Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

9 Station Accounts: Remarkably good sponsorship record for a relatively new station — it began operation last Dec. 1 (Vol. 8:48) — has been achieved by Honolulu’s KGMBTV, which in addition to CBS-TV kinescope service is currently carrying 14 national spot programs, 16 national spot accounts with local and national announcements, 11 local program sponsors, 41 local spot sponsors. It’s well filled up now and nicely in the black. These are the national spot program sponsors (Free & Peters, rep) : Pan American Airways, Coca-Cola, Canada Dry, Tidewater Oil, D. E. Sanford, Packard-Bell, Hoffman Radio, Lewis Food Co., Mercury TV, Milner Products Inc., Schlitz, Hamm & Regal Amber beers. National spot announcements: Anheuser-Busch, Lucky Lager, Goebel, Regal Amber & Pabst beers) Kendall Foods, Bulova, Procter & Gamble (Cheer soap), Avoset Co. (Qwip), Borden, Chemicals Inc., Golden Grain Macaroni, John C. Charles Co., Calo Dog Food, Leslie Salt, Mary Ellen’s Jams & Jellies . . . Nash Motors, in big campaign promoting new models, is providing dealers with TV kits, including slides, scripts, film spots . . . Robert Hall Clothes (chain), big radio user (180 stations in 80 cities) using 20 TV stations in 11 markets, thru Frank B. Sawdon Inc., N. Y. . . . Among other advertisers reported using or preparing to use TV: Good Humor Corp. (ice cream), thru David J. Mahoney Inc., N. Y.; U. S. Rubber Co. (Keds casual shoes), thru Fletcher D. Richards Inc., N. Y.; World Candies Inc. (Spaceman Zoomies candies), thru McKay Adv. Co., N. Y.; Lux Clock Mfg. Co. (timing devices), thru Edward Graceman & Assoc., Hartford; Santa Fe Railway, thru Leo Burnett Co., Chicago; Niagara Manufacturing & Distributing Corp. (massage equipment), thru Walker & Downing, Pittsburgh; Sturdy Dog Foods, thru Jimmy Fritz & Assoc., Hollywood; Niagara Mfg. & Distr. Corp. (massage equipment), thru Walker & Downing, Pittsburgh; John Morrell & Co. (Red Heart dog food), thru N. W. Ayer, Philadelphia; Lucerne Milk, thru J. Walter Thompson, San Francisco; Polaroid Land Camera Co., thru BBDO, N. Y.; Nu-Enamel Corp. (paints & enamel), thru Olian & Bronner, Chicago; Milner Products Co. (Pine-Sol and Fly-Cide), thru Gordon Best Co., Chicago; Avoset Co. (Qwip pressurized dairy cream), thru Fletcher D. Richards, San Francisco; Golden Grain Macaroni Co., thru Kelso-Norman Adv., San Francisco; Leslie Salt Co., thru Honig-Cooper Co., San Francisco; Chemicals Inc. (starch, household bleach), thru Sidney Garfield & Assoc., San Francisco. Network Accounts: New series — featuring dramatized versions of trips to neighboring planets, lion hunts, erupting volcanoes, etc. — starts May 10 on CBS-TV, Sun. 5-6 p.m., using resources of American Museum of Natural History which signed 5-year contract with network. Titled Adventure, it’s being offered for sponsorship at $25,000per-week production cost and will partly replace Omnibus, Sun. 4:30-6 p.m., which goes off air after May 3. Programs will be both live and film, originating from museum and network studios, with Charles Collingwood narrating and interviewing . . . Procter & Gamble (Lilt home permanent) buys co-sponsorship of Jackie Gleason Show, replacing Bristol-Meyers Co. (Ipana), starting May 16, on CBS-TV, Sat. 8-9 p.m., thru Biow; other 2 sponsors are Nestle Co. (Nescafe) and Schick Electric Shavers . . . Coca-Cola will sponsor musical program featuring Eddie Fisher and Don Ameche, starting April 29, on NBC-TV, Wed. & Fri. 7:307:45 p.m., thru D’Arcy; it replaces Tide’s Those Two, Mon.Wed.-Fri. 7:30-7:45 p.m. . . . Pearson Pharmacal Co. (Endds) starts Ethel & Albert April 6 on NBC-TV, alt. Sat. 7 :30-8 p.m., thru Harry B. Cohen Adv. . . . Blatz dropping Amos V Andy after June 21 on CBS-TV, alt. Thu. 8:30-9 p.m., may be replaced by Old Golds with program not yet announced . . . Gillette to sponsor 10 horse races each Sat. April 18-June 20 on NBC-TV, thru Maxon. