Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

THEATRE OWNERS AREN'T RUSHING INTO TV: Radio broadcasters continue dominant, newspaper interests prominent, among applicants for new TV stations — but the expected avalanche of applications from local theatre interests hasn't materialized. We count mere couple dozen theatre owners, as distinguished from film stars (Vol.8:28), among the 610 applications thus far on file. There are probably others, minority interests, not readily identifiable. On theory that you must .join 'em if you can't lick 'em, as did newspapers when radio reared its competitive head, it was anticipated that hundreds of theatre owners would seek to get into telecasting to hedge against TV's impact on boxoffice. Only a handful of theatremen, up to now, have become telecasters — and all highly successful: United Paramount, which owns WBKB, Chicago, and proposes to buy ABC network with its 5 TV stations (Vol. 7:21 & 8:28) ; WKTV, Utica, N.Y., owned by Kallet chain; WTVJ, Miami, owned by Mitchell Wolf son's Wometco Theatres. Paramount Pictures, incidentally, is the only producer in telecasting, with KTLA, Los Angeles. Of the 18 new-station grantees last week, none happens to be a theatreman, but that's just a happenstance for the FCC as now constituted isn't showing any more prejudice against theatre than against newspaper or absentee ownerships. Preliminary study of the lists of applicants to date, as published in TV Factbook No. 15 and Addenda 15-A, brings to light just 28 applications in which theatre exhibitors are identifiable — though it's generally expected that others, like the Schine & Reade chains and Thalheimer in Richmond, will seek to get into the TV swim. [For list of theatre-owning interests identified in applications to date, see p. 10.] DEMOCRATS TO PROFIT BY GOPs TV MUFFS: The TV revolution in American life which is now reaching into the heart of nation's political party structure, appears destined to change not only campaign methods but format of nominating convention itself. Republican convention of 1952 may go down in history as last such meeting held in traditional old-time style. By 1956 the quadrennial shindig may be more of a big political TV show than a nominating convention. GOP was at definite disadvantage in being first party to hold convention — and Democrats intend to profit by their mistakes. Televised Republican convention had plenty <of exciting moments, dramatic moments, history-making moments — and, of course, comic relief. But let's face the facts: Except to students of political science, much of it was pretty doggone dull. This is borne out by ratings, which were far below expectations. GOP show drew nighttime Hooperating of 56 in New York, average daytime rating of 15.7. When Gen. Eisenhower was nominated on first ballot, Hooper was only 17 — vs. rating of 54 for daytime Kefauver Crime Committee hearings last year. Trendex gave the night sessions rating of 45 — only 10% higher than previous week of normal programming. Top winter shows get ratings in 50s & 60s. Ratings varied little city-to-city. Night Hooperating of the convention was 35.4 in Philadelphia, 32.5 in Los Angeles. What it adds up to is this: Much of the show just didn't have enough appeal to bring summer viewers off the porch and into the living room or make them stay up past bedtime. Certainly "history in the making" wasn't hot enough to hold interest of the large number of politically apathetic viewers, many of whom deluged local TV station switchboards with the demand: "Get those bums off the air!" * * * * Every move made by the Republicans on TV screens last week was observed by team of Democratic "scouts" who holed up in Chicago's Conrad Hilton Hotel with 3 TV sets to monitor convention coverage on all networks. From the notes they took came carefully planned blueprint for putting more showmanship in the Democratic meeting — and tailoring it specifically for TV. "We certainly have to recognize that there are a lot of potential voters in the TV audience who may be swayed by what is said and done at this convention," said Democratic national TV-radio director Kenneth Fry. "You can be sure we aren't going to repeat some of the mistakes the Republicans made." Master-minding the Democrats' "TV manners" is party's special TV consultant