Variety (December 1950)

22 TELEVISION Wednesday, Dceember 27, 1950 Color Picture in Battle Vs. RCA CBS fired a new and impressive ♦ gun in its color television barrage yesterday (Tues.), when it unveiled a 17-inch direct view color picture which furnished color images even better than those previously dem- onstrated, New development, made pd-s-sible through use of a rotating filter drum to replace the disks used heretofore, is considered especially significant in that the V eb previously had been unable to display a picture larger than 12^<2 inches. * Rotating drum has been Under development by CBS veepee Dr. peter Goldmark since 1941. Web execs emphasized, however, that -its display at this time was in no %vay tied in with the Chicago court i decision last week upholding the FCC okay oh the CBS system. Ac- cording to ' GoWmark and CBS A'eepee Adrian Murphy, the drum was only perfected enough for demonstration purposes by last week. Major importance of the drum filter is that CbS is no longer con- fined as far as the size of its color picture is concerned. Where the filter, disks necessarily had to be twice the size Of the viewing tube, the drum is only 15Cb vlarger. Thus, while a 1' 2 ;inch tube re- quired a 25-inch disk, the ration between the drum and the tube Is only 20:17. Color drum, though , FCC Cemmliileiiir Frieda B. Hemiock Dlscuites Video's EdHCotlenol Potenllollflts In the 3IV s in tv ‘ One of the Many iyllne Pieces In the 45ih Anniversary Number . of ^ OUT KEXT WEEK Transmission Errors Nix 50^ Commercial Spots, Check Survey Reveals More than 50% of commercial spots, kinescepes and film being screened on television throughout j America are subject to errors in transmission, according to a survey I conducted by Spot Check, Inc., for I some of the top agencies. Report, j which included 1,000 consecutive monitoring checks up to last July j 10 and which has just been com- piled, claims that clients and i i agencies who buy adjacencies and • I specific time slots for commercials, i I cannot be niore than half certain ! that their commitments will be ' riiet.' . . ] According b- Spot Check, 10.2% of the total commercials monitored , did not appear at all, while an- , other 3-3% appeared either four; : minutes or more too early or too j i late. On 5.4% of those monitored, the audio portion of the spot was indistinct or not synchronized, while on another 4.3%, the video portion was too light, blurred, i etc. Organization found that in % of the checks, the station V perniitted double spotting before the spot appeared, while double spotting after the commercial was I noted in 10.8% of the cases. In 13.5% of the spots, a blur was caused because the station failed Unipie TV Tlniversity of Air.’ Backed r I to provide an interval before the J. i. J Au • i. ^ i- 1 ! preceding program had faded, and _ Predicated, on the mtemationai another IT.2% the final sales .situation arid President ® | niessage was'lost because no in- , , i recent declaration of a national j tgi-yal was provided before the rigid, is in effect wrapped around emergency, ABC Prepping a • appeared. Spot the tube, with thc filters at right , large-scale ad-promotion campaign j QReck utilized checkers -in every angles to the scanning lines. As j to spur electronic advertising against a with the disks, though, the drum j the modern inethod of sellmg ' questionnaire through Which the still does not provide compati-j uncertain, fast-moving business ‘ei^iecker could outline his report. conditions. I r • ■ ' ■ '' ' - ■ ■ bankroll Max Liebman’s TV Lomaiit: So Who’s Worrying? A Iyllne Ediforlol in the Fortheaming 45th Anniversary Number of P^niETY OUT NEXT week bility with white sets. present . black-and- In today’s conditions —, • n • iir* i i ers need the maximum amount of -1 A StshAIIC WlmfilT/IW speed and flexibility, ABC ad-pro- j OldllCIIlb ff llllUl dW motion - research - publicity veepee Robert Saudek told Variety this week. As prices shift, materials and products become scarce and Hourly Pay Philadelphia, Dec. 26. One of the most extensive uses ever made of television as an adult education medium will be launched Monday, Jan. 