The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 26

July 9-15. 1966 Eigl iPunltteraph, Bloomlngton, Program Cancellations Set On Many Circumstances an estimated 23.5 per cent ofjgardless of how it's clrcumlo-the homes in the United States: cuted, semanticized, and articu-were tuned to that program on lated, it's still a basic fact of an average evening. At one life that only low-rated pro-time 182 stations carried the grams are taken off the air. program. By 1965, the average The ratings are still the basic Ratings, Only One of Several Considerations More television viewers write letters in the course of a year to ask why certain programs Ben Casey rating had dropped to 14.4 and only 150 stations were carrying it.

Costs Increase standard that's applied and the tragedy lies in the fact that this presumes the Nielsen ratings to be an accurate reflection of national viewing preferences. But it's fair to keep in mind that under our system of broad Then, ABC explained, the cost of producing the program rose were cancelled than about any other subject. AH three networks made changes in their program schedules this winter and spring. In September of from $105,000 to 1150,000 per week. Consequently the reduced rating, the drop in the number casting these corporate entities are legitimately profit-making organizations and do have a of stations carrying the program, and the increasing costs right to turn a profit.

And it is this year there will be some thirty-two programs on the air made it far less appealing to with these profits that they sup potential advertisers. Therefore, it was dropped. ABC concluded in its reply to the FCC, "While economics, fi that were not around last September and many of them will! disappear before the Rose Bowl game. Obviously these are complicated corporate decisions, but port the money-losing operations of news, special coverage and documentaries. I suspect that you and I would probably end up making largely the same decisions as nancial considerations, advertisers' interest, ratines, station perhaps I can throw a little network executives if we were in clearances, and public and af their spot and we would end up filiate reaction may each play a part in the decision to cancel a program, it is important to note that no single factor is decisive." being criticized by just as many people as they are.

Each network has 25 hours a week of prime evening viewing time in which to satisfy the light on the matter for you. On March 4, 1966, the Federal Communications Commission wrote a letter to the three national networks asking them a series of questions about why certain programs were cancelled. The Commission said in its letter that it had no intention of approving or disapproving As concerns ratings, NBC's Shapely Grace Lee Whitney Is a featured regular as crewman Janice Rand aboard a spacecraft on a five-year intergalactic mission on the new hour-long science fiction series "Star which premieres Thursday, Sept. 15. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy co-star.

reply to the FCC's question on tastes and preferences of 190 million people. That's a tall that matter is of some interest order. The FCC asked, "To what ex tent was your decision to cancel (Convoy and Mona Mc- COMMERCIALS any particular programs or the networks handling of it and Cluskey) determined or affected by rating data?" NBC's reply read as follows: "To a considerable extent. Af that the inquiry was for information purposes only. Naturally the networks raised their hackles at having their ter the initial sampling period of the new season was complet TV Advertising Popular With Youngsters, Adults judgment questioned by a gov ernmental agency.

NBC's reply ed, those two programs became among the ten least viewed net work entertainment series on the air, according to the Niel NEW YORK (UPI) One touching people with a wand to the FCC stated that "continued probing by the Commission into detailed reasons for particular program judgments and decisions tends to suggest an effort indirectly to influence such sen service. Similar indications night three-year-old Mark Ham- and cleaning their clothes; it's were provided by estimates of blett of West Barrmgton, R.I. crazy." other audience measurement services knelt to say his prayers: "God "I don't think Arlene Francis bless mommy, God bless daddy takes Bufferin when she gets program judgments, we nope that the Commission would Another question asked was, cigarettes, not to mention various drugs and cosmetics. One detergent was mentioned 110 times. Almost all of the brand names were spelled correctly, an achievement that no doubt would startle the teachers of those children." The musical jingles that sometimes go with TV commer "To what extent did program agree that an effort for this purpose would raise the grav costs, advertising support and other economic factors affect est questions of sound policy as and God bless Mister Clean." sick.

I mink she goes to a Somewhere in this wide land there may be some who are not trouble is that Ross was acquainted with Mister Clean, talking with members of a For their benefit we will minority of the American explain that Mister Clean People and you are on shaky i mtr your decision to cancel these well as serious issues of consti tutional and statutory authori cials implant themselves deep ty. Ratings Considered in the mind of millions of programs?" Loss Operations NBC replied, "To a substantial extent. Both series were loss operations for NBC." All the networks noted that 1st of 3 Articles grourxi ii you assume iv commercials are unpopular with the general public. Prof. Gary A.

