Variety (July 1956)

34 TV-FILMS PSrjety Wednesday, July 4, 1956 NTA Film Network Sets Target Of 85 Affiliates by Oct. Kickoff National Telefilm Associates, 4 which tipped off the establishment of the NTA Film Network during prez Ely Landau's testimony be¬ fore the Senate Interstate Com¬ merce Committee a couple of weeks back,, spelled out more of the details at a N. Y. press con¬ ference held at the. Waldorf-As¬ toria last week. The network would operate ini¬ tially under a 90-minute-weekly op¬ tion time, arrangement w’ith its af¬ filiates, which presently number over 50 and are expected to ag-, gregate 75 to 85 by Oct. 1, the kick¬ off date. NTA would program only feature film at first—a newly-ac¬ quired package which Landau for the time being is keeping under wraps but which he termed “super- spectaculars”—these to be sold in segments to national advertisers. Landau estimated the network would supply 60 to 75% of the nation’s tv homes. Later, the number of weekly option hours would be expanded, and programming would include new half-hour properties (such as NTA's in-pilot-form “Sheriff of Cochise”) plus quarter-hour and five-minute shows. There would also be a newsfilm service to affili¬ ates under a deal which NTA is currently working on, presumably with United Press - Movietone, since NTA is handling tv distribu¬ tion of the 20th-Fox feature pack¬ age. Under consideration is live broadcasting of sports events—the only departure from the all-film non-interconnected concept. 2-Way Compensation Stations, in return for delivering the 90 minutes a week, would be compensated in two ways. The majority of affiliates would receive free anywhere from 500 to 800 hours of programming to do with and to sell locally as they wish, and they would keep this for the term of their affiliation contract, in most cases 18 months. This free programming, for use in the non¬ network time, comes from NTA’s backlog of older product, and runs the gamut from five-minute shows to full-length features, the latter representing some 220 pix that were acquired up to and in some cases including NTA’s Korda-Rank “Fabulou? 40” package. The 20th. and Selz'nick films are not included in the free programs, nor are the Paramount shorts. Other affiliates, the minority, in markets where NTA has its old properties under contract, would be’compensated in orthodox fash¬ ion, that is, would receive part of the national sales revenues. After option time is expanded beyond the 90 minutes, all stations would participate in the revenues, in a greater amount than the'current 70-30 network formula. NTA already has 50 affiliates, ex¬ clusive of those to be signed in the 12 markets with four or more sta¬ tions. Under consideration is a multiple-affiliation setup in New York and Los Angeles, under which the two or more affiliates—in .all likelihood the indies—would carry the same program simultaneously. In other markets, single affiliations would obtain. Where indies are involved, the option time might be in prime evening time, but by and large it will occur in what Landau described as “prime feature time” —the late evening hours. » Landau, who will head the net¬ work as president, said NTA ex¬ pects to go into station ownership, and hopes to become a multiple- station owner before the end of the year. The “o&o stations,” of course, would affiliate with the film network. The network is pres¬ ently a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTA, but Landau said that a spin¬ off, under which it would become a separate corporate body with cur¬ rent NTA stockholders receiving shares' in the network, is being contemplated. Officers of the network are: Lan¬ dau, prez; Oliver Unger, NTA exec v.p., the net’s exec v.p.; Edythe Rein, NTA v.p. and secretary, the net’s v.p. and secretary; NTA sales v.p. Harold Goldman, network v.p.; and Ray Nelson, ex-Television Bu¬ reau of Advertising, v.p. and gen¬ eral manager. Louisville—Woodford H. Du¬ laney Jr., a member of the WAVE radio sales staff since September 1953, has succeeded the late W. LaVell Waltman as sales manager. Aussies Set Deal For BBC-TV Films, Kines London, June 26. Australia’s Broadcasting Com¬ mission, which is due to start tv transmissions in Melbourne in the fall, has signed a deal with BBC- TV for 101 films and 61 kinescoped programs covering cultural and children's features along with im¬ portant outside broadcasts. Until an arrangement can be negotiated with British Actors’ Equity and the Musician’s Union, drama and music performances will be excluded from the deal. TV Moves In - Continued from page 20. and newspapers in a two-way breakdown, ABC has discovered that GM forks over 75% to papers, 25% to tv; with Chrysler, the pro¬ portions are 51% to tv, 49% to papers; Ford is 66% to papers and 34% to tv.’ In answer to the three questions, 49% of the GM dealers said that tv brought more people into the showroom than newspapers; 41% preferred tv_as the only medium, and 49% wanted it listed first among all media. Chrysler deal¬ ers thought showroom traffic was boosted by tv to the tune of 67%, as against 33% for newspapers. As the only ipedium, 60% were for it, and as first preference among all media, 69% favored it. Ford deal¬ ers were 65% for it as the best showroom traffic stimulant; it was a 50-50 split on tv vs. papers as the only medium, and 61% for tv first over all other media. While the dealer favoring of tv in all three categories was not overwhelming, ABC nonetheless felt the disparity between dealer beliefs and factory action re ad¬ vertising was too great to go un¬ changed. Oliver Treyz, TvB prexy, told carmakers that in the survey of customers intercepted by the In¬ stitute in the showroom—a third of them having actually purchased cars just before the interview— 65% gave tv as the primary me¬ dium motivating them to come and look. Balance of 35% thought newspapers were responsible. Houston—KTRK-TV has opened its first tv workshop, designed to giye teenaged Houstonians an in¬ sight into the intricacies of video production. The workshop group, sponsored by the Y.W.C.A. meets Tuesdays in the studios of KTRK- TV, with Jack Hill, program direc¬ tor, as prof. A $1,000,000 budget allotment for the development of new tv programming has been set aside by Screen Gemsi In addition, the Columbia Pictures tv subsidiary has set a quota of 20 new programs to be developed for the 1957-58, season. These decisions were taken at the recently-concluded two-week meeting on the Coast of Screen Gems’ execs, attended by Ralph Cohn, v.p. and general manager; John H. Mitchell, v.p. in charge of sales, and Irving Briskin and Fred Briskin, in charge of production. In regard to the projected 20 new programs, Milton Pickman, the newly appointed v.p. in charge of programming, will negotiate with indie producers, stars and tal¬ ent agencies for new show pack¬ ages to be included in the quota. Five new series are already set, "You Can't Take It with You,” “Shore Leave,” “Girls About Town” "Ivanhoe” and “Captain Charlie’s Showboat.” In addition, there will be several series in the adult adventure and adult drama ’Susanna’s’ 20 Scripters Hollywood, July 3. Number of scripters assigned to the new Hal Roach Jr. telefilm se¬ ries starring Gale Storm, “Oh! Susanna,” reached 20 last week, with addition of 14 more. New writers include Joel Kane, Larry Rhine, Bill Freedman, Wanda Tuchock, Etna Lazarus, Barbara Hammer, Dick Mack, John L. Greene, Hal Goldman, A1 Gordon, Jack Elinson, Charles Stewart, Fred Fox and’ Stanley Shapiro. Six original scripters include Lee Karson, who Created the se¬ ries format, Phil Shuken, G. Carle- ton Brown, Frank Gill Jr., Roland MacLane and Dick Conway. ‘Do or Die’ ■ ■ Continued from page 23 --= more maturely about mature sub¬ jects, as they are used to writing for the stage and screen.” Finally, he sees the day when television will afford the writer more of that much-needed “road tryout.”, In a case like Williams, who is constantly polishing his script during rehearsals and on the road, the tree weeks of tv re¬ hearsal will afford even greater opportunity for polishing, not to say critical reaction. As to “Showcase,” Abrahams is looking for next season’s flock of top talent, like directors William Wyler (“The Letter,’’), John Hus¬ ton (“Lysistrata”) and Anatole Litvak (“Mayerling”) to bring a new sense of freshness and excite¬ ment to the medium. Aside from the publicity and exploitation values involved—"and these are sadly lacking in most tv presentations”— Abrahams expects them to bring their immediate staging and cam¬ era talents and a freshness of ap¬ proach that will make the audience and the trade “know they’ve been there.” Foreign-Language ■ Continued from page 27 =— — - estimated his station could con¬ tinue at least 15 years more in Italo stanzas. WOV, for example, is. going great guns commercially in Italian, Ralph Weil, the station's manager disclosed. He attributed the steady Italo population in N. Y. to a large influx of war brides. KDAY Cleans House Hollywood, July 3. “The age of programming for minority groups is over,” says George A. Baron, v.p.