i NE\/\/ TV SURVEY SEES 30 MILLION REVENUE FROM PHONEVISION 'Assumes' 5,700,000 Sets Would Be Equipped for Apparatus in 1951 NEW YORK—Television Research Institute is now in the middle of the television publicity bombardment with an assertion that if th2 Phonevision system of Zenith Radio Corp. were adopted, film producers would receive $30,000,000 in additional revenue during 1951 and this would ascend to $70,000,000 by 1954. John H. Eckstein, the research expert, figures it this way after making what he calls some "basic assumptions." 9,600,000 TV SETS IN 1951 In 1951 there will be 9,600,000 television receivers, with 5,700,000 equipped to get exclusive programs with the help of the telephone company at $1 per .show. Eckstein assumes that a subscriber will pay for 30 shows per year. This makes the total $171,- 000,000. He al:0 assumes that the producer's share of the total annual revenue would be 385,000,000, and that this would be $30,800,000 in additional revenue. He states there are slightly more than three persons to the average family who would see these programs. He says nothing about guests. If six per.sons per show at home should see a first run film 30 times per year on 5,700.000 Phonevision-equipped receivers, the total would be 1,026,000,000. All of these would stay away from theatres, which represent a two-bili;on-dollar investment. A few more "basic assumptions" like this will give a comedy touch to research. This is the fifth ".special report" by Television Research institute. It is called "Margin of Profit." The twice-postponed Phonevision test in Chicago was srpposed to have started November 1 m 300 homes, but it was postponed again because Zenith Radio Corp. had been unabte to obtain satisfactory films. THEATRE CLOSINGS NOTED Eckstein says in his introductory note tliat 580 theatres closed in the first six months of 1950, but he makes no mention of the hundreds of new enclosed theatres and nearly 1,000 drive-in theatres built during the year. A record number of theatres is operating. The survey makes the following comparisons on TV set ownership and motion picture admissions for the six months of 1950: TV Ownership Paid Admissions (Increase in sets (Percentage change) per 1,000 poorle) Columbus -20.3% +139.9 Chicago —20.0% 72.? Pittsburgh -20.0% 45.0 San Dieqo* -15.7% 63.9 New Orleans — 6.3% + 37.6 'First three months only. "These figures indicate," says the survey "that .some degree of inverse relationship exists between television set-ownership and movie attendance. This Is, however, merely a generalized pattern, not an absolute function." The survey enters Into a discussion of the- If the Price Is Right, Theatre TV Draws DETROIT—Theatre-type television can hold its own in competition with other show and sports media if effectively planned, but it cannot be overpriced. This is indicated by results of theatre television at the Michigan Theatre here, operated by United Detroit Theatres. The University of Michigan-Michigan State game opened the season with a $2.50 tariff for reserved seats and $1.80 for general admission, and drew about 2,000 persons. Attendance slumped to about 1,300 for the Dartmouth game, which indicates partly a decrease in interest in the contest itself as well as the result of a loss of novelty appeal following the first session. It was decided to cut the price to 80 cents, which is the regular Saturday matinee price for first run here and lower than the night charge of 95 cents. This resulted in an average attendance of 2,000 for the Wisconsin game. An appropriate atmosphere of a football game, including a 35-piece band, cheerleaders, baton twirlers accompanies the television show. Wliils not a spectacular success, even at the lowered prices, the Michigan appears to be doing the only consistently good business among the downtown houses on Saturday afternoons. atre television by saying "it was hoped that theatre TV would meet the supposedly greater threat of boxoffice TV (Phonevision), on the theory that Phonevision would pull aiiother big prop from under the already rickety theatrical structure, since indepsndents would certainly produce for such a system." It goes on to say that 1,000-line scanning, about twice that of present home telecasting standards, will be necessary. Editor's note: All the theatre television show7i thus far has been taken right off the air, or has been reproduced from receivers on film, and some theatrevien have marvAcd at the fact that patro7is seem to think they are seeing standard newsreels. Then the survey takes up another "as- .sumption" of the author. It reads: "If motion picture houses were able to establish a 1,000-line 30-frame image as standard for their large-screen operations, they would need coaxial cable or radio relay channels approximately eight megacycles wide. (Videocasts now get 2.7 megacycles, later on will get four megacycles for