Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

8 CONGRESS’ PROBE of TV-radio programing has ended — for time being. Rep. Harris (D-Ark.), chairman of investigating subcommittee of House Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee, indicated his group’s next action will be the summarizing of data and reporting to House, although slight possibility exists that ad agencies and sponsors will be called at further hearings following November elections. It’s probable subcommittee won’t recommend specific legislation, but will confine itself to urging (1) that FCC keep watch over program standards, and (2) that the industry continue its efforts at selfregulation. Subcommittee wound up its proceedings with 2-day sessions in New York and Washington this week. NBC v.p. Charles R. Denny and CBS-TV president J. L. Van Volkenburg, in New York, followed lead of industry witnesses last week in emphasizing that self-regulation, not legislative control, is answer to alleged “offensive” programs (Vol. 8:37). Washington witnesses included: (1) American Civil Liberties Union counsel Herbert M. Levy, who urged that program content be left to local operators and who condemned NARTB’s TV Code as detrimental to program quality and possibly illegal. (2) Mrs. Winfield D. Smart, National Council of Catholic Women, who cited surveys taken in Falls Church, Va. to show too many crime programs on air before 9 p.m. (3) Albert J. McAloon, Rhode Island Juvenile Court, who asked that Congress lend support to groups fighting juvenile delinquency by “supervising” TV. (4) U. S. Brewers Foundation counsel Clinton M. Hester, who answered prohibitionists’ frequent blasts against beer commercials by discussing constitutional issues of 21st amendment. (5) Miss Alice Keith, National Academy of Broadcasting, who condemned crime shows. Rep. Harris also put into record letter from ex-FCC chairman Wayne Coy, who explained that illness prevented his personal appearance and stated that any ban on T\ radio beer advex-tising would be discriminatory if aimed at only one medium. ■ Network Accounts: Ten sponsors during last 2 weeks have purchased 102 segments of weekday 7-9 a.m. Today, reports NBC-TV sales v.p. John K. Herbert. They’re Plymouth, thru N. W. Ayer; Beacon Wax Co., thru Allied Adv.; Kleenex, thru Foote, Cone & Belding; Nylast, thru Wm. E. Weintraub Co.; Noma Electric Co., thru Albert Frank-Gunther Law; West Coast Lumbermen’s Assn., thru MacWilkins, Cole & Weber; International Silver Co., thru Fuller & Smith & Ross; Pharma-Craft Corp., thru Ruthrauff & Ryan; DeSoto and Polaroid, thru BBDO . . . Bob Hope this week signed $2,000,000 contract, called biggest single deal in radio history, for 35 weeks of taped 15-min. shows to be carried on NBC-radio, Mon.-thru-Fri. 9:309:45 a.m. EST, starting Nov. 10, and for 26 weekly halfhour variety shows tentatively set for Wed. nights on NBC, both sponsored by General Foods; his TV will be confined to rotating appearances on Colgate Comedy Hour . . . Sterling Drug (Bayer aspirin) sponsors Inspector Mark Saber — Homicide Squad starting Oct. 6 on ABC-TV, Mon. 8-8:30, thru Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample . . . P. Lorillard Co. (Embassy cigarettes) Oct. 7 starts The Embassy Club with Bob & Ray on NBC-TV, Tue. 10:30-10:45 p.m., thru Lennen & Mitchell . . . Pepsi-Cola starts Short, Short Dramas Sept. 30 on NBC-TV, Tue. 7:15-7:30. a Conde Nast Publications (Vogue, Glamour, etc.), like Time Inc. and Meredith, is staking claim in TV with election of its president I. S. Patcevitch to board of Telenews Productions Inc., now providing newsreels and planning to expand into film programs. He’s latest stockholder. A BC-UPT MERGER still looks like good bet for December decision — favorable. Proposed findings were filed jointly by ABC and United Paramount Theatres this week, along with arguments for Pax-amount Picture Corp.’s fitness to hold TV licenses, thus leaving only the DuMont and FCC Broadcast Bureau briefs still pending. Last week’s deadline extension to Oct. 3, asked for by FCC (Vol. 8:38), shouldn’t delay final decision, inasmuch as examiner Leo Resnick’s order noted that filings before deadline are enabling him to keep pace with the work. Mox-eover, no more postponements will be gx-anted. Final decision, accordingly — after allowing for Resnick’s original decision, time for filing exceptions and FCC’s deliberations — should come by December (Vol. 8:34). As things stand, decision is quite sux-e to be favoi-able. ABC-UPT’s joint proposal this week contends FCC should approve mei-ger because: (1) New resources will promote network competition. (2) UPT officials will provide valuable business experience, showmanship, management ability. (3) Additional resources will pi-omote research. (4) ABC needs revenue sources, other than broadcasting, such as other 3 networks have. (5) Better programing will result, stimulating other networks to improvement. (6) Merger won’t tend to lessen competition since both theatre and broadcasting divisions will still have plenty of competition. Paramount Pictui-e Coi-p.’s arguments for renewal of its licenses: (1) Its officials have necessary legal, technical & financial qualifications. (2) It has pioneered in TV. (3) There’s no anti-trust evidence in its telecasting history. (4) It has no i-estrictive policy towards TV in films, stoi-ies, talent. (5) Transfer of licenses after consent deci-ee didn’t need FCC approval because transfer was involuntary and wasn’t accompanied by change in rnanagexnent or beneficial ownership. New 73-page edition of RCA’s Application Data & Filing Information for TV Stations has been sent to consulting engineers. Expanded loose-leaf manual contains new chart showing estimated studio equipment and operating costs for 4 classes of TV stations, bar graph charts comparing equipment and operating costs vs. coverage for all channels, chai*t showing antennas and transmittei-s which may be used together, data on suggested antenna feed systems, depression angles for different antenna heights, etc. It’s available from bi-oadcast equipment section, engineering products dept., Camden, N. J. WJAC-TV, Johnstown, hopes to send good picture into Pittsburgh when it completes FCC-required channel switch froixi No. 13 to No. 6 and goes to 70-kw power by Oct. 1 or 2. Station is currently operating with 500-watt standby transmitter while regular 5-kw job is being converted for Channel 6 operation. Of the 30 stations required by allocation i-eport to shift channels, so far only one — WSAZ-TV, Huntington, W. Va. — has completed the change (Vol. 8:32). TV ban on legislative and judicial proceedings was urged by Federal Bar Assn, convention in Washington Sept. 22. Govt, lawyei-s adopted resolution after hearing Rep. Celler (D.-N. Y.) say that TV produces “ham acting” and that “rights of witnesses are completely foi-gotten in the zeal to do a good job of acting.” Similar action was passed by New Yoi’k State Bar Assn. Jan. 25 (Vol. S:4), but i-ejected by New York City Bar Assn. (Vol. 8:3). Improvement of TV. pictures through better use of lighting will be subject of two clinics sponsored by GE at its Lighting Institute in Nela Pai’k, Cleveland, week of Oct. 13. Meanwhile, CBS will test its new 5,500,000-watt C-I lighting system at its multi-million dollar Television City in Hollywood Oct. 3 under direction of inventor George C. Izenour.