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

2 — otherwise, neither networks nor stations make public their gross business and net profits. Even ABC-CBS do not break down figures as between TV-radio. Nor does FCC release anything but annual aggregate figures well after end of year. But it's possible, on basis of monthly network sales figures, which are officially released, plus experiences of stations reported privately and informally to us, to draw some reasonable conclusions about the course of this year's business. * * * * * Network time sales were $55,098,126 first half of this year, according to Publishers Information Bureau — NBC $26,739,552, CBS $17,069,328, ABC S8, 228. 700 (Vol. 7:29). Unreporting DuMont's sales are known to be S3, 060, 566. These sums are exclusive of the time sales of their own stations, now numbering; ABC & NBC 5 each, DuMont 3, CBS 2 plus 45% of a third. Best income months for networks and stations are fall-winter, and nearly all have rate increases in effect or about to go into effect. So, if networks did about $55,000,000 first half of 1951, it's fair to assume they'll do a lot better during second half. Let's guesstimate combined network sales for year at $125,000,000. Old rule-of-thumb in radio was that national-regional spot plus local about equalled network sales — but in recent years ratio has been nearer 70% spot-local. 50% network. In TV, it probably isn't that yet — but it's good guess that the 107 stations in the aggregate are grossing more from spot-local than the networks are from national. Quite a few stations are exceeding $1,000,000 billings rate, some much higher — one sold $4,000,000 worth of time last year alone (Vol. 7:13). Spot-and-local, in fact, have been going like the proverbial house afire — Rorabaugh Reports at the end of May listing 4227 local-retail advertisers plus 1095 national-regional spot advertisers on 99 reporting stations, up from 3883 & 894, respectively, at end of 1950. There were 158 network users at end of May. Therefore, merely doubling the network sales figure to account for gross time sales by the telecasters as a whole would seem quite conservative. Figure for all would thus come to $250,000,000. Our opinion is it will be higher in the final reckoning from FCC. Meanwhile, we can go only by monthly network "gauges", as reported by PIB and published regularly in these pages. * * * ♦ A quarter-billion dollar "take" by mere 107 stations in 63 markets, plus 4 networks that so far extend to only 48 of those markets — and then only part time due to paucity of circuits ! What will the figure be when there are more stations and wider networks? Your guess is as good as ours. But it's noteworthy that the 6-year-old TV child is fast approaching the comfortable estate of its radio parents, whose 50 years have spawned some 2250 AM and 650 FM radio stations. These and the 4 radio networks grossed $447,700,000 last year, an all-time high, according to FCC audit (Vol. 7:16). COMPLEXES IN COAST-TO-COAST HOOKUPS: Only one TV circuit westward as of Sept. 50. one eastward about month later — that's all AT&T promises for transcontinental network service in Immediate future. The 4 networks will have to divvy the facilities. We erred last week (Vol. 7:31) in reporting 2 TV microwave circuits westward, 2 eastward — though it's fact there are additional telephone channels in each direction. It's also fact that AT&T contemplates more circuits, both phone and TV, for it has just filed 71 applications with FCC for that many additional transmitters on its Chicago-San Francisco relay towers, proposing to spend $3,000,000. All sorts of stories are going rounds since prospect of transcontinental baseball, football and Hollywood shows opened up with definite time fixed for coastto-coast hookups. AT&T says there's as yet no big-name time-and-talent show planned on all 4 networks to inaugurate transcontinental service, such as it sponsored when first hookup from East to Midwest was opened up in January 1949. But it indicated occasion will probably be made gala one, with possibly big sponsored show. Between Omaha and San Francisco, only Salt Lake City (2 stations) can tap into transcontinental for network service, but there's story from Denver (no outlet)