Variety (December 1963)

washington: Dee: 40: The routine , announcement by. ABC that it’s switching its’ tv. net-' he ‘work affiliation from KPTV. (T¥).to KATU (TY).in'‘the four-chan~ . Seattle. : Effective March 1, io64, “ABC-TV. ‘witches: itsPortland aifilia: _ ‘tion. from KPTV, owned ‘by: ‘Chris. Craft Industries; to KATU; whose ownership is. controlled by a 60% stock ownership of Fisher’s Blend -Station: ine, which also owns ‘the : “ABC affiliate, ‘KOMO-TV . in. c ce Seattle. : we “Latter: market is: the: only. major wz ‘8. ‘city. where ABC ranks first: bie Ora. strong second in xudience and. where: CBS, by ‘virtue of an -:. Inferior coverage ‘affiliate, KIRO-TV, is ‘a. definite third. But CBS, -. “Gn the view: of D.C. insiders, was not: in a good position to take ~ over. the ABC affiliate.so long as Sen: Warren. G:‘Magnuson, chair_ * man’ of. the all-powerful Senate’ ‘Interstate Commierce. Committee. “>: “(watehdog over-the FCC); retained. a small stock ownership in the... "CBS Seattle affiliate, When, a few months ago, Sen. Magnuson ‘sold .. his KIRO-TV. stock, observers saw the: CBS. opportunity. to make its ' Jong anticipated move in Seattle; one-of the nation’s top 20 Inarkets.. . -ABG’s switch in Portland: to. # station, which as ‘an independent. .. peaches 7% of the evening audience (according™ to'the Oct..’63:ARB) in. favor ‘of its. present: affiliate. whose ABC clearances -and. 28% share’ qualifies. it..as. fully’ as” ‘good as.other ABC affils: around -thecountry, is viewed by some as.a countermove: to protect: its: position in Seattle, “a .considerably’ larger. market. Had -KPTV been ‘owned _ bya group owner, with ABC: affiliations in .othermarkets (such —ag Storer, Westinghouse ‘or Taft etc.), ‘observers: feel it. would ‘have: “had nodifficulty. holding on to the’ ‘ABC affiliation. | :. .. But now: that KPTV is. obliged ‘to agcept the “group. “ownership” . ‘facts of life;.its market. value—estimated at ‘about $6,000,000—has 7 ‘plummetted to about $1,500,000. This approximate 75% drop in the ‘ selling: price. value, of. course,, -traces ‘to. the. impending. drop. in _ a .., profits:-Station has been earning about $600,000 per annum before .. J 1) taxes. As an independent, observers say, it. will have Ereat’ difficulty ; in ‘showing. any. profit’ ‘in’ the Portland market... DOF [Albaqueraue, ‘Dee. 10; . One. of the. best national: = Wt. ail aS . "Allied. Artists: ‘Pelevision’s g seh ence fiction: feature. sales. ‘continue ity ‘gimmicks ever. worked up for | * gnetwork radio-television «show. may come to. an end in early. Janu ary, asthe result.of a: ‘petition’ signed’: by .600. ‘residents of. the sleepy ‘little New .Mexico: burg. of Truth: or’ Consequences: : The.‘name of ‘the « town” was. changed | from” Hot: Springs” -to . Truth or 14950: 7 ‘tional ‘publieity.” Each spring, . Edwards brings: in Lo ‘a load -of film-television: headliners.|’ [€, »\ ‘for the,annual “Ralph Edwards |. 2 , Fiesta” in the town, resulting in |*_ ‘more. publicity: They. usually doa / FF] 1 series of network shows from. the |ET » town at the same. time. Last September, .a group of ‘resi|" ‘dents: ‘started circulating. ‘petitions |.” asking that a vote be called: to de-}:: cide whether or. not to return: to the: original name, ‘Hot Springs. . _*. After’ going.‘over.-the petitions, members of . the | city: commission: figured’ they. were. legit and decided. to call: the election . on Jan. 7 13. ‘and: is located about south -of ft Albuquerque. MW Bi in Bid For ~~ Chi, Texas Us $ Washington, Dec,. 