-general manager of KDAY, Santa Monica, which pioneered in the field here¬ abouts after World War II. In dis-' closing a revision in the station’s minority and foreign language programming format over the weekend, Baron declared, “Iso¬ lated audiences are becoming more and more integrated. It’s the way a d.j. presents his program, not his race, that determines his listeners.” KDAY, which recently hired two “generalized” d.j.’s, Frank Evans, categories. Production of pilots for all new series will take place between Sep¬ tember and December, so that completed prints will be in the hands of Screen Gems’ sales force no later than next January. Cohn, commenting on the need for early delivery of pilots, said that new shows frequently come on the scene so late that when they are sold there is not enough time to prepare the whole series properly. “By the beginning of the calendar year we will have eight to 10 -months to shoot the series,” he opined. Screen Gems, which already has set a record high of nine shows placed on the networks for the current season, also is planning several projects for 1958-59. To house additional personnel on the Coast, the company has just purchased the building adjoining its existing property in Hollywood. The additional space will increase by 50% the offices for producers, writers and directors. Work on complete remodeling of the build¬ ing will begin immediately. Screen Gems Earmarks $1,000,000 For Vidpix Program Development Caputo Sez Latinos Hostile’ Toward U.S. Telefilm Imports; Unions Factor ex-Mutual, N. Y., and Jim Ameche, formerly with KLAC, is only re¬ taining Negro personality Joe Adams and Mexican-American Li¬ onel “Chico” Sesmas in its new programming setup, to become fully effective within 6,0 days. These, Baron carefully pointed out, draw ratings up to two times over their particular racial groups among the general public. Fur¬ ther, the station is axing all for¬ eign-language broadcasts, current¬ ly occupying approximately five and one-half hours each Sunday. And all foreign-language commer¬ cials are slated to go by the boards. Elaborating, Baron disclosed that Pulse had been conducting surveys for the station for some time, which reinforce his belief that “the handwriting is on the wall — the assimilation process spells the end of segregated pro¬ gramming.” Hub’s Pix Spree == Continued from page 22 -- released pictures will be shown. Franklin A. Tooke, g.m. of WBZ-TV, switched staff within the station’s program department with Ray Hubbard, formerly of West- inghouse station KPIX, San Fran¬ cisco, in as assistant program di¬ rector; Gordon Swan named op¬ erations director; Iran Berlow made production supervisor, and Chester Collier, producer, named to head newly formed public af¬ fairs department. In longrange deals, WNAC-TV bought “Count of Monte Cristo,” “Three Musketeers,” “Dr. Hud¬ son’s Secret Journal,” “Curtain Calls,” “Victory at Sea” and “I Search for Adventure” this week. None of the shows has been given starting dates. WB.Z-TV expanded its “Pleasure Playhouse” film hour to 90 min¬ utes Sunday (1) starting half-hour earlier at 5:30 p.m. Tex & Jinx Deal - -- Continued from page 19 - —■ ■ two-hour nightly Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., radio stint. Idea would be to film all two hours of interviews, ffhd from this cull enough to pro¬ vide any station with a half-hour strip, or 150 minutes of footage in all. Interviews would come in seven-minute form, so that local interview shows could use them as special features “from our New York correspondents, Tex & Jinx.” McCrary, also cites highioreign in¬ terest in U. S. celebrities as an inducement for overseas sale of the films. The new WRCA-WRCA-TV deal is exclusive for N. Y. only, enabling them to sell to affiliates of other networks out of town. Apart from their three shows— two on radio and one on tv—Mc¬ Crary still operates his public re¬ lations outfit with Demo Jerry Finkelstein, ex-chairman of the N. Y. City Planning Commission, and still retains a stake in realtor William Zeckendorf’s plan for a 39-acre West Side “TV City,” which Zeckendorf is partnered with the New York Central R.R. ‘Mickey’s’ Rating s——; Continued from page 19 dex, chiefly because of the in-home viewership that day, ABC says “MMC” beat NBC’s 5 