Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Navy Uses Waves In Broadcast Band, Bulletin Discloses Aircraft Service May Cause "Unidentified" Interference DISCLOSURE that the military and naval services have been authorized to use frequencies in the broadcast band and that the Navy, at least, is using them for aircraft communications, which may be responsible for some of the "unidentified" interference with broadcastingis made in a current bulletin of the Naval Communications Service. The bulletin states that many naval planes are assigned frequencies in the band from 550-1500 kc. but that efforts are made to avoid interference. Inquiries by Broadcasting in official sources brought out the information that there exists a confidential executive order issued by the President authorizing the Army and Navy to use frequencies in the broadcast band for particular types of services under certain conditions. Interference Reported AT THE RADIO COMMISSION it was learned that "spasmodic interference" which has never been identified has been detected by radio inspectors and reported by stations. Significantly, this unidentified interference has been experienced largely in the more congested radio areas, like Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. In each of these localities the Navy maintains major aviation bases. Because of the strictly confidential nature of the executive order, the exact frequencies that are used for military services in the broadcast band have not been ascertained. Indications are, however, that they are being used not only for aviation communication but by mobile land stations of the Army. The order is understood to be a "carryover" from wartime, since the equipment being used is said to be capable of operating in the intermediate bands only, and no funds have been available to replace them. Conditional Assignments THE BULLETIN stated: "Many Naval planes are assigned frequencies in the broadcasting band 550-1500 kcs. When these planes operate near the coast, and in the vicinity of broadcasting stations, interference to both planes and broadcast listeners may result unless care is taken. These frequencies are assigned to naval aircraft on condition that they cause no interference to other services, and when naval planes are in a locality where such interference is probable, temporary frequency shifts are made to avoid interference until the planes have moved to another locality where their regularly assigned frequencies may be used without causing interference." In addition to the confidential executive order, a non-confidential order, bearing date of June 6, 1932, assigns certain frequencies in the "Tarzan" Series Tests Produce 93,000 Letters In First Eight Weeks ALTHOUGH the program has been on the air for only a short time, the radio dramatization of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan" stories by the World Broadcasting System for the Fould's Milling Company of Chicago (macaroni, spaghetti and noodles), a unit of the Grocery Store Products Co., Inc., is reported to be producing excellent results. A test period of eight weeks over WBBM, Chicago, and CKOK, Windsor-Detroit, consisting of 15 minutes each evening, Monday through Friday, has pi-oduced 93,000 package ends sent in by listeners in response to an offer of plaster of paris statuettes of various characters in the "Tarzan" series. The program has been extended to five additional large stations in the middle west, and the returns have been so satisfactory that this same program will be utilized in the east for the promotion of another one of the Grocery Store Products' lines, "Toddy," chocolate and malt food drink. The Fould's Milling Company has made an intimate tie-in with dealers through cut-outs, counter cards, window streamers, and advertisements in local papers. In Detroit, during eleven weeks, 902 new dealers stocked Fould's products. At the turn of the year, the company expects to increase the number of stations broadcasting "Tarzan" so that all territory parallelling its channels of distribution will be closely tied-in with the broadcasts. Very effective realism has been achieved in the Hollywood studios of the World Broadcasting System, where the "Tarzan" transcriptions were produced. James H. Pierce, stalwart screen actor, has the title role, while Joan Burroughs, the author's daughter, is impersonating the heroine. Bar Reappoints REAPPOINTMENT of Louis G. Caldwell, Washington attorney, as chairman of the committee on communications of the American Bar Association, was announced Dec. 7. Simultaneously, President Clarence E. Martin reappointed as committee members John W. Guider, Washington, and Judge John C. Kendall, Portland, Ore. New committee members are Calvin W. Rawlings, Salt Lake City, and Walter A. Lybrand, Oklahoma City. Mr. Caldwell, former general counsel of the Radio Commission, has been chairman of the committee since its creation in 1928. broadcast band for use of Army and Navy stations in Alaska, the Philippines and the Canal Zone, with limited power. These stations, however, are so far removed from