Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

12 DECEMBER 5, 1060 CRITICS & CODES: A special TV code conference to strengthen present industry regulatory systems was suggested last week as an answer to the rising tide of public criticism of TV programming & commercials. The proposal came from Hendrik Booraem Jr., Ogilvy, Benson & Mather vp, at a N.Y. RTES “Roundtable” luncheon Nov. 30. In view of Ogilvy’s recent decision to abandon the 15% media commission in favor of straight fees for client Shell Oil Co. (Vol. 16:47 p9), Booraem’s attacks had added significance. While conceding that much of TV is excellent, Booraem said: “The few examples of bad taste & excessive violence are a matter of deep & immediate concern to both advertisers & agencies.” The problem is particularly serious for the big advertiser, he continued, because “ultimately his good name is damaged, and important advertisers are going to think about finding some place else to tell the public of their products.” Booraem was convinced that current methods of screening programs & commercials are inadequate. “Network continuity acceptance departments are put in the position of judging material to which their own managements have given prior approval.” On the subject of the NAB Code he stated: “NAB is dependent for its support on the very people it seeks to regulate . . . and it cannot bring to bear sufficient weight, either of economic power or of public opinion, to force the offender back in line.” Producers were also Booraem-blasted : “There are top executives of the biggest producing firms on the West Coast who are unaware that their companies have subscribed to the NAB Code. This can hardly be called active participation.” Calls for Single Code for Everyone Any solution, Booraem suggested, would require “a single, enforceable code of standards” for all involved in the medium. Such a code, according to Booraem, could be worked out at a conference of representatives from ANA and 4A (see Background, p. 14), NAB, the 3 networks and the Alliance of TV Film Producers. Comments followed from panel members E. K. Hartenbower, NAB TV Code Review Board chmn.; Joseph Ream, CBS-TV vp for program practices; James A. Stabile, NBC-TV standards & practices vp; ABC-TV vp Alfred R. Schneider; industry consultant Edgar Kobak. The 3 network officials agreed that a conference would be useful but that final responsibility for what goes on the air should rest with broadcasters. ABC’s Schneider stated : “Such a conference may serve to bring the problems out into the open and this would be a good thing.” NBC’s Stabile remarked: “We would welcome the Booraem conference, but first NBC would want to know what directions it would take. The continuity-acceptance department is very active, and does a good job of turning down unacceptable or tasteless material.” CBS’s Ream added: “Our continuity-acceptance department is not a captive office boy of management . . . These people get in from the beginning.” Ream cited a recent study which showed a decrease in the number of CBS Westerns, adventures and mystery series from 16 to 9 over the past year. But NAB’s Hartenbower voiced objection to the Booraem-proposed conference. “The TV industry already has a good, workable code of self-regulation. The increase in subscribers to the Code attests to its growing importance.” Admitting that all problems are not solved, he added: “We would welcome the help of advertisers & agencies and they can do this by resisting the temptation to cut comers for competitive reasons.” NAB’s N.Y. Meeting: The question of broadcaster “free dom” was featured again at NAB’s N.Y. windup conference. Eastern-area broadcasters heard opinions on it not only from Clair R. McCollough, NAB Policy Committee chmn., and Vincent T. Wasilewski, vp for govt, affairs, but even from a print-media executive — Arthur H. (Red) Motley, publisher of Parade and pres, of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Motley bluntly urged NAB members to “stop wrapping ourselves in the mantle of righteous indignation every time someone points the finger of scorn at the news media.” Stating that the TV station need not be locally owned to achieve local identity, he concluded that it “cannot hope to be as important or influential as the newspaper until, like the newspaper, it begins to think, act and ‘publish’ like a local medium.” NAB’s Wasilewski, earlier, told broadcasters that govt, officials, friendly or unfriendly to TV, recognize “the great potential” of the medium for political power, particularly in light of the role of newspapers in shaping “the attitudes of the public.” Broadcasting, he added, was not as influenced by “partisanship” as are print media. Chmn. McCollough stressed a need for broadcasters to be “more articulate” about their industry and “the sum of our contributions to a forward-moving society.” As “touchstones” for NAB’s future, McCollough proposed: “A determined, organized effort to bolster the economy through ethical advertising; a dedication, within our capacities, to the cause of better education; an awareness of our responsibility to inform, fully and fairly; a comprehension of the public interest . . . and a concerted, organized effort to portray our industry to the public for what it is and what it aspires to become.” With post-1948 movies heading, in ever-increasing amounts to TV (see story p. 6), NAB TV Code Review Board Chmn. E. K. Hartenbower warned stations to screen them carefully, pointing out that several recent films had “raised a few eyebrows when exhibited in the theater.” He commended the Code’s personal-products subcommittee for what he termed an “affirmative” approach to commercials. “Our reception at the agency & advertiser levels has improved greatly.” ■ ■ TV station wages (average $13,208 for sales mgr., $9,568 chief eng., $9,308 program dir., $7,800 news dir., etc., Vol. 16:46 pll) compare with averages in the newspaper profession, as compiled by Medill School of Journalism’s Prof. David E. Botter. The average annual salary of career writers, he found in a survey, is $6,825; $6,736 copyreaders; $7,373 sub-editors; $9,068 for top editorial men under managing editor. These salaries compare with such national average income as $16,587 for physicians, $10,220 dentists, $7,692 engineers with 5-year experience, $7,644 salesmen with 5 years experience, $4,575 teachers. Canadian allocation changes recommended by the BBC for Dept, of Transport approval: Addition of Ch. 7 to North Battleford, Sask., which will also retain Ch. 4; Ch. 3 to move from Battleford area south to Coleville-StranraerKindersley, Sask. Substitution of Ch. 4 for Ch. 3 in Pivot, Alta. Designation of Ch. 10 Coronation, Alta, to change to Stanmore-Coronation. Sale of radio KCOR San Antonio to Inter-American Radio Inc. (Ralph N. Weil, KATZ St. Louis, pres.) has been approved by FCC. Terms: $400,000 plus $120,000 for an agreement by the seller not to compete in the same area for 10 years.