Variety (April 1953)

S8 mmim****! PTStXEff Vedne*day, April 15, 1953 I|||Hllllt l*l * Mtllim.ttttttUmt‘*t ****** mghHglite -52 -’53 Sliowmnnagcment Review < illHMHHHMHIHHt ♦ M4 » 4 » MM 4»4 »»♦♦♦ > ♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ 4 4 ♦ ♦ 4444-4* f f ♦♦ f M Mf ♦ M ♦ ♦♦♦♦+♦♦+♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦ ♦ 44444444 4 4 4 44* ♦ ♦*■»< * (Continued from page 37) inaugurated an effective “rifle shot 0 sales promotion technique. •*As a. matter of fack,” says Algy, “them advurtisurs here On WCHS gets more W. Va. lisseners then on any stashun in th’ state which is a purty good deel fer any time of til’ yere.” WILD, Birmingham.—When di- rectors of Birmingham Symphony Orch wanted to make its concerts available to entire state, - they turned to radio and WILD. Man- ager Don D. Campbell got okay from Musicians Union local, per* auaded-large firms to donate funds for line costs, and organized all- state network especially for sym- phony .broadcasts; Only cost was for actual pickup and lines. Now 19 stations carry concerts through- out state. “Know Your Orchestra’* series' was also programmed for Alabama students. The Menkin WMGM, New York—Bert Leb- har-skippered station hypoed its schedule in *52 with crop of fresh shows. Major new attraction was Henry Morgan who brought his wit and caustic critiques back to radio with night owl assignment from Hutton’s 51st Street Restaurant, winning followers among large segments of post midnight-listen- ers who \Vant morq than routine deejay chatter and platters. Mor- gan stanza proved to be one of top new local radio shows of year. On daytime front,' Metro outlet converted' TV’s “Continental” from video romancer into radio ditto for housewives, with Renzo Cesana as aerial romeo in a morn- ing hour for femmes. WHtI, Hempstead, L. I.—^Tag- ging its contribution “Operation Public Servant,” WHLI continued the past year to recognize its role as an instrument in the community interest. Jts “This Is Your Govern- ment” series, its “Operation Rail- road” concering the reorganization of the bankrupt Long Island Rail road, its “Face the Issue” forum programs taking up controversial Island issues, and its outspoken on-the-air editorials all demon- strated WHLI’s impact on the com- munity in the realm of public service programming, WPTR, Albany, N. Y.—Novel ap-. proach to national election battle was developed here in “Five-State , Election Preview for *52,”. which was produced and developed by this upstate New York indie, with, cooperation ' of IVLS, Chicago,' WQAR, Cleveland, WCAU, Phila- delphia, and KFWB, Los Angeles. WKNA, Charleston, West Va.: Ambitious promotion project for small station was creation of monthly magazine called “The 950 News.” Mag, which contains pix of local and net performers, features stories and byline articles by ABC net and local stars, is sold on Charleston newsstands and by mail subscription to listeners, “The 950 News” is also mailed monthly to list of ad agency timebuyers from coast-te-coast. In a season generally recognized as leaning toward the status quo, with a pronounced lack of programming innovations, the Larry Menkin-created “Mono-Drama” TV series on DuMont has played a unique role. both in establishing an offbeat program- ming pattern and in its singularly successful contribution toward crystallizing the DuMont network’s low-cost approach to spon- sored shows." On the Menkin premise that “too frequently it’s the producer and not the audience with the 12-year-old mind,” the. writer-pro- ducer-director of “Mono^-Drama” (as well as the “One Man’s Story” and “One Woman’s Story” which incepted the “Menkin technique”) rates a bow for his imaginative execution based; on the simple concept of presenting plays with but a single actor, no sets and few cprops. His ventures into such classics as “Ham- let,” “Crime and Punishment” and “Macbeth,” always with an eye toward making them palatable to universal tastes and treated on an adult, level, have been accompanied by a profes- sional competence and, of more importance, had the-pioneer spirit behind them. ■ show for teenagers, now in its sev- Regularly skedded during season enth year, has become more than are one big league game daily, just another platter program. It’s plus Little League and America^ a community institution. Program Legion baseball highlights, is staged from local Dell wood Ball- room, with hundreds of youngsters wo vn N( , w York— Pioneer dancing to records piped from stu- a fir