to 5:30 average. In the N. Y. June tally, ARB gave ABC 6.7 to NBC’s 4.7. In the Pulse report the comparisons were ABC 11.2 and NBC 5.3. In Philly, it was 14.3-for ABC vs. 3.6 for NBC and, on Pulse, 18.5 and 5.4. Wash¬ ington it was 9.2 against 5.3 and 12.3 to 7.1. In Cleveland the re¬ ports read: 13.3 to 9.3 and 22.8 to 6.2. In Baltimore, where only the ARB was available, it was 8.5 to 4.5. Schenectady — Donn Chown, WGY program manager, elected a member of the radio-tv depart¬ ment of the Presbyterian Church. Before joining WGY in 1954, he served as radio-tv chairman of tlje Detroit General Assembly of that church. South and Central America man¬ ifest “hostility” to telefilm impor¬ tation, according to George Caputo, veep and sales chief of Interna¬ tional Radio-TV Programs. The distrib for many American pro¬ ducers recently returned from an extended tour of the Latino na¬ tions. The countries he toured, Caputo said, began with live programming in an effort to emulate U. S. net¬ working and before many vidfilm stanzas were made available by this country. He felt that they have become more deeply entrenched in live video, despite much of it be¬ ing badly done. Other fac'ors militating against North American film product, he pointed out, were Latin nationalism and Latin unions.- He said indus- tryites below the border show ex¬ treme pride in locally-produced programming. The unions, which in certain of the countries limit film importation, are all for keep¬ ing production at home in order to sustain labor’s strength. Caputo listed Mexico, Guate¬ mala, San Salvador, Santo Do¬ mingo, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Vene¬ zuela, Colombia, Brazil and Ar¬ gentina as the 10 nations where tv exists to any degree. He added Uruguay, which, he said, is due to have television shortly. And of of all the countries, he felt that Portuguese-speaking Brazil will perhaps be the biggest in televi¬ sion before long; it is adding sev¬ eral channels. (Brazil is the only country where dubbing is avoided, since it’s too costly, he feels, to dub for only one country into Por¬ tugese; tv there uses English- lan¬ guage films with subtitles.) Besides the active displeasure shown by South and Central Amer¬ ica to U. S. telefilms, producers here have to face currency prob¬ lems. Devaluation of local cur¬ rency, he noted, makes it hard for foreign tv shows to compete with local. U.S. producers usually want ■more for their films than they can possibly get. Sometimes, he ex¬ plained, $400 for a half-hour stanza is equivalent to a S.A. fortune since it has so much more buying power down there. He warned any U.S. telefilm out¬ fit with below-the-border aspira¬ tions that sales have to be han¬ dled through distribs who have strong ties in each .of the Latin tv countries. Many of the South American station operators won’t deal with any but locally estab¬ lished salesmen. Moreover, Caputo felt, a man has to be on hand for the distrib almost continually to wet nurse local needs "and whims. The U. S. telepix which have sold down there bring an average of $200 to $250 for each half-hour, he determined. International Radio-TV Programs is- expected to handle S.A. sales for "Foreign Intrigue,” which WKAQ, Puerto Rico, bought from Official for dubbing and south-of-the-border sale. Caputo’s company also dis- tpbs “This Is Your Music” and cartoons for Offietal, Par shorts for National Telefilm Associates, ‘ Studio Film’s Telescriptions, the Winik Fights, Telra’s “Sports Spot¬ light,” and several Atlantic Televi¬ sion features. The veep said it doesn’t pay a distrib to make a South and Central American swing with only one or a few packages to front for. Dallas Co.’s Film Seminar With Emphasis on Color Keitz & Herndon Film Co. of Dallas has begun a series of tele¬ vision film seminars for south¬ western advertisers and agencies, covering full production tech¬ niques on commercials, animation and color. First seminar was held a couple of weeks ago with the entire staff of the Ruthrauff & Ryan Dallas office, and from that stemmed the decision to make the seminar a weekly event. Production outfit reports that high interest in color, resulting in the fact that 80% of the firm's total production is now in tint, with compatible black-and-white prints, is one of the factors lead¬ ing to the seminars. Another is to improve agency - client - producer relationships by familiarizing them with yardsticks measuring cost of commercial production.