2, with the “WPIL- TV University of the Air,” series of daily programs slated to go out five times weekly oVei* this three-^ state area. Nineteen colleges arid universi- ties in Perinsylvariia, New Jersey and Delaware, as well as the Phila- delphia Board of Education’s exten- sion services, have pledged their full cooperanon to WFIL-TV in presenting the program, W'hich will be telecast Mondays through Fri- daj's 11:10 a.m, to 12 nOpn. Roger W. Glipp, general manager of the Philadelphia Inquirer sta- tion, announced the educational se- ries following a series of meetings with leading educators from the participating Institutions. Attention is certain to be focused on the WFIL-TV television college courses at a time when educators all oyer the couritry are seeking added TV time for instructive pro- grams in the public interest. The FCC at the moment is considering a number of requests for the alloca- tion of separate channels for edu- „ , . . , cative purposes. Television may be years young- „ er than the film industry but net- work broadcasters are already run- j ning into the same problems that j currently confront the Hollywood [ J studios. One of the thorniest such : television industry, by develop-? problems now is the lack of op- j regulai college youi’sesadapta- portunity to train new personnel, presentation. Dr. Arm- which in TV means particularly ' L. Hunter, educational director new directors. of the Inquirer stations, will serve ! as chairman, of the administrative Hollywood, Dec. 26. New pay. scale proposal is being Eye De-Icing Move Washington, Dec. 26, FCC and CBS, in the wake of the Chicago federal court’s decision in the color television suit last week, are both expected to take action ' copy appeals are changed, he said, to por catiori of the CBS system. While‘ papers and other graphic media ^ Video outlets agreed to withdraw ! ing to NBC-TV program, manager the court upheld the FCC’s de- jack. 'their original plan calling for an Ernest Walling, it’s the dearth of cision greenlighting CBS color, it In an emergency, the ABC exec hourly wage scale plan. I sustaining shows of any dimen-' continued the .stay order oh a.tern- pointed out, the Government re-1 New scale proposal probably will ' sions which is responsible. Unless lies chiefly on radio. No othei* ! be patterned after the basic TVA -1; ; — 4._.' : i i - ^ .• .t'L- -i J both expected to take action copy appeals are changed, he said. | clrawn up by local telestations fol-1 long been used as the training ; unfreeze the Chi tribunal’s fern- j AM and TV provide advantages j lowing first Television Authority '• ground for new actors, directors, j I’ary stay on commercial appli- that billboards, magazines, news-; victory in current, negotiations, j technicians, etc. In video, accord- po'”)ry basis. in Chi, the decision was re- garded as a tactical victory for over 95% of American RCA, which had filed to have the rural and urban, with the emo-; are still a considerable distance FCC. decision set. aside. Stay tional power of the spoken word. ' apart,on final terms of a working medium can immediately get into . structure calling for payment based r»x7Pr nf Ampi-inan homcs, ' On programming. Statioiis and TVA order an extension of the ruling js.sued by the Chi court Nov. 17, will remain in effect until April 1, or until ended by Supreme Court action. However, RCA expressed satis if AM is sb heavily relied on by j contract, but stations’ decision to | plained by the industry’s present the Government, it is just as' withdraw the hourly-scale offer is' k In the film industry the situation ■ committee. Dr. Hunter is chairman was created by the major .studios^! department of radio, speech decision to eliminate production ^of, theatre at Temple U., and for- both on a dwin- j^^^, chairman of the department of dling boxoffice and .increased prO" radio in Northwestern U.’s School duction costs. The B Tilms had Dr. Joseph Zimmerman, director of the Temple U. Television Work- shop, will be in charge of produc- tion for WFIL-TV. Before joining the Temple faculty. Dr. Zimmer- man was technical director of the Northwestern U. Theatre and a