Evening star., 1949-06-19
News of Video and Radio
Walcott. Charles Match to Be Televised,
But Not on Chicago's Air
By Horny Macarthur

Most Of the sports promoters
still look upon television as more
foe than friend, apparently. The
popularity of the Roller Derby,
efse- e was televised, hasn't won
anyone In other sports fields over
to the view that video means dol
lars In the bank.
The Roller Derby was a special
case, of course. People seeing 1t
for the first time on television had
to 90 out to an arena to see it In
person before believing it. The
man promoting a title bout can
argue that fight fans already
know what a boxing match looks
like, and that many Of them
would be just as happy watching
one for free in the living room If
it's available.
That seems to be the, theory Of
those promoting the first contest
for Joe Louis vacated title, which
brings Jersey Joe Walcott and
Ezzard Charles together at
Comiskey Field. Chicago. on
Wednesday night. They have
reached a sort of compromise with
progress. The bout will be tele-
vised, all right, over the NBC-TV
network, with one notable excep-
tion-WNBQ. in Chicago.
This seems, as matter OF fact,
q fair enough way to work out the
problem. If you're in Chicago,
Wednesday night. you'll have to
buy a ticket to see the Walcott-
Charles match. If you're not in
Chicago and wouldn't have bought
a ticket anyway. the promoters
are willing to let you see the fight.
The sponsors fee undoubtedly
makes up for any deficit caused
by New Workers or Washington
mans who decide to stay home
and watch at leisure rather than
drive to Chicago.
This. incidentally, will give a
pair of contenders for the Louis
crown, who never could take 1t
away from him, an audience
vastly larger than any which ever
watched Louis fight.
The Wednesday night heavy
weight battle also will be radio
feature. It is scheduled for some
800 stations Of the ABC network.
n X u II
The National Broadcasting Co.,
which looked distastefully on those
mammoth give-away programs for
a long time. has one coming up
which. it claims. tops them all"
Titled Hollywood Calling it is
scheduled to start July 10. with a
possible "preview" on July 3. Film
stars will be the guests and movies
and movie talent will provide the
basis for the questions listeners
telephoned will be asked to answer.
Therell be a large list of prizes,
some Including usable motion pic
ture props. with a jackpot piling
up to $4,000.
Mindful Of what stop the
Music" did to Fred Allen, and what
CHS did to its talent roster, NBC
has thoughtfully spotted its new
give-away in the Sunday night
hour from $50 to 1880. 1t is as
beautiful as any bludgeoning move
In the battle of the networks has
been. Hollywood Calling" gets the
summer to build UP a following
while Jack Benny is vacationing
then when he returns 1t gets q
half hour every week to build up
its audience before he comes on
the air. According to the Asso-
ciated Press, NBC has even sold a
sponsor already on the half hour
opposing Benny.
Birthday Greetings:
To the Federal Communications
Commission, celebrating its 18th
anniversary tomorrow.
To Toast of the Town" (WOIC
-Sp.mJ celebrating Its first BIRTH
day today.
y
Telenotes: "Kukla, Fran and Oh
lie" the lively TV show out OF
Chicago, now vacationing, will re-