Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16: No. 49 3^ "The proposed trial is essential so that private enterprise may gain access to the market place which, in the final analysis, is the ultimate testing ground for all new business," said W. Theodore Pierson for Hartford Phonevision. "Commission has no alternative" but to reject application, argued Marcus Cohn for Conn. Committee Against Pay TV and other theater groups. Cohn contended that grant would lead to programming monopoly by pay TV, that all in all, effect on free TV in Hartford area would be "disastrous." FCC AGAIN PONDERS CATV LEGISLATION: Only a few trouble spots remain in station CATV relationships, according to Chmn. Ford (Vol. 16:47 p8), but Commission still wants new authority to deal with those. Last week FCC discussed legislative proposals but didn't come up with final language. Current FCC approach, it's imderstood — and it may well prevail — is to ask for very broad powers and to indicate "examples," in law itself, of how powers would be used. This is precisely the route taken when Commission recommended that it be given authority to regulate networks (Vol. 16:21 p6). FCC's recommendations didn't come to vote. In its network-legislation suggestion, FCC proposed that it be allowed to: "Issue such rules & regulations with respect to . . . networks, as the Commission may determine to be necessary or appropriate to assure that the policies, practices, and activities of such networks shall not adversely affect the ability of broadcast licensees to operate their stations in the public interest. Such rules & regulations may include, but shall not be limited to . . ." Commission proceeded to list 11 specifics. Similar language is being considered for CATV, we gather. Question, of course, is: "What are the specifics?" Good guess is these: (1) Power to prohibit or limit CATV duplication of local-station programs whenever Commission believes it necessary to keep station going. (2) Authority to require CATVs to carry local-station signals. Out the window, it's believed, is Commission's former recommendation that CATVs be required to get originating stations' consent to redistribute their signals. Commission is expected to wrap up its ideas in week or two. LIVE TV AT WHITE HOUSE: Another milestone in TV's coverage of public affairs is in sight. President-elect Kennedy, who has said he couldn't have won election without "Great Debate" series (Vol. 16:46 pi), may open his press conferences to live TV after he takes office. "We still are a long way from any decision," Kennedy press secy. Pierre Salinger said last week. But he confirmed reports that White House precedent may be made by permitting TV & radio crews to put conferences on air as they happen. There'd be no fixed TV schedule, Salinger said. Under plan contemplated by Kennedy, live Q-&-A sessions between reporters & President would be arranged only occasionally — some at night — to assure maximum viewing audience. It's said that Kennedy was thinking of 7 p.m. as good White House programming hour. Networks won right to carry filmed conferences under President Eisenhower, who broke new press ground by permitting cameras, recordings and verbatim quotations. Eisenhower press secy. James C. Hagerty reserved right to edit films & transcripts before they were released, however. And although editing restrictions never amounted to censorship, they resulted in delays in airing of conference films. One network response to prospective new freedom for TV came from ABC spokesman who said his organization is "very happy about it," and is eager to carry White House proceedings live. CBS & NBC had no immediate comment. If & when Kennedy approves live TV, there'll be time enough for networks to find answers to such scheduling questions as how much pre-empted time to allow for conferences — the duration of which has always depended on reporters' questions. Outlook for live TV reporting is clouded, however, by reported recommendations to Kennedy by Brookings Institution for more — not fewer — White House news restrictions. Editor & Publisher said secret memorandum prepared by non-partisan research organization urges reinstatement of pre-Eisenhower conference rules which "would eliminate direct TV & radio coverage." "Peril of inadvertent blimder" by President at conferences is compounded when direct quotations are permitted, Brookings report says, according to E&P. "It is imderstood that the press conference report was written by a former newspaperman who is now in the academic world," newspaper trade paper said.