Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

2-TELEVISION DIGEST AUGUST 26, 1963 I NAB FIGHTS CHALLENGES TO LEADERSHIP: NAB finally got fed up with efforts by other groups to usurp its national role, finally said so last week. Up to now, NAB has been irritated but quiet atwut ^ such things as Ga. Assn, of Bcstrs. , "National Broadcast Editorial Conference" in Athens, Ga. (Vol. 3:30 p3). But when GAB came to Washington trying to arrange an international conference in Atlanta, with State Dept, help, and when meeting was held in Washington to plan 1964 Editorial Conference, NAB boiled over. Editorializing is part of NAB's job, said Vp Howard Bell who was observer at planning session. He said NAB has "no intention of abandoning its national responsibility to any other agency. . . If state organizations independently expand their programs into national or international fields, a fractionalization of effort is bound to occur. " NAB had participated in Athens conference, billed by GAB as first of kind. Bell noted that NAB held Public Affairs -Editorializing Conference in March 1962. He said such meetings outside NAB duplicate expense, responsibility, effort. NAB may hold 2nd editorializing conference in Feb. , in conjunction with annual state assn, presidents’ meeting. He said this isn’t "anti-state association" stand, that NAB seeks groups' support on many matters. For example, he noted. Govt. Affairs Mgr. Hollis Seavey attended Okla. Bcstrs. Assn, meeting last week, urged members to come to Washington to get their congressional delegation to fight FCC proposal to limit commercials, NAB plans shortly to announce steps to strengthen ties with state groups. Chmn. of 1963 editorializing conference in Athens, Dick Mendenhall, WSB-TV Atlanta, asserted: "We intend to go ahead and have a conference." Ralph Renick, WTVJ Miami, has been named 1964 chmn. GAB & Fla. Assn, of Bcstrs. have offered conference sites; final decision is due by Jan. 15. Mendenhall said group wants NAB’s cooperation but believes that editorializing is "unique fimction that doesn’t belong to NAB, GAB or anybody else. We are trying to establish a national forum that would travel each year to different parts of the country, allowing all broadcasters to participate. " NAB turned down invitation to attend GAB meeting with State Dept, officials, told State it didn't endorse plan. NAB spokesman said Pres. Collins has been working with White House for more than | year, on similar idea, covering program exchanges, frequency allocations, etc. * , ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Pres. Collins was rebuffed, meanwhile, by network presidents in his request for discussion of "problems & opportunities" in TV advertising, including "serious threats that we are now facing of unwarranted govt, incursions" and possibilities of "a serious reduction in the attractiveness of the medium for advertising purposes. " Collins had suggested that representatives of agencies & advertisers be included. Network presidents told Collins they’re concerned about anti-trust aspects of such a meeting, that they didn’t believe non-broadcasters should be included, that Code might be bypassed, Collins didn’t spell out what he’s concerned about; he’s known to be worried that congressional investigators might blow up small problems into big ones, that advertisers complain more & more about "clutter," that commercial "interruptions" are growing out of hand. He says industry mi^t well forstall trouble on advertising front by acting now, believes that something similar to "ratings mess" may otherwise develop in this area, too. HARRIS STAFF LIKES NAB RATINGS PROGRESS: Harris Subcommittee staff came away from 2 meetings with NAB rating reformers last week, "very much encouraged" over results to date. Chief counsel Charles Howze said "satisfactory progress" has been made, that in some things "NAB has moved faster than expected. " Meetings were called to review NAB’s Rating Council efforts to establish an audit of ratings firms, to set minimum research standards, to work toward methods improvement. A written report wiU be sent to Subcommittee this week. Subcommittee also wanted to be reassured that Rating Council was acting for entire industry. Now that Nielsen has applied for accreditation (Vol. 3:33 p2), all major raters have given OKs. Conlan ratings firm— raked over coals at hearings for inability to show field work had been done— | hasn’t yet applied for accreditation. I Harris staff and NAB exchanged looks at each other’s recommended standards. Howze showed