Bitter ending at NBC GOP convention dominates broadcast week Cable deregulation coming up at FCC The newsweekly broadcasting ii of and allied arts 1449th Year Broadcastunq JulOur 1980 1 \ 1 1 k . ' Warner Bros. Television Distribution A Warner Communications Company Now Metromedia. Radio is deeper in the heart of Texas That's because we just acquired give a listen. Because on June 2nd , the Texas State Network, three in- 135 Texas markets became even more terconnected radio networks that important. provide State and National news, agribusiness reports and public infor- METROMEDIA mation programming in Spanish to RADIO stations in 135 markets throughout Important stations the Southwest. in places. Metromedia Radio's all -news important KRLD in Dallas will be the Flagship New York WNEW/WNEW-FM Philadelphia WIP/WMMR station and lead the way in providing Baltimore WCBM Washington D.C. WASH network members with the kind of Detroit WOMC Chicago WMET programming Metromedia listeners Dallas KRLD Los Angeles KLAC/KMET San Francisco KNEW/KSAN throughout the country have come to expect. Imaginative. Interesting. Texas State Network Attuned to local needs. So all of you, in the Southwest, WI Malrite knows how to make things grow. ni Us, 15\TE Malrite has a long and unbroken history of growth. COMPANY But we've never believed in growth simply for its own sake. We grow because we continually fill more needs for more The Leadership Stations people. The immediate and enthusiastic success of Ma!rite's new WHK /WMMS /Cleveland KEEY/KEEV FM /Minneapolis, St. Paul WUHF -TV confirms our ability to meet the need for independent WZUU /WZUU -FM /Milwaukee television service in Rochester, N.Y. WNYR /WEZO /Rochester, N.Y. We believe the new Malrite independents being built in WCTI -TV /New Bern, N.C. Jacksonville and West Palm Beach will have the same kind of WUHF -TV /Rochester, N.Y. success. WAWS -TV /Jacksonville, Fla. WFLX -TV /W. Palm Beach, Fla. In broadcasting, significant growth demands intelligent care and Outer Banks Cablevision feeding: Strong management. Talented people. Solid financing. Malrite Television Productions Careful planning. And a company -wide sense of commitment. Cleveland Browns Radio Network People who know us, know that's the Malrite style. Corporate Headquarters /Cleveland Broadcasting .iJul14 The Week in Brief TOP OF THE WEEK STOP THE PROMOTION The publisher of the GOP UP TO BAT The media have descended on Detroit commercial Washingtoniàn magazine complains to the fora Republican National Convention expected to FCC about a new monthly publication of four of the produce little dramatic or hard news. But the nation's largest noncommercial stations. He claims on- broadcasting story could be how independent stations air promotions support an enterprise that is commercial and networks meet the coverage challenge. PAGE 20. As a and competitive to him. PAGE 51. warm -up, ABC News holds a mirror to the networks and political campaigning. PAGE 21. SMOKE OVER PITTSBURGH A law suit and a federal probe cloud cable's future there. However, franchise FIRST TO GOT The acrimonious ouster of NBC winner Warner Cable carries on. PAGE 52. Chairman Pfeiffer shortly after the blunt firing of RCA President Valente stirs speculation about the job security BUSINESS of other top executives in the organization. PAGE 22. NARROWING THE GAP Media analyst Anthony Hoffman offers predictions on TV network billings next season. He expects ABC's prime -time total to decline to $302.7 DECISIVE DAYS FOR CABLE The FCC is about to bite million, CBS to climb to $275.7 million and NBC to gain the bullet on signals distant and syndicated exclusivity. to $256.7 million. PAGE 53. They're on the agenda for consideration July 22. PAGE 24. MINIMAL THREAT A Young & Rubicam analysis SPECIAL REPORT concludes pay TV will have little impact on network AND THE WINNER IS ... Excellence in broadcasting and television viewing through 1985. PAGE 55. related fields has been recognized in another bumper TECHNOLOGY crop of honors. BROADCASTING'S fourth annual round -up of IFRB'S UPHILL PULL The international board faces awards documents winners in the past 12 months. manpower problems and computer complexities in its PAGE 28. quest for an AM hemispheric plan. PAGE 56. LAW & REGULATION PIE -CUTTING NEAR The Copyright Royalty Tribunal, Des STUDY CRITICIZED The NAB and NBC contend working its way through the stacks of conflicting claims the FCC staff report on satellite -to -home service did not to 1978 cable royalties, says it will categorize the consider impact on local TV PAGE 57. claimants by the end of this month. Then it plans to make JOURNALISM divisions within each category some time in September. REBUTTAL PAGE 45. Accused last November by CBS News's 60 Minutes of mismanaging its first nuclear plant, Illinois Power distributes its own 60 Minutes: that is