Variety (September 1952)

RABIO-TIXJBTISION — r r irr:_ ■ atjic^ ySsdETj We<lMc*day, Scptemlnsr 24, 1952 Si^el-Sparked £doc1 B’casters Set BBC Deal for Radio-TY Exchange London, Sept. 23. Three members o£ the National Assn, of Educational Broadcasters of America sailed for New York last Thursday (18) on the Queen Mary after confabs with the BBC in Lon- don to promote a two-way traffic of sound and TV programs with a cultural and educational value. Their visit to London was a culmi- nation of a European tour which had previously taken them to Paris, Rome, and Geneva, where they had had similar negotiations. The direct outcome of the con- fabs has been the commissioning by the American delegation of a series of 13 half-hour classical films for use on non-commercial stations in America. TThe featurettes will be produced by the BBC-TV film unit and will be based on works of famous British writers. There will be no restrictions on the use of these films over BBC-TV transmit- ters. The U. S. delegation was headed by Seymour Siegel, director of WNYC and prez of NAEB, and in- cluded George Probst of Chicago, and William Harley of Wisconsin. During their 10 days they checked on top BBC sound and TV pro- grams and paved the way for a deal oh a number of shows, includ- ing the Andy Pandy film series and “Taking Stock.” In return they have offered the BBC the rights of “Jeffersonian Heritage,” the new series- starring Claude Rains and the discussion program, “Talk Back,” which is already featured on their 127 non-commercial radio stations. One program in this fea- , ture, with Aneurin Bevan as the main spokesman and Americans in London as the quizzers, has been recorded in Britain. At a press confab sponsored by the BBC, Siegel reported that of the 242 TV channels authorized by the FCC, one was already in opera- tion, 11 were in construction and around 25 would be in use w'ithin tw'O years. For the existing outlet (WITV, Des Moines), they had booked the BBC Henry Moore film. Where necessary, the American delegates indicated that a modest amount of coin would be available to finance commissioned programs. The TV film series would involve an expenditure of approximately $130,000 and, in addition, they aimed at spending soipething around $600,000 a year on tran- scriptions. Day & Nite Hope Looms (or GF Before the week Is out General Foods, via Young & Rubicam, and Bob .Hope may come to term^ on a radio deal for the new season. From all accounts it would em- brace both daytime and nighttime exposure for Hope on the NBC air- lanes, to whom the comic is under contract. (No TV is involved in the GF negotiations, with Hope already committed to Colgate for a number of appearances on the Sun- day night “Ck)medy Hour.”) Some weeks back GF tried to pact Hope to a daytime-only radio show, on a five-times-a-week basis. Hope nixed it. With resumption of talks and a deal reported immi- nent, GF is still shooting for the cross-the-board daytime program, but with a once-a-week nighttime show thrown in. ADMIRAL ‘ADDITIONS’ FOR FALL TV ENTRY Chicago, Sept. 23. Admiral is looking over the fall crop of live and/or film tele shows with the thought of returning to network TV this winter on a regu- lar basis. So far no decision has been made on the numerous pack- ages being pitched at the set manu- facturer and the Russel Seeds agency. •Admiral still has the Nov. 4 elec- tion night returns scheduled as part of its $2,000,000 ABC radio and TV coverage of the political conventions and the presidential balloting, , ike Preempts Gooht Republican Presidential nom- nee Dwight D. Eisehhower is really in politics now, accord- ing to the CBS-TV . execs, Ike’s campaign committee has bought a half-hour on the web for a major speech and the show which must be preempt- '^g'd to give him the time is “Racket Squad.” Speech is to originate live from CBS-TV’s KNXT, Holly- wood, Oct. 9. It will be aired in the 10 to 