FCC suffers setback in order curbing indecency Speciai report: winding up for NAB Washington m BroadcastingThe newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts arOur 46th Year 1977 THE BIGGEST EVENT IN TELEVISION HISTORY... SEE PAGES 16 -17 W\RNER BROS.TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION ® AWWNER COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY 1114taighWthillg lc oat Icztoc sei to access prole sole0 costetitio0 01.1911-18 gets00. toderviay These stations are ready to play: In these weekly offbeat olympics, WBRZ Baton Rouge WSAZ -TV Charleston - two teams of today's most popular Huntington entertainment stars compete in WSOC -TV Charlotte the wildest, zaniest sports events WCPO -TV Cincinnati ever brought to television. WEWS Cleveland WBNS -TV Columbus, O. There's excitement, suspense and WDTN Dayton uproarious fun from start to finish WJBK -TV Detroit WLUK -TV Green Bay in every half hour. WFMY -TV Greensboro - When ABC aired a similar series, W. Salem -H. Pt. KHON -TV Honolulu "Almost Anything Goes," without KNXT Los Angeles stars in Summer '75, the show KMSP -TV Minneapolis - jumped to a time -period- winning St. Paul 35% share in just four weeks. WCBS -TV New York WAVY -TV Norfolk And in November '76, ABC's KCRA -TV Sacramento - Stockton two -hour "Battle of the Network KUTV Salt Lake City Stars" special zonked all prime - KMOL -TV San Antonio time competition with a 24.2 rating KMOX -TV St. Louis and a 40% share while handily WFLA -TV Tampa - winning almost every demographic St. Petersburg breakout. WSPD -TV Toledo WPTV West Palm Beach That's proof positive! Viewers WDAU-TV Wilkes Barre - Scranton love this kind of programming, and even more so when stars are involved! Now, Viacom s going to do it better than ever before with the all -new "All-Star Almost Anything Goes" Source: NTI /NAC, II Aug. 1975 and II Nov.1976. Audience estimates are subject to qualifications available on request. Viacom GRASSM VALLEY 2 GROUP AA A new, low -cost, standardized approach to television switching automation employing microcomputer technology. Qo ,209BOOTH THE GRASS VALLEY GROUP, INC. A TEKTRONIX COMPANY Station Plaza East 4419 Van Nuys Blvd, Ste 307 1644 Tullie Cu, NE P.O. Box 482 810 W Bristol Street GREAT NECK, NY 11021 SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91403 ATLANTA, GA 30329 MABANK, TX 75147 ELKHART, IN 46514 (516) 4871311 (213) 990 -6172 (404) 6340521 (214) 8871181 (219) 264-0931 Broadcasting Mar21 The Week in Brief FCC PUT DOWN AGAIN Washington appeals court, in regulation meet with the FCC to decide what to do about overturning WBAI ruling, says commission efforts against the issue, but nothing much seems to have been indecency on the air are contrary to Communications Act. accomplished. PAGE 44. PAGE 27. FALLEN 'ANGEL' Actress Farrah Fawcett -Majors's AFTERMATH FOR THE MEDIA President Carter puts planned defection from ABC -TV's Charlie's Angels distance between himself and his UN ambassador's results in a law suit from Spelling -Goldberg Productions. feelings on coverage of terrorist acts. CBS's Who's Who PAGE 50. examines the professional problems involved in report- ing stories such as the Hanafi sieges in Washington, FUTURE FIBER Irving Kahn of Broadband Communications says that lasers with a life of more than 100,000 hours will be on the market later this year. PAGE 53. BETTER THAN SPEED READING Robert Grass, manager of communications research for duPont, tells the Association of National Advertisers that TV gets the commercial message across much better than print. PAGE 55. WASHING ITS HANDS General Motors, after getting complaints from religious groups, backs out on its sponsorship of a made -for -TV movie on the life of Jesus that will be presented on NBC -TV. PAGE 5a. ADDED INCENTIVE The FTC says advertising offering premiums to children should not be banned outright but should be considered on a case -by -case basis. PAGE 57. specifically WTOP -TV newsman Max Robinson's intimate role in that story. PAGE 28. CONVENTION COUNTDOWN The National Association of Broadcasters convention starts next Sunday in CONFERENCE ON THE COAST NAB's TV code people Washington and it's shaping up as a record -breaker. meet again with Hollywood producers, who indicate Advance registrations are 1,000 ahead of last year and PAGE 29. willingness to tone down violence. exhibit space sales will be an all -time high. PAGE 58. Here's the official convention agenda along with related PETITION -TO -DENY SURVIVORS The FCC spends a meetings and activities. PAGE so. The line -up of day -its last meeting before the Sunshine Act went into hospitality suites in Washington. PAGE 68. Abstracts of the effect -considering the renewal applications of 13 radio technical papers offer a preview of the Broadcast and TV stations; all but two get the nod. PAGE 31. Engineering Conference that will run concurrently with management sessions. PAGE 71. A complete directory of ON THE FIRING RANGE The three major television equipment makers' booths and what they'll show. PAGE networks