for- mer set decorator at Paramount. Courses of study scheduled will be televised in two series of II weeks each during the winter and Spring. Nine colleges and universi- .some solution is soon reached, Walling said, TV directors miav soon be at a premium.. Video situation reflects an ap- parent paradox but one easily ex- seen as an indication that the next negotiation meeting Jan. .10 may achieve a framework for a pact. Chi -‘Circus^ Renewed Chicago, Dec. 2. ABC’s Chi-originated “Super Cir- cus” got a 13-\veek renewal last potent for the advertiser. Web’s campaign will plug the theme that electronic media are the most economical. “Advertisers faction that the lower court, in coin-1 have always given careful ePnsid- tinuing the stay pending final de-1 eration to bringing down the cost termination of the issue, “clearly of their distribution,’’ Saudek said, indicated its awareness of the , “but too often they neglect to con- great public interest at stake.” The ; sider the cost of distribution of company said it would appeal,' their ad messages. Studies will | week from M. & M., Ltd. Gandy "confident that the Supreme Court show that radio and television dis- i maker will continue to bankroll the will recognize that the public tribute advertising more efficiently' 4:30 to 5 p. m. segment of the should not be denied compatible , and cheaply than any other j hour-long show on alternate weeks, color decision.” ; media.” I Agency is William Esty. CBS, on the other hasd, had “no j ——— ^ ; - question” the Supreme Court “will 1 also uphold the Commission order, ■ if RCA insi.sts on carrying its case ; further.” In any event, the web I added, “we are now assured that the matter will finally be disposed of within a few months.” The Chicago court action set off con.siderahle speculation as to whether color sets or converters could be manufactured in yie\y of defense requirements for critical NBC Eyes Expansion Of Chicago, Dec. .26. With more and more city folks leaning to television; Chi radio of revenue is the WLS Artist Bu-. reau 'which handles p a. bookings Tor fairs and other events'through- out the area, which use western- slanted talent.) WBBM, CBS Chi slatidn, recent- running 15 minutes, available in i audition form, which are being materials. A definite effort to get ' stations are upbeating their pitches the National Production Authority : to the rural dialers. Idea is to, to prevent production of color; take advantage of the heretofore ; ^ .u c ^ 4 - i . ■ , - -° equipment was made by a vtask ' fluently-ignored non-metropoli-; ty entered the Satin day night out- peddled around the ageficies. These croup ” of televisioii set distribu-' tan audience encompased by the i ot-town audience sweepstakes wTth l include “Hawkins Fails,” vvhich was tors following a meeting herewith riig city 50,000 watters. j k ^ KPA for a briefing on the effect of Several sophisticated Windy City . clcfen.se order.s oh their business, stations, w'hich down through the Action was asked in the form of a years have eschewed oater program-: ^ r^olutipn adopted by the ming, as temg 4e^^^ cently taken on folk singers and i y-.„yvy.^vy.7ii>o k>y a western drawl disk jbckeys in an ! economy. Networks, and particu-' ties w'ill offer 15-minute, 20-minute larly NBC, have Tew sustaining ' apcl half-hour programs in the Thi- programs because .they arc almost; tial series. Some of these will be completely .sold out pn their cream i ^^Pl’esented in the second series, evening time. But, because of the ■ ^tie. Philadelphia Board of Educa- amount of money the webs have : tion W’ill offer a separate course, ^Continued on page 29) j ^ Speak Spanish. i institutions represented in the j first series and the subjects to be ! covered include: Albright College, j “Nuclear Physics for the Layman;” Beaver Collcg:, “Understanding Economics;” Drexel Institute, “Un- Now that NBC has posted the derstanding Our Teenage Chil- SRO sign on its daytime “Kate , dren;” Penn States “The Homes We Smith Show',” the web is pressing- Live In;” Pennsylvania Military to wrap up sponsors for other clay- j College. “Chemistry of Living;” time segments. With Miss Sigith’s ■ Rider College, “Success Through show' airing CTOS.s-the-:^oard from 4 | Self-Improvement;” St, Joseph’s to 5 p. m., NBC is now' concentrat -1 College, “The Art of Thinking;” ing on selling the 3 to 3:30 m. ! Temple U., “The Child and the vslot and, according to web execs, Family,” and ul'sinus College, j several bankrollers have already | “Governments Around the World.” nibbled at various packages being ; Other cooperating colleges in- ! pitched to them. ; elude Bryn MawT, of Delaware, Shows with soap opera forniats Uaverford College, LaSalle College, are getting the biggest play. NBC ' Lehigh U., Moravian College foi* Currently has three of them, each i Women, Muhlenberg College, Rut- ealers. Jr. Ad Awards To Barrett. attempt to woo the hinterland list- eners. ‘Country Hour” at 5 to 6 a.m. One of the heaviest hillbilly lAcrease in farmer-beamed shows by the other stations isn’t being ! viewed with glee by WLS. Latter Philadelphia, Dec. 26. , * u ..k i j Edward W. Barrett, assistant Sec-; "’ll'’' 'T' rotary of State in charge of the Voice of America, and Edward Li I'T"® Clu situation is | E.KcMahon, WCAUyTY .staffer, i'i'ere ■ ^oncevt^ed. Station has always ca- 1 selected as the wtnneri of the Phil-IPrimarily^to the farm audi- Edeluhia Junior ArivprtiKitic iiinh’* i with its. heavy, emphasis on adelphia Junior Advertising Club’$ j annual awards. .. Barrett and McMahon. lyere pre- •t'.iied with plaques at the club’s annual aw'ards dinner- held (2X), in :] the Poor Richard, Club. A former agriculture news and features and its folk talent programming. WLS 'Monopoly' ' up by WJJD, daytime indie opera- tion, "rhe 50,000 watted has a solid two-hour block of^disk shows fea- turing folk singers, running from 3;45 to 5:45 p.m. Since program directors have found there’s some affinity betw'een hillbiliy music and mail order pull, WJJD slots its m.o. spots in this afternoon period. Sta- tion also opens its day with an hour of recorded oater tunes. •.: same pattern is developing at WCFL, which jiist took ’^on Ray has had thip field practically ^ . ! to itself, especially Saturday nights' Starkey, Texas-born folWrti’sts, editor of Newsweek magi Barrett; w'ith its* National Barn Dance,, who^s now handling the indie’s was chief of the overseas new'.s and ; which has been a rural midwest' early morning rural-beamed record the Office qf jstaqdby for ^5 years. (An Irnpor -1 show. Labor-owhed station sched- war iniormation ; t ) Tant by-product arid a major solircc I <. tClontlnuodr on page 26 ) 1 gers U„ Sw'arthmore College and Villanova College. staged as a Tull-hour, Saturday night program last summer; “Fam- ily Doctor,” and “Candy and BillV’ latter produced by NBC in associa- tion with indie packager Carol Irwin. Unlike Miss Smith’s pro- gram, Which w'.as sold on a partici- pating basis, NBC hopes to line up « epHpc nf TXr «vi ^ ®®®'' ®f these ero.ss. [ ^ TV Pg'* ™^^® London, Dec. 26. . The recent deal by which the British Broadcast > Corp. acquired the-board. “Ransom Sherman Show,” which originates in Chicago, presently occupies the 3 to 3:30 segment. Web has been unsuccessful so far in selling it and,, if the program is not dropped, it will probably be cut to a 15-miriute format to play back-to-back wTth One of the soap- ers. Meanwhile, with its “Mystery Theatre” series already earmarked for the 12:05 to 12:20 a. m. pe- riod, NBC Is mulling the Idea of building other post-midnite shows. These will probably be programs which can be produced without the addition of more personnel or fa- cilities; according to ,a web spokes- man. John Nasht, has led to talks be- tween the cpuncil of Britrsh Actors Equity and the BBC. An Equity Spokesman says the deal highlights the danger that a good part of the BBC’s own output might eventually consist of pix made abroad. Equity^ calls it as a “knotty problem” which can’t take a hasty decision. It would be a “nightmare world,” said Equity, if the product of a tiny handful of artists in'a single ’ country could be canned and din*, patched to TV screens of every other country, w’hich is already J- Jiapperilng ‘‘fo a /considerablf ex- , , t¥nt” witft iH9U};wod4 p|m«. ; i