First Off. . .

The three networks, losing audience to cable, independent stations and home video, plan to form their own trade group--possibly called the Television Network Assn.--to “extol the virtues of network television” to the public and advertisers, a CBS spokesman said Wednesday. George Schweitzer of CBS said no federal antitrust problems are expected with the alliance in which CBS, NBC and ABC will toot their own horns: “It’s like an industry association.” The new Fox Broadcasting network would not be part of the group, according to Schweitzer, and no startup date has been set. The plan was revealed a day after the heads of the three companies, addressing the Assn. of National Advertisers in New York, conceded yet again that network shares of audience continue to decline. However, said Capital Cities/ABC Chairman Thomas Murphy, “We’re still the best buy in town.” And CBS Inc. president Lawrence Tisch said he is “very, very optimistic that the decline of the network share of television is behind us.”