SSSS. Sj?’ u ™ in ® V A R I EXY^\veeRly list of N ew York Times indie again guide for scheduling of tunes maintained top position among Aside from serving community, “Hi Teens” is a successful sold-out commercial feature. KONO, San Antonio—This indie station has gotten San Antone resi- ^ rirr r dents into the habit of switching I Magazine” which combined spright •_ * * ^ ^ SH J * _Y. A _ A. ^ ■ A. _ -a a - I —* . —— . _ serious music broadcasters. With manager Elliot Sanger at baton, station further developed its “Good Music” network linking various FM and other music-minded sta- tions in East. Among new pro- grams built in ’52 was a “Music off TV on Sunday nights, to tune in for its “So You Want to Be a Cop?” radio series — which pulls off Hoopers of 83%. Station manager Jack Pink got the idea of taking's tape recorder and a special- ly chatter about serious music with best recordings. KXLY-TV, Spokane, Wash- New video station in Pacific North- equipped station wagon and making west started out with project to nightly police calls. The best of the integrate itself firmly in communi- week’s rides is edited and rolled ties in its service area. Program into the Sunday night show. It’s so manager .Dick Kepler canvassed good the station dare not take it off local newspapers \and distributed the air. WSAZ-TV, Huntington, West Va.: Series of 24 quarter-hour periods in choice “A” time were set aside for audience to “Meet the Candidates.” Programs were designed to let balop cards for locality press to promote community events on TV screen. WDRC, Hartford—This station’s FM affiliate boomed this year, through its tieup with WQXR, New Voters in West Virginia-Ohio-Ken- York, and Good Music Broadcasters tucky area see candidates for Con- net. Station owner Franklin M. gress, Senate and gubernatorial Doolittle is pioneer not only in posts, to acquaint them with candi- AM broadcasting, but in FM and dates' qualifications and expert- in binaural broadcasting. WDRC’s ence, and to make TV facilities FM" outlet was first commercial available to office-seekers who FM station On air, making debut might not have had gnougff money in May, 1939. o pay for time. WEBR, Buffalo, N.Y.: “HI Teens,” Saturday afternoon deejay-dance The People Act In “The People Act,” CBS Radio (in conjunction with the Radio-TV Workshop of the Ford Foundation) came up dur- ing 1952 with one of the year’s most ambitious ventures‘in the radio educational field. Pro- duced by Irving Gitlin, nar- rated by Robert Trout, with original music by Norman Lockwood, “The People Act”' explored the workings of American democracy at the grassroots level, taking tape recordings into 26 different communities to see and, hear how 26 different problems (ranging from soil conservation in backwoods Georgia to labor- management strife in Chicago and {o migrant labor in Cali- fornina’s San Joaquin Valley) were being tackled. As such “People Act” was a factual, honest recording of positive and constructive meas- ures—measures, that, in many, cases,' ; fr$gu‘etftly * Went, tmjte-; ported in' tffe‘ press. \, 7 • *’ 4 WCPO-TV, Cincinnati—Program WQAM, Miami, Fla.: Stepping up chief Ed Weston parlayed variety public, interest programming to. of public service projects here to meet situation Resulting from in- win aiudience and attention for crease in population of South Flor- Scripps-Howard outlet. Big pitch Ida, 33-year-old pioneer broadcaster was made for safety campaigns created series like “Hope Urilim- especially “Farm Safety” and ited” in cooperation with Disabled “Home Safety.” Show tagged Placement Committee of Florida “Overseas Calling” allowed Cincy Industrial Commission, and “Dade families while on television to talk County USA,” documentary feature by phone> with their GI’s overseas dealing with problems of area. To win sports fans, Weston staged Although Florida had no hurri- amateur boxing bouts .in studio, canes last year, W0AM maintained,, with matches arranged strictly for its unique “storm ulert plan,” and home viewers. Station also roamed remained on air 24 hours whenever afield to produce “WCPO-TV” Day necessary to keep listeners in- formed on progress of storms in Atlantic area and Caribbean. at Coney Island for seven and half hours of continuous telecasting by remote unit, with one hour feed to net. And In Paul Dixon it has a major league origination. KFH, Wichita—Drawing Up a “Platform of Broadcasting Prin- ciples” for itself in 1952, KFH went to work to translate it into an effective reality, taping meet- ings of Wichita’s City Commission with impartial, unbiased commen- tary by Special Events Coordinator Dick Gavitt; held* discussion shows for civic leaders to' answer prob- lems facing the city administra- tion, and did a dramatic series de- signed for housewives to stimulate their interest in good government. KJBS, Sah Francisco—As non- network station in a major TV market; this West Coast indie claimed major audience gains for 1952. Station boosted its average daytime share of audience here by more than 70% in-year, KWPC, Muscatine, la.