RKO'S SPIN -OFF PROPOSAL The FCC's Broadcast Our Reply put on blank videocassettes submitted by viewers. Bureau believes the three revocations are punishment 58. enough and that putting the other 13 licenses into an PAGE independent company is a possible alternative. However, PROFILE NBMC and groups vying for the licenses see things differently. PAGE 46. PEER POINTS FOR PIERPOINT Keeping a low profile, but maintaining high visibility at CBS since 1949, has earned MEDIA respect for Robert Pierpoint at all levels of journalism and GETTING FOOT IN DOOR A White House conference on government. One manifestation of that came 10 weeks minority women in broadcasting is offered advice on ago, when his colleagues accorded him the presidency expanding their position in the ownership ranks. of the White House Correspondents Association, a first PAGE 49. for a broadcaster. PAGE 81. Bottom Line 54 Datebook 12 In Sync 57 Open Mike 18 Business Briefly 8 Editorials 82 Intermedia 52 Playback 56 Changing Hands 50 Fates & Fortunes 75 Monday Memo 10 Stock Index 79 Closed Circuit 7 For the Record 59 Monitor 55 Washington Watch 46 Broadcasting (ISSN 0007 -2028) 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. D.C., and additional offices. Single issue $1.50 except special issues $2.50. Subscriptions, U.S. and possessions: one year S45. two years S85. Three years $120. Canadian and other international subscribers add $12 per year. U.S. and possessions add $155 yearly for special delivery, 590 for first- class. Subscriber's occupation required. Weekly Playlist 612 annually. An- nually: Broadcasting Yearbook 555.00. Across the Dial -Around the Channels $3.95. Microfilm of Broadcasting is available from University Microfilms, 300 North 2eeb Road. Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106 135mm, full year $35). Microfiche of Broadcasting is available from Bell & Howell. Micro Photo Division, Old Mansfield Road: Wooster. Ohio 44691 (lull year 627.50). Index to advertisers ABC -TV Network 11 O Associated Press 13 0 Blackburn & Company 500 Bonneville Broadcast Consultants 450 Broadcast Personnel 750 Chevy Chase Holiday Inn 440 Continental Electronics 470 Corporation for Public Broadcasting 37 O Enterprise Radio 150 Fiscal Policy 350 Frazier, Gross & Clay 18 O Gabriel Awards 320 Heller -Oak 51 0 KMEG -TV 140 Kaman Sciences Corp. 39 0 Katz 42 -430 Lorimar 330 MCA -TV 60 Robert O. Mahlman 80 Mainte Broadcasting 4 0 McCurdy 340 Metromedia Radio inside front cover /page 30 Archer Daniels Midland 480 Money Machine 90 NEC back cover 0 Protes- tant Hour 800 RKO Radio inside back coverO SFM Holiday Network 190 Joe Sullivan 300 William B. Tanner 77 0 United Press International 270 WLBT -TV 290 WTHR -TV 17 0 Warner Brothers front cover 0 Western Cities Broadcasting 31 0 Youngs, Walker Co. 41 0 Start cashing in on the latest boom in Sci -Fi movies- right now! There's no need to wait years for today's big Sci -Fi movie hits to make their way to local television. The 12 network- proven, BATTLESTAR GALÁCTICA movies are ready for action whenever you say the word! 46 stations have already said yes! THE 12 BATTLESTAR GAILACIrlla MOVIES Strike now in the outerspace wars! MCATV 1980 Universal City Studios. Inc. All rights reserved Closed5.Cìrcuit Insider report: behind the scene, before the fact FCC at Region 2 conference of and Chicago. Currently, GWSTV plans to Hot news International Telecommunication Union offer satellite service only to its outlets and Thanks in particular to impressive gains last March in Buenos Aires when not to offer to other pay services. Full made by ABC since format switched to association lobbied other national details of new operation are expected this World News Tonight two years ago last delegations, successfully, for delay in week. Thursday (July 10), total TV network adoption of U.S. government's proposal to early- evening news audience has jumped narrow AM channels from 10 khz to 9. considerably. For second quarter this year, Subject is to come up again in November Fourth network 1981 at next Region 2 meeting in Rio de network ratings totaled 36.0, up 8% from Public Broadcasting Service officials are Janeiro. This time NAB will propose same period in 1979 and 14% over 1978 celebrating latest report on its prime -time formation of State Department - quarter. -May was broadcasting advisory committee. audience. Week of April 24 4 ABC is claiming biggest jump, with PBS's biggest ever, with PBS reaching World News Tonight in second quarter 24.2% of all households watching TV, 17% 1980 43% in up rating over 1978 quarter No! gain over same week year ago. For nine - when broadcast still was ARC Evening month period, October through June News. ABC said CBS News gained 6% in Commercial television networks are taking tough stands this summer in annual 1980, PBS achieved 31% gain in prime - rating and NBC News 4%.