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE beyond June 2 for reservation of non-commercial educational channels was urged this week by both New York’s Gov. Thomas E. Dewey and New Jersey’s Gov. Alfred Driscoll. Former’s request, in formal statement, occasioned surprise in view of his well-publicized stand against State funds for educational TV, reflected in report of his N. Y. State Temporary Commission for Educational TV opposing Statefinanced network (Vol. 9:9). Dewey declared emphasis on State control has resulted in too little incentive “to make use of this great new medium to bring to the people the fruits of our educational and cultural advances.” He said he would soon appoint committee to “act as a coordinating force to bring together the educational and cultural agencies in this state and the commercial TV stations and to help them jointly to develop the greatest potentials of educational TV for our people.” Educational TV leaders weren’t immediately convinced that Dewey’s statement represented a change of heart. Feeling was that he had been stung by avalanche of criticism following Commission’s report (Vol. 9:10) and was trying to make political amends, especially since N. Y. legislature adjourned this week until next year without taking action on any educational TV bills, in the face of 8 grants already made by FCC. Driscoll’s request in letter to FCC Chairman Walker urged 4-year extension of deadline. It came in wake of recommendation by N. J. Commission on Educational TV for State-financed 6-station network (Vol. 9:11). Other educational TV developments this week: (1) Metropolitan Pittsburgh Educational TV Commission received $100,000 grants each from Ford Foundation, Arbuckle-Jamison Foundation, A. W. Mellon Education and Charitable Trust. (2) New Orleans non-profit corporation, unnamed as yet, formed to press for educational TV station. (3) California State Assembly ordered 60-day study of educational TV allocations. (4) Max Balcom, Sylvania, named chairman of special RTMA committee on educational TV, replacing Emerson’s Benjamin Abrams, resigned. (5) GE v.p. Dr. W. R. G. Baker, staunchly favoring educational TV, told Philadelphia’s Poor Richard Club that failure to use educational channels “would be a mistake that would affect our civilization for centuries to come.” Senate hearings on baseball TV, growing out of Sen. Johnson’s bill (S. 1396) to permit organized baseball to reinstate rule prohibiting major league telecasts in minor league areas (Vol. 9:12), aren’t scheduled yet — but the Colorado Democrat will push for them as early as possible, probably after spring training ends early next month. TV networks, Justice Dept, and baseball officials will testify. College football will probably come up with 1953 TV program similar to 1952’s one-game-a-week plan, despite suggestions for changes last week from networks and some colleges. National Collegiate Athletic Assn. TV committee held “hearings” March 19-21 in Kansas City and announced that participating schools will divide $1,151,109 in 1952 TV receipts, but delayed actual drafting of 1953 program until April 7-8 sessions in New York. Demand for restricting boxing TV, too, came out of March 26 meeting in New York of International Boxing Managers Guild, which called on netwoi'lcs to cut down fight telecasts to 4 nights each week, instead of current 6, and asked $5000 minimum for each fighter appearing on TV in lieu of present $1500-$3600. Negotiations for new TV contracts with promoters won’t begin until summer, however. No dashboard TVs in Oregon! Bill making it illegal to have TV screen in front part of car or truck was signed this week by Oregon’s Gov. Patterson.