Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16: No. 3 3 which all broadcasters consider eminently satisfactory. But one top engineer noted, "with this system we're still plagued with a projector & all the problems inherent in a projector." "The thermoplastic process [has] advantages, as well as disadvantages, and its future applications have been, and will continue to be, under study by Ampex," said Ampex Pres. George I. Long in a statement issued after GE's news conference. He added that magnetic tape offers the most "efficient, economical and practical means of recording sound data and TV pictures." Magnetic recording art "is still in its infancy," said Long, "and in our research programs we foresee significant developments which will increase datapacking density, reduce size of equipment and extend applications, assuring a growing market." Probably because of the stock-market stir caused when news of TPR leaked 3 weeks ago, all of GE's spokesmen at the press conference played down its TV potential, emphasizing that the demonstration used TV images only because that was easiest way to show hov/ TPR works. For example, GE industrial electronics vp H. A. Strickland Jr. said he expected "new & presently imserved markets for information recording" to be greatest growth area for TPR and that "we would expect both economic & performance considerations to determine its degree of acceptance" in competition with established photographic & magnetic media. Ampex stock gyrated last week, gaining 7 points Tues. (day of GE demonstration), losing 4 Wed., gaining 3 Thurs., losing l®^ Fri., closing at 104. No, TPR isn't here yet, may still be long time off. But telecasters were intrigued at their glimpse of another way to record TV pictures — one which may have important applications to TV film distribution, newsreel photography, spot commercials. In words of ABC engineering vp Frank Marx: "It has a tremendous potential . . . bright future ... No doubt about that." (For more about TPR, see p. 10.) CBS GOES EDITORIAL: Long -awaited plans for editorials by CBS-TV (and radio) became official this month with Jan. 7 draft of new set of "Rules & Guideposts for Editorials on CBS-Owned Stations." The report serves the double fimction of giving green light to CBS editorials and establishing ground rules for their handling. New rules (see p. 7) seek to have stations keep clear of political hassles, achieve "fairness & balance" for conflicting views, and present the viewpoints of opponents. Editorial move represents important breakthrough. CBS is the first network to tackle the hot topic of on-air editorials. Not only the o<So outlets, but affiliates and other broadcasters are now provided with a springboard from which to develop their own rules & regulations for taking a stand on local & national issues. CBS is expected to discuss new policy at length in the forthcoming Washington meeting between top CBS executives and network's affiliates (Vol. 15:52 pl6). Note: When we asked station mgrs. whether they editorialized — or planned to — in questionnaire last Sept. (Vol. 15:38 p4), of 169 who replied, 51% said "yes," STRIKE! BUT TV POSITION NOT SERIOUS NOW: Although Writers Guild of America called a strike against both the major movie studios and the Alliance of TV Film Producers members, effective Jan. 16, TV is least likely to suffer from any all-out strike action (Vol. 15:52 p4; 16:1 p4; 16:2 pl3). That's because strike which will actually shut down Hollywood studios is not the writers' strike, but that of Screen Actors Guild. Most film & TV studios have backlog of scripts, so they aren't concerned about any immediate production halt caused by WGA strike action. However, if powerful SAG strikes when its majorstudios contract expires Jan. 31, that would force a shutdown. That's applicable to major film studios but not to their TV operations, where they have separate contracts. While SAG has showdown meeting with major-studio presidents this week on crucial question of post-1948s, the outcome won't necessarily affect TV. Expiration date of SAG's contract with Alliance of Television Film Producers is March 31, and negotiations will probably begin in Feb. Because most TV companies have stockpiles of scripts, they'll be able to complete their regular production schedules of current series. The bulk of pilot projects will have been filmed before SAG contract expiration date. More important, our sources among production companies & the Guild do not believe there will be an actors' strike against the TV producers. Neither side in writers dispute was showing any early signs of retreating from its avowed position late last week. In telefilm, WGA wants foreign payments, residuals pegged to initial (not scale) payments, retention of many rights now demanded by producers. In the feature realm the biggest hassle centers on WGA's demands for participation in the sale to TV of post1948 pictures.