Game shows making strong comeback

FORMAT GAINS POPULARITY DESPITE STRINGENT NETWORK CONTROLS

"Game shows," the tv baby that al- with four daytime programs -Your of merchandise and the length of the most went out with the bath water Surprise Package, Double Exposure, "plugs" for products offered on the when the quiz scandals broke two years Video Village and Face the Facts (with programs. Shortly after the quiz scan- ago, are on the rise again. But they're a Saturday -only version of Video Vil- dals, the networks established units to being scheduled primarily in daytime, lage, aimed at the children's audience, "police" programs that offered prizes. and precautions are being taken by the to start shortly). Control was asserted by the networks networks to police the programs and ABC-TV, which had utilized few in these ways: keep merchandise and money prizes at game programs up to 1959, currently They now acquire the merchandise comparatively modest levels. carries five -Camouflage, Seven Keys, themselves, either directly from manu- A check by BROADCASTING last week Number, Please, Who Do You Trust facturers or through a so -called prize showed the following: and Queen For a Day. agency and direct the distribution of CBS -TV, which dropped all game NBC-TV continued to schedule a full merchandise to winning contestants. programs in the wake of the television complement of game programs even This move was aimed at eliminating quiz scandals in the winter of 1959, is after the quiz scandals but, a spokes- criticism that the producer and /or the back in the field in a substantial way man pointed out, controls at the net- prize agency kept duplicate prizes for work level are stringent to eliminate any possible criticism. NBC -TV now schedules Concentra- tion, The Price Is Right, Say When, It Could Be You, Play Your Hunch, Truth Or Consequences and The Jan Murray Show, with Price and Con- centration also seen in nighttime ver- sions once a week. Network officials stressed there is a distinct difference between a game show (which offers merchandise or money to a contestant who participates in a game), a quiz program (which usually offers large sums of money for the right answers), and a panel show (which spotlights the panel, rather than the contestant). They added that game pro- grams never were tainted in any way but that CBS -TV and ABC -TV became reluctant to schedule them because of the climate of opinion which evolved Assisting star Jan Murray on his NBC - from the quiz scandals. Monty Hall and Eileen Barton are the TV daytime game show, The Jan Mur- Networks also were sensitive to criti- personalities on CBS -TV's 'Video Vil- ray Show,' is Micki Mario, the pro- cism which charged that they did not lage' daytime game show, which will gram's hostess. control the acquisition and distribution add a Saturday children's version.

in GAC's television department for the eludes seven home games which will Sherri! Taylor and Jory Nordland as a past two years, will also join the new not be covered by local tv (WCBS -TV tv program packaging and production literary division. New York) and seven out-of -town company. New York office will be games. WNEW has a two-year deal, New studios Tele- Visual Aids, Miami, established in September at 330 E. 46th with options, with the pro -football team. has opened a new 500- square -foot stu- St. The company will produce half - Announcers will be Joe Hasel, sports dio, complete with sound stage, sound hour Kuklapolitans, which have been editor of WNEW, and Al DeRogatis, control room and scheduled for NBC -TV next fall, and is editing facilities. The former Giants' player. firm specializes in audio -visual services preparing another half-hour tape show, for television, industry and education. 1962 -63 entry Screen Gems Inc. re- Dear Abby, featuring lovelorn colum- It is headed by Bernard Blynder, presi- ports that Clarence Greene and Russell nist Abigail Van Buren. Other offices dent. Rouse, who produced Tightrope for will be opened in Chicago and Los An- SG, are preparing a new half -hour tv geles. Mr. formerly Giant schedule Metropolitan Broad- Taylor was radio - film program, The Seekers, for the 1962- tv senior group supervisor with Wal- casting's WNEW New York will carry J. 63 season. The series will depict the ter Thompson Co., Chicago; Mr. - the complete 19 -game schedule of the Nord adventures encountered by a group of land has been a radio -tv producer with New York football Giants this fall. A scientists undertaking the solution of various companies. lineup of four sponsors is expected to problems which their clients be announced shortly. The station's cannot solve. First series Project III Enterprises, exclusive New York area radio coverage N. Y., independent tv production firm, will begin Aug. 12, the first of five pre- Opening for business Taynod Pro- is planning its first series, All That Jazz, season games. The regular schedule in- ductions, N. Y., has been formed by hour -long situation comedy to be fi-

62 (PROGRAMMING) BROADCASTING, July 24, 1961