Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

7 NOTHING MODEST about uhf reception and conversion claims in the promotion now being sent out by the new stations — which generally also enclose facts and figures to back up their coverage estimates. Among this week’s reports: Aki-on’s WAKR-TV (Ch. 49) encloses letter from certified accounting firm reporting at least 26,121 uhf sets and converters sold in area on basis of questionnaire sent to 27 distributors July 31, about 7 weeks after first tests and 2 weeks after programming began. Pres. S. Bernard Berk credits local programming and big promotional campaign for heavy conversion rate in vhf-saturated area. Weed TV, WAKR-TV’s rep, issued release this week reporting uhf conversions in Cleveland, 30 mi. away, including one 400unit apartment house, whose master antenna system has been adapted to receive WAKR-TV as well as Cleveland’s 3 vhf stations. Research dept, of McClatchy Newspapers, under name of Pacific Coast Measurement Bureau, has released first of series of comprehensive surveys of audience and families in 12-county area claimed by McClatchy’s KMJ-TV, Fresno, Cal. (Ch. 24). As of July 8, survey shows 37,499 uhf sets in 90-mi. contour. Only 12% of sets in area couldn’t receive uhf station. Buffalo’s WBUF-TV (Ch. 17), which began test patterns Aug. 17 (see p. 1) reports 20-25,000 sets in area equipped for uhf as result of 6 months of continuous plugging, and adds: “Sales are terrific — 2-3000 converters and 2-3000 new sets a week.” WEEK-TV, Peoria, 111. (Ch. 43), which boosted its power early in July, points to sworn statement of its research dept, claiming coverage of 81,740 uhf sets as of July 30. And Milwaukee’s upcoming WCAN-TV (Ch. 25) quotes survey by Dr. Adolph A. Suppan, extension program dir., Wisconsin State College: “16% of those called [within city] have TV sets now able to receive Ch. 25; 46% intend to convert within 90 days. Such percentages indicate several thousand sets already equipped for WCAN-TV and 192,000 additional sets ready for Ch. 25 within 90 days.” One station that’s quite conservative in conversion claims is new NBC affiliate WVEC-TV (Ch. 15) in Norfolk area, which is getting tremendous publicity buildup (Vol. 9:29, 31). It began test patterns Aug. 15 (see p. 1) with claimed 7800 conversions toward goal of 50, GOO75, 000 by start of programming Sept. 19. Said pres. Thomas Chisman: “But 95% of the dealers were not making conversions, awaiting a test pattern. We fully anticipate at least 1000 conversions a day, now that the pattern is on a regular schedule.” Crackdown on “lukewarm” applicants was threatened by FCC this week in amendment to rules (Mimeo 93905) permitting Commission to dismiss application with prejudice when applicant losing initial decision fails to follow up by filing exceptions. Rule change, which goes into effect 30 days after publication in Federal Register, is designed to “eliminate unnecessary effort by the Commission in considering applications which applicants are no longer interested in prosecuting.” Although prompted mainly by lackadaisical AM applicants, it is equally applicable to TV and other services. Power increases: KGNC-TV, Amarillo, Tex., boosted power from 2 to 10 kw Aug. 21. Transmitter and amplifier shipments slated for this week and not previously reported: RCA 10-kw to KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, Tex.; GE 35-kw to WJBK-TV, Detroit, and KING-TV, Seattle. FCC sees “no reason” to hold public hearing on its 3-year TV license proposal (Vol. 9:30,33) as requested in petitions from Americans for Democratic Action and CIO United Automobile Workers — both denied this week. Network Accounts: Two more sponsors for NBC-TV’s Your Show of Shows this