Variety (February 1959)

Wednesday, February 25,1959 RABIO-TELEVISIOIV 23 ‘HUBBELL’S DOUBLE-DECKER Can Prime Time Stand Another Hike? CBS-TV is in the throes of some soul-searching. Will the na¬ tional advertiser go for an additional rap for those middle-of-the- evening cream time segments as distinct, say, from 7 or 7:30* with the latter’s diminishing audience returns? The 7:30 to 8 segment is tough to sell. With but a few excep¬ tions (as with “Wagon Train,” “Maverick,") it doesn’t get the au¬ dience that a 9 or 9:30 show attracts, yet the basic rate trructure Is the same, both 7:30 and 9:30 and* 10:30 failing under the heading of Class A time. CBS, from* all accounts, thinks something ought to be done about it, but hasn’t quite determined how to go about it, or whether the time is ripe. Primary motive, it appears, is not to jack, up the rates in the more desirable periods (although the network wouldn’t be averse to a rate pattern that would pave the way for new rev¬ enues) but to arrive at some more equitable method whereby a 7 or 7:30 period and a 9 or 10 o’clock period would be properly eval¬ uated in the overall programming buying scheme. Why, the question has often been asked, should be a sponsor shell out $60,000 for a half-hour of time at 7:30 when the same coin will fetch him a more desirable 9 or 9:30 or 10 o’clock peri¬ od? By drawing a distinction between the two, CBS is hopeful that by a smaller coin investiture in a T or 7:30 period, those earlier evening time segments will be more attractive to the ad¬ vertiser. But the question remains—will client go for a rate hike in the more desirable time periods, or will it be necessary tor shave the * cost on the earlier evening periods? It’s still in the debate stage. Oren Harris’ Dos & Donts For FCC Spelled Out in 76-Page Bill Washington, Feb. 24. 4- .The Harris Bill, laying down a code of ethics and other legislative do’s and don’t for Federal Com-1 munications Commission and other independent U.S. agencies, con¬ tained no surprises. It followed Harris Subcommittee’s extensive recommendations for law changes made last Jan. 3. But bill, which Rep Oren Harris (D-Ark.) believes will help halt the Ktnd of influence-peddling and back-door dealing he investigated through '58, is how in written form, 76 pages thick, and will soon start through the Congressional, mill. It’s passage is certain, although further thinking may cause some changes in it. Harris formally in¬ troduced It Thursday (19). Harris, in an interview, said the bill is obviously no all-inclusive panaeea but represents a major start in effort to dean out the type of shennanigans his Legislative Oversight Subcommittee found. The bill requires all correspond¬ ence and telephone calls (reduced to a written summary) on any pending case must be filled in the public record, and lays down a $10,000 fine and/or a year in jail for willfull violation of such public disclosure. Written or oral com¬ munications from members of Con- (Continued on page 41) Cornwell Jackson Exits JWT on Coast Hollywood, Feb. 24. Billy .Wilgus, v.p.-manager of J. Walter Thompson Hollywood of¬ fice, succeeds Cornwell Jackson as veepee in charge of the Hollywood office following latter’s resignation yesterday (Mon.). • Jackson joined the agency 14 years* ago to occupy spot vacated by the death of Danny Danker. Jackson, who with his wife, Gail Patrick, is partnered in Paisaho Productions, which produces “Perry Mason” series on CBS-TV, said he h^s no future plans at this ' time. CBS’ Whopping Profit CBS Inc.’s consolidated profits for the fiscal year ending Jan. 3 were estimated at $24,400,000 as compared to $22,193,000 earned in 1957. It was a year of record profits, record sales and record earnings, CBS said. William S. Paley, chairman of the board, and Frank Stanton, prexy, also revealed yesterday (Tues.) that sales for the year ap¬ proximated $411,800,000 as against 1957 sales of $385,409,000. . . Per share earnings for 1958 were $3.10 as compared to $2.81 for 1957. Gobel’s Brit TV Specs George Gobel is set for two spe¬ cial one-houf productions for the British ITA network on June 15 and July 6, respectively. This will be Gobel’s first appearance on Brit¬ ish tv. Programs will be packaged by Gomalco Productions By GEORGE ROSEN What shapes up as perhaps the most ambitious, and provocative series yet designed for television is currently on the CBS-TV' drawing board. If all goes as anticipated, it will get off the ground in Septem¬ ber or October of this year. In the area of~ entertainment program¬ ming, it’s not only a companion piece for the network’s “Playhouse 90” entry but even transcends that one in terms of scope and format flexibility. Negotiations for -sponsorship of the series have advanced to the point Where it may be wrapped up in the next week or so (for rea¬ sons of -their own, CBS-TV execs want the prospective client's name kept under Wraps) and under the one-big-sponsor pattern .evolved for the underwriting of the series it will tote up to perhaps the costliest weekly, venture under¬ taken