Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

4 AUGUST 22, 1960 CBS, also interested in post1948s as occasional specials, is also talking of color deals on a long-range basis. And in N. Y., WOR-TV vp & gen. mgr. Robert J. Leder announced late last week that the station's "Million Dollar Movie" showcase would go on a colorcast schedule for the first time in early Oct. The RKO General station is currently installing RCA color-transmission equipment, and expects to have "a minimum of 144 hours of color broadcasts for first 13-wk. cycle of 'Million Dollar Movie' this fall." WOR-TV is currently scouting available post1948 packages for choice in-color properties, station sources told us. Color, incidentally, is one of last strongholds of the theatrical movie industry. Interesting sidelight to post1948 selling has occurred in Britain, where Film Industry Defense Organisation (FIDO) has been woofing up a loud protest by unions & theater operators against showing of movies on TV. FIDO notwithstanding, Associated-Rediffusion (London-area program contractor) next month will begin showing a package of post-1948 British films at the rate of one a fortnight (many, incidentally, have long since been available in the U.S.). And BBC-TV, which has a number of old movies in its vaults, is now expected to program them in nighttime slots more regularly this fall. Congress more about SEC. 315 VOTE IS SET: Speaker Rayburn (D-Tex.) promised last week that a Senate-approved measure (S. J. Res. 207) lifting equal-time broadcast requirements for Presidential tickets this year (Vol. 16:33 p3) would be called up Aug. 22 for a House vote in a fast 1-2-3 procedure. Rayburn put the suspension of the Communications Act’s Sec. 315 at the top of his legislative agenda for the tail-end of the Congressional session. Under a push-itthrough plan bypassing usual House legislative processes, he said, the Senate resolution will go directly to the floor with: (1) No amendments permitted. (2) Debate strictly limited. (3) A % vote required for passage. The schedule for S. J. Res. 207 was announced by Rayburn at his first press conference following return of the House Aug. 15 from its political-convention recess. It went through motions of meeting last week, but put off transaction of any real business for a week, making Aug. 22 its earliest legislative day. There was some muttering meanwhile against the equal-time resolution by members of the House Commerce Committee, but floor debate was expected to be perfunctory, and House concurrence seemed as sure as anything did on campaign-charged Capitol Hill. Rep. Bennett (R-Mich.), ranking minority member, came out of an informal closed caucus of the Committee to report he had “some doubts about the advisability of taking unprecedented action of this kind — leaving it to the discretion of broadcasters whom they give free time to.” “I want to be sure we give a fair break to small new parties,” said Rep. Mack (D-Ill.), 2nd ranking majority Committee member. He said the Senate resolution — ^permitting networks to put Republican & Democratic candidates on the air while ignoring others — should set no precedent which would discourage development of minority political groups. Network-critic Bennett said he was undecided on whether he would take the floor Aug. 22 in opposition to the measure. Mack said he would support it despite his misgivings. The resolution was to be floor-managed by Commerce Chmn. Harris (D-Ark.), who said he had called the Committee caucus only for the purpose of “kicking around & talking about” S. J. Res. 207. Definite plans & schedules for TV debate-&-interview appearances by the major candidates were held up pending a go-ahead from the House. But negotiators from the staffs of Vice President Nixon & Sen. Kennedy (D-Mass.) were busy in Washington last week trying to draw up agreements on ground rules & dates. Also busy last week was the Senate Commerce Freedom of Communications Subcommittee headed by Sen. Yarborough (D-Tex.). The equal-time “watchdog” unit, set up to see how the broadcasters behave themselves during the election campaign, put its staff machinery in working order at 2 closed planning sessions. * « * Underlining the need for suspension of Sec. 315, (without reference to it, however) the latest (Aug. 22) Newsweek presents research on some of America’s stranger Presidential candidates in the current campaign — aside from the traditional splinter-party standard-bearers: (1) Gabriel Green, who says he was advised to run for President by an envoy from Alpha Centauri, a star which is 4.4 light years from earth. He wants “all ‘dirty money' to be taken out of circulation and everybody given a credit card.” (2) Pig ifarmer Henry B. Krajewski of Secaucus, N.J., whose platform is “no piggy deals in Washington.” (3) Rev. Homer A. Tomlinson who “has already declared himself king of more than 80 countries.” (4) Beatnik William Lloyd Smith who “would abolish the govt.” (5) Mrs. Agnes Waters who declares “I can save America in 5 minutes” and accuses Lewis Strauss of “financing the Bolshevik Revolution.” TV-network coverage of the political conventions was “outstanding,” but what viewers saw may have “led millions of Americans to question the entire nominating & electing procedure as it now operates,” according to Sen. Mansfield (D-Mont.). He proposed that the “seriously inadequate” national convention system be replaced by national Presidential primaries. On the other hand. Sen. Clark (D-Pa.) suggested that if viewers didn’t like the conventions, it may have been the fault of TV commentators who shut off proceedings “in order to make invidious & cynical comments about the performances at both conventions by various public servants.” As a terrible example of “cynical comments,” Clark cited a post-convention radio broadcast by CBS newsman George Herman, who had said proceedings in Los Angeles & Chicago provided an “Alice in Wonderland” looking-glass for subsequent “jabber“wocky” on the Senate floor. New Democratic National Chmn. Sen. Jackson (D-Wash.) reported meanwhile that he intended to set up a joint network-party committee after the Nov. 8 election to start planning for the 1964 Democratic convention. TV-covered convention proceedings need some streamlining, Jackson said.