Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16: No. 2 11 Networks CBS LOOKS AT ’59: CBS issued its annual summary last week. Stressed throughout the 25-page report were the network’s post-quiz-scandal clean-up measures and its emphasis on prime-time public-affairs & news programming. Although sales & ratings were played down in the report, CBS had its most successful year to date. In industry relations, the first major “image building” project last year was CBS’s advocacy of the equaltime amendment (Vol. 15:19 p4) in the spring. Later, in the wake of the quiz investigations, a program practices dept, headed by Joseph Ream was created (Vol. 15:47 p3) “to assure that broadcasts were what they purported to be.” Big-money quiz shows were dropped, merchandise plugs were banned and CBS Inc. pres. Dr. Frank Stanton “laid down the law” on payola (Vol. 15 :49 p9). While striving for an industry image, CBS managed, however, to maintain a strong position in the programming & sales areas. Of the 15 nighttime shows introduced last fall, only one, The Lineup, died in mid-season (Vol. 15:48 pl3). For the first 10 months of 1959 the network showed a 7.8% increase in gross time sales over the corresponding period in 1958 and scored 14% higher sales than “the second network,” said the report. A total of 139 sponsors advertised on the network during the year, including 32 new to CBS and 11 new to network TV. Among those new to CBS were Coca-Cola, Bell & Howell and Firestone. The network increased its affiliates to 205 from 197 the previous year, but delivered only 8.6 million homes per average nighttime minute, as compared to 8.9 million in 1958, CBS told us. This is, however, 13% more homes per minute than NBC and 20% more than ABC, said CBS. No more dramatic program change was seen in 1959 than CBS’ news & public-affairs upsurge. CBS Reports, which was announced last May by Dr. Stanton (Vol. 15:19 p3), was implemented in the fall and joined by almost 11 hours of Eyewitness to History programs, which covered the Khrushchev & Eisenhower goodwill tours. Both series were sponsored — Reports by Bell & Howell and B. F. Goodrich, and Eyewitness by Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. In a move to give greater autonomy to its public-affairs programming, the network appointed Sig Mickelson pres, of CBS News in mid-year. John Karol was named vp & dir. of special projects, network sales dept., at year’s end. Among executive realignments, one overshadowed the rest — the appointment of James T. Aubrey Jr. as pres, of CBS-TV, following the resignation of Louis G. Cowan (Vol. 15:50 p9). Last spring programming exec, vp Hubbell Robinson Jr. resigned to become an independent producer and was replaced by Oscar Katz. Later in the year William Dozier resigned as vp, programs, Hollywood, to join Screen Gems, and was replaced by Guy della Cioppa. “Major significance” of the RCA-NBC consent decree requiring the network to get rid of its WRCV-TV & WRCV Philadelphia (Vol. 16:1 p9) is cited by Acting Asst. Atty. Gen. Robert A. Bicks in his year-end report on Justice Dept, anti-trust cases. The report lists the RCA-NBC judgment as a highlight of anti-trust div. successes in 1959, which brought “real progress toward efforts to keep calendars current and handle litigation promptly & effectively.” During the year, 63 cases were closed, more antitrust cases were filed than in any year since 1943 and 50% more merger cases were started than in any year since the 1914 Clayton Act became law, according to Bicks. ARB’s Station Covorayo Study: American Research Bu reau’s 1960 coverage study, measuring all TV reception in the 50 states, has been signed for by ABC-TV & CBSTV. Negotiations with NBC-TV are currently in progress. ABC & CBS now subscribe to all ARB services, NBC to all but this latest report. The new study is based on 2 “nationwide sweeps” of over 125,000 homes each. The first survey was concluded in Nov. 1959, the second will take place in March, coinciding with the U.S. census. The new report will be broken down by individual city, state or county, as requested by the individual subscriber. In addition to station coverage, the study will measure total audience, viewer preference, audience composition and the percentage of overlapping coverage. ARB indicated that “most major agencies have expressed interest” in the study and “are expected to sign for national coverage following formal presentations this week.” Outgoing NCAA TV committee recommended that the Association’s new contracts with TV networks for telecasting of college football games be extended to 2 years. The new committee, selected Jan. 8 at NCAA’s N.Y. convention, is to formulate a plan for the extension and meet with the networks by early spring. Participating colleges in nationally televised grid games last season received as much as $125,000 (to be divided between the school & its conference), it was also learned. At the same time the NCAA indefinitely suspended nationaal TV coverage of U. of Oklahoma football games because of infractions of athlete-recruiting rules. NBC-TV is lowering its 10-11 a.m. rate from 50% to 40% of the Class A rate, putting the network “in line competitively with CBS,” which lowered the rate for this hour last Dec. from 50% to 33V3% of its Class A rate. ABC’s rate for this time will remain at 33%% of its Class A rate. NBC’s change is effective Feb. 1. Walt Disney was denied a motion for summary judgment in its suit against AB-PT by N.Y. Supreme Court Justice Edward Weinfeld Jan. 6. No date has yet been set for the trial. NETWORK SALES ACTIVITY ABC-TV Sugar foot -Bronco, Tues., 7:30-8:30 p.m., participations. Magyar Co. (Tracey-Locke) CBS-TV Rawhide, Fri., 7:30-8:30 p.m., alt. wk. one-third sponsorship. Colgate-Palmolive (Ted Bates) ; Binney & Sinith (J. T. Chirurg Co.) Captain Kangaroo, Mon.-Sat., 8:15-9 a.m., alt. wk. 15-min. segs. Wyler & Co. (R. J. Scott) Douglas Edwards with the News, alt. wk. 15-min. seg. American Home Products (Ted Bates) NBC-TV Racing from Hialeah, Sat., 4:30-5 p.m. eff. Jan. 15. Halfsponsorship. Phillies Cigars (Werman & Schorr)