Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 46 TELEVISION DIGEST-3 little doubt its licenses would have been renewed by now if it had the national "public -service image" possessed by WBC— now known as Group W. Regardless of such happy corporate by-products, however,' fact is that Group W does do one of most effective jobs in TV-radio, outside of networks. Though several other major groups do bang-up job, it’s fair to say none achieves consistent national recognition the way Group W does. Foregoing is by way of introduction to group's Fifth Local Public Service Programming Conference, conducted in Cleveland last week. It was one of best. Mulling over mass of discussion, we decided we were most impressed by remarks of a Group W competitor-Louis Seltzer, editor of "Cleveland Press,” owned by Scripps -Howard which operates Cleveland's WEWS, opponent of Group W's KYW-TV. Long respected as a "newspaperman's newspaperman," Seltzer looked "down the corridor of time" and ventured that TV-radio may well become the prime sources of news. Therefore, he said, there's "some danger" that govt, regulation will "inhibit & circumscribe" freedom of speech. Because of govt, regulation, he said, electronic media can't do what print does. If the modern media had been conceived when Constitution was framed, he said, they would have been included in First Amendment. Similar vein was explored by Group W Pres. Donald McGannon. Discussing FCC's commercialceiling proposal, he said: "The problem. . . doesn't require the heavy hand of govt, for a solution. . . I do not believe the broadcaster needs instruction in his public responsibility." But he didn't let broadcasters relax, accused them of lapses into insensitivity & lethargy. "Status -quo -ism,” he said, will produce loss of creative freedom, impingement of govt, on programming & commercials, mediocrity, "perhaps even disaster." Among other high points of Conference: (1) Reuven Frank, NBC News exec, producer, asserted that "managed news is about the falsest issue we've had in years." Problem is "who agrees to be managed," he said, claiming that broadcasters have less resistance than publishers. (2) James Snyder, Group W national news dir. , said stations should be more "militant" in stamping out managed news in home towns, and that TV-radio local reporting is "far too narrow," needs more staff, more digging. (3) TV news workshop panel stressed hard news more than commentary. Said Sam Zelman, CBS News west coast bureau mgr. : "I don't think opinion is that important. Give people the information and they'll draw their own conclusions." i (4) FCC Chmn. Henry stuck by his guns, saying: This might be called the "Second Omaha Report" I or "I Wonder Why Some People Don't Like Me,” referring to film on race relations shown earlier. ; "The profit motive can't dominate at the expense of the public interest," he said. If broadcasters ex•; elude public from decisions on local programming, he stated, "you're saying the judgment is solely yours. . . I'd rather say [in renewal forms] that my judgment was buttressed in public support." He again said that stations should announce they welcome public's ideas, that their financial data should be available for local inspection. (5) Aline Saarinen, former "N. Y. Times" art critic, now TV freelance, attacked Henry's view: "If you canvass community leaders, they'll tell you what they want, not what the community wants. . . They're not equipped to know programming any more than a theatrical producer could edit a magazine." (6) Paul Ylvisaker, of Ford Foundation, veered toward Henry, urging that broadcasters "search continuously and creatively" in their communities. He called public service programs "the sanctimonious hours," suggested broader programming range. (7) Negro comedian Dick Gregory complained that TV has too little Negro participation. He was challenged by Michael Dann, CBS-TV network programs vp, who said: "A day doesn't pass that I don't get a letter from an advertiser to include Negroes in programs." (8) Surprisingly, a broadcaster indicated that FCC's local-live hearing in Chicago had impact. || Sterling Quinlan, WBKB vp, said station is trying new methods of learning city's needs. He said sta^ tion conducts opinion polls, has setup speakers bureau, and— "I've even told my executives to scatter to different saloons and ask the bartenders."