Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

6 Telecasting Notes: General Teleradio Inc., New York corporate name of WOR & WOR-TV operations recently acquired by Thomas S. Lee Enterprises Inc., a California corporation and a subsidiary of General Tire & Rubber Co. (Vol. 8:3), will shortly be adopted as name for entire subsidiary operation — depending on whether name is available in California. Plan is to operate WOR, Yankee and Don Lee divisions under name of General Teleradio Inc.; same interests also now own 58% control of Mutual Broadcasting System (Vol. 8:9), but it will continue as separate entity . . . Chicago will be “blacked out” of fight telecast schedule by order of International Boxing Club April 16 when Pabst sponsors CBS telecast of Ray Robinson-Rocky Graziano middleweight championship bout from that city. Pabst has offered vacated 9-10 p.m. time period on CBS-TV affiliate WBKB to Red Cross for that night . . . Old Paragon film studios at Ft. Lee, N. J., home of early silents, lately occupied by Kaj Velden Studios Inc., of 249 W. 64th St., New York, to build and store scenery for TV and Broadway plays, was destroyed in $1,000,000 fire March 23 . . . Sterling Television signs up pioneer J. R. Bray’s animated BAN ON TV at public hearings in New York State was signed into law March 27 by Gov. Dewey, who issued strong statement charging that TV cameras — and radio and movie-making apparatus, which are also banned — can be responsible for “improper exploitation and intolerable subversion of the rights of the witness.” Believed to be first law specifically barring TV from hearings, measure applies to all official state proceedings where witnesses are subpoenaed or otherwise compelled to attend. Gov. Dewey makes no secret of his disapproval of the manner in which last year’s New York Kefauver crime hearings were conducted, and said in his statement that use of TV-radio & motion picture apparatus at hearings tends to convert official proceedings into “indecorous spectacles.” Broadcasters’ efforts to persuade Gov. Dewey to veto measui’e were unavailing. Urging further consideration of bill, NARTB president Harold Fellows wired the governor March 26: “Hasty and precipitous action . . . without detailed deliberation could have serious precedent-setting consequences.” NBC president Joseph H. McConnell urged: “Such restriction on freedom of speech would stifle development of documentary reporting by TV just as it is beginning to demonstrate its effectiveness in stimulating public thought and opinion.” Bill was introduced by State Sen. Nathaniel T. Helman (D-Bronx), reported favorably by Judiciary Committee March 17, passed Senate March 18, Assembly March 20. Dave Garroway’s 7-9 a.m. Today program on NBC-TV, experiment launched in midJanuary to prove early-morning TV has same popular appeal and revenue potential as early-morning radio (Vol. 8:3, 5), continues to make trade news — though it still hasn’t any big-segment sponsors. Its rating, reports American Research Bureau, has jumped from 5.3 for first period (Jan. 13-26) to 7.6 for week of March 1-7. On March 31, it adds holdout WPTZ, Philadelphia, to 31-station network, replacing Ernie Kovacs’ 7-9 a.m. Three to Get Ready show which antedated it as an early-morning pioneer on that station by more than year, Kovacs taking on new 12:30-1 p.m. show. This week, to showcase Today, NBC-TV will carry it Mon. 9-9:30 p.m. with live pickups from 2 cities, newsreels, voice pickups from overseas, news, interviews, music — a promotion designed to demonstrate show to those who haven’t yet seen it. And NBC v.p. Ted Cott, who heads its key WNBT, reports he’s going all-out for daytime programming, predicts it will follow pattern of daytime radio, claims 200% increase in audience since Today began; local spots on WNBT’s Today account for more than $5000 weekly revenue. cartoons for TV distribution . . . Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s highly praised Life Is Worth Living on DuMont Tue. 8-8:30 is subject of 4-p. photographic article in April Catholic Digest . . . DuMont film dept, distributing new series of 3% -min. films titled In the Fashion Spotlight for local sponsorships . . . KSD-TV, St. Louis, signs with TV Authority covering local talent . . . It’s big news in the trade press now when a radio station raises rates; hence lots of publicity last week when NBC’s KOA, in non-TV Denver, upped national spot rate 12^% ($320 to $360 per Class A hour, $48 to $54 per 1-min.) on plea that radio families have increased 39% since last program rates set in 1944, 29% since last announcement rates set in 1948. Also hiking AM rates were Boston’s WORL, about 15%, and WKBV, Richmond, Ind., 20% ... More TV rate increases effective April 1 to add to those previously reported (Vol. 8:9,11,12): WSM-TV, Nashville, from $300 to $350 per Class A hour, $50 to $60 per 1-min.; WBZ-TV, Boston, $1250 to $1500 & $250 to $300; WAFM-TV, Birmingham, $300 to $400 & $50 to $80; WOW-TV, Omaha, $400 to $450 & $80 to $90. Network Accounts: Gillette will sponsor Kentucky Derby on CBS-TV May 3, first time it has been carried live; last year it was filmed and telecast late in day . . . Pillsbury Mills Inc. (Cake Mix, Pie Mix) Sept. 1 starts simulcast of Arthur Godfrey Time on CBS-TV, Mon.-thruThu. 10:30-10:45 a.m., thru Leo Burnett Co., N. Y. ; Lever Bros, has sponsored 10:15-10:30 portion since Jan. 7 . . . Standard Brands Inc. (Royal puddings & gelatin) March 20 started sponsorship of 5:45-6 Thu. segment of Howdy Doody on NBC-TV, Mon.-thru-Fri. 5:30-6, and Continental Baking Co. (Wonder bread & Hostess cakes) will sponsor same time segment on Wed., starting June 11; agency for both is Ted Bates & Co., N. Y. . . . Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sponsors 3 films of The Greatest Story Ever Told Apr. 27, May 25 & June 22 on CBS-TV, Sun. 4-4:30, replacing Columbia Workshop those dates; agency for Goodyear is Kudner . . . Allen B. DuMont Laboratories started March 25 as sponsor of What’s the Story on DuMont, Tue. 10:30-11, thru Campbell-Ewald . . . Edward R. Murrow’s See It Notv, sponsored by Aluminum Co. of America on CBS-TV, Sun. 3:30-4, changes time April 20 to Sun. 6:30-7 . . . Lever Bros. (Surf) extends sponsorship of Hawkins Falls, Pop. 6200 to weekly basis April 1 with purchase of Tue. & Thu. segments on NBC-TV, Mon.-thru-Fri. 5-5:15, thru N. W. Ayer & Son . . . Camels will use Pantomime Quiz as summer replacement for Man Against Crime on CBS-TV, Thu. 9-9:30 starting July 11 . . . Hazel Bishop Inc. (lipstick) reported readying sponsorship of Cameo Theatre on NBC-TV, Wed. 10-10:30, starting April 2; show has been canceled in same Sun. time period by alt. sponsor Regent Cigarettes which has bought 3 spots weekly on NBC-TV’s morning show Today, thru Brooke, Smith, French & Dorrance, N. Y. . . . Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. reported buying You Arc There for presentation on CBS-TV, time & date unannounced. Copies of FCC’s ‘Freeze Report’ Each subscriber to the full services of Television Digest will receive one copy of printed full text of FCC’s TV Allocation Report ending the freeze, including city-by-city channel tables, and full text of Rules & Regulations and Procedures. We’ll print them simultaneously with release by FCC, now expected about mid-April. FCC document will run about 600 single-spaced mimeo pages, which means 200 or more pages of our supplement format. Preprint orders for extra copies are now being taken at $5 each.