 16 Arbor St.. Hartford, makers of TV studio equipment. Television Map in Color We have a few copies left of RCA Victor’s 40x25-in. TV map, in color, showing locations of all stations and actual and projected coaxial-microwave interconnections, prepared with data furnished by Television Digest. Single coijies are still available to subscribers who haven’t already asked for them.