Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

14 Telecasting Notes: “I only wish we had color TV right here now, so you could see this in all its real beauty.” This type of comment, ad-libbed by announcers more and more on TV these days, is “ill-advised,” says Schwerin Research Corp., which adds: “Promoting a feeling among viewers that they are being ‘left out’ is one of the quickest ways to build audience resentment against your program or product.” Schwerin Bulletin cites actual case in which 5 new food commercials were tested; one with “if-you-could-see-it-in-color” approach got 48% fewer viewers to remember brand name and some sales point than did average other commercial in group . . . Color TV will step up use of spot commercials, forecasts rep Joseph J. Weed; he visualizes color spots sandwiched in between monochrome shows and ultimately distributed over stations’ time schedules just as color ads are intermixed with black-&-white in magazines . . . One of nicest self-introductions we’ve ever heard of, as stated on the air Dec. 20 on occasion of commercial debut of KWTV, Oklahoma City, new CBS outlet (Vol. 9:51)— gen. mgr. Edgar T. Bell speaking: “We are planning to conduct ourselves as honored guests whenever your dial is turned to Channel 9 and you invite us into your home. We plan to make our station one of real public service to the people of Oklahoma” . . . Advertest Research reports TV viewers understand why networks go in for alternate sponsorships (e.g., Philco & Goodyear Playhouse ) and generally approve; survey showed 3 out of 4 knew they’re due to high cost of TV time and production. Highest sponsor recall for an alternately-sponsored program: Lucky Strike Hit Parade, 86%; Buick’s Milton Berle, 79% . . . Catholic Digest for Jan. starts monthly “rating” service of program favorites of its readers, ranks top ones in this order: Bishop Sheen, I Love Lucy, Toast of the Town, Dragnet, Arthur Godfrey & His Friends, What’s My Line?, Our Miss Brooks, Mama, Jackie Gleason Show, Studio One, You Bet Your Life, Liberace . . . Unsure what his rates ought to be, v.p. Bill Hoover of Eastern Okla. Television Co. Inc., grantee of Ch. 10 in Ada, Okla., this week wrote nation’s 100 top ad agencies to see if they had any suggestions, informing them he intends to adopt average of their suggestions as national rate; he enclosed complete market data on area, TV set circulation estimates and coverage map . . . More rate increases: WBBM-TV, Chicago, Class A hour from $1550 to $2000, min. from $475 to $500; WSAZ-TV. Huntington, W. Va., $500 to $600 & $100 to $120; KCBD-TV, Lubbock, $200 to $250 & $20 to $30 . . . KFAZ, Monroe, La. (Ch. 43), which started last Aug. with $150 rate, has reduced it to $100, cutting min. also from $22.50 to $14.50. a President and Mrs. Eisenhower got color set last week as gift from RCA chairman David Sarnoff — and promptly put it to use, watching colorcast of Amahl and the Night Visitors Dec. 20. It was placed in White House oval study, where two 21-in. black-&-white receivers are recessed in wall. Other RCA color sets in Washington are in Shoreham Hotel suite of Gen. Sarnoff; office and home of NBC v.p. Frank Russell; home of Carleton Smith, WNBW v.p. & gen. mgr.; viewing room of Sheraton Park Hotel studios of WNBW — plus transmitter monitor there. FCC’s color decision is legally effective Jan. 22, or 30 days after publication in Federal Register Dec. 23. Of course, for all practical purposes, decision is now effective, since Commission ruled that stations can go ahead commercially immediately, only requirement being that they notify FCC. Commission has interpreted its ruling to mean that notification by network suffices for its affiliates. Kansas City’s Sheriff Owsley, buying 12 TV sets for county jail, is quoted in AP dispatch as stating, “Keeps ’em from thinking about who they’re going to rob when they get out.” Fight over Comr. Robert E. Lee’s confirmation as FCC member appears to be shaping up as Congress prepares for second session beginning Jan. 6. Lee holds recess appointment, without pay, subject to approval by Senate. He has been sharply attacked by several writers, bitter foes of Sen. McCarthy, because of his friendship with McCarthy and his alleged activities on behalf of the Senator’s supporters. Among critics of Lee are St. Louis Post-Dispatch, columnists Marquis Childs and Doris Fleeson. Latest to blast Lee is free-lance writer Arthur R. Main, with lead article in Dec. 19 Nation titled “McCarthy’s $300,000 Windfall,” referring to free TV-radio time McCarthy obtained to answer ex-Pres. Truman during Harry Dexter White controversy. Two applications for new TV stations were filed with FCC this week. With 7 dismissals, pending applications were reduced to 351 (74 uhf). Week’s applications were for Shorewood, Wis., Ch. 31 (allocated to Milwaukee), by Harold R. Murphy, former applicant for same channel, whose application was reinstated by order of FCC; for Fayetteville, N. C., Ch. 18, by adman Ralph E. Hess, whose purchase of radio WFAI from Rollins Bcstg. Co. pends FCC approval. [For further details about these applications, see TV Addenda 17 -Y herewith; for complete listings of all grants, new stations, applications, dismissals, hearings, see TV Factbook No. 17 & Addenda to date.] Copley Press Inc.’s purchase of K LAC-TV, Los Angeles (Ch. 13) from Mrs. Dorothy Schiff Sonnenborn (Vol. 9:49) was approved by FCC Dec. 23, and station will soon become known as KCOP and will have Jack Heintz, from San Diego’s radio KSDO, as new mgr., succeeding Mrs. Sonnenborn’s son Mortimer W. Hall. Big publishing firm, whose newspaper chain includes 7 Los Angeles County dailies, paid $1,375,000 for TV outlet, did not acquire sister AM station KLAC, which Hall will continue to manage. Interconnected by AT&T to nationwide TV network facilities this week: WDAN-TV, Danville, 111.; KWTV, Oklahoma City. These make total of 239 stations in 147 U. S. cities on network routes. Next on interconnection schedule are WOSH-TV, Oshkosh, Wis.; WSTV-TV, Steubenville, O.; KCEB, Tulsa; KCMC-TV, Texarkana, Tex.; WLBT, Jackson, Miss.; KOA-TV, Denver. AT&T this week filed application with FCC to construct new OrlandoWest Palm Beach microwave relay, which would make possible 2 additional TV network channels. TV-radio will add nearly $1,000,000 to receipts of New Year’s Day football bowl games, about half as much as spectators will pay at gate. Associated Press gives this roundup of TV-radio contributions to major bowl receipts: Rose Bowl, TV-radio $610,000, gate $340,000; Orange Bowl, TV-radio $70,000, gate $386,000; Cotton Bowl, $120,000 (including programs & concessions) and $300,000; Sugar Bowl, $100,000 (estimate) & $365,000; East-West All-Star (Jan. 2), $65,000 & $280,000. Sale of Crosley’s radio WINS, New York, to J. Elroy McCaw and Jack Keating for $450,000 was approved by FCC this week. It’s understood theatreman Charles Skouras will acquire 50% interest, and McCaw agrees to divest himself of interests in KPOA, Honolulu; KILO, Hilo; KORC, Mineral Wells, Tex. World’s tallest TV tower now in use is WHIO-TV’s in Dayton, O., measuring 1104 ft. from base to top of antenna. If it’s possible to overlook a 1104-ft. tower, that’s exactly what we inadvertently did in story last week on high towers (Vol. 9:51). WHIO-TV tower has been in use since late last month. Color tape recording of Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses parade is reportedly being planned by Bing Crosby Laboratories.