Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NAB UBRAR V " -“"Television Digest with Cons^ultex‘ Electronics . . . (starts page t) JULY 15, 1963 NEW SERIES, VOL. 3, No. 28 The authorttative service for executives in all branches of the televlision airts & industries SUMMARY-INDEX OF WEEK'S NEWS Consumer Electronics Broadcast TOWN MEETING' BRILLIANT SUCCESS, as CBS-Telstar features exchange among statesmen. France blocks European reception (p. 1). EDITORIAL HEARINGS & ELECTION YEAR: House to hear week of testimony. FCC expected to affirm station's rights, will recommend primer on fairness doctrine. NAB to unveil new editorial guide (p. 1). COMMERCIAL CEILING BATTLE QUICKENS; NAB sends ammunition in form of arguments to all stations; Georgia broadcasters call on their Congressmen, stimulating bill by Rep. Weltner (p. 2). RATERS ENDORSE AUDIT PLAN: Virtually all rating firms give final approval to Rating Council measures. Nielsen not in yet, but is expected to back plan (p. 3). FM-STEREO STATIONS now number 241 in U.S. & Canada, many stations increasing hours of stereocasting; 8 new U.S. stereo stations and 12 in Canada are listed (p. 3). NAB REPORTS TV PROFITS BEST EVER, 16.9% on revenues of $1,016,700 for typical station in 1962. Radio up, too, 7.7% on typical revenues of $112,200 (p. 4). CIGARETTE BAN ON YOUTH APPEAL: Tobacco Institute urges members not to sponsor programs directed primarily at youth (p. 5). TOP TV-RADIO-PHONO BRANDS in Latin American countries reported in survey; Philips virtually dominates area, but U.S. trade names show up strongly (p. 7). COMPONENTS MAKERS SAG IN FIRST QUARTER as combined sales of 22 firms fall more than $3.9 million to $278 million from $281.9 million a year ago. Earnings tumble more than $2 million to $7.5 million; 16 of 22 manufacturers show profit decline (p. 8). EUROPE TRENDS AWAY FROM 'FAIR TRADE' in wake of changing attitude toward competition & importance of more competitive markets, reports Chase Manhattan Bank; Motorola urges dealers to support Quality Stabilization legislation by writing Congressmen (p. 9). IMPORTS UP, EXPORTS DOWN-that's TV story. Japanese exports of TV for 5 months tripled 1962 figure, totaled more than 4% of U.S. production; transistor TV shipments exceeded tube TV exports for first time In May; U.S. TV exports declined 28% in first quarter (p. 10). LONG PHONO LINE introduced by Motorola, with new bass speaker baffle system, more coffee tables & benches; radio line includes clock radio with detachable pocket-radio unit (p. 11). NEW HIGHS FOR RCA in sales & profit in 2nd quarter and first half; Sarnoff & Engstrom see progress 'through 1963 & beyond' (p. 12). 'TOWN MEETING' BRILLIANT SUCCESS: Famed "Stanton touch" was evident again last week, when the CBS president's "Town Meeting of the World" — via Telstar — drew widespread praise. Kudos would have been even more universal had the French not blacked out Europe by refusing use of its satellite reception facility. French sources said their decision was based on "controversial & political" aspects of program. Intimacy & humanity of participants were conveyed by the live exchange in manner that film or tape never quite matches. It was a striking idea, strikingly executed, featuring as it did worm & frank exchange among: Eisenhower, Eden, Monnet & von Brentano — with CBS's Walter Cronkite as anchor man. CBS was tickled, naturally, and CBS News Pres. Richard Salant said similar "Town Meetings" would be carried quarterly, starting in fall. Producer Fred Friendly said he hopes to arrange similar exchange with Japan in Sept, or Oct., with Russia & Africa later. EDITORIAL HEARINGS & ELECTION YEAR: With election year coming up. Congress this week is putting out a warning sign to broadcasters — editorials on candidates & issues are being watched. Warning takes form of week of hearings, starting today, on editorial practices & problems, conducted by Rep. Rogers (D-Tex.), chmn. of House Communications Subcommittee. Hearings are "exploratory" & "fact-finding," Rogers told us. Subcommittee wants to examine how onair stands ore conducted, competence of editorialists, forms editorials can take (e.g., commentary, news interpretation). There's one pending bill (HR-7072), by Rep. Moss (D-Cal). It would: (1) Provide for equal opportunities to answer editorials for or against candidates. (2) Ban such editorials 2 days before election time. (3) Require stations to furnish copies of editorials to affected candidates within 5 days of broadcast date.