The Wanganui Chronicle. TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1946. TELEVISION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 53, 5 March 1946, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1946. TELEVISION

TTHE successful operation of television in the New York area has promoted enquiry as to how this new form of presentation will affect the world. It is apparently going to make a big difference to entertainment and to advertising. Mr. Richard Mandel, advertising counsel and independent consultant, made a 25-day survey of television-set owners’ likes and dislikes in the New York area. Among the “positive” preferences of viewers were: “Drama, up-to-date motion pictures, cartoons, ‘name’ artists, contrasty backgrounds, easy-to-read titles, visual identification of performers before their acts, close-ups; also closeup of dancers’ legs, larger television screens, sports of all kinds, close-ups of celebrities, fashion shows, the weather and time.” Active “dislikes” of the New York television viewer were: “ ‘Muddy’ maps, long shots, performers lacking good technique, old films, including ‘westerns,’ static talking shows, especially pickups of speakers from conventions, ‘borderline’ humour, too much time between long shots, and close-ups.” From the foregoing it is clear that the public knows what it wants and it can spot the technical defects of a programme. The demand for variety in the programme is paramount, but the emphasis of this demand is that tlie presentation shall be strong in personal appeal—that is the personal appeal of the performer. The performer must certainly not be what in common language is called a “stuffed shirt,” no matter how important be his official position. Defective technique will not, under competitive conditions, be tolerated. Here lies one of the big difficulties of the future. The tendency will be for television to become a monopoly because it will have to engage in heavy expenditure in its producing programmes if these are to be consistently suitable for the audiences in the homes of the nation. The individual performers, however, will find-it necessary to spend much time in preparation and little time in performing. It follows that in order to provide a worth-while attractive contribution to the television audience the artist will require to be very well paid or it will not be worth his while offering his services. This is the rock on which much of the radio work in New Zealand is wrecked. Those who find it desirable for other than the remuneration may be attracted to the radio stations of New Zealand, hut for many who have talent the rate of remuneration, coupled with their heavy production costs, makes the contribution to radio programmes not good business. This problem will be accentuated in the days of television. The belief is held in New York that television will grow out of its own peculiar requirements and will not be an extension of the “variety” show, of the theatre or of the cinema programme. This is a reasonable assumption, for the legitimate stage provided the films with its actors, but they had to learn a new technique to fit in with- the requirements of the new medium. 'When the “talkies” replaced the “movies” some important film actors took a back seat and some were eclipsed altogether. Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford were outstanding casualties of the incoming of the talkies. How many casualties there will be when television takes the radio field in earnest cannot even be guessed at, but if there is a heavy list the development of entirely new talent will have to be undertaken. Truly the way of the amusement producer is hard.