The Fifth Estate L L I T E R A D I O T E L E V I S I O N C A B L E S A T E Broadcasting DI Nov 21 Still leading the industry: Pioneering numerous "firsts" in radio and television. Sharing in the spirit of innovative local-station operation and independence. Forging new technologies in satellite services for stations and syndicators. Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. 3415 University Avenue Minneapolis, MN 554M. Zita£ 1V 113Mxrh SPbT `101tiï 721 '.CO: SdS-1OV 47Q£71 ZTIç£ 11 C6/APN )I71 Just when your prospects for access looked the darkest... Leave it to the producers of "Win, Lose or Dmw" and Lorimar. to come up with a bright new idea! Coming to access, fall '89! Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ideas. BURTL BERT PRODUCTIONS 1 BroadcastingiiNov 21 Vol. 115 No. 21 U.S. and Soviet Union. The winner is... Early projections by some network observers and analysts show repeat 63 /HDTV NEWS of last year's network prime time race. PAGE 19. According to some broadcast and cable television experts, there will be mix of HDTV transmission systems; Bird assignments... FCC widespread consumer assigns slots for nine new and 10 replacement marketing of HDTV may be as much as decade away domestic fixed satellites. None of seven satellite operators who have applied are locked out. PAGE 21. 87 /UBIQUITOUS Zubln Mehta conducts New York Philharmonic George Gillett has combined even -handed management style Wire and 50 /STOP with golden touch for deals to make place for himself in Fifth THE MUSIC Estate. remembrance... As cable television New York Philharmonic radio turns 40, BROADCASTING traces medium's growth from network, unable to find small town reception -only replacement sponsor for Exxon DEPARTMENTS Corp., says it will conclude its medium (at right) to multi- broadcast series Dec. 25. It is Advertisers Index 86 billion dollar industry third nationally distributed Business 62 reaching 52% of U.S. classical program to lose Cablecastings 53 corporate funding in recent homes, keyed by ability Changing Hands 64 months. Closed Circuit 8 to deliver programing via Datebook 15 satellite, as illustrated by 57 /PREPARED Earnings Report 62 Media General's earth TO FIGHT Editorials 90 Fates & Fortunes . 84 station at its Fairfax, Va., Panelists attending National Fifth Estater 87 cable system, a picture of Advertising Law and Business For the Record 68 which opens this special Conference address potential advertising reregulation on In Brief . 88 report on PAGE 35. several fronts. Says AAF International 60 President Howard Bell: "Our Journalism 58 toughest fights are yet to come." Law & Regulation 56 Masthead 14 20 /STATUS QUO motto of Fox Broadcasting's bad 58 /EXIT POLL The Media 55 boys of the sitcom circuit, Monday Memo . 17 Buyers say syndicated With its abundance of sound On Radio programing sales activity will be bites, visuals and polls, election 50 on par with last year. '88 is noteworthy for media's Open Mike . 16 involvement in story. Critics say Programing 27 fascination with tactics and Satellite Footprints 56 22 /OVER THERE strategy distracted media -and Special Report . 35 NBC taps video news agency, thereby public -from substance Stock Index 33 Visnews, to syndicate NBC of presidential contest. But in- Technology 63 News programs and footage depth coverage was available Where Things Stand .. 10 worldwide. for those who wanted it. Broadcasting (ISSN 0007 -2028) is pub- 25 /ONCE -OVER 60 /CHANGE AHEAD lished 52 Mondays a year by Broadcasting Publications Inc.. 1705 DeSales Street. N W. Many of most highly respected New majority owner in British Washington. D.C. 20036. Second -class post- specialists in advanced TV satellite TV service, Super age paid at Washington, D.C.. and additional Cast of 'Marred...with Children' offices. Single issue $2 except special issues development in Channel, plans to turn convene $3.50 (50th Anniversary issue $10). Subscrip- Springfield, Va., to explore Married... with Children unprofitable service into multi- tions. U.S. and possessions. one year $70. strengths and weaknesses of producers Ron Leavitt and lingual, music -dominated two years $135. three years $190. Canadian proposed transmission systems programer aimed at Europe's and other international subscribers add $20 Michael Moye. per year U.S. and possessions $235 yearly for terrestrial delivery of younger audiences. for special delivery. $100 for last- class. Sub- advanced TV in U.S. scriber's occupation required. Annually. Broadcasting o Cablecasting Yearbook 56 /REGULATORY 61 /GRIDIRON $110. Across the Dial $6.95. Microfilm of 27 /TWO MEN'S Broadcasting is available from University PREVIEW GLASNOST Microfilms. 