Variety (December 1951)

WviflfclWifiT By FARBELIi DAVISSON ** Chicago* Dec* 25. The past year. was one o| . transi- tion for the Windy City radio-TV aggregation. The cycle sounded the death knell for several network television enterprises* relegating the Loop to way-station status. On the local front, tele programming has settled down to imitative formula of participation gab shows and motion picture re-runs. . Most meaningful shift, however, has taken, place at the various AM plants. During the last calendar, particularly the fall semester, the radio boys have stopped biting their nails while watching the video comet and have started fighting hack. And, in the main, the re- sults have been encouraging. Chicago's quartet of video sta- tions have been doing alright for themselves. Leaving aside building and previous deficit amortisations, the tele plants have been operat- ing in the black on a 62-week basis. But with radio counterat- tacking strongly, TV's maturity hasn’t come , completely at the ex- panse of Its older electronics brother. Just as the national radio net- works are formulating new selling patterns and merchandising tech- niques,. the Loop masterminders the past year have been retooling their sales pitches with renewed faith in their own- medium. Gone with the defeatism of a year ago are many of the stand-pat com cepts carried over from the fat cat days when lush profits were racked up via the "over-the-tran- som” selling route. Those Plusses, Again Emphasis now.is- on hard hitting salesmanship coupled with mer- chandising "extras” designed to give the local advertisers his radio dollar’s worth. It’s paying off. Because of the Inflation-boosted operating cost the (Continued on page 35) MBIKmMm* Frank White «mti This Is the Era of Vigor Mortis in Radio an Interesting byline place In the 46th Anniversary Number of OUT NEXT WEEK Pitt Newscaster Blasted For Plans to Stajr on Air Station line Up m CBS’ Ken Murray Picks NBC’s Red Skelton As 'TV Comedian of Year’ In a reprise of the year-end cavalcade he introduced on his CBS-TV show last, year, Ken Mur- ray is pulling a switch on the Macy’s-Gimbel’s routine Saturday (29) by having NBC-TV’s Red Skel- ton guest on the show as the "TV comedian* of the year.” Skelton’s radio show, of course, IS aired via CBS but his TV activities have been confined exclusively to*NBC since he bowed into video last Sep- tember. Murray has lined up. a string of other, personalities for his "Caval- cade of 1951” Saturday night. Also elated to appear are Sen. Estes Kefauver, Jersey Joe Walcott, Bob- by Thompson of the N. Y. Giants and Lt. Col. Anthony** Filmore Story, Gen. Douglas MacAr- thur’s pilot. In addition, Mur- ray will introduced the singing dog of the current Broadway legiter, "Top Banana”; English channel swimmer Florence Chad- wick, the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and newspaper- man Ted Sierks, who fell from a boat in the middle of the Pacific. Ilona Massey is to be starred in Murray’s "Girl of the Week” pro- duction number for this show. CBS-TV stands a chance of los- ing some of its all-important Sat- urday night station lineup. Be- cause the web won’t be ready to spring Its new program structure! for another three or four weeks, it will probably he forced to sus- tain the 9:30 to 11 p.m. time f.or at least a Week or two. With the scramble among networks to fine up new affiliates, it’s considered possible that some of the outlets now taking the CBS Saturday night lineup will ; switch to commercial shows on a competing web rather than going along with CBS on a sustaining basis. Program veepee Hubbell Robin- son, Jr., said this week that the web Is mulling two or three dif* fereiit formats for the 9:30 to 11 o’clock time, but. he declined to go into detail on any of them until the plans are finalized. Web's current Saturday night program- ming, meanwhile, will "remain in a state of suspended ’■animation” until the new format preerrts, Rob- inson said. American Safety. Razor has already checked off "Show Goes On,” now in the 9:30 to, 10 period, while Carter Products and Sterling Drug are slated to drop their segments of "Songs for Sale” after the Dec. 29 broadcast. It’s believed definite now that Faye Emerson’s "Wonderful Town’’ will continue in its present 9 to 9:30 period Saturday nights. While CBS reportedly • would like tp in- clude that half-hour also in its new program lineup, Pepsi-Cola, which bankrolls Miss Emerson’s show, re- fuses to move to any other period the web has available. And Pepsi cannot drop Miss Emerson because she has a firm two-year pact. Anheuser-Busch, meanwhile, has renewed its "Ken Murray Show” for the Saturday night 8 to 9 slot through next June, That means CBS must fill only the 9:30 to 11 period with new programming. Pittsburgh, Dec. 25. Louis L. Kaufman, veteran WCAE newscaster recently elect- ed to A 10-year term on the County Court bench, made it known last week that he Would continue news- casting, although on a limited basis; when he becomes a judge after, the. first of the