Variety (March 1950)

NBC television, reflecting the greater number of*Hs primary affiliates in comparison with competing networks! again led the other three major video webs in average sponsored program ratings in the January network Hoopers^ most recent available, Web* in addition, led with more sponsored shows, more homes reached and more stations uSed. As a result of the larger ratings and greater number of stations available to NBC advertisers, the web claims it is able to deliver an average of 130,000 more homes per program than CBS-TV, its nearest competitor. Following is the four-network breakdown in the various categories for January: Average Average Homes Hooper Reached . Per City Stations Average No. of/: Program in Rating Programs Hooper Cities 27.2 28 853,300 21 26 723,175 20 11 314,553 DuMont » . . . . 14.7 6 305,908 NBC V * • • • • .*. • Per Network Program 23 i7 15 12 Chicago, March 14. Problems facing the TV industry were given full airing at the threeday National Television Conference attended by 260 video officials which ended here last Wednesday (8>. Station managers, wrestling with red-ink operations, presented divided viewpoints on programming methods. Agency people offered varying opinions as to the effectiveness of the . medium fbiv individual products. This diffuse quality of video success stories, ranging from strong approval to friendly skepticism, was echoed by advertiser representatives along with complaints against unstable program costs. Morning session of closing day was enlivened by argument between Henry C. Bonfig, Zenith Corp. veepee, and Robert II. O'Brien, secretary-treasurer of United Paramount Theatres, over impact of video on theatre audiences. Bonfig, in describing Zenith’s Phonevision, said tele viewers are going to film theatres less arid less, and some will stop altogether. This, O'Brien denied, saying TV will result in no such drastic change in theatregoing habits. * There will be changes, he admitted, but the theatre, “rooted as it is in our oldest and most cherished social practices, will survive them.” Story Increase in Pix Russ Johnson, v.p. of Jerry Fairbanks Films, speaking at the Wednesday luncheon, predicted a strong increase in use of TV films over (Continued on page 38) * ‘Beal the Clock’ on TV “Beat the Clock,” radio quiz show which had a run oil the CBS network last year, will be aired by the web as a television , program starting next Thursday (23); It’s to be slotted each Thursday at 9:45 pirn., starting off as a sustainer. Show is a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman package. . Pressing to round out its daytime television plans before the new schedule tees off May 2, WNBT, key N. Y. station of the NBC-TV web, has retained Martini Stone Associates, indie package agency, to supervise an hour-long audience participation show for womep, which will probably be patterned after radio’s “Breakfast in Hollywood.” Show is to be aired from 10 to 11 a. m. cross-the-board, preceding Kathi Norris.' “Television Shopper,” Quarter-hour cooking show featuring Josephine McCarthy will probably follow the ■ Shopper” program, from noon to 12:15 p.m. Stone program, tentatively titled (Continued on page 43 1 • > ' > * -j ' ■ 1 1 ’v — • \ »..? /.'v? • (!!• : Greater percentage Of television setowners are now using their sets than ever before in the industry’s history. That fact, revealed in a roundup of the most recent network Hoopera tings, indicates not only that the so-calied novelty factor in video viewing is less than was originally supposed, but that, if the trend continues as set circulation increases, other forms of show biz are in for* a maximum of competition. Hooper report for January, the latest available, also reveals Tuesr day night regained its place as the top viewing night of the week, with Sunday a close second. In addition, the report underscores the heavier competition for audiences in N, Y." than in other network cities surveyed. Of 62 shows on which ratings for' both are available, 49 showed a network rating bigger than its N. Y. rating, while eight li ad a difference of less than one point, and five had a . higher rating in N, Y. Steady increase in the percentage of sets tuned in during the month resulted in a sets-in-use figure for January of 60.3, highest of any month since network Hoopera tings were instituted. Industry analysts point . out that set sales enjoyed a tremendous spurt during the final three months of 1949. but believe the number of new’ sets was (Continued on page 431 By GEORGE ROSEN The old adage “the good that men do lives after them” carries an “even into TV” appendage'in regards to NBC currently trying to peddle its highly-lauded “Saturday Night Revue” to potential clients. In the face of the critical