Variety (October 03, 1951)

17 Vn*0 NBC hM eome up with i new rowt»tchef" formula whereby tt« affiliate* would bo able to toll t0>wcon4 announcements to local bankroilert Immediately preceding IP work lustainers Han la expected to be announced to aiationa today (Wed » : \ According to the p lat , 46 aocdodt will be trtmmed from the top of the abowa. to make room for the local spots : Court ex y an* no u o cemou U or pabltc aervtce meoaofea will be aired on the web durtng the 40-s e co n d Interval, aa a feed for those outleta which don't well the time. Project ta one of the move* designed to cement better relation! wdh the webs’ outlet!, by living them a chance te pick op addi- tional com Since the Buttons retain a greater percentage of the local and naUooat spot dollar than they do of the network adver* tiding dollar, and met buaineaa tn both field* Is good the ‘row* catcher' operation can add to their coder* WEB BLUEPRINTS in Wmchell Walter Wmchell ha* been Inked < by ABC' on a lifetime basis cover ing his service* in both radio and television and also providing for the gabber to act aa consultant In a separate pact. Warner liudnui WW‘| present bank roller renewed the spieler in hit 9pm Sunday period for a full poor, effective Dec. 30 ;; Hudnut contract, which also gives the cosmetic outfit first re- fusal on Wmchell for TV. will pay the gabber $9 000 a week ft grants WW an option to buy 10.000 share* of Hudnut stock, which Wmchell is more interested in than cash Op- tion is ‘ assignable and divisible.* which means that he can buy the stock when he wants to leave the option to his heirs or sell it Opiion sat made for the atork at last week s quotation of 9li a share No stock is involved in the ABC deal although Wtnchell baa been given to understand that hr d be the first ABC artist to get a stock deal when and if the proposed merger with United Paramount Theatre* is approved by the fTC The consultant arrangement with the web “takes him Into the com- pany y a recognition of hu many years with the chain. ' Under the consultant deal, ABC will pay Wmchell over $50 000 a year for life, regardless of whether he is able to broadcast Figuring his life expectancy, the setup is worth more than $1,000,000 to WW Gabber s previous deal with ABC railed for the web to guarantee him $10,000 a week With the $9 000 (Continued on page 43) Signoff Gelt Rating la what's believed to be the first > time in broadcasting, a station $ Signoff has drawn a rating lt*a the short five-minute nightly spot on WNHT NIK TV's N Y flagship which has tlaiy'Kay telling viewers what the station will program the following day Spot Oppose* feature Aims an several other Gotham outlets, but nonethe- less has drawn a Si rating figure. \.f • /-fK-rr V.. FBI,! Maugham Sponsor Sal CBS 1-Shots to ‘Irma’ •’My Friend Irma** may be the next CBS radio show to be offered sponsors on a special one-shot basts, a la Bed Skelton Top web spokesman said this week that sev- eral potential clients had Inquired about buying “Irma** that way and declared CBS la considering such s move. Only thing which might prevent ft is • firm offer for 13 weeka* sponsorship of the show. Final decision to sill one shots In “Irma.** of morse, will be baaed on two factors CBS* partial success to date In dealing with the Skelton »how in that w~y, and Its inability Ip sell "Irma” on a regular deal Program, airing thia season Sun- days from g to g 90 pan.. has boon minus a client to date, despite CBS* having trimmed the budget ta the fore Meanwhile, a new sponsor has Inked for four weeks on the Skel* ton show, starting nest February. Web had previously sold the show for four weeks to Pontiac which pull use it to introduce its new line of ears to radio listeners CBS exec reported also that one •dvertioer is interested in buying Irma” for Bve or six weeka this fell, and a deal may be worked In that way. Such a solo would