Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

essfully blocking consideration of bills that endangered broadcasting and in educating members of Congress on broadcasting, was voiced by President Shaw. He paid tribute also to the work of Mr. Loueks as managing director in building the association's membership and in improving its financial condition. Discussing copyright, Mr. Shaw said it is uppermost in the minds of broadcasters "because it touches our pocketbooks." While the outcome of negotiations so far is unsatisfactory, he said, the special copyright committee worked tirelessly in its endeavor to secure a good contract with ASCAP. Even more important problems than copyright face broadcasting, Mr. Shaw said. They embrace the proposal to widen the broadcast band and the necessary reallocations and the demands of class interests for facilities or government control. He branded as "silly" the reports that NAB is "controlled by the chains." Other events during the afternoon session, were a report by Joseph A. Chambers, WLW, acting chairman of the Engineering Section, an address by 0. H. Caldwell, former Radio Commissioner, and editor of Electronics and Radio Retailing, on electronics advancements, and a report by Prof. C. M. Jansky, Jr., consulting radio engineer of Washington, on the propagation characteristics of the long waves. In his report, delivered Nov. 15, Mr. Loucks reviewed his two years of stewardship as NAB man Frank Mullen, NBC Loucks' Report : "A DEFINITE legislative policy should be formulated by this convention as a guide to those who are charged with the actual legislative work. In my opinion the association should continue to demand repeal of the Davis amendment and the regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder ; should continue to oppose legislation designed to allocate channels to groups for specialized use; should oppose legislation which would give the Commission power to suspend licenses; should oppose legislation which would impose a government censorship on programs; should oppose the imposition of unfair taxes on radio advertising, as such, or upon radio licenses; should oppose legislation limiting commercial announcements in programs; should oppose legislation which would impose new and added burdens upon the operation of broadcast stations. "At the same time the association should insist that license terms be lengthened from six months to three years, now permitted under the laws; advocate legislation which would require defeated applicants for facilities to defray costs of hearing; advocate uniform state legislation on the subject of radio slander and libel; and advocate further clarification of the law relating to appeals from decisions of the Commission and of the rules and regulations of the Commission." Urges Dues Revision: MR. LOUCKS reviewed the year in broadcasting:, not only from the regulatory and legislative aspects, but also with regard to improved business practices. He urged amendment of the constitution and bylaws to open the way for healthy development of the association and advocated the assessment of dues in proportion to the gross income of stations rather than on the present basis of power. To encourage small station representation on the board of directors and to relieve the board members of the hardship of attending meetings at their own expense, Mr. Loucks suggested that provision be made to pay travel expenses. He said that proxies should then be eliminated and the officer and director selected should be compelled to give personal attention to NAB business. The managing director also recommended the hiring of a competent accountant to make a study of cost accounting for the benefit of NAB members, establishment of a program idea interchange service and a research bureau, and the development of a statistical service and business index, all of which he said could be instituted for a relatively low annual outlav and would greatly add to the value of NAB membership. Mr. Loucks pleaded for a strong NAB to combat the "destructive forces" confronting the industry. Unless they are checked, he said, broadcasters will find themselves "working for the copyright owners and the telephone company." He continued : "No one disputes the right of copyright owners to be justly and fairly paid for the use of their music and no one in this room questions the right of the telephone company to charge a fair and reasonable rate for the use of telephone lines. No one objects to paying a fair and reasonable amount for turntables. It may be that none of the charges now imposed are unfair, unreasonable or unjust. But when we are compelled to buy these products and services in a non-competitive market; when we have no protection against exhorbitant charges; when we are placed in the position where we must buy at the price fixed or close up our businesses, we certainly have a just complaint. And we can obtain re W. O. Pape, WAPI lief if we present our demands as an organized body. And relief cannot be withheld if our demands are fair and just." Treasurer's Report: PRESENTING the association's financial report, Mr. Howlett, treasurer, declared NAB had more than balanced its budget thus far this calendar year. Disbursements have aggregated about $50,000, with a treasury balance of more than $9,000, of which nearly $7,000 is invested in Government secui'ities. The Copyright Defense Fund, created last spring, and contributed largely by the networks, amounted to $23,100, but only $1,127 remains. The international situation, and the Madrid conference, then deadlocked on the subject of enlargement of the broadcast band, was discussed in detail by Louis G. Caldwell, Washington attorney, who had just returned from Europe, where he served as NAB representative at the International Radio Conference. His report is reviewed elsewhere in this issue. With the exception of the report of the commercial section, headed by H. K. Carpenter, WPTF, Ral DOUBLE FOURSOME— Left to right, seated: J. L. Martin, WDAG; Harrison Holliway, KFRC; J. Leslie Fox, WSM; W. J. Gleason, KHJ. Standing: Leo B. Tyson, KHJ; Lewis Allen Weiss, WJR; Harry C. Butcher, CBS; E. S. Riggles, McClatchy stations. aging director. When he took office in November, 1930, he pointed out, the active membership was 83, of which 52 were in good standing. Today he said the active membership is 178. During these two years the associate membership dropped from 35 to 27, due to the fact that these stations had changed from non-commercial to commercial operation. On June 15, 1932, the total membership was 227, the largest in NAB history; it dropped to present 205 because of resignations and nonpayment of dues. Striking out with a series of clear-cut recommendations, Mr. Loucks said: CONVENTION GROUP— Left to right, seated: Stanley F. Northcott, WBCM; F. C. Sowell, Jr., WLAC; Campbell Arnoux, KTHS; J. T. Ward, WLAC; Dr. Frank W. Elliott. Standing: George Bricker, WMCA; John Shepard, III, Yankee Network; Paul W. Morency, WTIC; Don Davis, WHB; Edgar L. Bill, WMBD; J. O. Maland, WHO-WOC. Page 8 BROADCASTING • December 1, 1932