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NAB set to act on children's advertising standards Cable wins big, broadcasters lose big on copyright cU BroadcastingThe newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts unOur 43d Year 1974 One reason our local news doesn't look local is Ron Stone. Awards from NewYork and \ ".S With NBC radio,Ron interviewed " "R Atlanta Film Festivals have .t+- ii " .1 V.I.P.'s like Nixon, Agnew, Ford, distinguished Ron as a true and L.B.J.The experience shows. broadcast journalist. Ron's long list of public service An active spokesman for f b r awards shows the kind the industry, Ron has - of - addressed hundreds of munity a - audiences on the mediae // + " ,r Jl1 +1 involve role. ..r 'mentthat G'' ! \' . 4% i. keeps him in touch. In KPRC news - winner of more news awards than all other Houston stations combined - occupies one of the nat ion's best -equipped broadcast facilities. We plan to stay on top. KPRC TV HOUSTON v PETRY TELEVISION. INC.. NATION :1 I. It EI'ICE+ENT.ATIVES NBC AFFILIATE t-+ O SIOUX FAILS ULI£ LIBRARY SRN:A FAILS, S. DAK. BROADCASTING'S BEST BUYS - selection quality price CENTURY SERIES modular tape cartridge machines. Quad cabinet, all playbacks. AC155B REMOTE /STUDIO CONTROL unit. Stereo also available. AS40B 8 CHANNEL stereo console. A20B 8 CHANNEL monoural also GT12 CUSTOM TURNTABLE. Choose 4 -pole or synchronous versions. rL c ooI ®®o 4_ 4- ' 4- 4. * 4 4 4 did you know .... 04000 40 014\ we manufacture a full G b 1 I I I op e. / 1 line of AM and FM transmitters, and audio products. ELECTRONIC CORPORATION 5851 Florin -Perkins Road, Sacramento. Ca. 95828 916 383 -5353 TELEX 377-488 CABLE SPARTA A DIVISION OF COMPUTER EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Broadcasting iJun17 al period, which is when commission now queries licensees Closed Circuit'' whose EEO practices do not appear to be up to prescribed standards. Fallout. In current hullabaloo over advertising in children's Variety of sanctions would be available to commission. programs, overlooked factor is that while others complain In broadcasting, as under present rules, commission could and argue, advertisers themselves seem to have been walk- fine station or give it short-term renewal. Or, in all indus- ing away from kids's shows. In first quarter, billings in net- tries it regulates, commission might follow lead of courts in work children's programs - Saturday and Sunday mornings deciding some EEO cases and set employment goals and plus CBS -TV's Monday- Friday Captain Kangaroo - drop- timetables for meeting them. ped from $17.5 million last year to $1 S million this year, according to estimates compiled by Broadcast Advertisers Cooler summer. Office of Telecommunications Policy is al- Reports. That's 14% drop, unrelated to any that came most certain to lower its profile after departure of Clay T. with earlier 25% reduction in weekend commercial time Whitehead, its director. Those who watch White House and limits, which went into effect Jan. 1, 1973. OTP believe that whomever President Nixon names to Are children walking away too? There's speculation that succeed Mr. Whitehead, who is expected to leave this sum- they may be, and ratings suggest that in some cases they mer, will be comfortable dealing with technical matters - are. Ratings for Kangaroo, for instance, appear to be down spectrum management, government communications - but substantially this year in both households and viewers aged not with controversial issues such as fairness of broadcast 2 -11. But for Saturday- Sunday mornings as whole, Nielsen newsmen or public broadcasting funding. household ratings have held even while those for viewers Out -front position Mr. Whitehead has occupied on such aged 2 -11 advanced about 4%. This is interpreted as return issues has caused problems for White House (and Presi- to normal after drop -off reported toward end of 1973, dent's reported decision to scotch long -range funding though observers say they've detected slow erosion extend- bill for public broadcasting [see page 24] may reflect ing over several years. annoyance on that particular issue). So White House may well prefer to let some control over controversial is- of Counteroffensive. First impulse at National Association sues flow back to executive mansion. Reinforcing that following last week's stunning Broadcasters headquarters speculation is presence in White House of man with exper- defeat on copyright legislation adopted by Senate Judiciary ience to take lead in those issues - former FCC Chairman Committee (see page 17), was to urge radio station boy- Dean Burch. cott of recordings as protest against new royalty. This was abandoned in favor of all -out resistance against measure on Unkept promises. As many as 93 stations may hear from Senate floor and in House. NAB and copyright owners FCC this week that agency takes seriously promises were turned back on every front in contest with cable op- made ¢y licensees in