10:30 p.m. period, the time usually occupied by the Philip Morris-sponsored “Squad.” Pepsi Okays NBC Lineup for TVer Pepsi-Cola decided to go ahead this week with its plans to bank- roll a quarter-hour vidfilm show twice weekly on NBC-TV, despite the fact that the network has been able to clear only eight stations for the time slot—Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:15 p.m. Pepsi had considered dropping the deal, but okayed it when NBC lined up at least another 14 stations for the program, titled “Short Short Story,” on a delayed basis. Web’s inability to line up affili- ates for the entire 7 to 7:30 block cross-the-board, which is station option time, has already led to dif- ficulties with other bankrollers. Coca-Cola has dropped plans to buy the 7 to 7:15 Tuesday and Thursday spots, and Vitamin Corp. is still mulling whether to go ahead with its plans to sponsor “Goldbergs” Mondays and Wed- nesdays from 7 to 7:15. General Cigar beefed to NBC on the maximum of nine stations it could clear for its new Herman Hickman sports show in the 7 to 7:15 period Fridays, but decided to go through with the program anyway. It’s pointed out that of the eight stations cleared by the web for the Pepsi show, five of them are o&o operations. TV Attractive as Ad Medium to Film Cos. For Plugs on New Pix Major film companies, at one time extreiiliely leery .of television, are apparently finding it to their liking as an advertising medium. Latest to enter the fold on a big scale is Metro, which has bought a saturation campaign on most of the- N. Y. video outlets to plug “Merry Widow,” opening this week at Loew’s State on Broadway. As part of.its campaign, Metro bought in on the “12 plan,” a 45% discount offered any advertiser who takes 12 or more spots per week on WCBS-TV, CBS video web’s N. Y. flagship. Major film company is the third to buy in on the WCBS-TV discount setup. Pre- viously, RKO had utilized the offer for a saturation campaign on the N. Y. opening of its “Sudden Fear,” and Warners bought the plan to plug the opening of “Our Lady of Fatima” on Broadway. 8 Go for 12’ WCBS-TV continued to perk this week with its “12 plan,” lining up eight bankrollers to buy 12 or more spots per week to get the 45% discount offered by the CBS web’s N. Y. flagship. Sponsors have their choice of available spots, partici- pations in live or film shows, etc. All the new buyers tee off during the next week. Lineup includes Q-T Instant Frosting, Pond’s, Parliament ciga- rets, Pan-American Airlines, SOS for its- Tuffy pads. Uncle Ben’s Rice, Swansdown and Bab-0. Cincy’s Smith Polio Victim Cincinnati, Sept. 23. John Patrick Smith, assistant general manager of WCPO, who suffered a polio attack 10 days ago, iife reported in critical condition at General Hospital. imi’s Agency Switch Philip Morris has transferred the Marlboro cigaret account from Blow tp Cecil & Presbrey agency. Cecil & Presbrey had the daytime ra3io billings of Philip Morris until this year, when the outfit bowed out of daytime AM. Mean- while, Blow has been getting added billings from Dunhill, the kingsized PM brand, which launched a heavy campaign two weeks ago. Benton Drops TV Campaigning; Sees ‘Saturation Point’ Hartford, Sept. 13. Connecticut’s top political lead- ers are .wondering if there Is a “saturation point” in TV campaignr, ing. They’re afraid that too much TV will boomerang on some of the candidates. As a result of this fear, Sen. William Benton terminates his TV appearances this week. The Demo- cratic candidate for the six-year term said, "I’m going to end ray TV appearances, retire from the medium and lick my wounds,” The ex-advertising exec fears he has been overdoing it. He has complet- ed a 10-day TV spree which in- cluded a series o£ six half-hour programs and a “talkathon” which ran partly on television and partly on radio for some seven hours. He said he is going to revise his cam- paign