10... “Town: has. “About 2 500: residents Warner: ‘Bros. told. FCC it. wants ; .. to build:.-UHF. -television stations. in: Chicago and .Fort. Worth: . ”-. struction: * permit . and revenues at.$800,000. — In-:Fort ‘Worth, “Warners”. pree * dicted it would put’ out $1,530,096 _ >with . first year” coin. ‘and. “eosts: at 7 $850, 000... _ Warners said ‘it: ‘would finance Continued orn page * 42). _ Consequences in “1950, ‘7 after. Ralph Edwards .and .aHolly“-! ‘ood’ troupe.” broadcast. a.radio | | : | show. of the same name -from_ the city... An ‘élection in November, |: ‘approved ‘the change,. .and |, ‘the. town. was: officially -retitied,:| : pesulting in, ‘national and: interna| have. heen gold to 107 ‘stations. oie ‘The extension, ainematios = "| markets, the few stations of which “ af ._ | may: enjoy what is tantamount toy | ni a monoply situation. eo} In ‘terms ‘of* supply;. ‘Metro’ TV: |. | Seven Arts Associated, and: United: to: .mount -as more . Stations are adopting: a thematic Science: fiction: “Chiller : Theatre”, slot. | -°-~’ Five of the most. recent stations. \ to. initiate this programming . are FWKBW; Buffalo; : WTTG, ‘Washing-: ‘ton: SKAVE,. Carlsbad, KSBW, ‘Salinas, Calif: ‘seience“fiction . pix WGHP, High | Point,” N.C.; “NM; AA-TV’S': "London, Dec:: 10. _ Outfit is not only supplying. BBC _ fwith, its. major. documéntary ‘proj:, Lects,but has. .a . deat ‘with A-¥. | whereby the latter gets first-refusal -on ‘all. “actuality” shows ‘coming ‘from. the NBC. production. unit in. 9 aris: ‘headed ‘by: George . Vieas.: | And; importantly, :NBC:1 has -shift ed_nearly-40hours of NBC docu-]: | mentartes. to Yegional stations like .| Tyne-Tees-TV.. cand. ‘Border. within | thelast three. months. :: : ‘CBS,.:-too; ‘is ‘selling. strongly. in: ‘pitch this felt and Pac fate. “has. moved. ‘is: | -fits. “ en ” ument The’ fin. comipany . ‘filed ‘eonto TWW .and™ ‘Tyné-Tees-TV.. aries ok -Yequests -. for.|" _ 7° ghannel 38 in Chicago and channel: _ “30 in. Fort .Worth. “>. _. Warners said it expécted to spend: “St, 486,397 ‘to build the Chicago . Outlet ‘and. ‘estimated first year costs: ‘According toone American’ dis -tributor, an hour documentary. will ‘fetch roughly. the. same per. hour as .will-'an: entertainment. ‘series. ‘in’ anygiven’ area. But it’ has the. added advantage .of qualifying -for |. “4 “outer quota”. status: (which means: a. local: indie can. screen it -without.it: counting. against. the -eightJour+} {foreign : entertainment . quota : (so}oe as Subject matter is considered’ DY the . “Independent © “Television, (Continued on" “age 38) — (See. ‘separate story is. deal for the posts of Universal, | «* ..| distributed by. Seven:.Arts), 1: pean Only major. Holtywood * studio. ._ | with. a yet. untapped for tv post-’48 library is Paramount... ‘Reports. are ‘that Paramount currently is .thinking of the . possibility Of: -distriDating: itself, rather than. séll dis© ‘tritaation. . ‘Tights ° to. ‘an outside | al a a | Columbia. made ~*~ has ¢ ; ‘Stadiee and has: until the spring to. "| notify each studio, on: “its. "64-65 | plans, © ‘Developing: as a major trend: ‘in| | program: sales: in:: this. market,” is: the tiiovement’ of American-made ‘documentaries ‘ onto. :the: commer: cial web, ‘here. ‘Local. 