renewal applications (Broadcasting, erators. June 3). Stations have been picked by staff from April 1 Boycott had been suggested to underscore dependence and June 1 license -renewal groups as likely candidates for of record makers on airplays, in quest of which record one of three form letters that have been drafted - one ask- companies conduct vigorous promotion. CBS Inc., alone ing for explanation of variances between promises made among record manufacturers owned by networks, had fos- three years ago and performance over license period; sec- tered Section 114 to impose record royalty on stations. ond asking what procedures have been adopted to assure conformity to promises in future, and third (so- called let- Nice guys to win. Move to encourage production and ter of admonition) warning that commission expects prom- broadcast of wholesome TV entertainment is under way in ises to be kept and advising that, if they cannot be, it is Hollywood with carrot of substantial money prizes, includ- to be notified immediately of any change. ing $25,000 for best program of year. Formation of nation- Besides considering individual letters, commission is ex- al group aimed for this purpose is to be announced soon, pected to act on public notice that will officially disclose with board consisting of leading figures in programing, net- its concern about promise- versus-performance issue. It is works, academia, religion and civic affairs, and funding to expected to advise licensees to be realistic about proposals be supplied by well known family foundation. but to be prepared to live up to them and (as in letter of admonition) to notify commission if changes become nec- Yearly EEO review. FCC is expected to consider in next essary. several weeks staff proposal for closer commission monitor- ing of employment practices of those it regulates, and for Stop and go. Cable industry's negotiations with utility in- stricter enforcement of commission's equal employment terests over CATV pole attachments have evolved into give opportunity rules. Under one key provision, staff would and take situation. National Cable Television Association's raise questions about EEO performance of broadcaster, ca- pole negotiating committee (now headed by former NCTA ble operator or common carrier as they arise in annual em- Chairman Amos Hostetter) has reached stalemate with ployment reports. (Commission would probably be con- AT &T. Parties haven't talked face to face for some time, cerned about situation where, despite substantial employ- are still trying to determine whether further negotiations ment turnover, there was wide discrepancy between num- would be worthwhile. Meanwhile, cable interests note with bers of minorities and /or women employed and their num- satisfaction, Bell System is not pushing rate increase. bers in work force.) In broadcasting, that procedure would NCTA's discussions with General Telephone, however, eliminate processing glut that develops every license -renew- are in full swing and are proving productive. Broadcasting is published 51 Mondays a year (combined issue at yearend) by Broadcasting Publications Inc., 1735 DeSales Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Second -class postage paid at Washington. Single issues $1. Subscriptions: one year $25, two years $45, three years $60. Add $52 yearly for special de- livery, $65 for air mail, $4 for Canada, $6 for all other countries. Subscriber's occupation required. Annually: Broadcasting Yearbook $17.50, Cable Sourcebook $10. Broadcasting Jun 17 1974 3 NAB officials meet with Wiley on Week children's Top of the time standards, testing to see if code Sour and sweet. It "doesn't prove anything, " said NAB's changes can head off government regulation; Cobb. Nevertheless, Senate Judiciary Committee failure others skeptical that concessions will (by 8 -8 deadlocked vote) to remove controversial perfor- have substantive effect on future pressure mance royalties from copyright bill spells major defeat for broadcast lobbyists. NAB, however, looks further than National Association of Broadcasters officials met last Fri- Judiciary in quest for relief. Cable industry, meanwhile, sa- day (June 14) with FCC Chairman Richard E. Wiley in vors near total victory as committee votes to kill sports pursuit of accommodation that would substitute self-reg- blackout provision, halve copyright fees. Page 17. ulation for FCC action on children's programing and ad- vertising. Meeting was sought as preliminary to discussion Change of plans. Copyright defeat means shakeup in agenda of TV code changes at NAB board meetings this week (see board meeting scheduled for this week, with for NAB joint page 19). Section 114 taking front seat for radio. Children's ad stan- No commitments were made at Friday meeting, but dards TV And there's much else to will occupy attention. NAB officials reportedly emerged with impression that re- be decided. Page 19. duction of code limitations on commercial time in child- Open ear.