year. An- nouncement brought raised eye- brows all over town; and in one* case an editorial b^ast at Kaufman’s decision. Post-Gazette hit put at him with both barrels, claiming that dishing out the news on radio for a commercial, sponsor was be- neath the dignity of the judicial robes. For several years, Kaufman has been at the mike twice daily, at 1 and 6 p. m. Upon his ascend- ing the bench, WCAE is creating a new time slot for him, once daily at 4:45 for 15 minutes When, it is claimed, his judicial duties won’t be interfered with. In his- announcement, however, Kaufman still left the door open to his eventual withdrawal .from broadcasting Activities, when he. hinted that if there were any seri- ous objection from such organiza- tions, say, as the Bar - Assn., .he t would confine himself to the, bench. There is nothing, however, in the canon ethics for jurists that would prevent him from engaging in out- side commercial activities. Churchill Show for TV Hallmark Tlayhouse’ Hall Bros,, which has sponsored "Hallmark Playhouse” on NBC ra- dio for a number.of years, will preem a video version of ’’Play- house” on NBC-TV Jan, 6, as the new Sarah Churchill .show. Series is to occupy the Sunday afternoon 3:30 to 4 period, Where it will be competing with Edward R. Mur- row's "See It Now” on CBS-TV. ; Miss Churchill did a ^15-minute, interview-type show which she aired previously on CBS-TV. In the new "Playhouse’’ secies, she’ll serve as program hostess fend star in one of the half-hour dramas about once every four weeks, a la Robert Montgomery on his "Lucky Strike Theatre.” New series is to be produced by Bill Corrigan. CONFLICT ON PRODUCT SNAGS ’CIRCUS’ SALE Chicago, Dec, 25. With one bankroller bowing out and another Cutting hack on its Sunday afternoon "Super Circus,” ABC-TV has run ;into a bit of a product conflict in peddling the open segment. Web had Mars, Inc., interested but the candy company now ha$ hacked off reportedly be cause of the similarity betWeeh the basic format of "Super Circus” and ABC-TV's Saturday morning "Hobs lywood Junior Circus,” bankrolled by Hollywood Candy Co, But since the sponsor changes are still several weeks off, the net- work isn’t too worried about lining up a new client for the. top-rated show. Availability is occurring because M&M Candy is cancelling Jail, 27 to switch to CBS-TV’s "Candy Car- nival.” M&M has been alternating with Peters* Shoes on the last half hour of "Circus." Also Canada Dry, which currently sponsors the first I half of the show; is cutting back to K an alternate week basis Feb. 3. fDec. Jfi-Jan. 55 . ■ ( n . . . Follduririp the Rnetfo pf J tour-lona dramatic shorn on the four ‘major networks during we next 10 doty* :> ' DEC. 2 0 Kraft .TV Theatre (NBQ—-9 to 10 p.m.). "Nantucket-Defend,” by George Lefferts, *,Wlth Vaughn Taylor, Brook Byron. Celanese Theatre ^ABC-rlO to 11 p.m.). "The Joyous Reason,’’ by Philip Barry; adapted by Philip Barry, Jr. With XJRtet Xtoto, Matt Crowley, Anne Burr, Wesley Addy, DEC. 28 Schllfs Playhouse of Stars (CBS—9to 10 p.jn.). "Girl In a Million," by Sydney Box, adapted by David Shaw^ With Joan Caulfield, John Forsythe. * » Dec. so Phllco TV Playhouse (NBC—9 to 10’ p.m.). I’The Sisters," by Robert Allen Aurttiur.. With Natalie Schaefer,. Dbrothy Peterson, Leslie Nielson, Philippa Revan. v r ’ DEC. 31 Lucky Strike Theatre (NBC—9:30 to 10:30 p.m.). "Class, of ’67,” by Alan Sugral. With Robert Montgomery. ' Studio *On®; (CBS—10 to .11 p.m.). "The Paris Feeling.” JAN. 2 Kraft TV Theatre (NBC—4) to 10 p.m.), "The New Gossoon,” by George Shiels. Pulitzer; Prize Playhouse (ABC—10 to 11 p.m.), "The Fatal Weakness,” With Ruth Chatterton, Otto Kruger, Ilka Chase. •' Jan. ..4 Schllta Playhouse of Stars (CBS—9 tor 10 p.m.). "Clean Sweep for Lavinia,” by Jerome Ross and Leslie Reade, adapted by Ross and David Davidson, With Josephine Hull, Scott McKay. tSUN. TO OFFSET CHI TV * Chicago, Dec. 25. Video is chasing the Chicago Black Hawks hockey team into the 4* Number of agencies and bank* rollers are raising questions on the accuracy of television eet circula- tion figures Compiled by NBC-TV and used Universally in the field. Idea is being raised in some quar- ters that an all-industry .group should take over the project. An NBC exec, meanwhile, told Variety that "we would love to .daylight. Bill Tobin, Hawk prexy.ft""^* Jr w. 4 n I0i ave the other networks, sponsors. In one of the major daytime TV buys, Lever Bros, is picking up the tab'for three quarter-hours weekly’ on ABC-TV’s. "Don Ameche- Frances Langford Show:” Soap outfit is reported taking the Tues- day, Thursday and Friday periods from 12 noon to 12:15 p.m., start- ing in February. At the same time Lever will cut back on "Hawkins Falls” on NBC- TV, from five quarter-hours weekly to three. The reasoning is to get A larger cumulative audience by backing two shows rather than more of one. Agency is N. W. Ayer. Lever .purchase indicates the growing bankroller support for early daytime video. When ABC* TV first announced its Laiigford- Ameche project in a noontime