by a sponsor. In terms of helping to restore live tv to its one time preeminent .status, noth¬ ing has come down the stretch in recent years to match it. Conceived by CBS-TV program chieftain Hubbell Robinson, the series will enlist as producers vir¬ tually the entire network stable of creative talent. This will include Nat.Hiken, Fred Coe, Bob Banner, Leland Hayward, Herb Brodkin, John Houseman, etc. On occasion, when necessary, as when outside properties are involved, non-CBS pactees will be enlisted as part of (Continued on page 41) Sen. Butler Warns Com! TV: ‘Step Digging Your Own Grave’; Sez Most Shows Are 'Not Even Second Rate’ ‘45 Mins. From B’way’ As ‘Omnibus’ Entry George M. Cohan’s “45 Minutes From Broadway” will get a full- hour treatment on NBC-TV’s “Om¬ nibus” production Sunday, March 15. No casting as yet but Gower Champion has been designated di¬ rector of the tv version of Cohan’s musical. Susskind and GM’s $2,009,000 Deal On 8 Carney Specials Eight specials to be done by David Susskind and Talent As¬ sociates with Art Carney starring have been sold for next season to General Motors. Reportedly pegged at slightly better than $2,000,000 for talent, the eight-ply package represents another important step in the early firming up of the ’59- '60 season. GM has yet to single out one of (Continued on page 42) ONCE A YEAR... The broadcasting industry gathers for its national convention. This year the NAB conclave is in Chicago March 15 to 18. PfautrY will distribute its issue of March 18th at the convention, to the assembled broadcasting industry while the meeting is still news and not history. Take advantage of P^riety's "de¬ mand" readership to showcase your sales message. Ad deadline is March 12. Reservations at any office listed below. PfiBYEn NEW YORK 34 154 West 46th St. - HOLLYWOOD 28 6404 Sunset Blvd. CHICAGO 11 612 No. Michigan Ave. Washington, Feb. 24. A foe of pay television in the U. S. Senate has told commercial television to stop digging its own grave. Unless something is done quickly about present low state of programming, tollvision is a cinch. Sen. John Marshall Butler (R-Md.) warned. Butler, member of the Senate Commerce Committee who has sup¬ ported legislation to ban pay-tv, used strong language in giving his view on programs and advertising. “A great majority of the pro¬ grams are not even second rate,” he said Thursday (19). Speaking of westerns and detective offerings, he called most of them “just plain trash.” Ads, he contended, “insult the intelligence of the viewer.” Said Butler: “Commercial tele¬ vision is vigorously opposed to pay- tv. Claim is made that if we per¬ mit it, commercial tv will die. Strangely, commercial tv is en¬ couraging pay video. In effect, net¬ work and station program directors are digging their own graves. It is time for a complete overhaul of programs and advertising. It is time that ratings be forgotten. Ob¬ viously they do not accurately re¬ flect the preferences of tv audi¬ ences.” Butler said that “perhaps” the job of upgrading what is offered the public on tv belongs to the Senate Commerce Committee (which works on new tv laws). “But it seems to me.” he added, “that network and station opera¬ tors can clean their own houses if they so desire. Unless they do so, they will force pay tv’s acceptance by the American people.” After the tongue lashing he gave : Westerns and mysteries generally, j Butler said “a few are excellent,” ! listing Perry Mason and Mat DiUon ! as two he likes. i Butler said advert*sing on tv is j “geared to know-nothings,” adding • that “about the only clever adver¬ tising on the air today” is the “Wil¬ kins and Wontkins” series on Wash¬ ington stations promoting Wilkins Coffee (handled by local M. Bel¬ mont Ver Standig Advertising, Inc.). “As far as I am concerned,” But¬ ler remarked, “if I hear ‘a think¬ ing man’s filter and a smoking man’s taste,’ I promptly switch to another channel.” Reinsch Gets Nod As TV Maitre Dem Washington, Feb. 24. Democratic National Chairman Paul M. Butler has named broad- { casting exec J. Leonard Reinsch as } director of the party’s 1960 Na- ! tional Convention. 1 Reinsch is executive director of : WSB and WSB-TV, Atlanta, and jWHlO and WHIO-TV, Dayton, both i Cox Newspapers subsidiaries. He ! was general manager of the 1956 ] Democratic convention, tv-radio j director of the 1952 convention and ! radio director for the 1944 Roose- i velt-Truman campaign. — j In his 1960 capacity, Reinsch will ; be in charge of all physical ar- {rangements for the convention, | and assist Butler in planning the i format. ‘ Democratic National Committee ; meets here Friday to make the ’ final decision on site for '60 con¬ vention. Party’s site committee pjcked Los Angeles, but strong pressures are being applied by Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Miami to have the National Committee reverse the site group. Meanwhile, Republicans, who choose their convention city in April, are reliably reported to nsve narrowed choice to Philadelphia or Chicago, with Philadelphia more likely.