Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 7 TELEVISION DIGEST— 3 by loccd station 30 days before & after local station telecasts them. NCTA has been arguing for prohibition only against simultaneous duplication. The other major FCC proposals don't appear to offer serioxis problems: (1) CATV must carry local station's signal on cable, though CATV may boggle at carrying more than one. (2) Such signal must be carried with good quality. (3) FCC should have jurisdiction over a CATV even if system isn't in same city with station — perhaps embracing all systems within Grade A coverage of station. If new law is enacted, CATV industry will hove firm set of ground rules to live with. Most importantly, it would be protected from such things as the Twin Falls, Ida. court decision. This ruled that CATVs ore foreclosed indefinitely from carrying programs for which stations have right of first nm. It would protect CATV from situation it faces in Tifton, Ga., where city council may prohibit even the start of a system (Vol. 3:4 p3). Of course, CATVs fortimate enough to have no local problems now might have to give up something. There's always possibility that FCC & CATV may not get together on some points. If this happens, probability is that Congress will accept areas of FCC-industry agreement then go ahead and decide for itself the controversial matters. Neither FCC nor NCTA talks about rate regulation — for simple reason rates have presented no problems to date. If govt. — local, state or national — seeks to regulate rates, you can expect long court battle, because attorneys believe there's substantial Constitutional imcertointy about jurisdiction. Legislation could have far-reaching results. Because vmiformity of regulation would remove many uncertainties, it's to be expected that more & more conservative investors would be attracted to field. In a way, new low might be compared with Radio Act of 1927, which brought stability to chaotic field of broadcasting. Soya veteran Russell : "This will make first class citizens of the CATV industry — and the FCC will treat them as such." NCTA now will go to grass roots, hold series of regional meetings to acquaint members with plans. The Chicago Mavericks: with independent tv Corp. added as its latest member, at least 17 film syndicators will showcase their feature packages & syndication offerings at maverick “TV Film Exhibit — 1963” during NAB’s March 30-April 3 Chicago convention. Location will be at Pick-Congress Hotel. Syndicators decided to stage own film exhibit late last summer, claiming NAB assoc, member status was that of “also-ran” and exhibit space was undesirable. NAB, for its part, has believed that film hoopla at conventions lacked dignity, although it has recently put forward peace feelers in form of offers of exhibit space and strong hint that NAB might add panel discussion on film buying to convention agenda. Each of TFE-1963 exhibitors will have traditional hospitality suite, although film men have long since agreed to keep down razzle-dazzle during convention. Now that fall lineups on networks are virtually set and sevei'al longrun film series are due to exit, it’s expected that sales push will be straight-faced on such due-for-syndication properties as Dobie Gillis, 77 Su7isct Strip, Untouchables & The Jetsons, and for new post-1948 packages from MGM-'TV, Seven Arts, others. Biggest holdout among non-TFE-1963 syndicators is MCA-TV, which does more network film business than any other firm and is planning to exhibit at NAB space. .Mso still in NAB camp are 3 network-owned syndication offshoots, which will use part of space allocation of parent networks. On other side of fence, in addition to ITC. participants in TFE so far include Allied Artists, Desilu, Four Star, Hollywood TV Service, Jayark, King Features, MGM-TV, Official Films, Screen Gem, Seven Arts, TransLux, 20th Century-Fox, UA, Video House, Walter ReadeSterling & Warner Bros. TFE has had a couple of drop-outs since original group was formed in N.Y. last Sept. (Vol. 2:39 p4). TransLux offspring TV Affiliates Corp. (TAC), which distributes station-produced film & tape shows and which felt its allegiance lay more with NAB members than with film companies, withdrew although Trans-Lux itself is still in. Flamingo Films has also withdrawn, more for economic than political reasons. TFE space, however, is 95%-booked at moment. Broadcasters attending TFE will find plenty of showmanship going, but on a highly moral plane. There’ll be no bikini-clad models handing out sales literature under TFE ground rules. Said a TFE official in N.Y. : “Syndication is an adult member of the TV community, and we don’t feel we have to conduct business in a Playboy Club atmosphere.” ■ FTC seeks injunction against Sterling Di*ug & agencies Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample & Thompson-Koch to halt ad campaign exploiting results of FTC-financed comparative study on analgesics (Vol. 3:6 p4 et seq.). In complaint filed in N.Y. District Court, Commission charged “continued dissemination of the advertising will cause irreparable injury to the general public, including competitors of Sterling.” Sterling spokesman said firm’s defense will be that it accurately reported article which described study.