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Wednesday, March 22, 1950
Amidst all the rumors and counter-rumors as to ABC’s future sphere in the radio-video realms the network, whose capital expenditures in TV to date have totaled $8,200,000, has just entered into a standby rloan agreement with the New York Trust Co., involving a $2,500,000 commitment. Loan would have a maximum maturity of five years, payable at the rate of $500,000 a year.
In order to make the loanr ABC had to get a go-ahead from Prudential, from whom board chairman Ed Noble had previously borrowed $5,000,000. It appears that maturity date on the Prudential loaf; starts in 1951 and in order to get ABC off the “too many maturities" hook, Prudential agreed to balloon the 1951-td1955 maturities back to 1960.
In essence, ABC says there are no alarming overtones to the loan; merely am “anchor to windward” cushion in case the network needs it for Continued radio-TV programming expansion, etc; “We might not even touch it," says a web spokesman, "but the chances are we will.” ..
When anything appears to* . amiss at NBC, the prevailing jest circuiting the web ever Since the jBooz, Allen & Hamilton administrative blueprirtters stepped in goes like this: "Let’s have a reorganization.” That the whimsy carries some kidding-onrthe-level overtones was demonstrated anew last week when Tom McCray’s program dept, was put through an intra departmental personnel reshuffle.
The administrative scorecard now reads:
Tom McCray as director;
Leslie Harris, assistant national program director, becomes production manager;:
James E. Kovach, operations manager of the Production Division, becomes manager of Program Operations;
Mitchell Benson, administrative assistant and coordinator of new package programs, becomes Package Program and Talent Contact manager; *
Joel Hamrnil, manager of literary rights, becomes program submission supervisor;
Samuel Chotzirioff , general music director, and Sterling Fisher, manager of Public Affairs and Education, will continue in their present positions and will serve both in radio and television.
Within the trade, it’s the conviction that a dozen reorganizations won’t resolve NBC’s programming troubles unless the still-elusive creative flair is accented. Within the NBC organization itself, however, some point to the fact that the execs entrusted with masterminding the programming are enmeshed in red-tape agenda; that' the department is so set up as to Involve a multiplicity of extra-curricular activity, attendance at meetings, etc. Thus, it’s argued, with so much energy expended on detail, there’s little time left to hit a creative stride.
Until such time, they argue, that the program men are given carte blanche and a free play for cerebral planning, the situation isn't likely to alter itself.
One Big Show Biz
; Jack . ( CBS) . Benny Fred (NBC) Allen “feud" was projected last week into, the Macy’s Gimbel’s department store competition in New York. Following Macy’s “Pays To be Thrifty” displays wHh Benny and Bob Hope, Gimbel’s broke out with full page ads featuring a large photo of Allen and a shot of Benny on a teevee screen.
Slogan was “No Benny* But No Benny Is Thriftier.’’
Borden’s is launching a big national spot radio campaign on April 3, which will And it spending heavily on 100 stations in 90 markets, after it drops CBS’ “County Fair” on April T. Reason for the switch in policy is that 65% of Borden’s sales are in fluid milk arid ice cream, for which it had no distribution in half of the 168 cities it bought on CBS.
That fact, Borden feels, resulted in waste circulation aind building up only the brand name. At the same time, dairy outfit found that in the three minutes of network time.it had weekly it couldn’t plug the 10-12 products it wanted to hypo. The new selective approach,
(Continued on page 38)
Hedda Hopper piay be the next occupant of the Sunday night at 7 slot on NBC, according to present thinking of the network program brass. Hollywood film colony gossip columnist has fust been pacted by the web for a half-hour program, which will be taped on the Coast. It is scheduled for a June kickoff and * unless the present Sunday at 7 tenant, “Christopher London,” chalks up a more impressive rating, the Hopper show will be tossed in the opposite-Benny
Ad Exec Predicts Days for Radio If
Mutual network, it’s reported, can be had for $1,200*000, although in some quarters the price tag is said to be $1,600,000. At any rate, it’s stated that’ MBS, which has been billing itself as the ‘•'world’s largest network” (with upwards «f 500 affiliates) is definitely on the block. •. '■ v
The deal whereby Metro would take over Mutual is now dead. Apparently Metro wasn’t interested in the web on a “money consideration,” rather expressing a willingness to program the network and put its roster of topflight film talent at the web’s command in return for converting Mutual into more or less of a promotional arm for the Metro pix dynasty.
