Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

6 NEW DIRECTIONS THAT RADIO MUST FOLLOW': As it did during the recent crisis forced by raids on its TV affiliates (Vol. 9:20-22), NBC brought up its big guns led by RCA-NBC chairman and acting NBC president David Sarnoff to meet the problem of its declining radio revenues — and result was a head-on facing of "facts of radio life" as wrought by TV. Result also, as with TV affiliates last May, was a vote of confidence from radio affiliates attending Sept. 17 sessions in Chicago, who called the Sarnoff analysis of "new directions that radio must follow" and the new NBC programming and sales plans "a milestone in the history of the NBC radio network. " It's no secret that CBS's consistent leadership in radio billings over last few years has irked the RCA-NBC hierarchy. Nor is it a secret that many NBC affiliates — at least those who didn't get into TV — have been accusing that network of neglecting radio in favor of TV. Detailed plans for building up sales and promises to regain No. 1 position in radio were designed to allay that criticism. Sarnoff's speech was intended to crystal-ball radio, as he often has TV, and he began it by urging all broadcasters to "face the facts of life in radio — not as they were in the past, or as we might wish them today, but as they are." Speech was a long one and, though the salient portions are excerpted below, we commend a reading of its full text by everybody interested in the business of broadcasting; you don't have to be an affiliate to get copies from NBC press dept.. New York (address Sydney Eiges, v.p. in charge). Personal Notes: C. George Henderson, ex-sales director of WLWC, Columbus, named gen. sales mgr. for the 4 Crosley WLW-TV stations, with Bernard Barth promoted to gen. program director for all TV-radio outlets and Chester Herman program director. Neal Van Ells, exWLWD, Dayton, named program director of WLWT, Cincinnati, and Robert Head succeeds him at Dayton . . . James Burgess succeeds Henderson at WLWC . . . Tom Howard has resigned as chief engineer of WPIX, New York, to become director of engineering of the TV-radio interests of Jefferson Standard (WBTV & WBT, Charlotte, et al.) ; Otis S. Freeman succeeds him at WPIX . . . Fred M. Thrower, recently named gen. mgr. of WPIX, N. Y., succeeding G. Bennett Larson, now head of KDYL-TV & KDYL, Salt Lake City, elected v.p. of WPIX Inc. . . . Harold C. Burke, onetime mgr. of WBAL-TV & WBAL, Baltimore, appointed managing director of new WRTV, Asbury Park, N. J. (Ch. 58), due in early Dec.; he retains own CP for WWLA, Lancaster, Pa. (Ch. 21), due on air next Feb. . . . Don L. Kearney, asst. ABC-TV network sales mgr., promoted to national sales mgr. of ABC film syndication div. under v.p. George T. Shupert . . . Morris A. Mayers, from DuMont transmitter div., appointed gen. mgr. of closed circuit operations for WABD & DuMont Network . . . Jacob A. Evans, NBC director of adv. & promotion, takes over for TV while Ridgway Hughes, formerly TVradio sales promotion mgr., becomes director of network’s radio adv. & promotion dept, in new separation of functions; James Nelson named adv. mgr. for radio; Robert Hitchens, sales promotion mgr.; Carl Dorese, program sales promotion; Thaine Engle, audience promotion supervisor . . . Stephen W. Pozgay, ex-DuMont transmitter sales div., named mgr. of new WNAM-TV, Neenah, Wis. (Ch. 42) due on air soon . . . Allan Lewis, ex-WGR, named commercial mgr. of new WBES-TV, Buffalo . . . Jerry Burns, ex-KDYL-TV, Salt Lake City, joins upcoming KOOL-TV, Phoenix, as director of TV; Wm. Connelly upped from AM sales mgr. to sales director for combined TV-radio operation . . . Duane L. Watts, gen. mgr. of KHAS, Hastings, Neb., to be mgr. of upcoming new KHOL-TV, KearneyHoldredge, Neb. . . . Earl Hamner Jr., NBC script-writer, author of novel Fifty Roads to Town just published by Random House . . . Dick Kepler, ex-program director of KXLY-TV, Spokane, named mgr. of new KGTV, Des Moines (Ch. 17), due on air in Oct. WHITHER RADIO? Looking into his crystal ball, which so accurately foretold what has happened in TV, RCA-NBC’s Gen. Sarnoff told NBC affiliates at Chicago meeting Sept. 17, “I do not see the picture in radio as one of unrelieved gloom.” But — “Neither do I look upon it with the bubbling optimism that has characterized some public statements on the subject — as if resolute cheerfulness would solve all problems.” “Instead,” he said, “I recognize that basic changes have taken place and are continuing to take place, and that they disturb the old patterns of this medium. Those changes have created new problems for radio, some of them real with menace, others exaggerated by unjustified jitters. “But these new problems also point to new directions that radio must follow. If these directions are opened up without too much delay and are developed boldly, radio stations can continue to operate at a substantial profit, and a profitable network operation is also possible. “It is no secret that the changes in radio which have been brought about by TV have had their initial and most drastic impact on radio networks. The reasons are not far to seek. The economic base for network radio was built on major advertisers and time-&-talent units of about $1,000,000 a year. It is for investments of that magnitude that TV competes directly and successfully. “Radio stations, selling their time in smaller and more diversified units, selling not only to national but to regional and local advertisers, could accommodate themselves more quickly to shifts and pressures imposed by TV. “But any radio station management which feels smug or complacent on this account is short-sighted. The prospects of profitable station operation and profitable network operation cannot be dissociated. If the networks operate in the red over a period of time, their existence would be in jeopardy; and the collapse of any radio network might destroy the profit potential of its affiliates. * * * * “I for one will not cast a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the future of radio. I am convinced that there is and that there will continue to be a large audience and substantial advertising revenue for a national radio service. This does not mean that the field is unlimited, or that everyone in it is sure to survive. I believe, however, that the field will remain large enough to support those networks which possess basic strength, a true sense of their