Steiner of the But after airing their pro persons and stay there. Lester Lanin, an orchester leader, was tests at being asked the ques tions, they then proceeded to puzzled when he received a answer them with not unsurpns appears in a television commer- University of Chicago found cial a gigantic fellow who hates quite the contrary to be true dirt. Millions of children know when he embarked upon a they also aired programs with minority appeal. ABC said that mg harmony. All three net works agree that the program him.

scientific Doll of TV listening ratings do indeed influence There was a day when kids habits. Fifty-seven per cent of taunted other kids bv savins the persons interviewed said their program decisions, but service to minority tastes depends on the proper selection and scheduling of popular programs which produce the revenue that enables ABC to "fi they also reported that ratings request to play "Mister Clean" at a dance in Newport, R.I. Then he got the idea and rendered the advertising tune and followed it up by playing another one written to adver Use Robert Hall clothes. Eventually Lanin made a record of TV commercial tunes, leading off with "double your pleasure, double your fun," a were only one consideration. Other factors in program de "My father can lick your they didn't mind commercials father." But a new cast of and some said they enjoyed heroes has appeared and today them.

Forty-three per cent it is more likely to be an would prefer television without cisions, the networks said, were nance the presentation of less popular entertainment programs as well as news, information and public affairs." (Less popular programs like argument over who would commercials, but only 24 per Drevaii if television characters cent of them would be willing station clearances, advertiser interest, and "quality." The reference to station clearance simply means this. TV stations across the country are af met in mortal combat. Batman to pay a small annual fee to hymn to the joys of chewing gum. The King Family, no doubt.) appears to be the current eliminate me advertising. So there it is.

The networks heavyweight champion of the filiated with the networks by a TV Strictly Business So there you have it on the toss out many reasons why pro grams are cancelled. But re- popularity of TV commercials shadow world, especially if the rules of the bout are stretched to permit him to be assisted by his executive vice president, Elmo Roper and Associates got similar results from a five-year study. In 1963 they asked this question: "Is having commercials on TV a fair price to pay for being able to watch Critics of television stubbornly refuse to concede what appears to be an unassailable fact TV TV Notes Henry Morgan, sophisticate business contract. (Each network owns only the legal limit of five VHF television stations.) Although affiliated with a network, a local station is not required to carry all of the programs the network makes available. As a rule, a local station Robin the boy wonder.

But there also is a sturdy vote for Mister it?" Yes: 77 per cent. The next year they asked the same at-large and panelist on "I've Got a Secret," is prone to say, regarding his education, that he profits from airing its network Clean and for the jolly Green Giant who exists to sell canned vegetables. If you want to hear television commercials deplored, denounced and damned all you is not an art form, it is a business. It exists to make profits for its stockholders and the way it does that is to fill the American, home with commercials. In order to do that it must tune the quality of its programs and commercials question.

Yes: 81 per cent. Amazing Results Steiner asked parents with children under 15 whether the kids were better or worse off with television in the house. "often attended public schools programs. But when a program is not pulling a large audience, the local station manager can in New York City" and that It was there that he learned have to do is keep your ears down to the level of the mass open. Better: 75 per cent.

Stan "touch typing and humility." Morgan says that he is currently spending much of his time There is always somebody mind. When TV gets arty, it Opotowsky tells in "TV: the big picture' about a poll on who will say that commercials are in bad taste, unrealistic and often do better by running a movie instead and selling the time to a local used car dealer, for example. Therefore, many low-rated programs and many, many public affairs and documentary programs are not seen in dozens and dozens of cities. commercials: planning to retire, "as soon as I can figure out from what." courts disaster as witness the small audience for the fine program in which Charles Boyer conducted us on a tour of the Louvre. downright unbelievable.

"Florence Brumbaugh asked Gets Doubtful Replies 400 children between the ages Stefanie Powers, star of "The Wallace Ross of the Ameri Girl From U.N.C.L.E." series of and 12 to list as many can TV commercial festival and a rabid aficionada, jumped advertised products as they could in 15 minutes. The makes a good (Next: What commercial? youngest averaged about 20 interviewed people at a shopping center on the subject. Two replies: "There's no such thing as that knight who In its reply to the FCC's questions, ABC cited Ben Casey as an example of how ratings and station clearances work together. In 1961-62, Ben Casey had a eating of 23.5. This means that items each.

The 11-year-olds for joy when she received first script. Story finds her making eyes at a top matador in Aca-pulco and calls for her to perform several cape passes. Ted Williams drove in 145 runs in his first season in the major leagues (1939). could list 50. Included were 15 brands of beer and 13 brands of runs around on a white horse.