$15.8 million a week for overhauled prime -time season Reality outweighs rhetoric at NCTA convention o BroadcastingThe newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts Apr Our29 43d Year 1974 YEARS OFS9MCEIy It's the Golden Anniversary of the most respected call letters m broadcasting INGN WGN ContinEnial Broadcasting Corrpmy Chicago: WGN Radio, WGN Television, WGN Continental Productions Company, WGN World Travel Services, Inc. Duluth- Superior: KDAL Radio and KDAL Television Denver: KWGN Television Michigan and California: WGN Electronic Systems Company New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo: WGN Continental Sales Company ; Fr:": : 1.1BRARY SIOUX FAILS ". ;._ .F _ARYSIOUX SIOUX FALLS, S. DAK. 74 -20 RESOLUTION NO. April 2, 1974 Date Adopted laPBAl1IÍtDri of the Iiistrirt of ilnlumbitt laitg alounril RESOLUTION COMMENDING WMAL -TV AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES D. CLARKE FOR THE PRODUCTION AND BROADCASTING OF "THE TV TITLE REPAIR HASSLE" AND "THE AUTO REPAIR GO- ROUND" WHICH EXPOSED AUTOMOTIVE AND ELECTRONIC REPAIR ABUSES IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA Councilman Tedson J. Meyers Presents the following Resolution: WHEREAS, WMAL -TV 7, and 1 (Channel Washington, D. C.), produced broadcast 2 two news series, "The TV Repair Hassle" (May 14 - 18, 1973) and "The Auto Repair Go- 3 Round" (October 26 - November 2 and November 12 - 16, 1973), to focus public attention 4 on widespread abuses in the area's television and automotive repair industries; and 5 6 WHEREAS, WMAL -TV, in producing these programs, courageously described 7 specific abuses by identified repair dealers to document incompetent and deceptive 8 practices to which District citizens have been subjected; and 9 10 WHEREAS, James D. Clarke, as producer and reporter in both of these series, 11 utilized ingenuity, thoroughness, fairness and accuracy to reach the highest level of 12 excellence in investigative reporting for the public interest; and 13 14 WHEREAS, WMAL -TV and James D. Clarke, in producing and airing these series 15 and in numerous subsequent activities, were of great assistance to the citizens of this 16 community and to the District of Columbia City Council in comprehending the urgent 17 need for the Consumer Goods Repair Regulations, recently enacted. 18 19 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the District of Columbia City Council 20 that: 21 22 Section 1. The District of Columbia Council expresses its gratitude and con- 23 gratulations to WMAL -TV for its outstanding contribution toward the exposure and 24 curtailment of unscrupulous and incompetent television and automotive repair practices. 25 26 Section 2. The Council expresses its respect to James D. Clarke for resource- 27 ful broadcast journalism in the public interest. 28 29 Section 3. The District of Columbia City Council, in behalf of all consumers 30 in the District, expresses its deep appreciation to WMAL -TV and to James D. Clarke 31 for their significant contribution toward more effective consumer protection i 32 District of Columbia. 33 OUR NEWS MAKES NEWS! People react to The Scene Tonight Like our exposes on auto and tv repair abuses in Washington. Investigative reports that hit home. Watch Fred Thomas, Wes Sarginson, Duane Dow and Louie Allen on The Scene Tonight weeknights at 6 & 11 on Channel 7. THE NEWS THAT HITS HOMECEVERYONNIGHT. WM/ \L TV 7 Avco's nationally syndicated Phil Donahue Show now originates from the fabulous television studios of WGN. a NEW look ... NEW audiences... For information contact Don Dahlman or Gene Graham NEW entertainment ... NEW showmansh TOP selection of intriguing guests... Ip .41/AVCO PROGRAM SALES and one of television's most A DIVISION OF AVCO BROADCASTING CORPORATION provocative and entertaining hosts 1600 Provident Tower Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513 - 241 -1822 At the time of our founding on March 18, 1949, 81 ° `ï._... we made a firm pledge to actively support the .. ..,,,. concept of public service. Since then, we have SOMMOV devoted an increasing amount of our time and POMVIUS talents to expand the scope and sharpen the ...._.,. focus that commitment. Upon reaching our WON 1010/14 ", of :\t 25th anniversary, we pledge again our very best efforts to present innovative programs designed ' ` ...... ..\ ..._.. READING . to inform, to stimulate and to entertain HARRISBURG are responsive to the public interests -.c programs that o and concerns of our diverse and constantly growing LANCASTE! ..e+ ........... audience. .. .... YORK ..,,. .a.,.e. b:;:' ....... wATiollsoCIOCI C::.1."