their broadcast programs). "Coaxial cable and radio relay . . . now reach into 63 market areas (42 cities, 73 stations), major centers for both movies and video. By next year at least five more markets would be added to the circuits for videocasts. But this was 2.7 and 4mc. channeling. Two to three years would be required by AT&T to convert these channels to handli the wider signal required for 1,000-lini images. "Accordingly it was clear that theatre T\ circulation over an area wide enough to bt well financed remains three to four year away." Editor's note: Most theatremen agree with this, but they point out that nobody in the industry has talked about 1.000-line scanning as yet. Nowhere in the survey is there any mention of the controversy about color television, the need for converters and adapters which will cost set owners money. Nor is it pointed out that Phonevision requires still aiiother attachment. Film men ask quizzically why televisioi doesn't make its own films if there is $30,- 000,000 additional revenue lying around wait ing to be picked up. Films, they point out, have a 90-day toi revenue life, and tliey are still picking uj sizable income another 90 days and are no written off for a year. A television film for 5,700,000 Phonevisioi| sets (this is Eckstein's figure) would ceasi to be a first run attraction after one showing. Eckstein makes no mention of the curren hear.ngs before the Federal Communication, commission for opening all the ultra higl frequencies to television use. He also ignore: the fact that there has been a freeze on nev television stations for a year; that thi; I chances for its removal are nil so long a;j ( the national emergency and steel scarcity exists; that television receiver production ha: already been cut back, and that tube scarcl ties are already apparent. RCA Refuses to Permit CBS to Use Color Tube NEW YORK—Frank M. Folsom, president Radio Corp. of America, has refused a Fed eral Communications commission request tha RCA turn over its tri-color television tube and circuits to the Columbia Broadcastini System for experiments. His letter, date( November 4, said the request "both shocked and surprised" RCA, and that the FCC re' quest "amounts to a request that our stock holders bear the heavy cost of color tele vision research and transfer the benefits ti a private interest." Folsom's letter said the FCC request "wa.: accompanied by an implied threat to revoki our experimental licenses unless you got fron us what you 'requested.' The letter continued that FCC adoption o the CBS color system has "disrupted am delayed" the RCA program for factory pro duction and commercial sales of color set and tri-color tubes, but that nevertheles: making "steady and substantial pros RCA is ress" in that direction. The RCA suit against FCC to set asui. federal approval of the CBS color systcii is scheduled to be heard Tuesday (14) by ; three-judge federal court in Chicago. 18 BOXOFFICE November 11, 195i
aagraphs That Are Paramount IN Discovered TODAY'S NEWS PARAMOUNT WILL BE THE BIG GUN IN '51 right from January 1st, which has been designated general release date for Cecil B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah," the top grosser of our time. • • • Echoing millions of femme fans, Louella Parsons, in her widely syndicated column, has called Charlton Heston "most promising personality of year" ... in Hal Wallis' exciting film, "DARK CITY." • • • Dates on Betty Hutton and Fred Astaire in "LET'S DANCE" (Technicolor) are challenging the Thanksgiving booking record at Paramount exchanges. "Life Is MUSIC" is Rides Again • • • So Peculiar," one of 9 tunes Bing Crosby sings in "MR. climbing to top of "songs most played on the radio." Martin & Lewis, click team of • • • "BRANDED," which will be released in January, brings Alan Ladd back to his boots, saddle and color by Technicolor, for the first time since his big boxoffice hit, "Whispering Smith." • • • Dating Hal Wallis' "Irma" comedies and soon co-starred in "THE STOOGE," have been voted by the exhibitors of America the No. 1 Stars of Tomorrow in Fame's poll. The Winners Paris-Bound IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE 5T SHOW IN TOWN! Here's welcome news; the first "Road" picture since 1947 is preparation. It's "THE ROAD TO PARIS" that Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour will take off on soon. * • • A celebrated trio of Academy Award winners— Director William Wyler, Laurence Olivier and Jennifer Jones — has just completed "CARRIE," based on a famous Theodore Dreiser novel. in
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Texas Variety Club Re-EIec!s Office
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; BOXOFFICE Small-Towner Must Watch
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Hartford Theatre Marks Fifth Year H
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