Disney's Rich Frank seeks respect for TV.

Over a year ago, in a story on "Why TV execs get dissed by film execs," Video Age reported the feeling among many TV executives that the sector was getting plenty of money, but little respect. Now, one prominent Hollywood executive is speaking out publicly about the problem. Rich Frank, chairman of Walt Disney Television & Telecommunications, wants more respect for television, noting that "The best of television is as good as the best of motion pictures."

Speaking to hundreds of media people at the annual Hollywood Publicists Guild of America luncheon, Frank said, "All I ask is that the small screen no longer be treated as small time. I have one point I'd like to make: TV matter as much as movies."

Frank, who is responsible for all aspects of production, marketing and distribution of film and TV product from Touchstone, Hollywood and Disney, commented: "As one who has spent most of his career in television, I'm proud of television, which is why I'm bothered by the unmistakable bias in the media - a bias that keeps giving the impression that the work of entertainment is only really important if people pay at the boxoffice to see it.

"This flies in the face of reality," Frank added.

Frank called the movie Philadelphia a wonderful and important film, but found it disconcerting to hear it repeatedly hailed by the press as Hollywood's first serious depiction of AIDS. "I'd like to protest," said Frank.

"Television has presented such TV movies as The Ryan White Story, And the Band Played On, and Early Frost. Early Frost alone educated an audience of 34 million Americans. And that was all the way back in 1985. That's the equivalent of a $170 million boxoffice movie."

Frank, currently president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, pointed out that "when it comes to blockbusters, TV is every bit equal to motion pictures. And then some. In 1993, about 80 million people went to see Jurassic Park. In one week, he added, two showings of ABC-TV's Home Improvement drew roughly the same amount of viewers.

And, he noted, the makers of the blockbuster movies have several years to work on their film, while the makers of Home Improvement have only one week.

Also, Frank explained that all the viewing hours of such shows as Seinfeld, Home Improvement and Roseanne provided the equivalent of "eight feature films from each of these shows every single year. And I doubt that anyone can mention eight films from last year that made them laugh more than one season of Seinfeld."

Frank pointed out also that "television is more current and more educational than movies, and it has more influence on the public. But don't just take my word for it. Consider the fact that when foreign nations set quotas on Hollywood product, they don't set quotas on the number of American films that their local theaters can book. But they do set quotas on the number of American television shows that their television stations can broadcast.

"These nations understand the power of American television, and unfortunately, they're trying to eliminate it."

Frank, of course, is well qualified to make comparisons between motion pictures and television, being involved in both at Disney. In network television, Disney is one of the top suppliers of half-hour comedies; the company is involved in syndication, animation and childrens' programming, plus cable. As president of Disney Studios since 1985, he has been instrumental in getting blockbuster movies to the big screen.

In his brief speech, Frank lauded "everyone who works in television, up to and including the producers of the shows, and yes - even the presidents of the networks. The buck stops with them. Day after day, their job performance is being judged virtually by every American citizen, not just those who have seven dollars to spend.

"Working with tighter budgets, smaller staffs and shorter shooting schedules, they produce and promote an amazing array of product that compares favorably to anything you would see in a movie theater."

While not denigrating motion pictures, Frank concluded that "I want television to get more respect. The best of television is as good as the best of motion pictures. All I ask is that the small screen no longer be treated as small time."