- WGAL -TV r--- Channel 8 Lancaster, Pa. WGAL-TV L Representative: The MEEKER Company, Inc. New York Chicago Los Angeles San Francisco STEINMAN TELEVISION STATIONS Clair McCollough, Pres. WGAL -TV Lancaster -Harrisburg- York - Lebanon, Pa. WTEV Providence, R. I. /New Bedford -Fall River, Mass. Broadcasting ci Apr 29 seek unified front was convention election in which small - Closed Circuit' town operator won more votes for board seat than four MSO executives. Robert Weary, Junction City, Kan., Commissioner, S.J.? New name has surfaced in speculation topped polls over Teleprompter's Jerry Greene, Tele -Com- over successor to Dean Burch at FCC - that of Dr. John munications' John Malone, LVO's Ray Schneider and Ser- McLaughlin, who like on 47, Jesuit priest Mr. Burch is now vice Electrics' John Walson. Result was 50-50 split among White House staff. Speculation is intriguing, for Dr. Mc- majors and minors for four vacant board seats. (Indepen- 1970 Laughlin was Rhode Island Republicans' choice in to dent Polly Dunn, Columbus, Miss., also won seat,) Messrs. run against Senator John O. Pastore (D- R.I.), chairman of Schneider, Walson were defeated. Senate Communications Subcommittee and key senator on FCC nominations. What's more, Dr. McLaughlin ran hard - Bigger numbers. Network rating points will be worth more hitting, if ultimately losing, campaign. Dr. McLaughlin has next season. A.C. Nielsen Co. has made preliminary projec- impressive credentials - PhD in communications from tion of 68- million U.S. television homes as of September. Columbia University, two MA's (English and philosophy) That's 2.7% more than current season's base. If it holds, from Boston College, producer of television documentary each rating point will then represent 680,000 homes rather on Biafra -Nigeria war that was shown on ABC, member of than present 662,000. staff of respected Jesuit publication, America. Surfacing of Dr. McLaughlin's name probably explains visit Jesuit Never again. Programing sources at ABC -TV, CBS -TV and made to Senator Pastore in latter's Capitol Hill office sev- NBC -TV say they're optimistic that all three networks will eral weeks ago in effort to heal campaign-inflicted wounds; launch their 1974 -75 prime -time schedules week of Sept. 9. FCC was not mentioned. Sources imply that painful lessons were learned by writers' Apart from Dr. McLaughlin, those attempting to follow strike delay of many of last fall's series, and that networks White House selection process still see, as leading conten- won't let upcoming negotiations with Screen Actors Guild ders for Burch vacancy, Donald E. Santarelli, administra- degenerate into similar situation. tor of Justice Department's Law Enforcement Assistance Network selling for 1974 -75 season is beginning to Administration; Lynn Wickwire, executive director of New move into gear. Salesmen for all three TV networks were York State Cable Commission, and Abbott Washburn, for- out in earnest late last week, showing their new fall wares mer deputy director of U.S. Information Agency. White (see page 16) to clients and agencies. But sources at all House aides, who say final recommendation may be made three said it was still too early to judge likely acceptance, to President this week, are not yet focusing on new nomi- chiefly because all three had made extensive changes in nee to fill H. Rex Lee vacancy, now that Luther Holcomb their schedules and one schedule - ABC -TV'S - did not has asked that his name be withdrawn (see page 6). become available until late last Wednesday. Upbeat. All four radio networks - ABC, CBS, Mutual and NBC - have experienced booming business in second quar- Reward and punishment. Foote, Cone & Belding, which of- ter of 1974, spurred particularly by extensive purchases by fers stations bonuses for substantially better performance auto manufacturers and auto -related products and services. than TV code's time standards call for, has developed penal- Ford, Pontiac and Buick are especially active. Mutual is ty plan as well, but has temporarily postponed its effective looking forward to record sales quarter. Networks cite date. In computing cost -per- thousand efficiencies for spot long -range sales effort as key factor. buys, FC &B plans to penalize stations 15% if they had 20 to 100 "violations" in preceding quarter, 25% if they had Access to attic. Rand Corp. is asking FCC for permission 101 to 200 - and not to buy them at all if they had over to sift through data 31 licensees filed with commission 200. Violations would be those shown in Broadcast Adver- three years ago in study of conglomerate ownership of tisers Reports' regular studies of compliance with standards broadcast properties. Santa Monica, Calif., think tank is set by Media Directors Council, which are similar to - but collecting and analyzing information on ownership and stricter than - those in broadcasters' own code. control of radio, TV, cable TV and newspapers (Broadcast- FC &B plans also anticipate increasing audience bonus ing, July 30, 1973). However, it is not clear whether com- for qualifying stations from 10% to 25 %. At present, offi- mission will, or can, oblige, since material was submitted cials say, only 10 stations qualify: Westinghouse group and under promise of confidentiality. five others. By comparison, FC &B said fourth-quarter anal- Commission sta'' f last month wrote licensees involved, ysis indicated 129 stations would have been assessed no passing along Rand- request and asking whether they would penalty; 127, 15% penalty; seven, 25% - and none black- waive confidentiality.