ap- proximate more cloaely the CBS system of soiling Its am talners in Mrkage form to Individual spon- sor*. as it does during the summer, 'ban it would the skelton deal. The radio .sale upbeat continued this week, with CBS finalising two new deals Bvmart < Tint air I. has negotiated for the return of * Sotn erset Maugham Theatre" on AM, starting Oct 7 Show' goes into the Sunday 5 30 to i period, pre ceding the web’s “My Friend Irma ’* Tintair al*o sponsored the program law season in a Saturday morning slot, hut cancelled out in addition to yanking the TV vet sion and moving it over to NBC* CBS also pot t ed Knnds’for spon- sorship of the Thursday night “KBl in Peace and War" on an every- ot her week basis Wild root pick* up the tab for the alternate weeks Two such major sales in one week has been a rarity around the networks in recent months, but ot late there has t been Increasing bankrollcr interest in the medium CBS this week also parted with North American Van Lines to sponsor a new Ave-minute Sunday afternoon show. "Fan Mail " A Howard Blake package originating from Hollywood, it will move into the 4 to 4 05 p m slot starting Oct. 14. Show will have Jay Stewart as e mcee interviewing Hollywood stars, who will answer queries con* tamed in letter* to the program Agency it Castor Arrid'a *C»ty Hospital' Julian Funt. packager of the "Big Sister" daytime aerial and writer on the "Young Doctor Malone" strip, has packaged a new show called "Ctty Hospital,'* a half-hour dramatic stanza, which has been bought by Arrtd for a Saturday aft- ernoon CBS series. Program goes into the I 30-2 p. m. slot starting Saturday if). Funt will write the senes along With Robert Newman Packages have been sold for I2.W0 a week. Donohut Cse Expands Donohue & Coe agency has ab- sorbed the Walter Weir agency. Weir and several of his associates have moved over to D4C. C:. Among the latter are David Echols, who will be executive vee- pee. and Wilber Downe*. By GEORGE ROUEN NBC if going after 300 more radio station*, designed to improve its grassroots coverage and r»h brace more smalt community, now TV areas, iff been teamed by Vamrrr; . .;/"■//.• In the moat revolutionary re< patterning of a network structure in broadcasting annals keved to the new -TV economy * NBC la drafting an entire I v new modus op eran d! for.'), the future which break- down into three major ‘'re- forms ** ■ ; v During (he past week the net- work echelon and the Bconomlr Study Group of the. Station IMan- ntng Advisory Committee. romprlx ing the key affiliate membership have been In c h ased session hud diing over the miilltplirjtv of prob lems attending the **NlK* • Opera lions Future" formula It v this fo< mu Is that will t* submitted for acceptance among the entire affiliate family at the upcoming NBC Convention In Boca Kalon, Fla .. to late November a convention that already stirred UP •where excitement and Interest than anv previous industry meet in year* Out of it is expected to Boca Raton Agenda NIK' executive* last week 1 started their preiiimnar) hurt dies on setting up the Bo< a Kilon, Fla fotu day conven- tion agenda ts he held Nov. 29-Dec 1 The network h|i taken over ail the hotel fartlt- ties for the occasion with a record, turnout anticipated In view of the crucial issues at stake : /; ; Initial day of the convention will be devoted to radio, in- cluding pt event at ion of the recommendations for “NBC’s Operations Future,** with itW all-important proposal for an extension’of the network to • . include 200 • additional sta- tions Second day will be de- voted to television On the third dav the afAbates will go into ar t ion on loth the AM and TV tuuies. with the fourth ; day devoted to Joint sessions / for settlement of all differ, encei •; come a structural revamping of network radio atut new ba*it set of principles hy which affiliates and network* ran live together, that i will set a pattern