Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

4— TELEVISION DIGEST JUNE 3, 1963 Canadian Theater-TV Hockey: More customers & more “product” for pay TV in its various forms is result of latest tieup in Toronto area. Maple Leaf’s 35 awayfrom-home hockey games will be carried in 9 theaters with 11,000 seats in addition to homes which have been getting them on Telemeter cable TV. Seven of the 9 theaters are owned by Famous Players, 51% controlled by Paramount Pictures, which operates International Telemeter cable system. Last year, one of the movie houses carried hockey and “moved from the red to a substantial profit,” according to Famous Players’ Pres. R. W. Bolstad. Agreement with Maple Leafs is for 4 years. Equipment will be black-&-white Eidophors, bought from Theatre Network TV ; pictures average 31x25 ft. TNT has supplied U.S. Air Force with a simultaneous color Eidophor, and Telemeter Exec, vp Leslie Winik reports that similar machines will be available for theaters. Equipment is related to, but differs from, color “Talaria” made by GE for National General Corp., which plans theater-TV chain (Vol. 3:9 p3, 3:18 p2). Paramount Pres. Barney Balaban said agreement solves a major problem in expanding pay TV in the home — “excess cost of special & sports programming in the early stages.” He said arrangement also “provides an important partial solution to the present product shortage” in theaters, may put marginal houses into black. Principals look for eventual expansion across Canada & U.S. New CATV-niicrowave channel in Business Radio Service was granted by FCC to Wentronics Inc., to serve its Casper, Wyo. system, with the restrictions Commission proposes in rule-making proceeding. Grantee accepted CP with this condition: “If the CATV system operates in an area within the predicted Grade A contour of any television broadcast station in operation, or which subsequently comes into operation, the CATV system must not duplicate simultaneously or 30 days prior or subsequent thereto a program broadcast by such television broadcast station, provided the CATV operator has received at least 30 days’ advance notification from the broadcast station licensee of the date of such broadcast. Further, if requested by such television station, the CATV system must carry the signal of such station without any material degradation in quality.” Add CATV ovmed by broadcasters (Vol. 3:17 p3, et seq.) : Florence, S.C. (under construction), owned by WIS-TV Columbia, S.C. ; Charlottesville, Va., by WSLSTV Roanoke, WRGM Richmond, WICO Salisbury, Md. & Washington consultant Howard Frazier; Lafayette, Ind. (under construction), by WSJV Elkhart-South Bend; Huntsville, Ala., by WBHP; Del Rio, Tex., by KDLK; Winona, Minn., by KWNO; Junction City, Kan., by KJCK. Another CATV purchase by Cox Stations — 9,500-home Harbor TV, Aberdeen, Wash., reportedly for about $1.5 million. Harbor TV Pres. Fred Goddard will remain as mgr. Cox recently bought systems in Lewisto^vn & Lock Haven-Tyrone, Pa. (Vol. 3:17 p3), also holds franchises for Athens, Ala., Lima, 0. (latter 50-50 with WIMA-TV). CATV technical & management training will be undertaken by new Telesystem Services Corp. div. to provide source of personnel. Classes start in fall. Attack on FCC Commercial Plan: NAB Radio Code Board last week vigorously supported Pres. Collins’ fight against FCC proposal to put Code’s commercial limitations into Commission rules. Meeting in Washington, Code directors stated that FCC move “would spell the doom of self-regulation in broadcasting.” They said plan would: (1) Cause public to measure stations by number of commercials rather than over-all contributions. (2) “Freeze into govt, fiat” standards which should be readily amendable. (3) Emphasize quantity rather than quality of commercials. Board appointed committee to study alternatives to current Code time limitations. It also asserted that Radio Code support is greater than critics claim — subscribers having increased 19% in last year, so that 37% of all radio stations subscribe. NAB reported that Code compliance ran 91.7% in spot check of 244 stations, 1,088 hours, in last 10 months. Of efforts to weaken NAB — recent abortive attempts by some minor broadcasters — NAB Pres. Collins told Connecticut Bcstrs. Assn.: “When I first came to NAB, a few fine broadcasters cautioned that if the individual state associations should grow to be much stronger, they might well pose a threat to NAB and contribute to disunity in our ranks. But in this I did not agree, nor did our boards. In fact, since then, NAB has expended much effort to strengthen measurably our state groups ... I am not unmindful that from some quarters these days we are getting criticism. I deeply believe in dissent and disagreement; there is room for both within the NAB house . . . Frequently, [the critic] will provide nothing more than . . . emotional appeal without suggesting alternative courses of action.” Guidelines for news media in event of crises short of war, e.g., Cuba, will be issued by Defense Dept, in about 30 days. After closed House Information Subcommittee hearings with Arthur Sylvester, Pentagon News Chief, Chmn. Moss (D-Cal.) said guides would promote coordination among newsmen & govt., help avoid confusion. Guides aren’t to be confused with standby voluntar> censorship code for all media in event of war, developed by Office of Emergency Planning, sent by NAB vp Howard Bell to broadcasters for consideration. Bill to prevent FCC from charging fees (Vol. 3:19 p5) — “unless specifically permitted by law” — has been intro [ duced by Rep. Rogers (D-Tex.). FCC’s new fees, Rogers said, are based on 1951 Appropriations Act which gave Commission general authority to charge fees. Measure (HR-6697) would amend Communications Act, leaving it | to Congress to spell out more precise standards. NAB’s 4th Executive Development Seminar will be held at Harvard U. July 14-26, attended by 66 TV-radio executives. Special attention will be given to: Competitive programming, personnel, budget, selling. Case method ! technique will be used, research materials supplied by . broadcasters. / FCC’s existing horse-racing broadcast policy remains ~ in effect pending conclusion of current proceeding designed , i to tighten rules. Commission so informed Sen. ^Magnuson ' I (D-Wash.), chairman of Commerce Committee, in response h to his query. I