Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

2-TELEVISION DIGEST OCTOBER 28, 1963 (5) Stations should be required to list most important local issues in their program forms, thus giving FCC "a highly significant index of their performance as local institutions, ” ( (6) Since station staff is an index to outlet's ability to program, program form should give breakdown of program dept, employes, by function, plus list of staff members available to help local groups create programs. (7) Definition of "local live," as used by Henry in inquiry, is any program with 50% or more of time devoted to locally produced material. He suggests that program form permit stations to report iocal-live segments separately even if mix_d with other material. (8) Stations should announce, once every 2 weeks between 7 & 10 p. m. , that they have duty to seek program needs, that applications may be inspected at station; that suggestions are welcomed. Henry provides suggested text of such announcement. Henry then summarizes whole inquiry, says it "served a valid and important purpose." First, it gives FCC a "grass roots" insight. Second, FCC "quite properly" seeks industry's views, because "we have at least as heavy an obligation to keep in touch with the thinking of the public for whose sake the FCC was created." Third, such hearings give broadcasters "opportunity to correct, supplement & rebut statements that others may make about their efforts. . . It is difficult to believe that broadcasters would prefer that we obtain information about them secretly. " Henry emphasizes several times his belief that stations don't carry enough of regular, prime-time, local programs other than news, weather, market reports & sports. Aspects of broadcasting other than local live also need attention, Henry says. For example. Commission should learn more about criteria stations use in choosing network & syndicated programs — and what is happening in AM & FM. So, he says, there's more pressing need to study such areas rather than to conduct more local-live hearings. "In sum," he concludes, "the Commission— no less than its broadcast licensees— can benefit from a genuine, continuing dialogue with the public it was created to serve. " Henry made report easy to study, by issuing it in 3 forms: 3 -page press release, 10-page sum ^ mary, 66-page full report. Copies are freely available from Commission, or we'll get them for you. Report was issued late in week, so immediate reaction wasn't available from those most likely to react: Omaha stations, NAB, Neb. senators & congressmen— all of whom have blasted Commission vigorously before, during & ^ter hearing. PRO FOOTBALL CROWDS RUNNETH OVER: So successful has pro football become— in no small part due to free TV— that team owners are seeking to sop up overflow fans with theater TV. National Football League's current 2-year $9. 3 million contract with CBS ends this season, and NFL aims to get permission to use theater TV in next contract, which will be considered in Jan. Both CBS & NBC are expected to bid (ABC has AFL). Plans call for use of theater TV only when team plays at home. Under league rules, there's 75-mile blackout when team plays in its own arena. Many, if not most, NFL teams have been playing to sold-out stadiums this season. NFL Comr. Pete Rozelle emphasized that theater TV would supplement league's lucrative deal with free TV. Network arrangement has been profitable not only financially, but has been credited with building sport to high level of popularity at gate. Rozelle said he didn’t think free TV would ever be replaced, not in foreseeable future at least. He pointed to public relations impact as one reason, not to mention govt, relations. League has been given certain exemptions from anti-trust laws. "We want to retain the right to experiment," league spokesman explained. "There would be an overall NFL policy regarding pay TV and it would be up to each club to implement as it saw fit. There is no indication now which clubs are especially interested in theater TV at present. We have an attitude of 'watchful waiting' as far as pay TV is concerned," he said. Asked about possible ties with pay-TV firms, he said: 'We have no attachment to any firm, al | though we've been approached by many." It was presumed that new Subscription TV Inc. on West Coast had been in touch with Los Angeles Rams. ^