Bonanza year makes way for a golden one The broadcast media and the political process 1976 m BroadcastingThe newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts Jan 3 Our 46th Year 1977 Make yo Sports Persqnality the most popular in town. With the new National TVSpo Quiz: ;.E %A A series of 4 -week news promotions that'll make your ratings climb. Complete with sports certificates, viewer quiz cards, pre- scripted questions and colorful, action -sports footage to match. altar¢ COMMUNICATIONS, INC. P.O. Box 361 Wayne, Pa. 215- 687 -5767 Air University Library Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala, PROPERTY U. 5. AIR FORCE Viacom! Television's new major' source for, movies. "The African Queen" Bogart in his only Academy Award winner! Broadcasting Jan3 The Week in Brief WAIT UNTIL THIS YEAR O Broadcast economic consultant ELECTION '76 -FROM PRIMARIES TO VOTING BOOTH, RADIO Richard Doherty, who says 1976 was a "bonanza" year, AND TV REPORTED IT ALL A look at the television and has run out of superlatives for what 1977 might bring - radio coverage of an exciting presidential primary race only that things are still looking up. PAGE 19. and a somewhat ho -hum general campaign. PAGE 33. Heads of the networks' news departments reflect on what OLYMPIC STRUGGLE The networks walk away from they would do differently in reporting the 1976 political negotiations with the Russians over rights to the 1980 campaign and offer some ideas on how they may handle games, come back home to try to work a three -way deal it in 1980. PAGE 34. To keep track of what happened and find an out -of -left -field trading organization, Satra, during this political year, a chronology of major events is claiming it's cornered the Olympic TV rights market. provided. PAGE 36. Here, there and everywhere -local What, if anything, does it all mean? PAGE 20. television stations kept up with the presidential candidates, dogging their moves when they came into ROUND Two Reply comments are filed with the FCC their areas; all to keep the hometown viewers informed on Westinghouse's petition for an inquiry into network - on the candidates and the issues. PAGE ao. And radio was affiliate relationships. Among those filing again: there too -local stations and the networks -keeping Westinghouse itself, CBS and NBC. PAGE 22. pace with the candidates. PAGE ae. Whether the Great Debates II were all that great is debatable itself, but no MAKING WAVES Worldvision wants the FCC to expand one will deny that they were the really big show of this on the Westinghouse petition and include political year. PAGE ea. Bringing all that news of the syndicators in that investigation. PAGE 23. candidates into the American homes were the reporters -with all their broadcast equipment -who kept PARAMOUNT PURCHASE Paramount Pictures buys out the assets of Hughes Television Network, mainly to obtain Hughes' equipment and facilities. PAGE 23. QUESTIONS The FCC will conduct a hearing on the license renewal application of Steinman's WGAL -TV Lancaster, Pa., to look into concentration -of- control allegations by feminists. PAGE 23. POINTING FINGERS GAO criticizes the FCC on some of its practices concerning stock ownership by commission employes and the filing of financial statements. PAGE 24. The candidate and the correspondents. Then -presidential nominee Jimmy Carter talks with the press at Plains, Ga. To the left of PAYOLA PROCEEDINGS FCC says it will re -open the minicam is NBC newswoman Judy Woodruff; to the right of it is hearings to investigate allegations of illegal activities ABC newsman Jim Walker throughout the broadcast industry. PAGE 24. NO MORE, PLEASE The FCC, under court order, stops up an exhausting and exhilarating pace with the taking in fees, announces it's beginning to determine how candidates. PAGE 64. And to get their man elected, the to make refunds. PAGE 26. advertising team of each candidate went to TV to woo the voter. How they went about it, the decisions they had to in WAR OF WORDS Morley Safer's on- the -air criticism of make and the results are outlined interviews with Barbara Walters's ABC -TV special raises several Gerald Rafshoon (Carter) and Douglas Bailey and John eyebrows - including his boss's, William Small. Deardourff (Ford). PAGE 73. PAGE 26. MAN FOR ALL DIVISIONS John Backe, the new AUTOMATIC ACTION FCC approves use of automatic president of CBS Inc., came from a nonbroadcast transmission systems by FM stations and by AM's with background, and it will show in the way he runs the nondirectional antennas. PAGE 26. company. PAGE 97. Index to departments Closed Circuit 5 For the Record 80 Profile 97 Datebook 15 Monday Memo 11 Stock Index 95 Business Briefly 6 Editorials 98 Open Mike 17 Top of the Week 19 Changing Hands 31 Fates & Fortunes 78 Playlist 77 Where Things Stand 