techniques. “I’m going to use radio for a series of seven, serious 15-minute discussions on foreign policy and other major issues,” he announced. It doesn’t make any difference whether you’re seen by the people on those occasions.” Other sources said that Sen. Ben- ton’s fears generated from the fact that this state has only one TV station, WNHC-TV, in New Haven. Several persons have complained that they were forced into being a captive audience during the course of political appearances over the TVer. Fear in top political circles is that they may express their re- sentment against the candidate. So far the fears have been expressed in top Democratic circles, but Re- publican leaders are known to be taking the same thought. However, when other, stations go into opera- tion statewide next year, fear in this direction will most likely be modified- Differing from Sen. Benton is Republican Prescott Bush—a can- didate for the four-year Senate term vacated by the late Sen. Mc- Mahon. Says he: “It is the only means whereby you can be both seen and heard by large numbers of people.” As to the matter of “saturation,” Bush says “that is largely up to the candidate himself. If you do it well, there is a lot to gain. If you don’t the more you do it the worse off you are. CBS NIXES WANGER’S ‘HOUSE PARH’ DATE Hollywood, Sept. 23. CBS steered clear of a contro- versial i.ssue last week when prexy Frank Stanton ordered John Guedel to cancel Walter Wanger off Art Linkletter’s AM and TV “House Party.” Few days previous, the picture producer was released from the county honor farm where he served a stretch for shooting Jennings Lang of MCA. Guedel and Linkietter first re- sisted the ousting but complied when it was made an order. Their defense was that Wanger was to talk only about prison reforms and rehabilitation of inmates after their release. Network took the position that his appearance would be contro- versial and evoke protests from many quarters. Few days before, George Fisher had Wanger on his KNX-CBS tape making such a talk as was banned by the network. Producer will appear tonight (Tues.) on George Dennys “Both Sides of the News” on KECA-TV. CBS invoked ban for “House Party” appearance because the in- dustry Code forbids controversial figures on entertainment programs. Television Network Premieres (5€pf, 24-Ocf, 4) Following is a list of shows, either new or returning after a sum- mer hiatus, which preem on th« four major television networks during the next 10 days: SEPT.\25^ Burns & Allen. Situation comedy. CBS, 8 to 8:30 p.m. (Starts weekly airing). Carnation, via Erwin Wascy; Goodrich, via BBD&O, alternate sponsors. ’ Four-Star Playhouse. Filmed dramas. CBS. 8:30 to 9 p.m. (al- ternate weeks only). Singer Sewing Machine, via Young & Rubicam. SEPT. 27 Martha Raye Show (All Star Revue). Vaudeo. NBC, 8 to 9 p.m. Participating. SEPT. 28 Bed Skelton Show. Comedy. NBC, 7 to 7:30 p.m. Procter Ac Gamble, via Benton & Bowles. Eddie Cantor Show. (Comedy Hour). Vaudeo. NBC, 8 to 9 p.m. Colgate, via Ted Bates, Sherman & Marquette. Fred Waring Show. Music. CBS, 9 to 9:30 p.m. General Electric, via BBDAcO. The Web. Drama. CBS, 10 to 10:30 p.nfi. Lorillard, via Geyer Advertising, SEPT. 29 There’s One in Every Family. Audience Participation. CBS, 11 to 11:30 a.m., Monday-thru-Friday. Sustaining. Paul Dixon Show. Disk Jockey. DuMont, 3 to 4 p.m., Monday- thru-Friday. Sustaining. SEPT. 30 Heaven For Betsy. Situation, Comedy. CBS, 7:45 to 8 p.m., Tues- day and Thursday. Lever Bros., via McCann-Erickson. Fireside Theatre. Filmed drama. NBC, 9 to 9:30 p.m. PAcG, via Compton. Two for the Money. Quiz. NBC, 10 to 10:30 p.m. Lorillard, via Lennen Ac Mitchell. .... Bob Considine Show. Cd'mmentary. NBC, 10:45 to 11 p.m. Mutual of Omaha, via Bozell Ac Jacobs. OCT. 1 Calvacade of America. Filmed drama. NBC, 8:30 to 9 p.m. (al- ternate weeks only). DuPont, via BBDAcO, Man Against Crime. Filmed