European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 10. 1991 the stars and stripes Page 15money matter Dollar watch shown below Are the highest Dollar Exchange rates for the week of feb. 3 9 compared with Dollar rates for the same period one year and five years ago. British Pound one Pound would Cost you $1.98 1991 $1.69 1990 $1.38j 1986 German Mark one Dollar would buy you 1.44 1991 i1.65 1990 2.40 1986 a military Exchange rate a italian lira one Dollar would buy you 1102 1246. .1642�? 1991 1990 i 1986 Spanish peseta one Dollar would buy you 92.38 1991 i108.38 1990151.90 1986 a amp Little Hope for Dollar on horizon by Randy Mcclain financial writer = the Dollar fell to a new postwar Jow against the German Mark last week and Many foreign Exchange traders remain pessimistic about its prospects. Assurances from . Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady that the Bush administration does no to want the Dollar to fall through the floor wont be enough to Stop the Dollar from testing new lows in the Days ahead several traders said. Late Friday the Dollar rebounded somewhat in Europe to Trade just under 1.46 Marks and at si.98 for a Pound on the Frankfurt Germany currency Exchange. Both Levels were slightly better than the weeks Low Points of 1.4460 against the Mark and $2 for a Pound. Tim Fox International economist with Midland Montagu Bank in London said intervention in currency markets by the . Federal Reserve and other nations Central Banks May ease the dollars fall but wont Stop it Quot i done to see a straight run Down to 1.40 Marks by any Means a Fox said a but i do see a Long slow grind  last weeks Low against the Mark was reached thursday in new York and represented the worst rate for the Dollar in Germany since the end of world War ii. The military Exchange rate this weekend is also  Low 1.42 Marks. In England the military Exchange rate this weekend is $2.04. The stars and stripes skittish advertisers play havoc with networks War specials by Bill Carter the new York times new York r National advertisers have been extremely reluctant to buy commercial time during news programs about War in the persian Gulf and at least one network lbs May Cut Back on War related coverage As a result. Executives at All three major networks said in interviews that Many advertisers skittish ass about War coverage was costing them millions of dollars. Each of the networks has been spending More than $1.5 million a week just to cover the War and they have lost millions More in advertising Revenue whenever entertainment shows have been preempted by news bulletins and War reports. Howard Stringer the president of lbs a broadcast Grotto called advertisers reluctance to buy air time  a if we do a thoughtful news broadcast it ought to be an Opportunity for advertisers to share in that responsibility a he said. / a a a a a a a a a. A a Stringer and Peter Lund the executive vice president of the lbs broadcast group said the news division might be forced to scale Back plans for prime time War specials. They said that even though the specials had All received High ratings they had sold Only about 20 percent of their commercial time making them economically unfeasible for the network. Many advertising executives acknowledged that several of the companies they represent wont advertise during War programming. They said the sponsors cited fears that their commercials might be juxtaposed with such images As dead or maimed soldiers. There is also a relic Lance they said to place upbeat commercials for items like soups sodas and cereals in few Grams about the War.  Abc and Abc who Rev fused to be quoted by name agreed that the Lack of advertising on news programs was a serious financial problem. But they said it has not yet affected programming decisions. The lbs executives said they have even offered advertisers assurances that the War specials could be tailored to provide better Lead ins to commercials. One Way would be to insert commercials after segments that w Ere  p Rodu be d w i t h ii Phe a t i Mage s or messages about the War like patriotic views from the Home front. But Lund said a we had no Success Aas a result a you Are absolutely going to see fewer of the prime time news specials on lbs a he said. A in fairness to our shareholders we can to lose $1 million every time we do one of  advertising executives said the tone of most of their commercials is vastly different front that of the War news. A commercials Are full of music and happiness a said William Croasdale a senior vice president of Backer Spielvogel Bates and Agency. A they have a lot of comedy in them. Everything is upbeat. Sponsors done to want to shift from a general discussing kias a soldiers killed in action a to a double your pleasure a double your   though network coverage of the .