4@ well as: nyajor™: ‘stations’ are“now. Snapping ; up: Yank: documentaries | On an un-. | precedented ‘scale as + illustrated by. ‘NBC-International’s Tecerd, ‘TV: has. picked. , sales. track. tia _ ea eT ons . ‘Artists Television. thave néw packResidents 0 of Ne ew / Mexico Burg Petition for. or Switch | ages on the market, all of which wo _, Back to Hot: Springs sales at-a-nice ‘clip, on CBS o&0 wings are ‘Pictures: tv. the first big. pos " divisi "(0-odd. cinematics: -toward: the end of. 1964, tn. for more pix from both cinematics, syndicators.. reports: a brisk: biz, ‘Metromedia’s:WNEWup’. some. of the: ‘Metro. TV pre-’48’s, which had been: licensed :over. a seven-year: period ‘to. WCBS-TV: :Other stations . also. are: expected: to. sign: for: different. ‘pre-'48 Metros:in the N. Y. market, | -with one ef the indies:now thi ‘in terms of going all night utilizing. ‘Metro. pre-"48 product.. ‘Other mar kets thinking of going .-ali ‘night | with. telecasting: of. pre-’48 pix inelude. Chicago: and Los. Angeles. ‘Chicago’: 3 WGN-TV © How is.all night ‘two. days per week with |: : ‘pix,: reports __ ‘biz fine. detract from the pulling power. of. J the pix, if the same pix are in a..different. time -period.‘The |: “Late. Show”. ‘audience, for .*example, is held. to be. ‘quite: ‘different from -the audiences: who. watched, the 20th-Fox, features on the web. “Metro TV and SG. also are using. the. rerun rating ‘punches: ‘of ‘their. “pix. aS sales: ammunition with: s suc-. cess, : No. matter ‘what: end ‘of the pix. to-tv: biz is: examined, the situation: looks © healthy. andthe | Prospects "good: Sayed Bs “Thrust: of: féaturesitoty biz: con7 ‘tihues upward, ‘with interest’ ‘high | <1 on. new. pix: product for the home| screen; and with U.S. Stations . ‘re-| .| pacting for pre-48’s.° = — Another development, fed by the | “ availability: of ‘a lot :of pre-’48. product, | being: repacted; ’ “is that’ ‘stations: in ‘major cities are looking. toward extending’ their. broadcast: day. “now ‘being t |.mulled’ “in.” key: ‘markets, : “would | either. find. the station. closing’ later: “ Jin’ the evening, or. in‘ the. bigger |key ‘markets, staying up!all night + (like * ‘WCBS-TV) with: “ unwinding. | . Prices. contiziué to be ‘a. market | by: market affair... In | some’ key. : “markets, = price’ ‘ plateauis: felt: ta: have: been’ reached. at ‘a ‘relatively: -:[bigh level. In other markets, ‘some | of: them: important, prices. can bel} “| moved: up: with’: new “product, acf, [cording -to’ pix syndicators. ANY | those. on the’ sales end speak of a |. “| healthy feature ‘film. situation, with Le | demand ‘good from ‘stations across . the country. Prices continue. firm, | _.| with the .exception of some: minor | -became . an A -WISH-Radio joi ed’ ‘CBS. Another comparative large bun ; dle of pix waiting in the :} those. from Columbia Pictures . of ‘more recent: vintage. Screen. Genis, ~"48° splash | [by .Gistribating. 5° pix; adding : Jn. , SG. “has. anv ‘approximate 100. other |: ‘TL: |. fpix’ through 1960 ‘under. its. wings. “and. is expected to bring. them to buparget: ‘The Corruptors.”.