Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)
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2
DECEMBER 5, 1960
AFTRA-SAG ARMISTICE: An aura of cautious optimism surrounded the talent strike last week.
Although both sides have shown they mean business and major network-<&-spot strike has been hanging in balance since Nov. 5 (Vol. 16:48 p2), networks last week resumed talks with AFTRA & SAG.
Network we-won't-budge stand has been abandoned, and both sides seem in mood to negotiate a settlement. Describing situation as "favorable," AFTRA is now willing to talk about a 3-year contract, whereas previous union demand was for only 2-year deal. On other side of fence, networks reportedly are easing on such demands as bigger discounts for multiple performances and closed-circuit performances at less than regular network rates.
"Agreement-in-principle" was reached Dec. 1 between negotiating teams, who made joint announcement that peace feelers cover "all substantive areas." Now talent vmions will put proposed agreements before their respective national boards for approval, and ultimately to their memberships for ratification. Meanwhile, further N.Y. & Hollywood meetings between negotiators, to draft agreements embodying new terms & conditions, will be held.
Final agreement hasn't been reached between unions & networks, by any means. Advertisers & agencies don't like sizable pay hikes that would be due to talent under the "unit system" which the AFTRA-SAG alliance is seeking (Vol. 16:46 p6). They will meet union demands only if forced to — or if rmions ease their proposals to achieve compromise.
FORUM FOR AGENCY REFORMERS: Nearly everybody at Senate hearings last week complained about deficiencies & inefficiencies of federal regulatory agencies, but there was almost no agreement among 16 expert witnesses on what should be done to reform them.
Better qualified men to head & staff agencies are best answer to perennial problems. President-elect Kennedy's special advisor James M. Landis told Judiciary Administrative Practice & Procedure Subcommittee. His testimony wound up 4 days of sessions which were intended — ^hopefully — by Chmn. Carroll (D-Colo.) to draw policy guidelines for upcoming Democratic administration.
"Greatest potential" for improvement in regulatory operations lies in permanent advisory assembly as proposed by his organizing committee for White House Conference on Administrative Procedure, said Court of Appeals Judge E. Barrett Prettyman (Vol. 16:48 p5). President Eisenhower's agency specialist, he was lead-off witness in hearings, which marked umpteenth time Congressional committees had tried to produce sure cures for agency ills.
In-between testimony ran every which way (see p. 5).
HARTFORD PAY>TV GO-AHEAD RECOMMENDED: As anticipated by pro-6c-con parties
in proceedings, FCC's Broadcast Bureau last week urged that Zenith-RKO General's Hartford Phonevision be given green light for 3-year tryout of pay TV on WHCT (Vol. 16:44 pi et seq.).
"No substantial reason why the public interest would not be served by a grant of the pending application" could be found in record of October hearings. Broadcast Bureau said in 94-page "Proposed Findings & Conclusions." Commission can be expected to go along with staff.
"No undue risks of jeopardy to the public interest would be involved" in permitting Hartford Phonevision to try to prove that its pay-as-you-see system will work, FCC attorneys Louis C. Stephens, Sol Schildhause and Arthur H. Bernstone agreed in their review of pioneering proposals.
"Proposed operation coincides in all important respects" with Commission's test requirements in 1st & 3rd reports on subscription TV, they said.
Endorsement of Hartford plans was qualified by Broadcast Bureau in 7 proposed operational conditions, however: (1) "Faithful compliance [with] the letter & the spirit" of FCC's pay-TV policies. (2) Observance of all FCC rules "which are not clearly incompatible/' (3) Careful review by RKO of all pay-TV promotional material prepared by Zenith & its programming arm Teco. (4) RKO must "safeguard against misleading representations to the public." (5) FCC is entitled to full information on "any aspect" of Hartford operation. (6) Copies of all programming agreements must be furnished to FCC. (7) Field surveys of potential pay-TV market must be completed before operations start.
Violently-opposed proposed findings of fact were filed — as expected — by applicant Hartford Phone' vision and by theater interests .which fought application.