Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-25

Frank Getlein, next door to
Macarthur, rises to announce
his partially to the urbane
phrase, mot entirely without
interest"
If you can think Of some
good ones chat can use, I
mean I'll try to think of a
suitable first prize, like maybe
a converter for your TV set so
you can get channel 26.
Maybe it's time, to pause,
stand back, and ponder what
and where the TV season-oh
boy-has brought US.
Better still, let's catch UP
with a slashing good speech
by FEC chairman E. William
Henry, before the international
Radio and TV Society in New
York yesterday.
He couldn't have had a
sharper opening for a speech
on "overco m liberalization"
than the one he employed,
namely the FCC's annual
document reporting TV finan-
cial data for 1862. Total reve-
nues we're up $16S million, or
1877 per cent above 1861, he
noted; also, industry profits
before federal income tax were
above $500 million for the
first time, up almost one third
from 1861.
This bit Of financial data
reminded Mr.. Henry Of q re-
cent cartoon in q national
magazine. A corporation presi-
dent addressing his annual
meeting Of stockholders was
saying:
I'm spite Of continued Gov
eminent harassment, confis-
catory income taxes, subsidized
foreign competition, spiraling
initiation. arbitrary and un-
yielding demands from labor,
am happy to report that for
the tenth year in succession
profits are at an all-time high"
Here are some excerpts from
Mr.. Henry's speech:
. Moreover, one aspect Of
commercials to which the pub
lie strongly objects Is virtually
untouched by the NAB Codes.
This is the matter Of inter-
ruptions-the 'teaser' opening
such as: Good Evening. Ladies
and Gentlemen. The President
has just asked Congress to
declare war. Well be back with
that story after a word from
our sponsor Or, as the an
nouncer in the more sophisti-
Gated cartoon said: And so,
Ladies and Gentlemen, it looks
like the end of civilization as
we know it. And now here's
David Krank for the Ajax Oil
Company
Q "Or take the subtle bait,
hook, switch and stuff Of the
late show. The viewer is baited
with solid programming the
first 20 minutes, switched to
double and triple spotting once
he's hooked, and stuffed with
commercials every five minutes
thereafter. And it must some
times seem to the public that
the film editing for which
Hollywood pays such fancy
salaries is re-done for televi-
sion by the gardener with a
pair OF rusty shears"
Q After all, when 1t comes to
a question Of values and their
priority, the Communications
Act leaves no room for doubt.
However important advertising
may be to the industry, it is
not sacrosanct."
Whether by rule or by pol
icy statement, we need to es-
tablish criteria which will tell
the public and the industry
what we mean by 'over-com-
liberalization We need to do
so in terms sufficiently specific
to be effective In protecting the
public and fair in dealing with
free. competitive enterprise"
We couldn't help thinking
about Mr.. Henry's speech in
connection with that six-star
Opening Night" debacle Mon
day. The talent involved was
immense, not only on screen
Danny Thomas, Lucy, Andy
Griffith, Jack Benny, Garry
MOOre) but behind-Goodman
Ace for the script, Nelson Rid
die for the music, Leland Hay
ward, producer, etc.-yet all
they could come up with was
a show based on the idea that
the sponsor played by Don
Knots might cancel one Of
them in favor Of the new boy
Phil Silvers. Here again Is an
other spectacular example Of
TVS perpetual preoccupation
with the inspection Of IT'S eco
nomic navel. And Leland Hay
ward can write us dated Sep
TENDER 81:
Multiply the high spirits
Of each Of the performers by
six. sprinkle In the acerbic wit
CHANNEL cHUcKLES