Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1961)

VOL. 17: No. 4 Networks Congress Congressional investigation of press & TV handling of Richard M. Nixon’s campaign for President has been demanded by the Davenport Daily Times in an editorial endorsed by Rep. Schwengel (R-Ia.). Complaints by Nixon that some coverage of his campaign was unfair “have more substance than the pucker of sour grapes,” Schwengel told the House. Inserted in the Congressional Record by Schwengel, the newspaper’s editorial called for an official probe of such incidents as “the ruined TV presentation” of President Eisenhower & Vice President Nixon in end-ofthe-campaign appearances on la. & 111. stations. “While failure of a mechanical device was blamed, the fact remains programs preceding & following the campaign broadcast were not affected,” the Daily Times said darkly. Senate “watchdog” hearings on TV & radio compliance with the Communications Act’s equal-time Sec. 315 in the 1960 election campaign (Vol. 17:2 p4) may be scheduled this week by the Commerce Freedom of Communications Subcommittee. Chmn. Yarborough (D-Tex.) had hoped to set dates & witnesses for equal-time hearings last week, following the full Committee’s confirmation hearing for new Commerce Secy. Luther H. Hodges, but was unable to get his 3-man unit together for a planning session. Meanwhile, Sen. Pastore (D-R.I.) announced that his Commerce Communications Subcommittee will conduct hearings Jan. 31 to learn from FCC, networks & NAB how the suspension of Sec. 315 for Presidential candidates worked during the campaign. Kudos to NBC-TV have been awarded by Senate Majority Leader Mansfield (D-Mont.) for the network’s White Paper documentaries on “The U-2 Affair” and anti-segregation sit-in demonstrations in the South. He told the Senate NBC-TV “is to be highly commended for its successful efforts to originate & present programs of such unique national importance.” Sen. Proxmire (D-Wis.) also singled out “The U-2 Affair” for praise. Inserting the script of the program in the Congressional Record as another example of good TV (Vol. 17:3 pl5), Proxmire said it showed how the medium “can change history.” Rep. John Bell Williams (D-Miss.), ranking majority member of the House Commerce Committee who had been slated for a purge because he bolted his party in the Presidential election (Vol. 16:47 p6), apparently is set for another Congressional session. The seniority of Bell & other Miss. Democrats who opposed John F. Kennedy’s election seemed assured when the Democratic Committee on Committees abandoned a plan to remove Rep. Colmer from the powerful rules committee. Smaller-market stations would be exempted from overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act under terms of a bill (HR-2746) reintroduced by Rep. Abernethy (D-Miss.). Similar exemptions for broadcasters were contained in wage-hour law amendments wTiich died in a Senate-House conference in last Congress (Vol. 16:36 p5). Hardy perennial of Congressional proposals — legislation to extend radio daytimers’ operating hours to 6 a.m.6 p.m. from sunrise-to-sunset — has appeared again. Rep. Abernethy (D-Miss.), author of a daytimer bill last year (Vol. 16:3 p6), was first in line with another one (HR-2745). “National AGVA Week” would be observed officially June 4-10 under terms of a resolution (H.J. Res. 149) sponsored by House Judieiary Chmn. Celler (D-N.Y.). CBS has closed its Production Sales unit in N.Y. Its functions — custom production of video-taped commercials & programs — will be absorbed within the network. Reasons: (1) The tape-producing corporate offspring was operating semi-autonomously, building up a large gross income but making little or no profit because of extended overhead & administrative personnel (some of whom will now be pink-slipped). (2) CBS is closing down 3 more of its N.Y. live TV studios, thereby relieving the pressure to keep studios occupied. NBC is continuing the semi-autonomous identity of its NBC Telesales unit (tape commercials, pilots, etc.) under Dir. Jerry Madden. Another foreign network sale was scored by ABC-TV last week. Parker Pen Co. (through local market agencies) and Vick Chemical (through Morse International) signed a 26-week contract to start in March with the Central American TV Network, which ABC represents and in which it has an interest. Similar deals were recently made by Nestle (Vol. 16:45 p9) and Goodyear (Vol. 16:50 p4). Parker & Vick will co-sponsor a Spanish-dubbed, weekly half-hour series, the Ida Lnpino Show (actually, retitled episodes of Four Star Playhouse) . ABC also announced that its 4-market foreign affiliate in Venezuela — CVT — “Telecumbre” (Vol. 16:33 p9) will begin operations Feb. 1. Directors Guild of America has granted an extension of its contract with the TV & radio networks, which expired Dec. 31. The networks asked for the extension because they have been so involved in negotiations with SAG and AFTRA. Negotiations begin in N.Y. March 15, and April 10 is the deadline under the extension. NBC and Japan’s Fuji Telecasting Co. have signed a contract for cooperation in TV broadcasting technology. The pact, first of its kind in the telecasting field, has been authorized by the Japan Foreign Investment Council. “Slight loss” for ABC Radio continues, although 1960 gains have “cut that loss impressively and present a very favorable picture for the current year.” ABC radio vp Robert Pauley so summarized 1960 activities last week. NETWORK SALES ACTIVITY ABC-TV Championship bridge, Sun. 4-4:30 p.m., part. eff. Feb. Amana (Maury, Lee & Marshall) Hawaiian Eye, Wed. 9-10 p.m.,, part. eff. April. American Chicle (Ted Bates) Stagecoach West, Tue. 9-10 p.m., part. eff. April. Simoniz (Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample) The Roaring Twenties, Sat. 7:30-8:30 p.m., part. eff. Jan. Peter Paul (Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample) Daytime programming, renewed part. eff. this month. Minute Maid (Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample) Lever Brothers (Foote, Cone & Belding) Cliesebrough-Ponds (Compton) NBC-TV The Shirley Temple Show, Sun. 7-8 p.m.; Michael Shayne, Fri. 10-11 p.m., part. eff. April. Fedders (Hicks & Greist) Americans, Mon. 7:30-8:30 p.m.; Laramie, Tue. 7:30-8:30 Michael Shayne, Fri. 10-11 p.m.; Outlaws, Thu. 7:30-8:30 p.m., part. eff. Jan. Gillette (Maxon)