The situation of the controlling stockholder stations would tend to lend credence to the report that Mutual Wants to uriload. Both Yankee and Don Lee regional networks-r-two of the major Mutual supports— are reported to be for sale;, with Yankee previously having gone through initial stages of negotiations.
Elsewhere along the line of stockholder interests, retrenchments are. said to be popularly ’ in vogue, notably on the WGN-Chi Tribune front and the WOR, N. Y. (Macy’s). shaving of costs on the Washington end of its Operations.
Thus far this year, it’s understood, Mutual is in hock to the stockholder-owning stations to the tune of $500,000, with biz considerably off in comparison with a year ago.
For -the $1,200,000 consideration, Mutual, of course, is disposing of no stations; since it owns none; merely the goodwill of the network, its billings, and an established 500-station affiliation*
Sale of Mutual would be the first major casualty in radio in the wake of TV’s upbeat, since it’s recognized that from here on in radio stations will go begging at the auction block, although the AM stations with the proper operational pattern, it’s conceded, have plenty of healthy and lucrative years ahead.
I’s Tbscy Topper
' John Boyal, NBC veepee, . who has been closely identified with Arturo’ Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra since its inception, will accompany the ensemble ori its cross-country junket : starting next month; in the role of NBC’s public-station relations advisor.
For the . occasion, Royal is dusting off his silk topper-^ the first time he’s used it as “working equipment” since his Keith-Albee days as a top vaude exec.
Format will differ from the current flock of gossip columnists on ‘Ihe air, with all portions (including news flashes, interviews, etc.) to be done via a dramatization technique.
Chicago, March 21.
A verbal spanking was delivered to radio industry by John McLaughlin, Kraft Foods advertising manager, at meeting Of Chi Radio Management. Club last Wednesday (1 5). The Kraft exec added his voice to the demand that AM rates be reduced in those areas where teevee is cutting into the audience. Arid he told Chi radio toppers that medium has been on downgrade program-wise for past 10 years.
McLaughlin predicted that by the end of the year video would have 50% of the nighttime audience and warned that the time is near when few advertisers can afford both major radio and TV. He said both media would suffer until the problem of AM audience loss is compensated by a rate card reduction. v;
The other major problem facing the radio industry, McLaughlin said, is the lack of new ideas. “Radio today is the same old bill of fare with a few bits of garnish added,” he said. He warned the radio men they must spend money to get new talent and. to come up with something fresh in programming ideas.
Hollywood, March 2i.
With AFRA entering objections to arrangement, deal for Lux to take over “Screen Guild Players” next season has been officially called off. Under setup, Lever Bros. (Lux ) was to make $10,000 weekly contribution to Motion Picture Relief Fund for gratis use of film stars, Camels currently has similar arrangement.
Pic Stars reportedly protested Lux takeover because of long rehearsal period for the Lux hour show and attendant loss of revenue. Negotiations had been under way for months between J. Walter : Thompson for Lux and L. K. Sidney, of Metro, repping MP RF.
‘Answer Man’ to Play
‘Mars’ Panics ’Em
► .
Everybody wants to do a show with a science-fiction format. Mutual just preemed its “2000, Plus” series; NBC is excited over its upcoming “Dimension X” series. CBS practically did handsprings in some atomic fervor Over a Ray Bradbury
industry speculation .mounted last week* as broadcasters were sizing up the agenda for the upcoming NAB convention in Chicago, as to the organization’s future sphere of influence. New developments were shaping up thusly:
It's a virtual certainty that, for the first time, none of the CBS high command will show up at thb Chi meet. That goes for prexy Frank; Stanton and all the other 20th floor top management at 485 Madison, along with the o & 6 station managers;' The CBS Affiliate Advisory Board dinner, always held in the past as an qdj unct to the convention, will also be, bypassed this year; In fact, present thinking at CBS is to just send along a station relations rep “to case the powwow.”
Similarly, Columbia has definitely committed itself to bowing out of NAB. Only thing that remains to be decided is setting the time. ABC will follow in CBS’ footsteps. (However, NBC and Mutual will stick it out).
It’s reported that Bill Ryan, general manager of KFI, Los Angeles, will get. the nod as NAB’s general manager as second in command to prexy . Justin Miller, That’U put a practical broadcaster in the’ key operational post.
