The Quiz Show Scandals

[SRIV94]

I was doing a little rummaging and came across this.  I found a TV GUIDE dated the week of 12/12/59 (Danny Thomas is on the cover).  On page A-1 (past the first section of feature articles) is a column called "Late. . .and Exclusive," written by Burt Boyar.  Here's the column (can't hyperlink because this isn't gettable on a website, at least I don't think):

"BARRY and ENRIGHT's losses as a result of the quiz-show investigations are estimated by a former associate to be in excess of $1,700,000.  This includes extraordinary legal and public-relations expenditures, and canceled income which they would have had.

"JACK E. LEONARD was asked how DICK CLARK has been handling himself since the investigations began.  LEONARD, who has been a World of Talent panelist for CLARK, says, 'Y'know what I think of him?  I wish he was my kid.  That's what I think of him.'

"The constantly recurring remark that 'The newspapers are clobbering TV and playing up all the scandals because they want to get back at television for taking away all the advertising dollars' is not quite so logical when you remember that many, many television stations are owned by newspaper and magazine publishers.  In many cities the newspaper, radio and TV stations are jointly owned.  Newspapers have an enormous stake in television.

"Dr. FRANK STANTON, president of the Columbia Broadcasting System, spoke at a luncheon meeting of the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences last Thursday and said, 'A special nationwide public-opinion survey conducted for CBS by the Gallup Poll reveals that 92 percent of the people in this country are aware of the TV scandals.  This is an unprecedented figure.'  Dr. STANTON reiterated his feelings that all shows on television should be what they purport to be and pledged CBS would run a clean and honest network."

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Doug

[DrBear]

Stanton's comments had a serious aftereffect on CBS's top news star, Edward R. Murrow, who took offense after Stanton leaked he was also concerned about Murrow's celeb interview show, "Person to Person." Murrow retorted that any sensible person realized cameras and lights don't just show up in somebody's house and "my conscience is clear; Dr. Stanton's seems to be bothering him."

Two years later, Murrow was out at CBS and on his way to run the US Information Agency, the government's propaganda arm - after Stanton had turned down the offer and suggested Murrow.


OB GameShow: Murrow's "See it Now started to lose its grip on its Tuesday time slot one night when Murrow looked up, saw the show after his and mused "how long do you think we'll keep this spot?" The show? "The $64,000 Question."

[uncamark]

Another outcome from Stanton's remarks:  CBS sitcom credit rolls for a while had an "audience response technically augmented" (translation:  laugh track) disclaimer, which eventually was dropped.  (If you remember watching "The Ann Sothern Show" reruns on Nick at Nite some years ago, that credit appeared in the oddly-framed-to-avoid-cigarette-plug credits.)

ObGameShow:  And CBS game shows got a $500 daytime, $1,000 prime time winning limit.

[ChuckNet]

ObGameShow: And CBS game shows got a $500 daytime, $1,000 prime time winning limit.

Even the slightest bit over $1K made CBS nervous...when primetime Password started, it originally had 2 contestants playing for the entire show, but after an Aug 1962 ep where a contestant won $1200, they switched it to having 2 new contestants in each game.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")