argue against Group W's petition to require 76. A detailed list of the programers, station more previewing time of programs for affiliates. PAGE 34. representatives, brokers and others who also will be on hand. PAGE 94. RADIO RULES A new radio network policy statement issued by the FCC repeals much of the 1941 rules. At the CAPSTONE FOR DAN SMITH A fitting climax to the long heart of the new policy is the obligation licensees have in career of the just- retired vice president of Capital Cities serving their communities. PAGE 34. Communications will come March 29 when he receives the NAB's 1977 Engineering Achievement Award. CABLE CHATTER Several groups interested in cable PAGE 1 21 . Index to departments Changing Hands 38 Fates 8 Fortune* 100 Playlist 99 Broadcast Advertising... 55 Closed Circuit 7 For the Record 103 Profile 121 Broadcast Journalism... 58 Datebook 22 Media 31 Programing 50 Business Briefly 8 Editorials 122 Monday Memo 18 Stock Index 119 Cablecasting 44 Equip 8 Engineering 53 Open Mike 24 Top of the Week 27 Broadcasting is published 51 Mondays a year (combined issue at yearend) by Broadcasting Publications Inc.. 1735 DeSales Street. N.W. Washington. O.C. 20036. Second -class postage paid at Washington. Single issue S1 except yearend issue S2.50. Subacnptions. U.S. and possessions: one year $30. two years S55. three years S 75. Canada add S6 per year. all other countries add $6 per year. U.S. and possessions add S104 yearly for special delivery. S6$ for first class. Subscriber's occupation required. Annually: Broadcasting yearbook $30. Cable Sourcebook S20. Pßÿ A place of their own. Nearly five years ago, concerned citizens and gov- ernmental agencies in the area called Siouxland (where Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota meet) created a badly needed recreation facility for the aged, the Siouxland Senior Center. By early 1974, how- ever, the Center had become bogged down by inactivity, lack of money and inadequate facilities. KMEG -TV's community service committee worked closely with the Center staff and officers to line up donations of labor and materials to remodel the Center. And then the station helped stage an enter- tainment benefit featuring actor Will Geer of "The Waltons." The result is a new card room, kitchen and library, new air conditioning, and continuous remodeling. In addition, KMEG -TV's involvement has increased awareness of senior citizens' needs and stimulated more and more contributions to benefit all the mem- bers of the Center. Supporting community projects like the Siouxland Senior Center is all part of the Fetzer tradition of total community involvement. Ste eie arh iafii,4 WKZO WKZO -TV KOLN -TV KGIN -TV Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Lincoln Grand Island WWTV WWUP -TV WJFM WKJF(FM) WWAM KMEG -TV Cadillac Sault Ste Marie Grand Rapids Cadillac Cadillac Sioux City ClosedECircuit R Insider report 'behind the scene before the fact Tit for broadcast properties, and who quit as Wiley way tat president of Star presumably because of Although his successor seems nowhere in If House Communications Subcommittee disagreements with front office. There's sight, Chairman Richard Wiley is acts on proposed pole- attachment reported talk of swap of Combined regretfully contemplating departure from legislation (see page 50), look for Communications Corp.'s KOCO -TV FCC when his term expires June 30. It's broadcasters to step up pressure for like Oklahoma City plus "bundle" for WMAL- no secret he relishes public life, having treatment of license - renewal bill. Tv. In today's market, brokers regard been FCC's most vigorous chairman since Argument will be that if subcommittee WMAL -TV in $50- million class. CCC original members of Federal Radio does that for cable industry, despite bought xoco -Tv for $6.5 million in 1970, Commission took office 50 years ago. Mr. subcommittee Chairman Lionel Van Among others, LIN Broadcasting, group Wiley, at President's pleasure, can serve as Deerlin's (D- Calif.) saying there will be owner, has had conversations with Allbrit- chairman'until his successor qualifies, but no piecemeal legislative work while ton representatives. it's likely new Democratic chairman as subcommittee is working on rewrite of well as Democratic successor to whole Communications Act, then it Commissioner Ben L. Hooks will be should do something for broadcasters too. named by then. (Mr. Hooks, however, Subcommittee members' comments Deceleration does not take over his new post as head of about proposed pole- attachment bill aren't National representatives are disappointed National Association for the in yet. At least one, Timothy Wirth (D- that spot radio activity in January and Advancement of Colored People until Colo.), will argue that bill deserves February has not maintained accelerated Aug. 1.) separate action because it comes under pace of fourth quarter of 1976, though There's speculation not only on heading of unfinished business from last most reps arc topping January- February incoming commissioners but also on Mr.