—Unique Civic programming project is this station’s bi-monthly broadcasts of City Council, direct from town’s City Hall over KWPC-FM. Pickups are public service—and commer- cial. Groups of local manufacturers, mostly industrial, sponsor Council broadcasts because of both public relations and employee relations value. Programs have also pro- moted Interest in FM here. Life’s TV Aims Life magazine rates a com- mendable nod for its aims in TV—experimenting with- pic- torial, interpretive Journalism. In 1952 it was involved with “Inside Our Schools,” pro- duced in cooperation with 10 different local stations. The purpose was not to educate viewers, but to report to tax- payers and citizens on the state of public education in their^cities. Unanimously, the stations reported excellent community reaction to the project. Life’s TV Division current- ly is engaged in its laudatory “Life—-” series already being presented in cooperation with NBC stations In Cleveland, Detroit and Washington, with planned expansion in other cities, designed to show the economic and sociological de- velopment of these cities. Playhouse with inter-racial cast. For Brotherhood Week, WEWS cancelled 90 minutes prime Sunday evening commercial time in order to televise National Conference of Christians and Jews awards ses- sions. WMAS, Springfield, Mass.—In- stead of usual methods of self- celebration to mark station’s 20th anniversary* WMAS used spot an- nouncement gimmick for occasion. Congrats by 200 friends of station, including civic leaders, sponsors, local ad. agency execs were record- ed and broadcast throughout and* Integrated into regular shows. WTTM, Trenton, N.J. ■—Placing emphasis on news and collection of capable disk jockeys, this station has built itself a strong position: Manager Fred L. Bernstein has also developed this year, a merchandis- ing department to back up pro- gramming and sales. Station’s “School Scoops” program featuring High School journalists interview- ing celebs has attracted nationwide attention. WBTV, Charlotte, N.C.—Unusual contribution by one television sta- tion to welfare of* industry gen- erally was made by WBTV’s South- eastern Television Conference, set up here and conducted in interest of industry advancement in South- east region. Two-day seminar on teev^e at local level was led by various WBTV department heads and staff members, and reps Of FCC and NARTB. WABB, Mobile, Ala. —• Pet gim- mick of the year for WABB was St. Patrick’s Day promotion in which wearin* -of- the - green flavor was given to station's local programs and spots. Staff broadcast with brogue most of the day. * NBC Spot Sales Division—As part of reorganization of NBC Spot Sales Division, promotion depart- ment was expanded under new management. To give unity and personality to advertising and pro- motion of five radio stations and niiie TV stations, promotion chief Hank Shepard came up with a trade campaign which gave graphic representation to spot idea via series of appealing ads built abound idea of “Some Spots Are Better Than Others.” WEWS, Cleveland—Scripps-HoW- ard outlet here again rolled up Impressive public record, with series like “Meet Your Schools,” “Highlights of the News,” “Univer- sity Circle,” and Western Reserve Univ. pioneering TV-for-college- credit “Telecourses.” Station show- ed considerable resourcefulness in televising Gian-Carlo Menotti opera “The Consul” from the Cleveland KPTV, Portland, Ore.—Putting | a new video station on the air is is big job under any circumstances, but this Rose City outlet pre- miered under added weight of be- ing first UHF telecaster in world to go on air on commercial basis. Trailblazer Herbert Mayer, prexy of Empire Coil Co., lived up to responsibility and got station on air, two months ahead of scheduled opening, using RCA-NBC’s famous Bridgeport, Conn., experimental UHF station, which was shipped tq Coast by special truck and freight cars. Sixty days after debut KPTV was operating in black to satisfaction of TV-happy Portland- ers, and video industry which sent observers from all over to r study UHF operations. WPP A, Pottsville, Pa.