week, making that 90-min. variety near sellout for season starting Sept. 12. Latest to sign were Cat’s Paw Rubber Co. (heels & soles), thru S. A. Levyne & Co., Baltimore, and Johnson & Johnson (band aids), thru Young & Rubicam — each for 10-min. of 10-10:30 p.m. segment . . . General Foods (cereals) renews sponsorship of Red Buttons Show, starting Sept. 21, on CBS-TV, Mon. 9:30-10 p.m., thru Benton & Bowles, on 106 stations, which network claims is largest hookup for any regular network program, surpassing Admiral’s Life Is Worth Living (Bishop Sheen), on DuMont, which resumes Oct. 13 on 101 stations (Vol. 9:32) . . . Another NBC-TV show, Dave Garroway’s Today, Mon-thru-Fri. 7-9 a.m., added sponsors: General Mills (O-Cello sponge), starting Sept. 4, for 18 weeks, thru Comstock & Co., Buffalo; Beatrice Foods Co. (La Choy sauce), starting Sept. 3, for 13 weeks, thru Foote, Cone & Belding; Harry & David Corp. (fruit shippers), for week starting Nov. 4, through Guild, Bascom & Bonfigli, San Francisco . . . DuMont signs with National Basketball Assn, to televise 14 Sat. afternoon games, starting Dec. 14, but may push up schedule to Oct. 31 to add 6 more, which would compete with General Motors sponsorship of National Collegiate Athletic Assn, football games at same time . . . Miller Brewing Co. (High Life beer) to sponsor National Football League championship game Dec. 27 on DuMont for second straight season, thru Mathisson & Assoc., Milwaukee . . . Sealy Inc. (mattresses) to sponsor Comeback on ABC-TV, starting Sept. 18, Fri. 9:30-10 p.m., thru Olian Adv. . . . Consolidated Royal Chemical Corp. (Kranks shaving cream) to sponsor Arthur Murray Dance Party on NBC-TV, starting Oct. 12, Mon. 7:30-7:45 p.m., thru Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample . . . Jacques Kreisler Co. (watch bands) buys co-sponsorship, with American Chicle Co. (chewing gum), of Rocky King, Detective on DuMont, starting Sept. 27, Sun. 9-9:30 p.m., thru Foote, Cone & Belding . . . Gerber Products Co. (baby food) buys Wed. 3:45-4 p.m. portion, Corn Products Refining Co. (Linit starch) buys alt. Mon. 3:45-4 p.m., of Kate Smith Show on NBC-TV, starting Sept. 21, Mon.-thru-Fri. 3-4, former thru D’Arcy Adv., latter thru C. C. Miller . . . Block Drug Co. (Amm-i-dent tooth paste) buys alt. week sponsorship, with Speidel Co. (watchbands), of Name That Tune on NBC-TV, starting in fall, Mon. 8-8:30 p.m., thru Cecil & Presbrey . . . American Cigarette & Cigar Co. (Pall Mall) buys 5-week sponsorship of Doorway to Danger on ABCTV, starting Sept. 3, Thu. 8:30-9 p.m., thru Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles . . . Mars Candy Co. (Milky Way) renews 5:30-6 p.m. segment of Super Circus on ABC-TV, starting Sept. 6, Sun. 5-6, thru Leo Burnett Co. . . . Gruen Watch Co. renews sponsorship of Walter Winchell simulcast on ABC-TV, starting Sept. 6, Sun. 9-9:15 p.m., thru McCann-Erickson. ■ No TV channel for Beverly Hills, FCC this week told Lawrence A. Harvey, grantee of KPIC, Salem, Ore. (Ch. 24) and applicant for Los Angeles’ Ch. 34. Harvey’s request to add Ch. 58 to Los Angeles was turned down last month (Vol. 9 : 28 ) , and he lost out also in this week’s effort to get it allocated to Beverly Hills, which Commission noted “is completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles,” assigned 10 channels. Petitions regarding channel changes filed this week: (1) Coastal Bend TV Co. and H. L. Hunt, competitive applicants for Ch. 22, Corpus Christi, Tex., asked assignment of Ch. 43 to that city. (2) Oppositions to petitions of WHIS, Bluefield. W. Va. and WHPE, High Point, N. C. both seeking assignment of Ch. 6 to their respective cities — were filed by WO AY, Oak Hill, & WJLS, Beckley, W. Va.; WTVR, Richmond.