of City University of New York, shows a headline recap, to summarize the day's top reduction of alrhost 50% in number of Broadcast Journalism'fl events, and then a closing piece which is prime -time shows on three major com- poignant, moving or humorous." mercial networks in last 20 years. In 1956 Beyond that, Mr. Fischer said, there will (week in February) there were 123 shows NBC -TV concocts be a totally new set. Co-anchors Chan- on air, 97 in same period in 1966 and 67 in cellor and Brinkley will get out from 1976. 13r. Persky concludes that cause is new ingredients behind their desks and at least part of the twofold: (1) prime -time access rule and time they'll be ad- libbing. (2) trend to fewer and longer series. to spice up news NBC News also is exploring the Survey notes shift from "domestic possibility of updating Nightly News for drama" to "crime /detective drama" In Five -tiered format to be used West Coast stations every night. At least 1956 and 1966 there were two crime/ on 'Nightly News'; David will one section will be updated nightly from detective series and in 1976 there were 18. say his goodnights to John California, stressing West Coast news and Motion pictures increased 400% from 1956 from Washington again; more news that breaks after the East Coast feed. to 1976, further reducing series choices specials will examine issues Mr. Fischer said many of the weeknight available, according to Dr. Persky. and people; 'Today' to move features would be carried on the weekend around and around the Another view on violence. Marketing country Nightly News, but that the weekend edi- Evaluations Inc., Port Washington, N.Y., tions would also be used as a testing A new format and sprightlier approach for reports that results of nationwide survey ground for new features and new anchor NBC Nightly News, innovations for Today indicate that viewers' ratings of TV people in hopes of developing "our Chan- and a one -third increase in time devoted to violence will vary by degree to which they cellors and Brinkleys of the future." NBC News special programs were an- "like" a program. Marketing Evaluation, The changes, Mr. Fischer said, have nounced at the NBC -TV affiliates conven- which issues the TVQ measurements for been in development for almost six tion in last week. TV programs based on popularity, said its months. The present Nightly News, he "News is the hallmark of any network violence study is expression of viewer noted, is still "a solid second" to CBS's service," Herbert S. Schlosser, president reactions, not subjective measure based on Walter Cronkite and "remains far in inventory of physical incidence of of NBC, told the affiliates at the opening - front" of ABC's Reasoner- Walters report. (also see story, violence. Study, made among 1,959 day luncheon on Monday But he said "the news division is not con- page 46). are making a major effort viewers 12 years and older, is available on "We to sharpen the quality and relevance of subscription basis. our service, and we will make the invest- Correction. Phil Donahue Show, whose ment; we need to do it." host won daytime Emmy award as best Details of the changes had been laid out talk -show host, is distributed by Multi- by NBC News executives earlier in the day media Program Sales, not Avco Program in a session presided over by Richard Sales, as BROADCASTING reported May 16. Wald, NBC News president. Company's name changed after purchase A "totally new" Nightly News will be by Multimedia Inc. in 1976.- launched in August, "innovative, fresh and journalistically sound, but most of all, interesting," Dick Fischer, vice president, TV news, told the affiliates. He said co- anchor David Brinkley will return to Washington, his "natural habitat," while co- anchor John Chancellor remains in New York, but that the really distinguishing feature of the newscast will be its new format, dividing it into four sec- Wheeling tions. Wald The opening section will be the top story West Virginia of the day, done in depth, perhaps consist- tent with second place" and wants also to ing of a series of reports and sidebars, tell- respond to the complaint of many viewers ing "not only what happened and where, that all three network evening newscasts but what it means, why it's important, look alike and "are basically dull and unin- what are its ramifications," Mr. Fischer teresting." said. The new Nightly News, he predicted, ISWK The second segment "will treat the sec- will be "the best news program in Ameri- ondary stories of the day in a fast -paced, ca" and the most widely watched. quick- moving style," with lead -ins "shor- NBC News special programing will be Tom Schlosser tened so that each story is self-contained," expanded to 46 hours in the 1977 -78 providing "virtually a newsreel of the season from 33 in 1976 -77, the affiliates Station Manager world, done with visual impact." were told by Lester M. Crystal, NBC News The third segment, Mr. Fischer con- vice president, special programing. tinued, "will be minidocumentary, similar He said Where We Stand will be in- Represented by to what we now call our special," to be troduced as a quarterly one -hour progress McGavren -Guild done by "a small corps of our own people report on major issues or situations rang- and some new people we are planning to ing from the cost of living to drugs, the hire." They "will cover the whole range of Middle East crisis and an audit of Presi- Community Service Broedcasting,lnc. human interest," such as style trends, dent Carter's campaign promises. WKWK -AM 1201 Mein Street business, medicine, consumerism and Now, a news magazine on trends in life Wheeling West Virginia 26003 people, sometimes important, sometimes styles, will be introduced June 30 with the 304/232 -2250 "just plain interesting" -the kind of broadcast of a just -completed pilot with "short subjects now seen on our Weekend Linda Ellerbee and Jack Perkins as 'ARB, Spring '76, Wheeling MSA or even [CBS News's] 60 Minutes, stories anchors /hosts, Mr. Crystal said, "and we AOH M -S, 12 +, 6a -mid estimates done with insight, style and grace that cap- hope some day you'll see it as a series on tivate viewers." NBC" He said Weekend will continue as a Fourth section will consist of "a brief 90- minute program on the first Saturday

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