Broadcast journalism at convergence of week's major news The back -to- basics way of things in top -40 radio Broadcasting Jan29 The newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts Our 42nd Year 7973 WM FALLS NUM INSTAT SOUX FAII.'S, Pla,. Hogan's Heroes The Andy Griffith Show The Beverly Hillbillies I Love Lucy The Dick Van Dyke Show Laughter is contagious. Use it to build a bigger, better television audience! Schedule 3 or more sitcoms back -to -back in fringe time for your best sendoff into prime time. Stations doing this right now are increasing their fringe -time audience and adult comp at each successive half -hour break* When you're ready, remember we have the biggest laughs in the business. Vacomi 'Call us for 24 documented success stories! Nextdoor neighbors via satellite. An artist's imagination? Not merce ... giving people a front owned communications com- activities that are creating new at all. This is how it really is. as row seat to history. Live via pany created by the Communi- communications advances. Comsat marks its 10th anniver- Satellite... pioneering new po- cations Satellite Act of 1962. op- These are a part of a world- sary. tentials for U.S. domestic as erates the satellites in the global wide satellite system to give you Comsat is helping pull the well as international telephone. system ... U.S. earth stations for better communications. world together... putting far- television, telegraph, data and satellite communications... the More than 80 countries al- away places on the main street facsimile communications. COMSAT Laboratories and a ready communicate daily with of business. industry and corn- Comsat. a shareholder- wide range of related technical each other via satellite. ',A SA COMMUNICATIONS SATELLI TE CORPORAT ION 9501:ENFANT PLAZA.SW WASHINGTON.D.C.20024 Broadcasting wJan29 CLOSED CIRCUIT 5 FCC, OTP in fir more in 1974 budget; CPB takes another cut. AT DEADLINE 6 DATEBOOK 10 OPEN MIKE 13 How to sell a snowmobile. MONDAY MEMO 14 A war ends. A President dies. Another is inaugurated. The breaking of three. major news events in a week's time sends broadcast journalists scurrying in an unparalleled test of staying power. LEAD STORY 17 FTC to Congress: little off Get those cigars the air: BROADCAST ADVERTISING 21 Dancer- Fitzgerald- Sample: Making waves in the old tradition. 22 In referring to his wife's media holdings, the late 36th President used to call himself a `broadcaster -in -law.' But in his passing, the industry will remember Lyndon Baines Johnson as a favorite son. MEDIA 24 Another major station transfer in prospect L.WTIC -TV to Post -Newsweek. 26 Arthur McCoy leaves Pacific & Southern and takes four stations with him. 27 CHANGING HANDS 28 No union -membership prerequisite for broadcast news analysts, court rules. BROADCAST JOURNALISM 32 Accelerated push for newsmen's privilege: Stanton calls for guaranteed protection, House schedules hearings on proposed legislation, but Ervin expresses doubt that total relief will come from Hill. 37 From Allan Freed to Bill Drake, from Chuck Berry to Carly Simon, top -40 radio has weathered a peculiar metamorphosis. What used to be a bang became a whisper-and suffered. Now it's back to basics. A Broadcasting special report examines the state of the art. MUSIC 41 PLAYLIST 56 Who holds the reins on public broadcasting? FCC wants to know. PROGRAMING 60 CABLECASTING 66 FINANCE 67 FATES & FORTUNES 69 FOR THE RECORD 72 The FCC's Charlotte Reid : conservative, feminine and proud of it. PROFILE 83 EDITORIALS 84 Published 51 Mondays a year (combined Issue at yearend) by Broadcasting Publications Inc., 1735 DeSales Street, N.W., Washington 20036. Second -class postage paid at Washington and additional offices. Single issues $1. Subscriptions: one year $20, two years $37.50, three years $50. Add $52 yearly for special delivery, $65 to; air mail, $4 for Canada, $6 for all other countries. Subscriber's occupation required. Annually: Broadcasting Yearbook $14.50, Cable Sourcebook $6.50. To be a winner in ADI Providence Buy WTEV I .-.0 ' ae Representative. In - , t .d THE 11.11\ this burgeoning area PROVIDENCE, w..M i,..., e.. ,... ,. ...c J ..e..u., MEEKER NEW BEDFORD, FALL RIVER and other S COMPANY, INC. _:, nearby important cities and communities - ,,,.,. y.:::::.o - . i ......«...., .r.y. .... MASS be sure to use the strong voice of WTEV to .,n. -. 