12 Broadcasting is published 51 Mondays a year (combined issue at yearend) by Si ladcasung Publications Inc.. 1735 DeSales Street. NW Washington. D.C. 20036. Second -class postage paid at Washington. Single issue SI except yearend issue 52.50. Subscriptions. U.S. ano possessions one year S30. two years S55. Inree years S78 Canada add S8 per year, all other countries add $8 per year, U.S. and possessions add S104 yearly for special delivery. $65 for first class. Subscriber's occupation required. Annually Broadcasting Yearbook S30 Cable Sourcebook $20 ST EI7R`,+-l\EW HOLLAND This famous trademark identifies another of the leading industries which make such strong and continuing contribu- tions to the economic growth and stability of the great WGAL -TV market. With home offices and plant facilities in New Holland, just a few miles from Lancaster, Pa., the company is recognized as a world leader in the production and marketing of Agribusiness equipment. Shown is a modern automatic hay baler, first produced by Sperry New Holland and now used by farmers and ranchers in many parts of the world. Baler gets final coat of paint (left), then is prepared (right) for shipment. WGAL-TV delivers strong buying power in a diversified area This pioneer TV station effectively covers the entire Lancaster -Harrisburg- York- Lebanon ADI. One of the country's fastest -growing areas, this prosperous market is outstanding for its economic and business diversity and resultant stability. Consider the facts: manu- facturing production $6,603,130,000; agricul- tural production $365,294,000; effective buy- ing income $6,878,735,000 *. Cash in on this outstanding buying power - include WGAL -TV in your planning. WGAL -TV LANCASTER-HARRISBURG -YORK-LEBANON, PA. '1976 Sales Management Survey of Buying Power I' 1976 Pennsylvania Abstract WGAL -TV Lancaster- Harrisburg- York -Lebanon, Pa. WTEV Providence, R. I. /New Bedford -Fall River, Mass.,j r STEINMAN TELEVISION STATION Closed NCircuit ' Insider report: behind the scene, before the fact Congress reopens its doors Tuesday, will Tom Swafford to new senior vice November's tidings have some minimal effect on Lionel Van presidency (see "Top of the Week ") Returns from Arbitron Television's Deerlin's (D- Calif.) House focuses spotlight on last remaining November sweep measurements show Communications Subcommittee. vacancy -TV vice presidency. There's ABC going strong despite hard push by Rumored changes: Goodloe Byron (D- renewed possibility of promotion from NBC in national ratings during sweep Md.) and Charles Carney (D- Ohio), both within - perhaps of George Gray, who now period. In top 100 markets, ABC of whose activity on subcommittee has heads association's 100 -plus market researchers said that 86 reports available been barely noticeable, might leave. activity, was formerly Avco's Washington last week showed ABC affiliates on top in Andrew Maguire and James J. Florio vice president and has background in TV 48, NBC ahead in 23, CBS in 20 (all (both D -N.J.) would like to join, as would station management. counts include ties). Year ago, first -place some other Democrats attracted by scores were put at 18 for ABC, 40 for CBS, planned rewrite of Communications Act. 34 for NBC. In 86 new books, ABC was Nine -member panel may expand to Profitable primer said to have 35 average share, NBC 33, accommodate them. Media -mix study known as ARMS II (All CBS 32. On Senate side, new faces will abound. Radio Marketing Study II) cost estimated ABC's wins included nine of top 10 Ernest Hollings (D -S.C.) will be new $400,000, but Radio Advertising Bureau, markets -10 of top 11, in fact. Gap is in chairman of Senate Communications which underwrote it jointly with group of largest of all, New York, where CBS outlet Subcommittee, but with six subcommittee New York and Los Angeles stations, ranked first, ABC second, NBC third. vacancies caused by retirements, election figures it's paying off. RAB says year -end ABC researchers say this is better than defeats and committee moves, it can't be count indicated ARMS II helped create at 100% improvement for ABC -that year foretold who will serve under him. Senate least $30 million in radio business in 1976, ago, CBS affiliates were first in seven of Rules Committee begins hearings this first full year of use. That total is said to top 11, ABC affiliates first in other four. week on resolution to streamline Senate have come from advertisers' adding radio New books are said to show ABC affiliates committees that will cause further to their campaign plans or increasing with audience gains in all 11 markets, CBS member shifts to and fro, further clouding radio's share on basis of computer -based affiliates with losses in 10, NBC affiliates crystal ball. One staff change: Senator analyses from ARMS II data banks.