whodunits. CBS, 9:30 to 10 p.m. Camel, via Esty. This Is Your Life (Ralph Edwards). Audience Participation,. NBC, 10 to 10:30 p.m. Hazel Bishop, through Raymond Specter, OCT. 2 Ford Theatre. Filmed drama. NBC, 9:30 to 10 p.m. Ford, via J. Walter Thompson. OCT. S Wheel of Fortune. Audience participation. CBS, 10 to 11 a.m. Sustaining. Dennis Day Show. Variety. NBC, 8 to 8:30 p.m. RCA Victor, via J. Walter Thompson. Gulf Playhouse. Drama. NBC, 8:30 to 9 p.m. Gulf, via Young Ac Rubicam. My Friend Irma. Situation Comedy. CBS, 8:30 to 9 p.m. Cavalier cigarets, via Esty. Our Miss Brooks. Filmed situation comedy. CBS, 9:30 to 10 p.m. General Foods, via Young Ac Rubicam. Mr. and Mrs. North. Filmed whodunits. CBS, 10 to 10:30 p.m. Colgate, via Sherman A: Marquette. OCT. 4 It’s News to Me. Panel. CBS, 6:30 to 7 p.m. Simmons Co., via Young Ac Rubicam; Jergens, via Robert Orr (alternate sponsors). Columbia U. Seminar. Education. ABC, 7 to 7:30 p.m. Sustaining. My Little Margie. Filmed situation comedy. NBC, 7:30 to 8 p.m. Dunhill cigarets, via Blow. Ozzie & Harriet. Situation comedy. ABC, 8 to 8:30 p.m. Hot- point via Maxon; Lambert, via Lambert Ac Feasley (alternate sponsors). WNEW, Losing Haymes, Rayburn, Sez It’s Show, Not Talent, That Counts Programs on an indie should be “personality-proof,” according to Bill Kaland, program chief at WNEW, N. Y. Station’s schedule has been built so that the show it- self, rather than the talenT, is what attracts the dialer. Losses of performers, such as Bob Haymes (who went to WCBS) and Gene Rayburn (who’ll leave for WNBC as soon as Dee Finch finds a new partner), won’t hurt the indie’s rating, Kaland said, because listeners are tied to a block of programs rather than to specific disk jockeys. Thus, the WNEW program topper said, when Bill Harrington took over for Haymes, there were only a couple of inquiries about the shift On the other hand, when changes were made in the format of one platter show, there was a large number of protests. When he began introducing other performers’ disks on the Bing Crosby record show, which has been on for almost two decades, audience reaction was strong. WNEW hasn’t been worried by the “raids” of its talent from net- work keys, Kaland explains, part- ly because it has made money when it releases them from a con- tract. In the case of Haymes, WNEW will get about $20,000 dur- ing the first year at the CBS out- let. At the same time it is de-empha- sizing personalities. The trend is to minimize talk, Kaland said, and to step up research on what music the specific group listening at vari- ous times of the day prefer. Upcoming show’s oil the WNEW agenda include a space series, (Continued on pag« 38) CBS-TV’s ‘Studio Without Walls’ New Gidin Entry In one of the fii'st major at- tempts to adapt television’s inher- ent mobility to a studio production, CBS-TV’s new daytime entry, “Everywhere I Go,” bows in Oct. 7 originating from what the web calls a “studio without walls.” As explained by producer Irv Gitlin, the twice-weekly half-hour stanza will take advantage of several of the new special effects devices worked out by the. web.!s engineers in an attempt to create the illu- sion of taking viewers to the actual scene of each of the human interest vignettes around which the show will revolve. Dan Seymour, producer-emcee of the defunct “We, the People,” will star in the show, which is to be aired Tuesdays and Thursdays (Continued on page 43) Hal Hough Vice Doan On WCBS-TY Programs Hal Hough, until recently pro- gram manager of WJZ-TV, key outlet of the ABC video web in N. Y., has assumed the same job for WCBS-TV, the CBS video web’.s N. Y. flagship. He succeeds Richard Doan, who resigned about a month ago to join the C. E. Hooper organization as a veepee. Prior to his job at WJZ-TV. Hough was program manager of ABC-TV's midwest division, op- erating out of Chicago. He was replaced at ABC’s Gotham oAco'er by Paul Mowrey.