Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1961)

16 JULY 3, 1961 Dub Rogers Sells Stations: In a $4-million transaction, owners of KSYD-TV Wichita Falls, Tex., headed by Pres. Sidney A. Grayson, have bought W. D. (Dub) Rogers’ KDUB-TV & KDUB Lubbock, KEDY-TV Big Spring, physical assets of leased KPAR-TV Sweetwater-Abilene and West Texas TV Network. The broker was HamiltonLandis & Associates. Pioneer telecaster Rogers will continue as gen. mgr. of the stations “for a limited time, a joint announcement said. Rogers said he wasn’t ready to announce further plans, but: “Broadcasting is the business I know best and in which I am most interested. I am definitely going to stay in it.” Minow Kudos to Kansas: After FCC Chmn. Newton Minow read the 6-point program for getting re-licensed, as suggested by the Kansas Assn, of Radio Bcstrs. to its members (Vol. 17:24 p5), he wrote the organization’s Pres., Thad M. Sandstrom (gen. mgr. WIBW-TV & WIBW Topeka): “May I personally congratulate you & the Association for this most constructive & encouraging step. Through such exemplary leadership we hope that this will aid more broadcasters in serving the public interest.” Kliegl SCR Dimmers ULApproved: A line of ULapproved silicon-controlled rectifier dimmers in 4-, 5 and 6kw capacities has been introduced by Kliegl Brothers. Dimmers of 3-, 10 and 12-kw capacities also will be available in the immediate future. A new 38-page manual covering the SCR dimmers, autotransformers and other lighting & control equipment is available on request to Kliegl Bros., 321 West 50th St., N.Y. 19. State Directory for Newsmakers: Kansas Assn, of Radio Bcstrs. has issued a directory of TV & radio stations in the state and in Kansas City, Mo. The pamphlet is directed primarily to Kansas Congressmen & state officials, and calls attention to news-room telephones which may be called to make beeper recordings for later broadcast. Atlass Buys San Francisco Radio: KQBY has been sold by Sherwood R. Gordon for $750,000 to Atlass Bcstg. Co. Inc., which has as its principals Patricia & Frank Atlass. The latter was formerly with radio WIND Chicago and is currently head of Atlass Productions, Beverly Hills. Broker was Edwin Tornberg & Co. Inc. C-E-I-R Approves ARB Merger: Stockholders of the 7year-old data-processing & business-services company voted June 29 to merge with American Research Bureau (Vol. 17:22 p6). C-E-I-R will acquire all ARB stock, the latter’s 11-acre facilities at Beltsville, Md. and ARB affiliate ARB Surveys Inc. Decca Case Disapproved: FTC hearing examiner Abner E. Lipscomb has recommended dismissal of payola charges against Decca Distributing Corp., N.Y. subsidiary of Decca Records Inc. His initial decision was in line with the agency’s policy of withdrawing payola complaints following implementation by FCC of the 1960 Harris-Pastore Act (Vol. 17:26 plO). Taft Bcstg. Buys Recreation Center: Taft Bcstg. has purchased for more than $1 million cash 3 corporations which operate Brentwood Bowl, which is a Cincinnati recreation center comprising bowling lanes, a restaurant and an amusement park. Taft will operate the center as a wholly-owned subsidiary, renamed Cincinnati Bowl Inc. Wometco Buys Florida Vending Firm: Wometco Enterprises has acquired in a cash transaction L & H Vending Co., Orlando, Florida. The acquisition will be absorbed into Wometco Vending of Central Florida. Educational Television ETV Lobbying Urged: It will take letter-lobbying by ETV supporters across the country to build up enough steam in the House for approval of federal subsidies for educational station equipment. That’s the warning from Washington Dir. David Stewart of the National Educational TV & Radio Center as broadcast in NET News. Pointing out that ETV legislation has been passed by the Senate, but has not yet x-eached the House floor (Vol. 17:25 p22), Stewart said: “Passage by the House is unlikely unless the majority of Congressmen receive more mail from their constituents.” The House Commerce Committee held a closed legislative session June 22, but failed to act on a $25-million matching gi'ant ETV bill (HR-132) recommended by its Communications Subcommittee. ETV Branded “Schizophrenia”: Educators took turns last week in rapping ETV and other latter-day teaching aids as “impersonalized, de-humanized” and as “academic pinball machines” before the annual convention of the National Education Assn, in Atlantic City. Among those tossing brickbats: Dr. Frederick M. Raubinger, N.J. Commissioner of Education (“.... an increase in the distance between pupil & teacher”), and Dr. William Van Til, chmn., N.Y.U.’s Secondary Education dept. (“. . . some conceive teaching machines & TV as substitutes for the living teacher rather than supplements”). Ford Fund Folds: The Ford Foundation’s Fund for Adult Education, which in 10 years contributed more than $12 million for development of educational TV, is out of business. Its functions are now handled by the Foundation’s education division. NET programming vp Robert Hudson said: “Educational TV will always be in the debt of the Fund for Adult Education for its pi’ophetic & tangible intervention in behalf of educational TV during the critical initial period.” Medical TV Uses Studied: The Council on Medical TV, affiliated with N.Y.’s Institute for Advancement of Medical Communication, is undertaking a 2-year govt.-financed sui’vey of TV techniques in medical & dental education. Awarded an Office of Education contract under Title VII of the National Defense Education Act, the Council has assigned its exec. secy. John K. Mackenzie & Dr. Michael T. Romano of the U. of Ky. dentistry school to supervise. ‘ TV Teaching Problems: Philosophical, technical & educational problems which TV teaching has generated ai-e discussed in a new book, Television Teaching Today, by Henry R. Cassirer. It’s part of the UNESCO series Press, Film and Radio in the World Today, available from UNESCO publications center, 801 Third Ave., N.Y. (266 pp., paper bound, $3). KQED Racks Up Record TV Auction: The San Francisco ETV station’s 7th annual fund-raising event produced $84,700 — double last year’s revenue and markedly ahead of the $50,000 goal that had been set. Merchandise & services contributed by viewers for auctioning during the 5-day TV drive amounted to “at least $100,000 in value,” the station reported. The proceeds will be applied to KQED’s $375,000 budget. ETV Aid Bill Filed: Sui-plus govt.-owned communications equipment could be given to educational TV stations under terms of a bill (S-2119) co-sponsored by Sens. Kerr & Monroney (D-Okla.). It also would authorize surplusproperty donations to public libraries and schools for the mentally retarded & physically handicapped. .