continental United States that there is little danger of interfei'ence. In addition 690 kc, in the middle of the broadcast band, is assigned as a Navy exclusive channel being used by NAA, Navy radio station at Arlington. r \ . ' : ■ ' , " — ] NEW LAPEL MIKE — Adrian Rousseau, school teacher, is shown wearing the new two-inch, twobutton lapel microphone being introduced by Universal Microphone Co., Inglewood, Cal. The makers claim it eliminates all noises in the loud speaker when the cord is moved by using special binding screws. Satin bakelite finish makes it inconspicuous when worn. Bellows Is Transferred To Washington for CBS OCCASIONED by the increased activities of CBS in Washington since its recent asquisition of WJSV, Alexandria, Va., New York headquarters has transferred Henry A. Bellows to Washington. Mr. Bellows, former Federal Radio Commissioner and now a CBS vice president and director of its WCCO, Minneapolis, will work with Harry C. Butcher, director of the Washington office for the last three years. Mr. Butcher will continue as contact man with the Radio Commission and will manage WJSV. Mr. Bellows remains at the head of WCCO and will spend part of his time in Minneapolis. As legislative chairman of the NAB, he has frequently appeared before Congressional committees, and his contacts with official Washington both in that capacity and as radio commissioner are wide. A Harvard graduate of 1906, Mr. Bellows also taught English at Harvard and was an undergraduate friend of President-elect Roosevelt, a 1904 Harvard graduate, while the latter was editor of the college newspaper. Files in Bankruptcy THE PERSONAL bankruptcy petition of W. K. (Hello World) Henderson, operator of KWKH and KWEA, Shreveport, La., has been reported to the Radio Commission, and may be made an issue at a hearing involving the KWKH license renewal to be held probably in February. WWL, of Loyola University, New Orleans, which shares the 850 kc. clear channel with KWKH, has applied for full time, and a local insurance company also has applied for the KWKH frequency. The bankruptcy petition in the Birmingham federal court gives liabilities of $1,300,000 and assets of $250,000. Trade Body Files No Radio Protest Advertisers Reported Paying Publishers Billion Yearly DESPITE close scrutiny of broadcasting to ascertain whether false or misleading advertising is carried in programs, the Federal Trade Commission did not find a solitary case that warranted issuance of a complaint against a broadcast station, advertiser or agency during the last fiscal year, according to the Commission's annual report made public Dec. 12. As a matter of fact, the Commission has never found it necessary to issue a complaint against a broadcasting station, although a half-dozen cases involving radio have been brought to its attention. All, however, were adjusted by voluntary elimination of the objectionable matter. The commission's special board of investigation which considers all cases of false and misleading advertising in newspapers, magazines and radio, during the last fiscal year investigated and reported on 406 cases. Of these, 341 were against advertisers, 57 against publishers, and eight against advertising agencies. In 45 cases the advertisers discontinued business, 12 more were forced out by post office fraud orders, three discontinued false and misleading advertising before complaints were made, 42 cases wei-e dismissed for lack of evidence or jurisdiction, 18 were referred to other divisions, 233 were disposed of by stipulation and prosecution was recommended in nine cases. In 44 cases investigations were completed, reported to the commission and await further orders. Reviewing special procedure in certain types of advertising cases, the commission showed that more than 16,000,000,000 copies of daily, weekly and monthly periodicals are printed and circulated every year — every copy carrying advertising matter intended to induce the readers to buy some article of commerce. Approximately $1,000,000,000 is paid publishers annually by advertisers. Published in the United States, according to the report, are 2,288 daily newspapers, with a total circulation of 42,110,890; 520 Sunday newspapers with a circulation of 28,206,171; 3,445 weekly and monthly magazines with a circulation of approximately 75,000,000; 12,820 tri-weekly, semi-weekly and weekly newspapers; and 981 fortnightly, semi-monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly publications. Altogether, there are published in this country close to 20,000 daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines with a total circulation of approximately 1,389,000,000 copies a month, or more than 16,000,000,000 a year. "These publications live on revenue collected from advertisers, and the advertisers live on money collected from the purchasing: public," the report states. "In 1930 national advertisers paid $192,327,954 to the publishers of 65 weekly and monthly magazines having a total circulation of 56,492,131. In 1931 they paid them $156,218,419." December 15, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 13