and lay acclaim accorded its Saturday night marathon video showcase, NBC had hoped , that the . burden of wrapping up the necessary 15 bankrollers would be considerably eased. But the going hasn’t been easy, and even though the network last week signed its fourth sponsor —Whitman's Chocolates— NBC is frankly disturbed over the general agency-client attitude toward the Web. In effect, NBC is now feeling the TV repercussions Pf g recognized lack of creative braintrusters in its programming operations. For despite the avowed merits of the Saturday night s h o w, prospective clients, it’s known, have been throwing back at the network such comments as: “Why hasn't NBC got a Tony Miner?” Or, again, “Why hasn’t NBC created a ‘My Friend Irma' or ‘Godfrey’s Talent Scouts’?” V A Few .Questions While acknowledging such Shortcomings in radio, NBC, however, feels such criticism . is unwarranted as regards TV. Who, the network argues, was the first to innovate the arena theatre production technique in video? Who was the first to recognize the potentialities of a major dramatic showcase by sustaining the Theatre Guild TV series? Who was the first among the TV networks to bring championship prize fights tp the view continued on page 42) WBZ-TV Shaves ‘Sat. Rev’ To Pick Up Gillette Coin Boston, March 14. Three top basketball games which Gillette is sponsoring on 26 stations via ABC-TV will be seen in this city on WBZ-TV, the NBC-TV affiliate, because WNAC-TV, the ABC outlet, is tied up with a local commercial. To carry the games WBZ-TV will have to cancel the last half hour of NBC’s “Saturday Night Revue.” Cut into the big NBC show is reportedly being made because of Qillette’s importance to both webs. Telecasts; . all of which start at 10 p. m. and originate in Madison Square Garden, will cover the National Invitation Tournament finals on Saturday (18); National Collegiate Athletic Assn, eastern regional finals, March 25; and the annual East-West all-star game, A pril 1 . Agency is Maxon .• TV a ‘Luxury’ Cleveland, March 14. Television sets are a luxury and won’t be tolerated by city and County relief -officials in homes of persons receiving charity. Furthermore, \ reliefers who have TV sets must either sell them or else be stricken off the roles. To return to belief, they’ll have to be reinvestigated. . Cleveland and Cuyahoga County relief heads turned up more than 25 sets among their 4,000 clients. Several had purchased sets before they had been forced into relief. General Foods, in the first move to spend some of that new $30,000,000 yearly ad budget on television, is working on a deal with NBC to take over sponsorship of the Hopalong Cassidy western films on stations throughout the country. Through Young & Rubicam, one of the three agencies sharing the account, GF is shopping for contracts on the westerns, buying them up on local stations as fast as the pacts with local sponsors expire. Series had been sold by NBC originally on a local participating basis. Which of its many products GF will plug on the video films hasn’t been determined, but it will probably be a breakfast cereal to. be grooved for the moppet viewers. Outfit also is currently bankrolling I a radio version of “Hoppy” Sunday afternoons , on Mutual, which will give it a virtual monopoly on the services of Bill Boyd, who portrays the title role, on AM , and TV. Move will also put GF in the video picture alongside General Mills, one of its chief competitors, since the latter firm sponsors the “Lone Ranger” series of vidfilms on ABC-TV. Deal for the “Hoppy” westerns is believed to mark only the begining of GF’s anticipated splurge into video. Food firm will undoubtedly increase its evening programming. Taking a hefty swipe at gloomy predictions that televisiori’s sky* rocketing production costs would soon drive out all but the topspending advertisers, CBS-TV has come Up with a new expense^saving, technique that will save a total of $750,000 this year for its sponsors arid its house-built sustainers. Secret of the new system lies in the establishment of productionline methods for the usual produc* tion facilities, such as sets, props, costumes and other program necessities. Web now has 18 different weekly shows which require different scenery, and the produ ction line has resulted in a weekly savings on these of $15,000, from which is derived the: $750,000 per year. For another example, CBS points to “Studio One,” a house package which Is now bankrolled by Westinghouse. Through use bf the new system, production costs on the show have been cut 26% over last year. Cost-saving method is based on steady reemployment of sets and storage of props. Where the web at this time last year was building expensive sets, using them once and then destroying them, it