4 carry your sales message. Count on this PROVIDÉNCE® ^cal Rim_ -. station to reach and deliver an unusually responsive audience. ...... .. "N.rItl Nn t.tlM ..... WTEV Channel Providence -New Bedford -Fall River n 6 DE B Rhode Island- Massachusetts Vance L Eckersley, Sta. Mgr. úing the gleatet 4)1100411cev ?Ira STEINMAN TELEVISION STATIONS Clair McCollough, Pres. WTEV Providence, R. I. /New Bedford -Fall River, Mass. WGAL -TV Lancaster -Harrisburg -York- Lebanon, Pa. Closed Circuit® It's a hit Inc. and set that for hearing on char- Saudek, who indeed is Robert Saudek's involving lawyer son. viewers acter qualifications Orange Grass -roots slant on importance principal, Robert A. Maheu, one -time put on TV news may be found in Ameri- public -relations consultant for Howard can Research Bureau's rankings of top -25 Late spring Hughes (BROADCASTING, May 31, 1971) . TV programs in each of top -50 U.S. There are some indications that ulti- That oft -reported thaw of FCC freeze markets. Examination reveals that regu- on new AM stations may at mate decision will be made between last occur larly local network news- in scheduled or Orange and Western Broadcasting Corp., next few weeks. Indications are new casts (Monday- Friday or weekend, policy on AM allocations won't as one of whose principals is Bob Hope. be usually rated separately) were among 25 Those are only two applicants seeking restrictive as originally proposed. Feeling highest -rated programs in nine of coun- within is is more full power that have satisfied all engi- staff that there room try's 25 largest markets and in almost in neering requirements, and Broadcast Bu- for AM than was believed back July half top 50. Biggest is 10th - when was (BROAD - -22-of reau has consistently urged that decision 1968 freeze imposed ranked Pittsburgh: There, three news- CASTING, be made between them. Frequency be- July 22, 1968). casts were ties for 10th, 14th and 18th came available in 1964, Eleven Ten Among questions to be resolved: among all programs. after Broadcasting Corp. lost license on charges Under what conditions should existing it was local newscast that Usually it broadcast fraudulent contests. stations be allowed to make major evening news Station scored, but CBS's early- has been operated on interim basis by changes in facilities (for instance, to markets in made it in eight and NBC's nonprofit Oak Knoll Broadcasting Corp. serve suburban area that has developed seven (by coincidence or not, in all but beyond reach of present facilities)? one of these cases local newscasts also Should FM as well as AM service be made it). Thirteen markets had two or Demurrer on cable considered in determining whether ap- more newscasts within magic circle. Question has arisen as to whether major plicant for new AM station would be Charlotte, N.C. 32d in size, had most - recommendations contained in report providing first service? five (three network, two local) -while issued last month by FCC -appointed ad- Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. (20th), and visory subcommittee on CATV regula- No race Providence, R.I. (28th), had four each. tory authority conformed with desires of Highest- ranked local news was WBTV- Speculation that Senator Barry Gold- subcommittee's full membership. Dis- water (R- Ariz.) will not run for re- (Tv) Charlotte's 6 p.m. Scene Tonight, in sent senting note has been raised letter election next year can be scrubbed. He whose 29 rating was seventh in market to subcommittee chairman, Thomas At- (ahead of CBS's Carol Burnett Show, has advised his staff to gear up for kins, by John Gwin, vice president of another campaign, and though this could among others). Highest -rated was WSAZ- Cox Cable Communications and former TV Huntington, W. Va.'s 6 p.m. News change it sets at rest report that he would chairman of National Cable Television give FCC Chairman Dean Burch his Picture, which had 30 rating but was claimed sec- Association. Mr. Gwin that blessing for 1974 race. Mr. Burch is tied (with NBC's Adam -12) for 11th tions of report -which was written by place in Charleston -Huntington. getting weary of queries about his plans, Mr. Atkins -recommending anticross- but he doesn't deny prospect of his de- ownership actions by FCC and manda- parture either to enter law practice or First interconnection capability for cable shot tory possibly take executive post, maybe in House Select Committee on Crime, head- systems (BROADCASTING, Jan. 1) had not communications. ed by Representative Claude Pepper (D- been approved by subcommittee. Fla.), is expected to vote this week on Commission's Cable Television Bureau, Not another staff report which, in part, calls for in response to Gwin letter, initiated in- placing ban on all broadcast advertising vestigation of charges but concluded re- Though Lyndon Johnson avoided contact for proprietary remedies between 8 a.m. port accurately depicted at least majority with broadcast business during Presidency and 9 p.m. (BROADCASTING, Nov. 20, of members' feelings. Final outcome of out of sensitivity to his wife's ownership 1972). Report is basis for legislation Mr. debate, however, will not be known until of stations, then in trust (see page 24), Pepper plans to introduce. Ad -ban por- parent Federal- State -Local Advisory he took hard look at his FCC appointees, tion of any such bill would go to Com- Committee issues umbrella report on especially after picking Nicholas Johnson munications Subcommittee, where Mr.