Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

“■•■‘“Television Digest with Consumes* Electironics ... The authoritative service for executives in all branches of the television arts & industries SEPTEMBER 2, 1963 NEW SERIES VOL, 3, No. 35 SUMMARY-INDEX OF WEEK'S NEWS Broadcast UHF’S UNSOLVED DILEMMA— programming— attracting increasing attention from FCC & industry. Among proposals: Network-sharing, ban on film exclusivity clauses, increasing multiple ownership, CATV restrictions (p. 1). LOEVINGER'S 'TOUGH' ROLE on FCC verified by maiden speech outlining 3 -point program for broadcast regulation: stricter multiple -ownership & duopoly rules; requirement that stations devote as much time to news as commercials; 'experimentation & innovation' (p. 2). RADIO RATING STUDY being prepared by ARB, underwritten by major station group, using personal diary method; Harris staff proposal to use rating ranges instead of single figure stirs controversy (p. 3). BAN ON COMMERCIAL LIMITS proposed by Rep. Rogers in bill to prohibit FCC from ruling on length or frequency of messages, citing threat of 'financial ruin;' more state associations to march on Washington (p. 4). UPCOMING STATIONS: Reports on plans of commercial grantees in Walker, Minn, and Virgin Islands, ETV outlets in Mobile, Ala. and Bowling Green, O. (p. 5). Consumer Electronics ADMIRAL TINYVISION now being shipped; new 11 -in. set, at $99,95 & $109.95, weighs 14 1/2 lb., is scaleddown version of larger sets (p. 7). ALL-CHANNEL ACTION to ease transition explored; excise tax exemption chances seen improved; Lee visits major set makers, discusses ban on shipments within state; consumer information materials on way (p. 7). CANADIAN ELECTRONICS industry booming, but beset with problems; 100 firms employ 18,000 with annual output of $500 million; saturation & import troubles (p. 8). DISCOUNT INDUSTRY EXPANDS, midyear census showing number of stores rose 37% in year, area jumped 42%; 162 new stores projected for 2nd half (p. 9). MANUFACTURER SHIPMENTS of consumer electronics last year totaled nearly $1.7 billion, according to new Census figures, which traditionally are lower than EIA estimates (p. 10). MINIMUM TV EXPORT PRICES due for ratification by Japan govt. ; new figures show Japan exported $159 million in electronic equipment to U.S. last year (p. 11). UHF'S UNSOLVED DILEMMA— PROGRAMMING: While most attention in uhf expansion drive has been focused on receiver build-up and technical problems, there's increasing recognition that real key to success of uhf— or any TV— is availability of popular programming. Programming problem was emphasized in last few weeks by difficulties experienced by KIIX (Ch. 22) in Los Angeles market, where Spanish-language KMEX-TV (Ch. 34) is being hailed success (Vol. 3:32 p2). Many ideas to help give uhf stations better crack at existing programming, and to open up new program sources, are being tossed around— some of them involving fairly substantial changes in current TV business practices. Recent meeting of little-publicized program subcommittee of industry-govt. Committee for Full Development of AllChannel Broadcasting (CAB), headed by Lawrence Turet (WUHF-TV Milwaukee) discussed some possible remedies. Among those attending top-drawer session were McCann-Erickson's Pat Weaver and representatives of Four Star Productions, ABC Films, Show Corp. of America, TV Affiliates Corp. , NET. Here are some proposals discussed by that group and mentioned by others, including FCC Comr. Lee, chmn. of CAB: Share network programming. Proposals have been made for FCC rules, or exercise of existing Commission authority, to (1) require networks to make available to non-affiliates shows which are not cleared by regular affiliate in area, (2) bar station affiliation with more than one network when there are non-affiliated stations in same area, (3) make network affiliation available to local stations in areas now fed network programs from neighboring cities.