Broadcast ng:J1A3r y =', FIRST IN TELEVISION CABLE RADIO SATELLITE FROM THE CBS MAILBOX: ALAN BELL / 23 ABC AND CBS JOIN CALL TO RELAX PTAR / 31 NETWORKS MEET THE PRESS / 44L: Au. i.uMSiA S E I.I ¡SHOwCA N C OLGNBI:1 Q LALITI SHI ES THROGGH... 25 MAJOR NOTION PICTURES WITH .AN I- NMATCHED LIST OF THE HOTTEST STARS IS HOLLYWOOD.. COLUMBIA PICTURES TELEVISION FI !1ê1 GHrìSTBUSTERS II fi*****«********«* 3-DI 554 APR92 BRO 2 241 BROOKLYN CËNTE lN 55430 Even After 9 Years, Our "Lov¢" ContinsContinues Growing! In Fact, It Has Grown More Than Any Other Returning First -Run Strip! HH Rating Growth Adults 18-49 Growth Program '91 -'92 vs.'90 -'91 '91 -'92 vs.'90 -'91 Hard Copy +27% +32% Sally Jessy Raphael' +23% +32% Regis & Kathie Lee' +20% +23% Oprah Winfrey* +16% +28% Donahue' +14% +26% Inside Edition' +13% +12% A Current Affair +4% +0% Entertainment Tonight +4% +14% Wheel Of Fortune' +1% -2% Geraldo -2% +11% Jeopardy' -5% -4% Arsenio -6% -4% Family Feud' -13% -22% Joan Rivers -18% +0% Source. NSS Ranking Report (STD thru 12/16/90 & 12/15191) GAA RTG, 'AA RTG LOVE CONNECTION An Eric Lieber Production in association with Telepictures Productions WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION A Time Warner Company e 1992 Ntmer Arm. Inc. MI Rixk.. Re.er.vd. Broadcasting r CcT adz. OF THE MINDS ON S. 2 Changes in S.12 substitute are being considered for possible compromise; broadcasters remain confident of S.12 victory, possibly by next week By Randy Sukow With the Senate showdown on ca- Gbb N> 138 ble legislation rap- = S. 12 idly approaching -floor ac- tion is tentatively slated to begin next Monday (Jan. IN Ill. SIAM 11,11111. age 27) -the basis for a possi- ble compromise has been mom laid. The sponsors of the so- A BILL called S.12 substitute are considering inclusion of a r ...r4rrwlnI-.. tougher rate -regulation pro- vision and possibly other measures that would bring it closer in substance to NAB's Fritts, NCTA's Mooney: The twain may yet meet on S.12 S.12 and, it is hoped, make it more attactive to a greater number possible, they said. Daniel Inouye (D- Hawaii) -have been of senators. The substitute was conceived by a in no mood to compromise. A key to whether the substitute small group of Republican senators And National Association of Broad- emerges as a compromise vehicle is led by Bob Packwood (Ore.). Negoti- casters President Eddie Fritts last the White House. It had reportedly ating with them to include the stricter week repeated his pledge not to ac- given its tacit support last fall to the regulatory provisions have been cept an S.12 compromise unless Hol- substitute -technically a package of Democratic Senators John Kerry (D- lings, Danforth and Inouye agree with amendments to S.12- primarily as a Mass.) and Timothy Wirth (Colo.). it. The association is prepared for a legislative ploy. It had hoped the sub- The substitute leaves intact S.12's long procedural battle on the Senate stitute would attract at least enough key must- carry/retransmission -con- floor in the event no agreement is votes to back up its veto threats. sent language. In addition, the substi- reached. "I've got a count, and it's But, according to sources, White tute is said to include provisions de- well over a majority. The question is House policymakers are sharply di- signed to draw broadcaster support whether it will be over a two- thirds, vided as to whether the administration away from S.12, such as relaxation of veto -proof majority," Fritts said. A sig- should continue to support the substi- the FCC's duopoly rules and the 12- nificant number of senators are still tute as orginally conceived or the 12-12 rule on ownership limits for AM, believed to be undecided. more regulatory measure it is appar- FM and TV stations. It may also in- National Cable Television Associa- ently becoming. Without White House clude a proposal to allow telephone tion President Jim Mooney indicated a support, the substitute would likely companies to own cable TV systems willingness to compromise in a quickly wither. in rural markets of 25,000 homes or speech at last week's cable press tour Arguing for a more conciliatory ap- fewer. (The current rural exemption (see page 12). Mooney suggested proach toward S.12 and the substitute for telcos is 2,500.) that the cable industry would be will- are those who fear a veto of S.12, Thus far, S.12's main supporters - ing to work out a deal with broadcast- widely billed as "pro- consumer" legis- Senate Commerce Committee Chair- ers, accepting either S.12's must -car- lation, could be damaging to the 1992 man Ernest Hollings (D- S.C.); John ry or retransmission -consent re- election campaign, the sources Danforth (R -Mo.), ranking minority provisions but not both, a proposal said. They would