° = « j arket .Cities covered. were Indianapolis, | Cincinnati,:. Pittsburgh, San’ Fran-. cisco, Chicago; Houston, ‘Philadel par the” non-syndication. _ “area, |. NBC-TV. ‘is due to. notify 20th-Fox. Land Metro ‘TV. whether the web | aati | will aed ‘its feature. showcase | ay and Monday nights, Web. “In ‘the Sieetistiig’ of. Hollywood ‘Tiventieth-Fox, ‘dloiig with United | 1 ‘Artists. Television, having. off-net-. work -recent: pix: packages to sell, ‘Ewentieth-Fox. | Philadelphia ‘Ea slotted. a Oe! “ee meal oar EE TL OEE IT NS TT RA I AE tle bite ~ WRB Back to (BS . -Indianapotis, Dec. 10.: > StationWEMB;Indianapolis; : ‘will reaftiliate with the C Campbell, v.p.. and. ‘general man|. ager. WFBM-TV will continue its | affiliation with the NBC television: 41.(WCBS-TV); ‘Chicago (WBBM-TV), ” network. Phe. Yodal adie": ‘station was one: of the country’s first CBS. stations, ‘affiliated’ with: the network: from “At. that time it. 1928 until .1956. -radio. outlet . and. India-. napolis.. has: been. without a CBS radio outlet’ since thesale. of. WISH.: and:" that, station’s. ‘change : an__indepe ndent, in. excluded . “from the deal because. ‘to. WAWE, jaid-November. ‘WGEE: ig. now. the ‘local. ABC. affiliate, affiliate. Te, pa “PTC's itike Nidorf sent. the 1 com‘petition YTunning for the: numbers | | when. he stated. in a Varirry interview: (Nov... 20) © that first run]. : syndicated. shows have been: rack-|_ ‘Ing up much. ‘better. ratings. than. the: off-network series." * .. Ben Firestone, veepee. and. general manager of Pour Star Distribution,’ put his. -staff. to the ‘task of a ratings probe comparing the first-run . ‘product. with. off‘network, ‘using the ARB October rating figures. Study.. shows-eon-. clusively, says Firestone, that the ‘Four Star off-web shows. outrated | the first-runners: in. seven: out of | ‘eight cities covered: by ‘the report. } -First-run shows covered. in. the } Four Star study. were “The Saint,” | | “Fractured ‘Flickers; : “Battleline”: “Consistently . seoring higher ratings, Says Fire-. and “Lawbreakers. ¥.. ‘stone, | were. “Zane -Grey Theatre,” “Dick Powell. Th eatre” “Rifleman,”’: . phia and Seattle. A.sepatate study | " (Nov.’ 10-18 Arbitron): has “ pulling 12.8.to top .“Saint’s” as "sms 7 3 nel market. ‘oF Portland,. Ore. has caused ‘unusual. and. most. unrou-. OS. 1 EXPAND HOURS 7 : tine reaction in. D.C: tv. and: FCGC-oriented‘circles. .° . as ee ;: . Insiders suspect that the. Iong-rumered: switch :was. effectiated’ by. ian ie ABC’s acceding to.a group. ownership. power-play which’ ‘quite likely cot involved. ABC's: ability. to ‘continue fahold its: strong affiliate in ” CBS-radio. network .on.-Jan. 5, says Eldon. ‘Louis © “Detectives,” : cal wale of feature films in Jocal vatias markets boomed _to peak | levels: this week.on. the basis is of two {major deals made by Seven Arts Associated to. four CBS-TV o20's.. and by. MGM-TV. to. WNEW-TV, N.Y. “The | ‘Seven “Arts: sale to the four CBS-TV.. stations in: New York Philadelphia. (WCAU-TV). and St. ‘(KMOX-TV). covered post-1950 Universal feature. films, which: Seven Arts bought earlier this year for $21,000,000. The price ‘paid by the CBS outlets was under stood to haye been over $15,000,000. a figure that is tops for any . . feature film ‘sale to television . to. 215 ‘date. CBS’ Los Angeles o&o was: KHJ-TY, the. RKO General station WNEW-TV: paid $1,000,000 ‘for a on | group. of 125 pre-1948 MGM films, the largest deal ever made by this *. ‘| Metromedia indie; .This | films was a ‘selection. from the. 400. WJ jor so‘titles in Metro’s pre-1948. J =< library which. WCBS-TV had li-: 1) -cemsed, but failed-to renew. Among ~ | the titles WNEW-TV bought are “Command Decision, “Bataan,” “A ' | Guy Named: Joe,’’ “They Were Ex-. Seconds Over: of pendable,” “30 . -Tokyo,”..