Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3. No. 4 TELEVISION DIGEST— 5 LEE & MST, UHF & VHP: Evaluation of FCC’s N.Y. 1 uhf-reception results added a chapter last week i when Maximum Service Telecasters criticized FCC Comr. Lee’s criticism of MST’s original criticism of FCC’s original report (Vol. 2:47 p3, 2:48 p3, 3:1 p3). To go back: FCC found uhf as good as vhf within 25 miles, with indoor antennas — except in 10% of locations. MST said figure should have been “50%, ” using picture evaluation by householders instead of by technicians. Lee came back with statement that technicians’ judgments are more reliable. Now — in letter to Lee last week — MST comes back, sticking to its reliance on householders, and claims; There are 13 million people within 25 miles of Empire State Bldg, transmitter. Of these, 9% couldn’t get even a “passable” picture from uhf, while only 4.7% on Ch. 2 and 4.9% on Ch. 7 couldn’t get “passable” quality. Thus, said MST, some 530,000-560,000 people in area couldn’t get passable picture from uhf but could from vhf. In addition, MST stated, some 1,675,000 people in area couldn’t get a “fine” picture from uhf but could from vhf. Lee had chided MST for raising questions about test procedures after report was published. But, said MST last week, it had raised the questions earlier — e.g., had told Commission engineers that receiver locations were too concentrated within 10 miles of transmitter. MST concluded with its long-held premise — that uhf can provide “substantial” service, even in N.Y., but is inferior to vhf and isn’t substitute for vhf, and that uhf & I vhf should therefore exist “side-by-side.” B House Commerce Committee changes: New Democrats — Hull (Mo.), Long (La.), Van Deerlin (Cal.). They replace Kilgore (Tex.), who moved to Armed Services Committee, Mack, (111.), defeated in election, and Moulder (Mo.), retired. Republicans appointed, Brotzman (Colo.), Broyhill (N.C.), and Cunningham (Neb.), replacing Dominick (Colo.), elected to Senate, Collier (111.), to Ways & Means, Thompson (Wis.), to Foreign Aifairs. Van Deerlin formerly was news dir. with KOGO-TV-AM-FM San Diego • & XETV Tijuana. Subcommittee assignments haven’t been ' completed. Clarification of Clyde, Kan. vhf translator situation (Vol. 3:1 p4) is offered by WIBW-TV Topeka Gen. Mgr. Thad M. Sandstrom. FCC had turned down translator’s request for waiver to permit contribution from WIBW-TV. Sandstrom notes that station had offered $500 to translator group before FCC changed rules to prohibit such I support. After rules change, he suggested that Clyde i group seek waiver, which FCC finally refused. Ban on TV-radio cigarette advertising before 8 p.m. 1 has been proposed by Rep. Udall (D-Ariz.) in questionI naire to some 9,000 constituents. He said he has received complaints about tobacco commercials broadcast when chil! dren are watching, asked voters if they would approve introduction of bill prohibiting practice. Agencies could charge fees to finance operations under bill (HR-834) submitted by Rep. Younger (R-Cal.). FCC I would charge licensees for initial grants & renewals. I Younger told us he believes it unfair for taxpayers to foot t bill for work involved in granting profit-making franchise I to private businessman. NbW HollywOOd-TV MarriagG: a movie news conference on closed-circuit TV facilities of NBC Telesales fed to 9 major cities — at a cost of $15,000 “not including .sandwiches for newsmen” — was the latest instance of the marriage of Hollywood & TV. The conference was staged recently by Universal, which is financing & distributing “40 Pounds of Trouble,” a comedy starring (and produced by) Tony Curtis. Conference, piped from Burbank origination to N.Y., Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Dallas, etc., went off fairly smoothly, with plenty of plugs for picture (which has strong resemblance to Shirlej'^ Temple oldie “Little Miss Marker” circulating on TV). Curtis stated pointedly during question period (queries were piped to Burbank via phone lines from various cities in turn) that he had no intention of doing TV series, felt medium demanded quick production & too much strain. One of best bits in conference was use of “out-takes” (i.e., reject footage & fluffs) from picture. In one such scene, Phil Silvers, as big-time gambler, is asked if he has suggestion about who should take care of 6-year-old girl with which gambling group is stuck. Obviously forgetting his line. Silvers ad-libbed: “How about Beverly Aadland’s mother?” “Blanket license” ASCAP system, under which TV stations presently hold what amounts to run-of-schedule music licenses and which costs industry some $19 million annually, provides “very little incentive” to producers of movies & film shows seen on TV to negotiate for music performance rights. So stated Hamilton Shea, committee chmn. & pres, of WSVA-TV Harrisonburg, Va., to us last week as he clarified position of All-Industry TV Station Music License Committee in running duel with ASCAP on which Supreme Court rejected appeal (Vol. 3:3 p3). What broadcasting group is really seeking, explained Shea, is limited form of music license “which would required producers of any filmed or taped program to negotiate the TV music performing rights directly with a composer or publisher at the time production is being started.” This won’t mean that stations will have to clear music in movies or syndicated or network shows, but they would seek a form of blanket license to cover music used in purely local programming. Shea’s group hopes to pursue matter further before summer in 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Pitch to local businessmen was launched by TvB in Washington last week ■with showing of “Jericho . . . the Wall Between Us.” Some 250 industry, govt. & trade assn, representatives attended 40-min. color presentation, available without charge to TV stations. Film is aimed at small businessmen at local level, according to TvB •vp & gen. mgr. George Huntington. Theme: TV increases sales & profits, keeps firm’s image before public. National Audience Board will be reactivated under new name by Peter Goelet, who recently discontinued organization because, he said, costs were too great. Group’s publication, The Viewer, will be resumed. Organization’s purpose is to raise quality of TV programming. Address: 152 East End Ave., N.Y. New TIO newsletter, informaTIOn, is being distributed to sponsor stations & industry leaders. Letter is designed to inform stations of data available for use in professional & community relations activities. I