Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

6 in 1951, 3105,900,000 in 1950, 354,500,000 in 1949, 38,700,000 in 1948. Figures were on the loss side for inceptive 1947 & 1946. Comparable radio broadcasting figures: 3473,100,000 in 1952, $450,400,000 in 1951, $444,500,000 in 1950, $413,800,000 in 1949, $407,000,000 in 1948. [Both TV & radio figures, broken down as between networks & stations and showing earnings before taxes, are tabulated more completely on p. 351 of our TV Factbook No. 17.] We know how the networks are faring, thanks to the Publishers Information Bureau's monthly reports, which for the 10 months through October show total of very nearly $180,000,000 for time sales by the 4 TV networks — CBS-TV & NBC-TV accounting for about $77,000,000 each, ABC-TV $16,000,000, DuMont $8,500,000. But even if they are projected to an assured $225,000,000 or more for the whole year, these figures are more apparent than real. They're based on one-time gross rates, which probably means that only about 60% of this sum actually goes into network coffers. They're generally accepted as index to trends, however, and on the basis of the enormous upsurge they represent, the upsurge in national spot and local business on nearly all TV stations, higher rate cards — and of course the more than doubled number of stations this year — it's a good guesstimate that 1953 gross revenues could readily achieve $475,000,000, or even higher. Note : For 1952, Printers' Ink estimated $580,100,000 spent by advertisers for time, talent and all other costs. Good guess is that this figure will go up to perhaps $700,000,000 this year. Consider the report this week by the authority on TV film production & syndication, Billboard Magazine. It says that business grossed about $50,000,000 this year from all types of film alone (see Telecasting Notes). Personal Notes: Frank White, ex-NBC pres., named chairman of McCann-Erickson Corp. (International) ; George Giese promoted from v.p. to pres, of subsidiary operating company’s 17 overseas offices . . . John K. Herbert, NBC v.p. in charge of TV network sales, resigns as of Jan. 1, will be succeeded by George H. Frey, v.p. & director of sales; Herbert also quits NBC board, has not yet announced plans . . . Sam Fuller, NBC-TV director of network programming and producer of Colgate Comedy Hour, promoted to director of TV network programs, succeeding Tom McAvity, now in charge of TV network programs div.; reporting to him are Mike Dann & Roy Passman, mgr. & administrative mgr., respectively, of network programming, as well as all producers . . . Kenneth Craig, ex-exec. asst, to H. Leslie Atlass, v.p. of CBS central div., named director of business affairs, CBS Radio, Hollywood, replacing Jack Meyers, now CBS-TV script coordinator . . . Guy Herbert promoted to v.p., Stuart MacKay to gen. mgr., All-Canada Radio Facilities Ltd., national sales reps . . . Frank A. Carter, from KWFT-TV & KWFT, Wichita Falls, to Dallas office of Blair-TV, replacing Steve Beard, shifted to N. Y. office . . . Alex Roseman, recently gen. mgr. of WCAN-TV & WCAN, Milwaukee, ex-sales v.p. of WCAU-TV & WCAU, Philadelphia, becomes N. Y. business mgr. of new WTVI, St. Louis (Belleville, 111.), working with national rep firm, Weed . . . Winston Kirby, exO. L. Taylor Co., joins Weed & Co. . . . Irvin Paul Sulds, ex-theatre TV consultant to ABC-Paramount, joins Theatre Network Television Inc. (Nathan L. Halpern, pres.) as specialist in sales and production of its Tele-Sessions, closed-circuit system . . . Charles W. Stone, ex-WNAO-TV, Raleigh, succeeds Martin Silver as exec. v.p. & gen. mgr. of WTVU, Scranton, Pa. . . . Howard S. Frazier, Washington TV-radio management consultant, named gen. mgr. of proposed St. Louis Ch. 11 station by applicant 220 Television Inc., due to start hearings Dec. 31 in competition with KMOX, St. Louis Amusement Co. & St. Louis Telecast Inc.; he proposes to acquire about 10% interest in licensee and continue Washington business under lease arrangement . . . Robert B. Hoag, ex-CBS TV spot sales, replaces W. O. Edholm who resigns as gen. sales mgr. of KFMB-TV, San Diego . . . Lee Ruwitch reelected exec, v.p., John Allen elected v.p., in addition to election of Jack Shay as operations v.p., WTVJ, Miami . . . Robert B. Hoag, ex-CBS-TV spot sales, on Jan. 4 becomes commercial mgr. of KFMB-TV, San Diego . . . Dixon Harp has resigned as gen. mgr. of WETV, Macon, reports Alfred Lowe, exec, v.p.; Carl Williams, new sales mgr., replacing Barney Kobres ... A. Roy Briscoe named asst, production mgr. of new WSTV-TV, Steubenville, O. (Ch. 9) . . . Robert E. Lee (no kin to FCC Comr. Lee), ex-WAAM, Baltimore, named program mgr., WSVA-TV, Harrisonburg, Va. (Ch. 3) . . . James Paterson, ex-J. Walter Thompson, recently a B-29 pilot in Korea, has joined KNXT, Hollywood, as TV producer . . . Ralph Bachman joins D. P. Brother & Co., Detroit, as TV-radio timebuying asst, to Carl Georgi Jr., media director . . . Don Blahut, ex-Raymond Spector Co., named TV-radio director, Edward Kletter Assoc., N. Y. . . . Charles King, ex-WKAL, Rome, N. Y., named Mutual station relations contact . . . Alfred R. Stern, from film div., named asst, to Robert W. Sarnoff, NBC exec. v.p. . . . Maurice Unger, mgr. of Ziv west coast operations, promoted to v.p. . . . James L. Wolcott named exec, v.p., James S. Burkett sales mgr., Pathe Laboratories, whose Pathecolor was used on Dec. 24 colorcast of Dragnet; both are ex-Color Corp. of America . . . Humphrey Ireland, exTV director, Ruthrauff & Ryan, joins Brisacher, Wheeler & Staff, San Francisco. Ernest B. Loveman, 58, Philco v.p. who was gen. mgr. of its TV station WPTZ until its sale to Westinghouse last year (Vol. 9:8,22), collapsed of a heart attack in the company’s main plant in Philadelphia Dec. 22 and died shortly thereafter. He was Philco adv. mgr. from 1928-42, became head of its TV activities fulltime in 1945. He was unmarried. John Blair re-elected pres, of Station Representatives Assn.; v.p., Robert Meeker; secy., Adam J. Young Jr. (re-elected) ; treas., Joseph J. Weed. Directoi’s: Lewis H. Avery, Avery-Knodel; Russell Woodward, Free & Peters; Joseph Timlin, Branham.