““Billy. The Kid,” . Jekyll © ‘and Mr: Hyde,” “edward *.-/ in that city; picked up its. option ‘| for: the. ‘Seven. Arts package.. _ My Son,”: “Treasure Island”. and. “Woman of. the Year.” ‘The Seven Arts package. ‘of 215. 7 Universal: features contains ‘such titles as “Magnificent “The Glenn Miller Story," “The ‘Far Country,” “The World In His Arms,” “Six..Bridges ToCross,” “Man Without. .A Star, ” WwW chester °732" "SN bler,” “Al “That ‘Heaven. Allows,” “Bend of the River,” “Tomahawk,” “The Spoilers,” “Sign of the Pasha.” ‘Also. ° comedy films with Abbott. & Costello, “Ma and Pa “Francis, The Talking Mule.” Pagan,” “The Shrike” od “Yankee included are the “The” ‘latest’ acquisition by the : CBS o&o’'s is. in addition te casts ‘of other .films: bought. ‘from Seven: Arts. WCBS-TV, N; Y., previously: picked up 134 titles from Seven. Arts’ : ‘packages. WBBM-TV, and. KMOX-TV, St. Louis, have 93 titles -from the same series, and s¢ does WCAU-TV, Philadelphia. | ‘of. the. New: York City’ ‘ratings |g ry man” rating 12.6 and “Detectives” Ws . 10:9, | “Fractured. Flickers’ 3.4 and| ¥ “Battleline’s” | §.7,. ‘in: ‘the: eight. cities. outside’ New “York. is ‘San Franeisco:: “Saint,” 4.53 -“Lawbreaker, ”" $8.0:. “Rifle‘tian,’ 11.5% “Detectives”: (bale: hour. version),11.0: ae In Cincinnati, “Saint”? U5 to i 0. 10-DAY SUSPENSION { to outpull the Dick, Powell. show: r by as | Philadélphia: Dee. 10.° ‘Tom: " Brookshier. L es defensive. back: who is now: sports director fat ‘the -WCAU. ‘stations ‘has. -been: ,{ suspended for 10° days’ from. his. shows at WCAU. Radio...._His.tv ap pearances, however, ‘continue dur| ing: that period. action: “ was” legs. nights covering .the ‘National . | Football. League’s' draft . Sessions. in Chicago for the: station. <= :: -, John.-O. . Downey, general. man ‘ager of: ‘the. CBS: o&0. radio: sta«: tion,: confirmed. thatthe suspension '| was for -disciplinary. reasons | ‘but: “did . "Rot. _Plaborate. © ee ee ee FOR. BROOKSHIER| : ‘the. former } . Brookshier, ‘who will ‘be or ‘the’. a ‘radioair-until: Dec: 16; said: the | “disciplinary and4 stemmed from” his. refusal: to. at-'|‘tend ‘a. luncheon. after two.‘ sleep| ‘WABC-TV had| ” it | already shelved. “‘Lawbreakers:” ‘Sample of: the ‘way they ‘pulled. | -News "independent, , has bought “WBFM, ‘New. York, operated by ‘Muzak | ‘division of the Wrather Corp., for a-reported $400;000, sub | ject. to FCC: approval. |. Daily.-News recently sold its . | 49% interest in New. York FM out‘| let WNCN, clparing the way for. | the: WPIX.. ‘purchase of WBFM. _ | WPIX will take over ‘operation of. | the station, continuing to Jeage « on ‘longterm ‘basis -Muzak’s channel transmission. which fonds | background ‘music over the air to™ area bars/andrestaurants. ' WPIX exet veepee Fred Throw-. ‘er says, “For several years we have. -watched.. closely the growing: pub-. “Films of the "50s". WPIX:TV, the New York Daily) lic interest: in EFM, hi-fi and stereo. ‘AS a result, ‘we decided to join the . development of FM broadcast‘ing. in. New York.” “OK KOME 3156 Sale ": Washington, Dec, 10. KOME-AM, : -Tulsa,.. KQME Ine. was past owner of ‘the: Tulsa. station. ‘In ‘okaying the sale, Commission: said: Producers would have to com-ply with multiple ownership rules. sleds ea aa ce ata ot a rn ot “FCC: kayed the $315,000 sale of to Producers } Inc., licensee of several California, | and midwestern ‘stations... 4i a We