NBC -TV plans increase in made -for -TV movies

Like the tail that wagged the dog, one of every five movie presentations It also was pointed out that NBC - tailor -made movies for television in the coming season. These two - TV has the option to run each may soon provide as many as three hour color motion pictures, made feature twice during the first year out of every five feature film pro- available to TV prior to theatrical after production. Subsequently, con- grams on NBC-TV. A consistent release will be shown under the title trol of the film will revert to percentage of them also may be of World Premiere. Universal. spun -off as pilots for new network The Messrs. Tinker and Lang Casting for the tailor -made movies series. further revealed that budgets for is being made with the television This was what a news conference the features range from $600,000 to audience in mind. Talent that made of TV editors from across the coun- $1 million, with an average cost of reputations on television, as well as try was told in Beverly Hills, Calif., $700,000 per picture. Shooting long -time movie names, is being last week by Grant Tinker, NBC -TV schedules, to date, have run from employed. In some instances. it was vice president in charge of programs, 24 to 85 days, schedules comparable claimed, the performing talent in- and Jennings Lang, senior vice presi- to, and in some cases exceeding, volved in the production of the dent in charge of television produc- those of features aimed at conven- movies for TV are of greater stature tion at Universal City Studios. Uni- tional theatrical release. than is found in 50% of the features versal, it was said, may make as made specifically for theatrical re- many as 12 movies for first -run leases. showing on NBC -TV during the It was emphasized that as a matter 1966 -67 season. The giant produc- of policy for both Universal and the tion company already has 16 proper- network, World Premiere features ties selected as possible feature -film will be shot on location if necessary. product for the network, with 10 One movie to premiere on NBC -TV of the pictures now filmed or sched- already has been filmed entirely in uled for filming. the Philippines and another will be At this production rate, the fea- shot in New York City. tures, which will be shown in the net- The World Premiere concept is an work's Tuesday and Saturday night extension of a collaboration made movie series, will account for about Mr. Tinker Mr. Lang between NBC -TV and Universal in

television the Christian Anti- Commu- with the USFL; NBC -TV said it is Calif. Six more cities are to be an- nist Crusade of Dr. Frederick Schwarz "quite delighted" with the four years nounced on July 20 and additional ones in which a number of Hollywood enter- still to run on its AFL contract; CBS - on Aug. 15 and Sept. 1. tainment personalities appeared. TV said it is "quite happy ". with its Although the USFL intends to match Last week Mr. Frawley said: "CBS NFL contract, now in its second year. the AFL and NFL in player perform- showed defective judgment. It is a ter- There appeared to be discrepencies ance, one network official noted that rible injustice to try and ban this show. among top management of the new the minor leagues of football, notably The only ideology in it is that favoring league as to just where it stands re- the Continental, are also pulling talent morality. It's inconceivable that mor- garding a TV contract. and getting local TV contracts in sev- ality would become a subject banned The Chicago Daily News quoted eral cities. for television presentation." Mr. Leahy as saying "in three years There were reports that Mr. Frawley our teams will be sufficiently talent would take his protest to the FCC. (sic) that a network will make a lucra- Comte hits criticism tive offer." The Washington Post said: "Leahy said the league will depend upon tele- of news clearances Another football vision revenue, which he estimated would exceed $350,000 per team for George general manager of the first season " Comte, radio and television for the Milwaukee league organizes Norman F. Hecht, a banker from Rockville, Md., who is president of Journal stations, has criticized an article in the the league, told BROADCASTING that the Columbia Journalism Review Still another football league burst league would depend on stadium at- (BROADCASTING, June 20) purporting to onto the scene last week and with it tendance and use TV as an adjunct, show that substantial numbers of radio came the claim that it is "studying an not as the primary source of income. and television stations had failed to offer from one network" and is in the He said the seven incorporators of the carry network public affairs and Viet- "midst of very serious conversations" league are studying several plans for nam programs. for showing its games on other con- TV, including setting up their own In a letter to James Boylan, editor tinents via satellite. syndication arm. If this plan goes of the Review, published by the Colum- The United States Football League, through it would probably put the bia University graduate school of jour- with former Notre Dame Coach Frank games on independent VHF's where nalism, Mr. Comte branded the study Leahy as chairman, announced it available and on UHF's in other mar- as "biased" and "lop- sided" and added would be in operation in 1967 and was kets. that it did not tell the whole story and ready to compete with the American Four cities already chosen for the contained interpretations taken out of and National football leagues. 12 -team league are Washington, Cin- context. ABC -TV said it had not negotiated cinnati, Philadelphia and Anaheim, He also chastised the article for citing

40 (PROGRAMING) BROADCASTING, July 4, 1966