TV Guide (April 9, 1955)

as we see it r-j • r •] The TV Code of good practices, to which most television stations sub¬ scribe, is a rather vague document when it comes to the sections on ad¬ vertising messages. Says the Code: “Ever mindful of the role of television as a guest in the home, the television broadcaster should exercise unceasing care to su¬ pervise the form in which advertising material is presented over his facili¬ ties. . . . Advertising messages should be presented with courtesy and good taste; disturbing or annoying material should be avoided. . . .” Because it is such a broad document, the Code is no help at all in the cur¬ rent blight of high-pressure pitchmen on local stations. These well-paid barkers usually have legitimate prod¬ ucts to hawk. But in at least a few cases they have advertised appliances at “bargain” rates which were used as a come-on to switch buyers to higher priced products. Even when the advertisers are hon¬ est (and we assume that with few exceptions they are), the pitchman approach to advertising is an undig¬ nified and thoroughly repugnant im¬ position upon the viewer. Advertising pays for our TV entertainment, but sponsors who go in for high-pressure tactics definitely are overdoing what normally is a good thing. Perhaps it is impossible for the TV Code to define “high-pressure sales methods” and ban such methods from television. If it is impossible, we can only hope that, in time, viewers will become immune to the raucous-voiced pitchmen and their batteries of phone numbers. When all of us attain im¬ munity, the sales of products adver¬ tised by pitchmen will drop, and the barkers will go back where they be¬ long—to the carnival midways. Contents TELETYPES New York .. 3 Hollywood .23 ARTICLES This Is Videotown, U.S.A . 4 It'll Be A Subway Series, Men .10 Post-graduate Course For Headliners . 12 CLOSE-UP Up-And-Coming Robert Cummings.. 13 TV GUIDE SPECIAL O'Connor And Miller Write A Song For TV GUIDE . 8 PICTURE FEATURES Beauty Is A Bore ......16 Don't Go Away Madl .18 REVIEWS The Eddie Cantor Show .20 Studio 57 .....21 COLUMNS Fine Tuning • By OHie Crawford ..21 Confidentially . . . By Earl Wilson .22 Caver Photo By Elmer Holloway, NBC Vol. 3. No. 15 • Apr. 9. 1955 # 10 * Walter H. Annenberg, Editor Merrill Panitt, Managing Editor Alexander H. Joseph, Associate Editor Harry Harris, Associate Editor Oliver H. Crawford, Programming Editor Michael J. O'Neill, Advertising Director Donald P. Kahn, Promotion Director Henry H. Oschay, Circulation Director James T. Quirk, Publisher TV GUIDE is published weekly by Triangle Publications, Inc., 400 N. Broad Slreel, Philadelphia 1, Pa. Rlttenhouse 6 1600. National Advertising Office, 488 Madison Ave., New York 23- N. Y. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office at Philadelphia. Pa. Subscription Rates: In the U. S. 1 year $5.00, 2 years $8.00,3 years $11.00, single copy 15c; In Can¬ ada 1 year $6.00, 2 years $10.00,3 years $14.00; in Pan-Amer¬ ican Countries 1 year $7 00. 2 years $12 00 , 3 years $17.00; In other Foreign Countries 1 year $8.00, 2 years $14.00, 3 years $70.00. Copyright 1955 by Triangle Publications. Inc. No material in TV GUIDE, including program information, may be reprinted without permission of the copyright owner. Address subscriptions and changes of address to Box 8019, Philadelphia 1, Pa. Please allow four weeks for change of address.