now has a catalog of basic sets which can be repainted, rearranged and used over and over again. (Same situation holds true for props. Without adequate storage space, CBS last year was forced to rent props at consistently high rates. Web now has 1,800 square feet of space filled with props which it owns, and plans to have another 12,000 square feet by next fall. Consequent savings from the refuse of props alone is estimated at 20% over last year. Decrease in costs, CBS emphasized, will be passed on to adver* (Continued on page 42) Robeson on Mrs. Armstrong Cork has purchased | the Tuesday night 9:30 to 10 slot on NBC-TV for a new haif-hour dramatic series starting next month. Show will replace “Life of Riley,” which leaves the air following expiration of the current cycle sponsored by Pabst Beer. Armstrong show, which will be packaged by NBC, has ;been set on a firm 52-week basis and will get a full ride on all the web's live and non-interconnected stations. Total time and talent budget for the year runs over $1,000,000. Addition of Armstrong to the list of video advertisers underlines the growing importance of the floor covering companies to TV broadcasters. All of them represent “hew” money in that they had almost completely shunned radio. Bonafide Mills now bankrolls the “Bonnie Maid Versatile Varieties” on NBC-TV, CongoleumNairn has that web’s “Garroway at Large,” NBC also has the “Mohawk Showroom” ( Robert Quin CBS’ 50G STUDIO NUT ‘02’ FOR FAU PREEM “The Wizard of Oz” fantasy will , Probably emerge on television wvx( fall when Burr Tlllstrom, eo-ou not of the “Kukla, Fran and OUie” TVer, puts it on out of Chicago. 1 1 will be a combo of li ve a u cl p u p peti-y, with an extensive, producHon setup. It would be a mi!: hour, weekly, The teevee rights are owned by AI Levy. CBS television will spend a reported $50,000 to build a studio on ' the third floor of the Stork Club. ; N.. Y., from where it plans to originate a 15-minute across-the-board ■stanza. Faye Emerson will prob: ably be tapped to f emcee the show, in which; she’ll invite visiting eetebs to. chat with her before the cameras. Deal for use of the Stork’s facilities was inked last; l. Week with Sherman Billingsley, owner of the eatery, by CBS program, veepee Hubbell Robinson, Jr. Starting ! date for the series has not been set but it wilT probably be slotted from '7:15 to 7:30 p. m. • vt * > / Jl.t Scheduled appearance of Paul Robeson on Mrs. Eleanor Roose , ye It’s NBC-TV show next . Sunday *! (19)' • for a discuss ion ^of “The Negro’s Position ip the? American “ Politicar Picture,” threw the, whole radio-teievision “loyalty” issue into ; Page 1 newspaper prominence Monday (13 Result was that : within , 24, hours after the announcement that Robeson had been booked: the scheduled program Was yanked and NBC was breathing easier, Fact (bat RPbesqn would appear: next Sunday, along . with Rev. . Adam C. Powell, Jr.( was announced by Mrs. Roosevelt at the close of her program last Sunday. No sooner had the show gone off trie, air than trie NBC phones Started buzzing, demanding “how come?” NBC started putting the heat on Elliott Roosevelt, who packages the .'program along with > * r i Martin Jones. ThP cit Hal irin rlan ), and . Masland sponsors me situation was Earl Wrightson “Masland intensified Monday when the N. Y. ; Joiirnal-American projected the is, j Home snow. on Sue via a Page 1 story, pointing to <>,nlTC . nP , nmn the at DU PONT IV AWARDS Television kudos, included for the first Time in the Alfred I. mounting squawks over, the sched1 nuled a p‘p e a r a n c.e, particularly among Negro leaders. . NBC’5»discomfort increased, with the pressure on Elliott Roosevelt and his mother to “forget the whole thing,” with the Roosevelts duPont Awards, went last week to; finally yielding; calling off the pro ABC-TV for its “Crusade in Eugram. Another 'panel of speakers rope” vidpic series and to WP1X, is being substituted with. Mrs. N. Y., for its telecasting of current Roosevelt discussing t h e ; Slate news and events. Dept. Cash awards of $1,000 apiece . NBC found itself in trie middle; . went to. Morgan Beatty, NBC com for on the one hand it found itself mentator, for news reporting and putting, the pressure on Mrs, interpretation: WNOXy CBS affiiiRoosevelt to yank Robeson but at ate in Knoxville. Tenn., for public the same time not desiring in any : service. by a station of more than 5. way to antagonize her in view of ; kw; and WW.J, NBC’s Detroit outlier standing and the fact that. she’s let, for public service by a station parlayed the program into consid of 5-kvv or less, DuPont awards erable stature and one Of the most have been made for eight succes i prestige -laden m video. sive years. J > 1 . f .ii j i i ■'! « * ( 01. J vl ) > *ti