hour, with a $35,000 weekly nut, some trade observers figured that it was moving into a tele no-man’s land. However, the rating has climbed in 13 weeks to around a 9.6 and the chain had seven., pe- riods (of a total of 2Q) v sold before the Lever buy. Warner-HiidnUt has three, Cory Corp. two and DuPont and Cliquot Club pne apiece. Ironically, NBC-.TV’s hoopla for its upcoming Dave* Garroway "To- day” series, which goes from 7-9 a.m., has' been a boon to the. other chains’ daytime video. With the : advantages of a, breakfast-time ex- posure being tub-thumped by NBC-TV, periods later in the day are becoming more attractive to sponsors. disclosed. last week he is making arrangements to try out Sunday matinee games in the hopes of offr setting .night TV competition. The Black Hawks attendance at the Stadium has slumped severely since teevee cameras Were shooed from the rink at the end of the 1949-50j season. During the three previous seasons, When parts of all home games were televised, the team racked. up record gates. NBC PrMidtnr Joseph H. McConnell explains techniques to Make Radio More Serviceable to Clients on Interesting editorial feqtwre In the' 46th Anniversary Number of OUT NEXT WEEK Underscoring the many thorny television problems ,, Confronting the networks to which they never had to give a. thought in radio, NBC has notified all agencies and clients that it must henceforth have a full- 60-day notice of cancellation on any show, instead of the 30 days which has been standard in radio, and TV, until now. While the other nets haven’t yet followed the NBC pattern, it’s believed only a question of time until they ask for at' least 45. days, and possibly 60, on their own. Reason for-the extended time is the inability of the webs to line up a new show to replace one be- ing cancelled in so short a period as 30 days.. .That has been forcibly driven> home to the nets during the last month, which saw a number of program casualties hitting TV for the first time this seasop. In addi- tion to Wanting more time to set a new show; moreover, the webs are also faced with the problem lit TV of keeping their affiliate sta- tion lineup. In radio, for example, anytime, a sponsor served notice within the usual. 30 days that it was cancelling out, the webs had plenty of time to shop around for a new program, audition it and pitch the audition disk to agencies and clients before thfi cycle ended. In TV* simply because the added visual factors necessitate more time in lining up a new package, the webs have been stymied by the 30-day clause. And, they have found that if they don’t have a neW shoW ready with a new sponsor to take over when the orig- inal program checks off, their affil- iates either sign on with another net or else take over the time pe- riod themselves to sell on. a local basis* agencies and/or trade organiza- tions join in the project, or to have a Broadcast Measurement Bureau-type organization” Until someone else cornea along, the NBC spokesman said, the web will con- tinue to provide the monthly esti- mates as a service to the industry. The advertisers are questioning the NBC estimates’ statistical valid- ity, saying that although the data is used in setting tele appropria- tions and in computing cost-per- thousand, the slide-rule hoys have no real idea of its correctness. Ad- ditionally, radio; station operators, who feel that TV is being over- rated, are also sniping at the NBC data. One .objection raised against the estimates is that because they are based on set sales to! dealers as re- ported by distributors, they don’t take full account of large inven- tories which may be carried. NBC counters, however, that the figures are adjusted to allow,time for rer tail purchase and Installation. Further, NBC says, the following month’s survey provides a check. It’s also argued that In the N. Y, (Continued on page 35) Sullivan’s Once-Over Lightly Toast’ Reprise With Best Acts of ’51 Ed Sullivan will stage a special, all-star recapitulation Of the top acts he’s presented on his "Toast of the* Town” during the last year on Sunday night's (30) stanza via CBS-TV, basing his selections on response to the acts mailed or phoned in by viewers. Lineup includes Helen Hayes, who will reprise her show bis philosophy, which she originally presented after appearing on "Toast” in a scene from "Victoria Regina”; Alfred Lunt, starring i a scene from Robert' E. Sherwood’s "There Shall Be No Night,” which he originally did during Sullivan’s "Life of Sherwood”; Oscar Ham-, merstein 2d reciting the lyrics to his "Last Time 1 Saw Paris”; Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Ray- mond in a musicomedy Sketch; Comic Pinky Lee doing a court- room skit; middleweight champ. Sugar Ray Robinson in his rope- skipping turn, arid a film clip of Eddie . Dworchek,- the, 11 -year-old who volunteered to read for GIs at Valley Forge General Hospi- tal, Pa. Eddie Dowling and Margaret O'Brien* originally scheduled to do a scene Sunday from "Angel in the Pawnshop*” will appear on "Toast” the following week (6)-