— Like other hep small-town operators around the nation, this Penna. sta- tion proved that the smart way to program and promote is emphasize the local. Station spotlighted plen- ty of local sports, with emphasis oh scholastic football and basket- ball, and plenty of local news, with tape machines busy 'round the. clock. To win friends among sports fans, WPPA even sends its program director Ed Romance to big Ieaih£. tt&fpihg caqips ,tQ ‘rpr coxd interview's with star play/erjs, ‘Omnibus 9 —Hits & Misses The pros and cons attending the programming virtues of the Ford Foundation “Omnibus” series, weighing in the balance the occasional inspirational sparks as against the unfortunately all too frequent compromise with the dubious, has been a source of de- bate since the Foundation’s Radio-TV Workshop first invaded TV’s precincts last fall. There’s no denying that a great deal of it has represented a waste of time, money and creative effort. But perhaps to suppose that a weekly 90-minute marathon as projected by “Omnibus” could maintain a consistent qualitative, adult level is foolhardy. On the credit side is the fact that “Omnibus!* did demonstrate (1) programs with a rich complement of educational and cultural values can achieve audiences of size and character; (2) commercial programs can be produced independently of the sponsors* dicta- tion or influence with respect to program content and presenta- tion (while: keeping the commercials in line and in taste); (3) that a variety program can be freed of the limitations of a fixed and repetitious structure or rigid time specifications. Of the approximate 100 program features that have made up the whole of the 26-week “Omnibus” the majority of them can be written off as a noble try that didn’t quite make it, and even tended to vex the viewer anticipating greater enjoyment and delights. On^ the other hand, “Omnibus” brought forth the exciting Metro- politan Opera performances of “Fledermaus” and “La Boheme ” specially produced for TV; brought to the TV screens a filmed biography of Abraham Lincoln representing a combination of careful research, authenticity, imaginative approach and exacting TV production standards; and now and again justified its high purpose of solid, accomplishment with some Agnes de Mille Ballet creations and. offbeat material. , TJiqs it’s regrettable that so much of . Qjumbus,. proved, p)9 r ? frustrating the viewer ithan w superior, qualitative en&r^iwwt . r , ; * 4 ™ W *' • ‘ * v # « * • « . » . , • A /\ i V « CKEY, Toronto—Canadian station has made a determined bid for out-of-home bonus audiences and today can <boast of domination in soda bars, restaurants, barber shops, beauty parlors and public establishments. “ KUOM, Minneapolis—This Univ. of> Minnesota operation, kudosed through in 1952-53 directing some radio education plan, again came through In 1952-53 directing some of its major objectives toward the election year. WHDH,'Boston—“We never had it so good” was the WHDH clarion call in ’52-’53, and to prove its point Bill McGrath’s managerial skill translated the year of opera- tion into a “champ” indie status. Its $100,000 investment in promo- tion paid off with a 2.8% increase in sales over the previous year; developed new and different pro- gramming to meet the ascending TV competition and, instead of joining the “quit and run” AM boys, demonstrated a faith in radio that made the network outlets run for cover in the Hooper-Pulse sweepstakes. WRGB, Schenectady—In “Bread- time Stories,” Ralph Kanna has demonstrated that he’s an outstand- ing showman on video, developing a children’s program that could well set a pattern for TV. In Fred- die Freihqfer, conceived, written, produced and directed by Kanna, the bread company has one of the most potent sales items playing the TV circuits, * „ * r * <■ | P, »/ m fc .. k.u i t ,V »• r CJVI, Victoria, B.C.—Station** “McGavin’s Firefighters,” a cross- the-board community service; won overwhelming endorsement from fire chiefs ana public' alike. Its contribution: Less bush and scrub fires in surrounding municipalities than ever before, attributed large- ly to the Firefighters program and its Junior Firefighters. KDAL, Duluth—Nominated for top position for grandiose presenta- tions—KDAL. Station’s entry, a gilt-edged “Treasure Chest of Au«* . (Continued on page 39) • - *