A top CBS spokesman, expressing his company’s viewpoint, takes the position that, in the present scheme of broadcasting, the NAB high command, and notably in the
scripted show Called “Mars in j person Of Judge Miller, has outHeaven, and is set to ride With its | ,,, , . '
own weekly series.
In fact, NBC originally had the same ideas about the “Mars in Heaven” excursion into the fantasies Of science. But apparently there was nothing scientific about the way Bradbury’s agent first peddled “Mars” to NBC for audition purposes, then submitted it tp CBS. Latter web got the . jump, for in accepting the script for audition, it exercised its “option to use” clause as well, necessitating NBC’s relinquishing of the script.
Similarly, the NBC “Mars” audition was directed by Mitch Grayson, whom the web wanted for the “Dimension X” series. Subsequently, Grayson has been talking a deal for a producer-director berth at CBS, and has already moved in to meg the new “Up for Parole” Friday night series; . As result, Ed King will probably do the NBC show.
(Continued on page 38)
Atlanta Dailies’ Merger
“Answer Man,” show now airing on WOR, N. Y., and in Rochester, Chicago and the Don Lee network, will get Italiari, French and German productions from. Paris, Luxembourg, Berlin, Monte Carlo, the. Armed Services Network and the British Forces Network in about a month. Deal was set through the Economic Cooperation Administration and Bruce Chapman, packager of the show, who flew to Paris on Sunday (19) to complete arrangements . and staff offices in Europe.
Format of the foreign-language versions will be the same as that of the U. S. stanza, with an “Answer Man” replying to a variety of queries. Some, however, will be on the U. S. and Marshall Plan aid. .
If, as reported in some quarters, there is doubt as to Blatz picking up Ed Gardner’s “Duffy’s Tavern” for a continued ride next season. One of the factors is said to be the sponsor’s looking-askarice at' Gardner taping the show in Puerto Rico.
NBC, too, is said to be Unhappy over the prevailing sentiment that the program has lost much of its onetime flavor since originating via tape outside the country.
“Duffy’s” present rating is 8.2, lowest on the Thursday night NBC roster and a far cry from the Hoop-, ers it piled Up when it was backto-back with “Mr. District Attorney” on Wednesday nights.
Gardner is reported squawking ivrnAiT n . * • n l over his present Thursday 9-9:30
WCON Fate ID Balance period and although there has
. , , ■ , been some talk of mitiatmg over
Atlanta, March 21. lures with’ CBS, it’s understood Impending merger of the Allanj that he has a longterm deal comta Journal and Atlanta Constitu1 mitting him to NBC. tion will have an important effect on the broadcast picture here.
Amalgamation announced last weekend (see story in Literati section) will mean that the Constitution must divest itself of WCON , 5
kw ABC outlet here.. ;TVith the t*ai m
Journal owning WSB, 50 kw NBC Jj1™ wnrC WNBT NRC’^ew affiliate, FCC anti-duopoly rules agfr °.f WNBC-WNBT, NBC s^New
ouS.jWnt ^transferring to th.
WSB has AMi FM and TV ad1 Coast, in a realignment oLthe netjuncts, and WCON has AM and j 'york s o At o stations. . .
Pivr with* a XV construction permit i McFaddeii, . who stepped la as
fvfdSoutlet^^ ^$d^
tliree months). If WCON,
represents a $1,000,000 investment, is sold, it would probably remain an ABC outlet. However, if no buyer is inked and the station signs off, ABC would probably shift to WGST (a Mutual outlet) or WATL.
Miles Shaves Hill
head oj all o & o operations, head up KNBH, the NBC-owned video outlet in Hollywood; The transfer becomes effective April 5.
Don Norman, sales manager of WNBC and second in command of the N. Y. flagship, may inoye into McFadden’s spot.
PET DAlBY’S SPLURGE Pet Dairy products has bought the Fred W. Ziv Co. “Guy Lom*
Miles Labs is dropping the Tuesday and Thursday airings of Edwin C. Hill on ABC at the end of ; , . ,
March, but will return after the ; bardo Show” for sponsorship in
28 markets in six southern states.
Deal, set through Robert ; E. Clarke agency of Atlanta, start!
summer.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday broadcasts of the five-minute series, heard at 7 p.m., will continue.
early next month*