NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

of the American people in the fields of information, education and entertainment.” While agreeing with most sections of the proposed bill, Judge Miller’s letter also suggested: 1. That salaries of $15,000 would be appropriate for properly qualified FCC commissioners. 2. That the FCC chairman should be appointed by the President, as he now is, rather than elected by com¬ missioners or chosen by annual rotation. 3. That the Act’s limitations upon future employ¬ ment opportunities for Commissioners and FCC staff personnel is “discriminatory” and any legislation of this nature “should be enacted with respect to all administrative agencies and should be uniform.” 4. That a provision barring advocacy of “the over¬ throw of the Government of the United States by force or violence” should be added to the bill. 5. That the provision of the original White Bill prohibiting the Commission from regulating the busi¬ ness of broadcasters, which has been deleted in the present version, should be reinstated. Industry Testimony on Petrillo Completed; House Hears Music Czar Express Optimism (Continued from page 63) taking any action either under the Lea or the TaftHartley Act.” Joseph H. Ream, CBS executive vice-president: “We were unable to' carry Madison Square Garden shows, such as the rodeo and the ice show, on tele¬ vision, because music was involved. The attempt to synchronize records with dancing elephants and skaters on the screen was ludicrous.” Mark Woods, ABC president: “Our legal counsel advise that we can’t defy by duplicating for FM, under our contracts. We live up to our contracts, and they’re silent on FM. After they expire, we’ll do what we please under the law.” Theodore C. Streibert, MBS board vice-chairman : “AM and the networks are not hampering FM develop¬ ment. Many FM pioneers such as John Shepard, Yankee Network president, are Mutual stockholders.” Explaining the tradition of fine music on WWJ, Mr. Bannister in his formal statement took the Committee through the entire pre-Petrillo experience of the station. “In 1937, as Mr. Petrillo was gathering unto himself the reins of power,” he said, “we had in our schedule a normal use of music by our station orchestra. . . . Altogether, our expenditui’es for music that year ran to a total of about $140,000, which in those days was a not inconsiderable sum. . . . “Suddenly, we were confronted with a demand by the A. F. of M. that the radio industry employ more musicians. This was a unilateral demand, which failed to take into consideration the needs and requirements and plans of any one station. In the agreement which was ultimately forced upon us, and which we signed very reluctantly, we came out with a staff orchestra far above our needs. . . . “The amount ($200,000) we were asked to spend made no pretense of covering our over-all music cost, but instead was concentrated entirely on our staff orchestra.” IN THE OFFING Program Executive Com Jan. 26 Statler Hotel miftee Jan. 27 Washington, D. C. Small Market Stations Ex Jan. 26 NAB Board Room ecutive Committee Jan. 27 Washington, D. C. Joint Meeting, Program Jan. 28 NAB Board Room and Public Relations Washington, D. C. Executive Committees Public Relations Executive Jan. 29 NAB Board Room Committee Washington, D. C. Educational Standards Feb. 3 Washington, D. C. Committee Feb. 4 NAB Board Room Employee-Employer Rela Feb. 9 Washington, D. C. tions Executive Comm. Board International Ad Feb. 9 Washington, D. C. visory Committee Feb. 10 Feb. 11 Board of Directors Feb. 24 The Homestead Feb. 25 Hot Springs, Va. Feb. 26 Mr. Bannister here explained how a flexible orches¬ tra, used for various programs and various rehearsal times, might result in a total expenditure of $150,000 for all programs, on a staff pay base of $40,000 for orchestra alone, and why additional programs could not be fitted into an inflexible staff orchestra schedule that cost $200,000. “After 1938,” he said, “because we couldn’t get full use of the staff orchestra foisted upon us, we were most reluctant to plan additional programs involving the use of musicians. “Here are the appalling details as revealed by our records : “*"In 1938, we finished the year with 1,349 unused call hours by our staff orchestra. We paid for these, but we couldn’t use them. “' In 1939, the unused call hours totalled 1,109. “*'In 1940, the unused call hours totalled 1,876. “'’In 1941, the unused call hours totalled 2,117. “' In 1942, the unused call hours totalled 2,179. “' In 1943, the unused call hours totalled 2,405. “' In 1944, the unused call hours totalled 2,853. “' In 1945, the unused call hours totalled 2,416. “' In 1946, the unused call hours totalled 2,230. “' In 1947, the unused call hours totalled 3,626. “In ten years, since we signed an agreement, with a figurative gun at our heads, we have paid for a total of 23,810 call hours, beyond our requirements, at an average of about $5.00 per hour. So, since 1938, we’ve been the victims of featherbedding to the tune of $115,045.” Emphasizing WWJ’s tradition of music, which be¬ gan with the first complete symphony orchestra con¬ cert ever broadcast, on Feb. 10, 1922, by Ossip Gabrilowitsch and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Bannister explained that the call hours went unused because a parallel tradition of public interest (Continued on next page) JANUARY 26, 1948-65