-Icd War against Iraq has decreased in the last week network news executives predicted that the Start of a ground War would re intensify the coverage. An Abc news executive who spoke on condition of anonymity said Quot the advertisers Are very skittish and its been frus Aratingi Quot though news programs have not been altered the executive said Quot we were stunned that we  attract More advertising for the Peter Jennings Childr ghz a show. Jennings anchored a Well reviewed and Well rated special saturday morning program on Jan. 26 in which children were encouraged to Call in with questions about the War. A we had to pre empt some cartoon shows that Are very lucrative on saturday morning Quot the Abc executive said. A we had hoped we could offset some of that Revenue loss. But almost no advertisers were  Richard Dale an executive at Dutsch advertising said some sponsors Are Rea snably concerned about juxtaposing the War and commercials. A a after a segment about a chemical attack that includes a shot of a disfigured face it might not be the Best time to talk about Oil of olay skin care a he said. Dale discounted the High ratings of the War news programs. A this is a situation where ratings Are irrelevant a he said. A the Kennedy funeral had awfully High ratings but 1 done to know that i would have wanted to advertise in  one company that advertises heavily on television Campbell soup co., has decided to a a minimize its commercials in news programs while the War continues said Paul n. Mulcahy Campbells vice president of advertising. Mulcahy said the decision to avoid War programming was part of a growing trend among Many advertisers to a stay away from programs involving heavy  banking Industry reforms worry consumer groups Small Banks by James Bates the los Angeles times relaxing the last remaining barriers to interstate banking As the Bush and rhinos traction has proposed is moving quickly to the top of the banking Industry swish list of changes. But Many consumer groups and Small town Bankers Are wary of such a Reform. Other Rule changes proposed by Ttye Treasury department a such As granting Banks the right to sell securities and insurance a have attracted More attention. But the final relaxing of barriers that now make interstate banking cumbersome and costly would have a Quick payoff. Banks would save billions of dollars in overhead costs if they could open branches across state lines. And they. Could  w Ider Geogia Phars Fea As Well. A geographic diversity is More import Tant to us than expanding Powers beyond those we have a said Frank l. Gentry senior vice president and corporate strategist for the Charlotte  a cab corp., one of the nations top regional Banks. N the proposal to bring Down the final interstate barriers is part of the department of the Treasury a Broad plan designed to better protect taxpayers from problems in the Deposit insurance system and bolster the sagging banking Industry. It would allow in three years a interstate branching a or the Power to open branches in any state and would also allow institutions that operate Banks in several states to turn those operations into Mere Branch operations. Bank Parent companies now must set up separate Banks boards of a Dine Tois and othe r o per  Din prove mostly frus some states prohibit out of state Banks from opening at All. A Rule change would especially Benefit powerful a super regional institutions saving them billions of dollars by better integrating their far Flung Banks. Secre san Antonio up a Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher stopped just Short of calling business travel Erst patriotism into question berating businessmen and women who Are jittery because of the threat of terrorism tied to the persian Gulf War. A we do not want to let Saddam Hussein have an effect and do a Job on our Economy that he is unable to do militarily a Mosbacher said. A so i recommend you rethink travel plans with your Comini Nies and  / the Bush administration has a men. Very concerned about a travel and tourism Industry hit hard by the Lack of business in recent months. Mosbacher during a talk to a business tary of the Treasury Nicholas f. Brady estimated that Banks could pvt Between $5 billion and $10 billion in the first five years a a healthy shot in the Arm for the Industry. But such reforms Are opposed by consumer groups and Smail Banks which warn that allowing institutions to set up branches across state lines May result in credit drying up in local communities because loan decisions will be made far away. A a a interstate branching is about the nationalization of Banks and making thirties to local communities much less Clear than they Are now a a said Allen fish vein Genera Younse Wuth the Center for com Nett flite change a non profit group in Washington involved with banking issues. Any reforms Are far from certain and there Are Early signs that the plan could face considerable opposition from members of Congress some of whom Are wary of reforms after the nations savings and loan fiasco. A. I. Group in san Antonio said the Impact on related industries As Well As direct tourism and travel businesses should be taken into consideration. A any constraints or restrictions that anybody puts on their companies to travel Are unneeded and unnecessary and also a real disservice to our trawl and tourism Industry a Mosbacher said