prefer to resolve the member of the committee, and Corn - suggested by Amos Hostetter, chair- cable -legislation issue as soon as munications Subcommittee Chairman man of Continental Cablevision, dur- Broadcasting Jan 20 1992 3 TOP OF THE WEEK ing a House Telecommunications or retaining the right to negotiate with Rate regulation. A new definition Subcommittee hearing last summer cable systems for a license fee. The of "effective competition" (stricter (BROADCASTING, July 1, 1991). substitute leaves intact S.12's re- than the definition currently on the We are realists. We are not ideo- transmission- consent provisions," a FCC's books) would authorize rate logues when it comes to these mat- senior Senate staffer said last week. regulation for cable systems when ters. And rather than take a bad bill, Access to programing. National there is no multichannel competitor we would rather work out one that we and regional cable networks, such as (such as wireless cable or a second could live with," Mooney said. ESPN or CNN, under most circum- cable system) and when few over -the- The major provisions of S.12 are: stances could not refuse to sell pro- air broadcast signals are available. graming to alternative multichannel City governments, working under Must carry/retransmission con- media such as home satellite service FCC -developed guidelines, would be sent. Broadcast stations are given the or wireless cable systems. The latest authorized to regulate cable systems' option of requiring cable systems in version of the substitute is said to omit "lifeline tier" (retransmitted local the market area to carry their signals program access. broadcast signals). NAB IN LA QUINTA: WAY STATION T !,. : ,, URE 1t Inset: Meeting in La Quinta for the NAB's winter board meeting are the executive committee's Richard Harris. radio board he chairman: Lon rr Mays. past joint board chairman; Richard Novik. radio board chairman; Gan' Chapman. joint board chairman: Ron Townsend. TV board chairman; Mike Conly. TV board vice chairman; Martin Franks. network representative: Eddie Fritts. president. Broadcast association leadership debates key issues of industry in transition By Don West shared in large measure with others. and radio directors alike, although But there was good news in La they were sobered by such warnings The joint board of directors of the Quinta, primarily the success NAB is (by New York Republican Congress- National Association of Broad- having with S.12, the Senate's cable man Norman Lent) as "you can never casters was a study in contrasts reregulatory bill (see page 3). (The assume that over -the -air TV will al- last week, wrestling with the increas- association has expended a signifi- ways be there." ingly hardscrabble economics of con- cant amount of fiscal resources in lob- Confrontation was avoided on one temporary radio and television while bying for the measure, spending internecine matter: the three major still buoyed by the momentum of good $843,500 in the 1991 -92 fiscal year networks' desire to enter cable owner- times past. Hanging over all on the and budgeting an additional $400,000 ship through modification of the television side was the realization that in fiscal 1992 -93.) The prospect of FCC's cable crossownership rules, a broadcasters now have to work out achieving a second revenue stream move opposed by many if not most their destiny in an electronic nation from the wired medium cheered TV affiliates. It had been expected that 4 Jan 20 1992 Broadcasting the controversy would come to a vote before the TV board on Wednesday. ThismWeek Instead, a negotiating committee comprising affiliate, network and inde- pendent station representatives was CABLE BILL IN named to work out the matter by Feb. THE SENATE / 3 19 (the FCC's filing deadline is March With its opponents' 2). Failing resolution, the NAB board substitute measure will have to retackle the issue on its beginning to mirror own. the original, S.12 The two boards agreed on several stands a good policy resolutions: to urge all board chance of Senate members to contribute to TARPAC, passage. the NAB's political action fund, and to lobby his or her own member of Con- CRITICS' gress; to support the FCC's re- exami- PREVIEWS / 18 nation of radio ownership limits; to ABC has landed support time brokerage agreements; Delta Burke for a half - Sonya Friedman, host of CNN's 'Sonya Li4e.'and to support relaxation of the duopoly hour comedy that Disco;ery Networks Chairman John Hendricks at the 13th annual ACE awards íp.261 rules that restrict ownership to one could debut as early as next fall, and CBS each in the various service bands and it has the ratings current indisposition to plans to launch five (AM, FM and TV), and to seek a field mostly to itself.