for radio In the future.: Here in essence i* the three pronged radio formula designed to meet TV inroad* and. if it meet* with affiliate membership approval, will spark a brand new relation ship between affiliate stations and networks Small Station Prised II» Expansion of the NBC' net Shark to embrace 209 additional stations, pith NBC supplementing its cream major market facilities— the most enviable lineup among ail the w« i>* in the 25 year history of network broadcasting — wi'th a grassroots coverage where the TV penetration is not so pronounced This represents the most radical reversal Of network thinking t# date for up to V ♦for Video» Day, the big battle among network* was for the major league 50 DUO watt stations in the bign me markets But today P's the small station in the non TV area that’s the prise bait for the webs a situation which has rued a growing recognition of Mutuals enviable status with its far flung small market radio cover age Thus Mutual, with its blready , tailor made grassroots network, and NBC will be slugging it out in the hinterlands for major sponsorship recognition. Whether or not the NBC ascendancy into small market coverage will invite a wholesale shift of Mutual affiliates to the NBC' fold is one of the intriguing as- pects of the “new thinking** at Radio City. i2* Aa overhauling of the entire 1/ . ; (Continued on page 43i List of Available Hep Showmen Oops! Trade is commenting on bow the new green-facade lever House on Path avenue N Y . is taking the shape «*! a mammoth t ake of Palmolive soap T .'«.>*• • •, . •, Th.u * a product out of the rival Colgate house ♦ With the advent of television, t He producer has rome Into hti own He'S the most sought-after guy m the TV realm a far cry from the mdio days of the $100 a week man in the control room f T»*4ar the TV producer with the show hit knowhow ran write hi* town ii« k«-t and for the Arst time in hiw»drs«( *nn«t«. the t slept fIvtrffv Mush* COTp Of r\ • pa« \mer*ex and William Morri» are I'iY tiniD I IlDfltc putting •' much at rent i»n wrap- l/U ▼ lllllv vl^lllv mug up ext luslvr ««mttaetB with •‘ w: • kev prodikret*' as they are", with A Tlf I : ' • perforim rs I In IV lannnna Th * u%t 14 •**Hat»itmr* «m t«.e Vll 1 V IKIlvl II1S v is Already drained, • v.™' ’;;'* V • ;V.Sx evid e nced hv the present sfur- kf If . | a U'o /.» v ut *rmmd by t *h«*strrAHd ta IV V .1 A.I A nrlirrn h ■ hep pr oducer I.»r the 1 *• 1 • lv LoAi Ivllvl Iff , iijn tuning Sunday meht NBC TV wti*vh will rotate Hub Hope Efforts to entice daytime video w ih other stars on t**e NBC c'om- h.inkrolli rs Into embracing the rowit r NBC haw nlecadv si- rs.ig-ftHtMii rpUTn-relsv ate ip parent i\ proving tut lie, with virtu- ally all rlients sHtiing for ihe >tatux quo On a AvO-linies-a wrek HaxU. the exteiiaion of Nrw York originating rtaytiiue qUMler-hour -hows.'lp ijif Coast would mnn an m *t nit a major i hunk ol the 1 X V tor Itv ii’UM'ipti* itv I*f »hosv, with the pajor (iNUtev in some in-tamex in i-ting 0*1 in i'U luftvity fm a p n p d ucei * MU* Iff* • Sime *4**»ie of these are on a Sdd 1 tlon. 1 l $1 hike »n time mu-e a numih tv»xis it means shett- rh.»!grx /That s based on i'XW per in ; out top coin to make it An »»s- ipianrr ln.ur * Clients with 3t». im|J\ worth while fur a prodiner minute *ln*ws would he no ki d it* «ontmut*. Sume xhows even $3 000 aildiiionat b/ixe two pruducers «-ne for the The sponxors apparently feel r(»>«cdv ^•ement* and another for that in term-* of day time I\ (I*- »c i n t that mueh tn he gaim d m go- »M--itr;>m..tir ln-*ertx^ in the rase of P>c Pfednivlay nivHt Kale mg coast to-eoaxt. parlfeularly in >»oi ; ih show on N«< TV7,which has view of the .three hour differential \to**\ Md.’lrtn jum to on time /" ; ■■'. On the other hand, nighttime progi * mm tag spannoni are utih- hmdv 4f*»‘ drama vignette* out of i xf|Mi4k studio while Marty W«ud 'W<th an axxul frusn Ted