NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

DISTRIC T ★ * Since the October issue of The Beam, three notable District meetings of AWB have been held. District 2 Meeting took place in Albany, New York, October 24-26, with some 40 members in attendance. Among the speakers were Michael R. Hanna, NAB District Director; Mrs. Alma Kitchell, former AWB President; Mary Margaret McBride, WNBC; Mar¬ garet Cuthbert, NBC; Miss Jane Todd of the State Department of Commerce, and Miss E. Lee Vincent, Dean of the New York State College of Home Eco¬ nomics. The talk given by Mr. Hanna created the most lasting impression. The follow¬ ing excerpts are of particular interest. Mr. Hanna said; “Women do not know enough about the business of broadcasting.” “The FCC in recent months has issued a great many licenses for new stations which will increase competition.” “Most stations actually run a woman’s magazine during the day — their approach is to the homemaker.” “A manager who does not take the feminine angle into consideration will fail.” “Many women broadcasters are under¬ paid.” “Most women broadcasters do a real public service job in their own communi¬ ties.” “Women should sit in on high level planning and policy making.” “Women should know the station’s plans for future operation.” “Women should be on a station staff rather than brought in for occasional broadcasts or special projects.” “The importance of the place of women broadcasters must be better interpreted by themselves to the industry and to sta¬ tion managers.” In a business session which followed the day-long meetings, AWB members in the 2nd District named a committee to study the development of better relations between women broadcasters and station managers. Margaret Cuthbert was named chair¬ man of the committee, with Dorothy Lewis, ex-officio member. Other mem¬ bers are; Sally Work, WBEN, Buffalo; Gertrude Grover, WHCU, Ithaca; Inez Quin, WHAM, Rochester; Elsie Dick, MBS; and Adele Hunt, WPAT, Paterson, N. J. The 13th District had its Second An¬ nual Conference at the Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, Texas, in mid-November. Obviously, the burden of the meetingfell upon AWB members of the San An¬ tonio Chapter, and Acting President Ruth Crane, has asked us to include a special word of appreciation to the committee in charge, and to the entire membership of the 13th District that had such a fine turnout. The San Antonio Chapter officers are; Violet Short (KTSA), President; Lily Juncker (KABC), Vice President; Ruth Burleson (KCOR), Treasurer; and Mary Jayne Spears (KTSA), Secretary. District and National Officers in at¬ tendance were; Ruth Crane (WMAL), Washington, D. C., Acting National President; Dorothy Lewis, NAB Coordi¬ nator of Listener Activity, New York; Violet Short (KTSA), San Antonio, Dis¬ trict Chairman; and Frances Helm (WBAP), Fort Worth, State Chairman for Texas. The two-day conference was high¬ lighted by addresses of William N. Hens¬ ley, District Attorney of Bexar County, Texas, on “Women’s Responsibility in Radio” and Thomas D. Rishworth, Direc¬ tor of Radio House, University of Texas, on “Training Tomorrow’s Radio Work¬ ers.” The AWB was singled out for special honor by the Governor of Texas who issued a Proclamation, extracted from which is the following quotation ; “Whereas, women have played a vital role in the development of the radio in¬ dustry. In years of peace, and years of war, they have served in the interest of the health, happiness and security of American homes, and for the enjoyment of the listening audience. “Whereas, at their Second Annual Conference, the radio women of Texas will work upon plans for coordinated service to the radio industry and to the public. “Now therefore, I, Beauford H. Jester, Governor of Texas, do hereby set aside and proclaim Saturday, Nov. 15, 1947, as Women Broadcasteys’ Day in Texas, and I call upon all our citizens to recognize the service and contributions of radio women to the American way of life and the American system of broad¬ casting.” A ream of material has come to us concerning the Regional Conference of District 9, which was held over the week¬ end of Dec. 12-14 at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago. Nancy Grey (WTMJ), Milwaukee, presided, as 9th District Chairman. She was assisted by Elizabeth E. Mar¬ shall (WBRZ), Chicago, State Chairman for Illinois, and Helen (Griffith (WRJN), State Chairman for Wisconsin. The forward-looking Mid-Western women elected “The Midwest Takes Stock” as the theme of their first day’s consideration. Notable talks were given by Dorothy Lewis on “Women in Radio” and by a representative of General Mills on “Radio at Work.” We extract a few pithy sentences from the latter talk; “Next to our school system the radio is undoubtedly one of the most important of all educational forces. Whenever there is a theory that this country wants spread from Peoria to Podunk, the radio gets called into action.” “Radio’s influence on the public is tre¬ mendous; just as the influence of this Association on radio is tremendous. The way that influence is to be used is your job . . . and your privilege.” Having taken stock of themselves, the 9th District women then started to look ahead a bit. With a panel discussion of television, under the subject “New Worlds to Con¬ [ 3 ] quer.” they listened to station WBKB, WENR, and advertising agency experts. The discussion concerned the techniques of writing for television, acting, produc¬ tion — Women’s Programs, Fashion and Home Economics; as well as Children’s Programs. The moderator was Beulah Zachary, Producer for WBKB’s Tele¬ vision operation. George Jennings, Director of WBEZ’s Radio Council, offered some very encour¬ aging thoughts to the Chicago women; in fact, to all women in the radio industry. Among the things he said were; “I beg you women broadcasters to stop thinking of American women listeners as someone always mixing up a cake. It is your responsibility as women broad¬ casters, on the local level, to use the same imagination and ingenuity you use in stirring up a new cake or a new home¬ maker’s program, to stir up the thinking of your listeners.” “The pressing question in our postwar era is leadership. We must hope that we already have somewhere potential leaders from our adult population . . . men and women of integrity and vision; for with¬ out vision, our nation will perish. These leaders must be keen to know what moti¬ vates the people; for some it is security; for others opportunity, adventure, or recognition. You, as women broadcast¬ ers, know, or should know certainly, what motivates your audience. That is your job . . . that is the job of radio . . . part of your time is given over to moti¬ vating the purchase of specific products. I suggest that you, as leaders in your chosen field, should give part of your time to motivating thinking about, dis¬ cussion of, and action concerning the problems which face us as a community, a nation, and, in fact, as a peaceful world.” Alberta M. Macfarlane, Educational Director, National Restaurant Associa¬ tion, in her talk on “Responsibility of Women Broadcasters to Public Service Projects” quoted from the announcement by Mr. Charles Luckman, chairman of the Citizens’ Food Committee, concerning its progress, in which he said; “Therefore, in order to insure complete fulfillment of the emergency program, and at the same time provide a basis for the long-term conservation needs, we have arranged for an extended consumer information program using radio, press and motion pictures.” Miss Macfarland continued; “You will notice radio is listed in first place. You radio women will need to continue your vigorous efforts to insure the continued success of this program. You are already in a large measure re¬ sponsible for fine results that were so quickly achieved.” The Chicago women outdid the Texas women in the matter of Proclamations. In addition to prevailing upon Governor Green of Illinois to proclaim Dec. 13 as Women Broadcasters’ Day throughout Illinois, they got Mayor Martin H. Kennelly of Chicago to name Dec. 14 as Women Broadcasters’ Day in Chicago.