Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

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12 TelGCasiing Notes: Radio buildup plans of CBS (Vol. 7:30) include promotion budget of $8,000,000, of which some $7,000,000 will be spent on network and local radio and $1,000,000 on newspapers-magazines, biggest media investment ever made for such purpose, according to administrative v.p. Louis Hausman of newly-formed CBS Radio Network Div. . . . Chicago Tribune’s WGN-TV & WGN name George P. Hollingbery Co. as national rep. . . . WNAC-TV, Boston, names H-R Representatives as national rep., quitting Petry . . . New Orleans’ WSMB switches from NBC to ABC Oct. 4 under shift whereby WDSU (which is AM sister of WDSU-TV) switches to NBC (Vol. 7:24) . . . ABC-TV leases another playhouse — Little Theatre, 238 W. 44th St., N. Y., seating 600, with 50-ft. stage . . . Radio Daily out Aug. 2 with 130-page Shows edition, packed with ads and listings of TV and radio program availabilities — good program buying guide for agencies and sponsors . . . Canadian Broadcasting Corp., which gets $2.50 fee per radio, has recommended $10 license fee for TV receivers, but majority of Dominion Cabinet is said to favor $7.50; Parliament is expected to establish fee next fall . . . Weekly “dog college” on WTMJ, Milwaukee, is clinic on obedience conducted with cooperation of Wisconsin Humane Society; after summer series, children will be invited to actual “dog audition” to display results of teaching, with trophy awards ... To use its funds frozen by French Govt., Procter & Gamble is reported planning to back production of 65 fifteen-minute TV films in Paris, costing $2500 each, to be filmed by Peter O’Crotty Productions and to be sponsored in U. S. . . . Spread of remotes is illustrated by NBC’s July 29 telecast of “Pilgrimage to Plymouth” from Plymouth Rock; mobile unit with 3 cameras televised ceremonies through elaborate setup involving 2 microwave relay stations, relaying picture to WBZ-TV, Boston, 45 miles away . . . Defense Dept. TV-radio crew this week began making films and tape recordings in Europe illustrating progress of rearmament and retraining program; after completion end of this month, the films and recordings will be made available to TV-radio stations and networks . . . WJIM-TV, Lansing, Mich., planning new $250,000 studio-office building, breaking ground in 60-90 days; also will install new transmitter. ■ ABC-United Paramount Theatres merger (Vol. 7:2124, 26-30) faces opposition from several objectors: Partmar Corp., Paramount Hollywood Theatre Corp. & Cabart Theatres Corp., all Los Angeles, joining with St. Louis Amusement Corp. & Eden Theatres Corp., both St. Louis and connected with Fanchon & Marco exhibitor interests, petitioned FCC this week to intervene, alleging past history of UPT indicates “greatest danger to the public interest.” AM station rep Wythe Walker circularized stations urging them to fight merger. Gordon P. Brown, owner of WSAY, Rochester, wired FCC Chairman Coy to deny any application “which would further the monopolization of the radio, television, theatre and motion picture industries.” On another front. Zenith counsel asked FCC to declare proposed shift of UPT’s WBKB, Chicago, from Channel 4 to Channel 2 under pending allocation, will not jeopardize Zenith’s experimental use of that channel for Phonevision or prejudice Zenith’s commercial application for the channel. Under ABC-UPT deal, WBKB is to be sold to CBS for $6,000,000, merged firms retaining WENR-TV on Channel 7 (whose call would be changed to WBKB, while CBS would use call WBBM-TV). California National Theatres chain plans 71-theatre TV network, to cost $3,500,000, seating capacity more than 110,000, using CBS-20th Century-Fox-Eidophor color px'ojection system, scheduled to open next spring. Next FCC vacancy, it’s generally assumed, is earmarked for Robert T. Bartley, Speaker Sam Rayburn’s nephew and assistant, onetime Yankee Network and NAB official — but it’s learned that quiet efforts are being made to get post for Eugene H. Mex’rill, 44, onetime chief engineer of Utah Power Commission, telephone & telegi’aph expert with old War Production Board, chief of reorganization of German communications under Gen. Lucius Clay, 1945-50. He’s presently director of DPA materials div. Story first broke in Variety, which said he. has been “offered” Comr. Hennock’s post as and when she gets Federal judgeship, but Mr. Merrill says he knows of no “offer.” It’s possible deal is in making whereby Senator McCarran (D-Nev.) will release Hennock appointment, now bottled up in his Judiciary Committee, in return for getting a westerner on FCC. Comr. Frieda Hennock’s Federal judgeship (Vol. 7:24-26) still hangs fire, though nearly 2 months have elapsed since President .Truman appointed her to New York district bench. Senate Judiciary Committee hasn’t yet scheduled hearing requested by American Bar Assn., but New York County Lawyers Assn, added its opposition this week to that of Assn, of Bar of the City of New York — also charging she “lacks the qualifications.” General opinion still is that she will eventually be confirmed; meanwhile, she apparently has declared moratorium on long series of public speeches she had been making to promote her plan for TV channel reservations for educational institutions. New NPA construction controls, announced this week, are more liberal in permitting small construction and alterations without application to Govt., but it appears probable many larger TV-radio station construction projects will have to be deferred until next year. New regulations (Order M-4A & CMP Reg. 6) permit builders to assign themselves priorities in fourth quarter to obtain materials for projects requiring not more than 2 tons of steel, 200 pounds of copper. For projects using more than these amounts — or any quantity of aluminum — NPA authorization will be required. Structural steel situation being extremely critical now, NPA says it will defer, at least until first of the year, all large projects except those most vitally needed by nation or community. Landmark in history of televised sports is sale to NBC Aug. 2 of 3-year TV-radio rights to annual Rose Bowl football game for $1,510,000 — expected to bring in more money than gate. NBC will pay $400,000 for 1952 game, $500,000 for 1953 game, $610,000 for 1954. Gate receipts for 1951 game totaled $381,000, including concessions. Added to this was $110,000 paid by CBS for TVradio rights. CBS submitted bid of $840,000 for new 3-year contract and KTTV, Los Angeles, was second highest bidder at $1,000,000. ABC-United Paramount Theatres withdrew from bidding when Tournament of Roses announced it wouldn’t permit theatre telecasting of games. All bids are contingent on completion of transcontinental TV facilities, scheduled Sept. 30 (see p. 3). Team performance, not TV, continues to be most important factor in sports gate receipts, according to C. L. Jordan, N. W. Ayer v.p. In recent talk to Atlantic Refining Co. sportcasters, using data compiled by son Jerry (Vol. 6:19, 23, 33, 47), he reported that by July 4 top 8 teams in both baseball leagues had achieved 4% increase over last year. Bottom 8, he said, lost 20% — for over-all loss of 8%. More Aug. 1 sets-in-use reported since NBC Research’s “census” of July 1 (Vol. 7:29): Washington 278,100, up 8100; Miami 78,200, up 3200; Utica 47,000, up 1800; Ft. Worth-Dallas 125,720, up 1720; Greensboro 71,721, up 921.