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor, `FAMILY' At New York seminar, media Two U.S. college football teams Mich. 48106 (35mm. full year $55). Postmas- ter, please send address corrections to "VVe amuse we watchers assess future of will meet Moscow gridiron and offend, but on Broadcasting. 1705 DeSales St.. N.W. try to amuse first." That's the federal broadcasting policy. next fall for match televised in Washington. D C 20036 THIS IS REALIT'L BEATS TOP COMPETITION HEAD-TO-HEAD! TOP RATED NEW Pure Program HH Share Comparisons FIRST RUN STRIP! BEATS Jeopardy (KCOP) by +30 %' in Los Angeles /KTTV 7:30PM NTI Coverage Area Rating Season -to -dote BEATS Win, Lose or Draw (KHJ) by + 63% in Los Angeles /KTTV 7:30PM A Current Affair 6.7' BEATS Family Feud (KNBC) by +86 %' in Los Angeles /KTTV 7:30PM Family Feud 6.3 BEATS Wheel of Fortune (WUSA) by + 33% in Washington/WTTG 7:30PM USA Today 5.6' BEATS Ent. Tonight (WJLA) by + 18% in Washington/WTTG 7:30PM Fun House 3.8 BEATS Family Feud (WRC) by + 18% in Washington/WTTG 7:30PM Morton Downey, Jr. 3.2 BEATS Jeopardy (WXIA) by +64% in Atlanta/WAGA 4:30PM Finders Keepers 2.6' Gong Show 2.4 BEATS Family Feud (WNBC) by +45% in New York/WNYW 7:30PM On Trial 2.4 BEATS Kate and Allie (WWOR) by + 60% in New York/WNYW 7:30PM Group One Medical 2.1 BEATS USA Today (WLVI) by +200% in Boston/WFXT 7:30PM Family Medical Center 2.1' BEATS Family Feud (WMAQ) by +25 %e in Chicago/WFLD 6:30PM Sweethearts 2.1 BEATS Morton Downey (WJBK) by +67% in Detroit/WDIV 4:30PM Wipeout 1.6° BEATS USA Todcy (KARE) by +140 %e in Minneapolis/KSTP+ 6:30PM Relatively Speaking 1.4 BEATS Kate and Allie (KTZZ) by +350 %' in Seattle /KCPQ 6:30PM Liar's Club 1.0 BEATS Magnum IWTVJ) by +25% in Miami /WPLG 12:OOM Body By Jake 0.8 4B 'NSJ) IDIBB l .r..9.. RANKS 2ND OF ALL STRIPS BEATS WHAT IT REPLACED, OR IMPROVES IN KEY DEMOS! ITS OWN PERFORMANCE! Pure Program HH Share Comparisons Viewers Per 1000 Viewing Households Season -to -date BEATS Magnum (5/88) by +67% in Detroit/W DI V 4:30PM ADULTS 25 -54 BEATS M'A'S'H (10/87) by +11%* in Chicago/W FLD 6:30 PM Entertainment Tonight 678 BEATS M' A' S' H (10/87) by in A Current Affair 665 +11% Washington/WTTG 7:30PM BEATS WKRP (5/88) by in Hartford/WVIT 4:00PM Win, Lose or Draw 596 +25%' BEATS Geraldo 593 WKRP (10/87) by + 17% in Phila./WPHL 7:30 PM BEATS USA Today 582 Benson (10/87) by +29%' in Seattle/KCPQ 6:30PM Family Feud 543 Oprah Winfrey Show 543 IMPROVES upon 5/88 by +41%* in Minneapolis /KSTP+ 6:30PM Donahue 510 IMPROVES upon 5/88 by +29% in Atlanta/WAGA 4:30PM Jeopardy 493 IMPROVES upon 10/87 by +40% in Dallas /KDAF 6:30PM People's Court 487 IMPROVES upon 10/87 by +23% in New York/WNYW 7:30PM Wheel of Fortune 456 IMPROVES upon 10/87 by +20% in Boston/WFXT 7:30PM Demo graphic being Cosbyy how reprocessed al press lime BEATS ITS LEAD -IN! Pure Program HH Share Comparisons BEATS Local News by t 45% in New York/WNYW 7:30PM BEATS Entertainment Tonight by +50°/a in Boston/WFXT 7:30 PM BEATS Group One Medical by +57% in Cleveland /W KYC 5:30PM BEATS Facts of Life by +40% in Phila./WPHL 7:30PM BEATS M'A'S'H by +30%' in Los Angeles /KTTV 7:30PM BEATS Newhart by +75% in Dallas /KDAF 6:30 PM BEATS Sally Jessy Raphael by +29% in Atlanta/WAGA 4:30 PM BEATS Love Connection by +29%' in Seattle /KCPQ 6:30 PM THE [1],1[r11,1:1110 BEST. ULNpN !. N2IMMB G[vy Feu FYnCOWMA 1, Mr{ rvforo THE BIGGEST ACCESS Impressive comments from some people who are hard to impress. ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT's improvement in both content and style is as dramatic as anything I've seen in syndication. In the most competitive market in the country - the only one with seven VHF stations - ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT has moved into first 5 5 place at 7:00 pm (NSI, Oct. '88), beating everything zz from `Wheel' to `M *A *S *H' to the `ABC Evening News!' John Rohrbeck, VP /General Mgr., KNBC -TV, Los Angeles ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT looks the best ever in content, style, and delivery In spite of extraordinary promotion by `USA Zbday, `Cosby' and `A Current Affair, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT was the #1 network affiliate access show in the market.* 5 5 John Long, Exec. VP /General Mgr., zz WJLA -TV, Washington, D.C. For years, we've counted on ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT to deliver key upscale demos. But with this season's exciting new look, it has surprised everyone - including us. Based on the October '88 Nielsen ET has moved within 3 share points of `Wheel' 55 (compared to a 12 point spread last October).