ing an In the erosa-rpuntry xpread -* •dUnv is iX.oS regu'.ir prudur er at an accelerated pa« e although vs» . MiC has the jump sni‘ the- wowM a o a st transmi**umx witi. emnnucmg p wodu ccr * to exclusiv- be considerably fewer nunret w alls While the e*st-to-weyt additional fthv on xh«x*- becau-e rertatn conucy will only work with cer- l tune tab fur 'an hour nighttimejCm p r o ducers, the maj»»rity of show ix $1 500 it cost $2 400 pagwl them prefer t.» work freelance for an howi tr«n*mtvsion thr other If ti x a rase of dmng a major show way <•» H VMi withauf screen credit ae . — i . " ■ t«r f 'cm with a credit tagline. Ml ... •**' t Of Hiim today will l ike tire CBS TV SMITTEN BY n.i »..• wm a value of import ml credits as VltAirCitimniy Rlin n * * I ^ (Works and client* gUMfiTRtlRrn DUU ,mrl»nue their Jockeying for the ( BSTV soars into the realm xf m hi gi*> ‘One hex esfahlished. science Actum for the Arst time Tmmry > no object with the client MM month via a new half hmu .,. — series titled Oul Them Kmc __ _ . scope audition on the show wax If I I _ \| _ xz: Ladacol rroves No clients. It will take over the Son . v day blob 30 pm slot, with CHI 14 V * a • set *x the tentative starting date I IITill 111 fl CBS hopes U* get away from the * Ullllr IU U IfldICI O vrientiAction stereoty pe anent nmn stem from another planet Invading Numlwr of broadcasters ( arising tic earth Instead It will concen Kinr *p*i campaigns for ll«<fa>.»l trate on the wonders to he found nprjflgg about umoiicited fines of their own world and the weh consequently is seeking the * be*l sclent iAction stories available \ rm 1 A* r .V 1 ' 1 ’ clients. It will take over the Sun . day blob 30 pm slot, with CHt |4 V * a D* i set a* the tentative starting date I ||Jl|f* lA n CBS hopes to get away from the * UllfV IU U IflMCI O snentiActlon stereotype anent niun ■tern from another planet invading Number of broadcasters carrying tl c earth Instead it will eonren i»,« r xput campaigns fur H.wtacnf trate on the wonders to be found »,-*• wui rrlng about uncollected when earth men Arvt leave the con K .. ■ __ . #n« ol thru o.o world, .nd th* wrh ronwqurnl ly vrkmf thr 11 7 , * ni, .' n beu artrstihction ,t»ri« ovailablr i', 1 " . m V 'i i." *?**.,',*'** Show ..II hr Maned live rath wrrk **" * but will u«# Wm lor thr Mrwwtan r, ": .V "* rprrial .S«h : ■ ■ ' 7 ’ v V Exec producer Donald Davis U southern broadcaster, own- vupervuing the project, with John «T of four small stations, haiv Haggodd producing Byron Paul di- *2.5tx>0 worth of hitlx still unpaid reefed the audition kine but since ° < t kfen paid he alao directs “Thu I* Show ^x$ Dm! when th*> dunru-d Business" Sunday nights, it’s he l^>uis»ana sGtc senator Dudley J, Heved CBS will aaaign the Show I^-HUm * oulfit. they were ibid to another staff director. ( cancel out the busme» if you - w ■ ,.. i. i ,, don't trust it*” Fearing that can* C aL !a . a I cetlation would lose Un ix rhanre uOlfl3iTl!l65 Oil Lam of future Hadacol income some c . / Wynn/, n- I outlets continued their p ugging Set for WnBC nckup iw IX» dirlary mmi At ■ least one station rep wtm handies Keyed t<> its community-slanted gyUf^ with Had* ol hi/ has prfiv ities. WNBC. if. w f !2 *** r repeatedly counseled hiN (hint' ■« ing for a ptekup of New Yorkers rr ^. nl vrekv to drop |he fUdacul from alt the war Id eapftala.CaW; buxinesa until hack bt'ID age pgid. sule comments and interviews with 0 ^ . _ m th. UMIumilr, ,br<Md .ill br ,n-; * r » X" T, ,. t«r*lrd Into th* «*!<•'• d.,lv ol « nr.* pro|r«m« ondrr III* M.lmn *| XhiX d..l> »hl<h ci r.lr' »» '•-- blank*! -w.^ov.r^*. Vork-.h**. °< “ »•» »»*r N». York-mjy-b*" furraul, »kkn. Mrncl*, m At- In MldllMn. th* T„ McCrarv «*»■■"« ron'Wi MlOTk. _ ■ -J; . ^ nr.« Min. .ill larlitd* »ir*-r*r«id- *•* Skllil Ifcrtkik in* pickup, of N*. ,Y(Kk*rt ir *<**“0'd HkkdlX army bases lh tough out the world i HaiRdMiMi d TtUMdhiUf. n.. 1 1