Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

VOL. 49, NO. 21 NEW YORK, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1949 TEN CENTS RECORD NAB ATTENDANCE AT BOSTON Temporary Licenses Given Web Stations Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington — The FCC yesterday put 11 stations controlled by the three major nets on temporary licenses until March 1 of next year. Pending charges of network rule violations were explained by the Commission to be serious enough to merit such action, with specific reference to the wire of October 21, 1948, by NBC vice-president Sidney Strotz to KHQ, Spokane. The Commission said the tempor(Continued on Page 6) New 'Voice' Director Takes Gov't AM Post Foy D. Kohler, former ministercounselor at Moscow and also Charge D'Affairs from the departure of U. S. Ambassador W. Bedell Smith until the arrival of Ambassador Allan G. Kirk at the Russian capital, officially takes over the duties of Charles Thayer as director of the Voice of America today. Thayer, whose new assignment has not yet been announced by the State Department, will sail today for Italy. He is scheduled to wed Miss Cynthia Dunn Cochrane, daughter (Continued on Page 2) Radio Receiver Sales Increase In Canada Montreal — Continuing the gains of previous months this year, number of radio receiving sets sold by Canadian producers showed a sharp rise in July. Sales in the month amounted to 42,800 units with a value of $2,847,000 as compared with 20,300 units sold for $1,290,600 in the same month last year, according to a re(Continued on Page 2) The Bomb The signifacance of Russia's A-bomb activity will be discussed by Major Fielding Eliot, military affairs writer, in a series of three CBS broadcasts on Nov. 14, 15 and 16, 6:15-6:30 p.m. The broadcasts are titled "Your Safety," "Your Peace of Mind," and "Your Future. Major Eliot will analyze the recent news from Russia as it touches the average American. Finale Dr. Walter W. Van Kirk, NBC commentator on religious news for the last 14 years, ended his radio career on Saturday with the broadcast of a final "Religion in the News" program. Hereafter he will devote full time to his duties as executive secretary of the Department of International Justice and Good Will of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America Three Killed As Plane Rams WCHY Tower Charlottesville, Va. — Three persons were killed here on Saturday when their private plane rammed the transmitter towar of WCHV, Charlottesville, and crashed in flames. The victims were Circuit Court Judge Thomas H. S. Curd, of Welch, W. Va., his son, and the latter's secretary. The only eye-witness, Mrs. R. G. Sketchley, wife of the WCHV program director, R. G. Sketchley Jr., said the plane struck the 391 -foot Continued on Page 2 Says 'Polls' Not Vital To 'Transit' Decision Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington — How many people like, and how many dislike, transit radio is beside the point, Chairman James Flanagan of the District of Columbia Public Utilities Commission said yesterday. He tossed out several elaborate public acceptance (Continued on Page 2) Over 200 Broadcasters In Attendance At 1st District NAB Meeting At Hotel Somerset FCC Answers Webs On Giveaway Charge The FCC, in its answer to the network's complaints on the "giveaway' edict of August filed in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, denied that the enforcement of the rules "will cause irreparable injury or any injury in law" to the webs and declared that the rules were "duly adopted as a reasonable exercise of the statutory authority of the FCC, (Continued on Page 6) Michelson Cuts Prices On Blackstone Series Blackstone washing machine dealers participating on a local basis in sponsorship of the "Blackstone, Magic Detective" transcribed series will be charged 1/3 of the costs instead of, as heretofore, it was an(Continued on Page 2) FM Store-Radio Report In New Survey By NAB Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington — The NAB has reported that a test of store-broadcasting by the Acme chain of supermarkets, in Philadelphia, resulted in a 94.3 per cent boost in sales on (Continued on Page 6) Jolson 3-Year Pact On CBS; He Starts As AM. TV Guest The Columbus Broadcasting System yesterday announced that it has entered into an agreement with Al Jolson, through the William Morris Agency of New York under which the veteran entertainer will perform exclusively for both CBS network radio and television for the next three years. In the beginning, Jolson will limit his performances to guest appearances an outstanding programs of the network in both the AM and video divisions. The first appearance of this type, it was revealed yesterday, is scheduled for the Bing Crosby program the latter part of this month. Jolson has been one of the two or three leading entertainers in the United States for two generations, on the stage and in the film industry, for which he made trve first talkie in 1927. Boston — Breaking attendance records for an NAB district meeting this year, over 200 New England broadcasters gathered at the Hotel Somerset yesterday for the 1st District NAB meeting which was called by Harold E. Fellows, general manager of WEEI, and 1st District (Continued on Page 5) Special Holiday Show Sold By NBC And CBS Longines-Wittnauer Watch Co. has signed with CBS for a special hourlong Thanksgiving Day simulcast, and Elgin-American compacts has pacted a 90-minute all-star holiday variety show on NBC. The Longines show which marks the bankroller's TV debut, will be carried by 185 AM stations and all (Continued on Page 7) WFTW To Suspend At Fort Wayne In Nov. WFTW, 1,000-watt daytime station at Fort Wayne, Ind., will suspend operations in November, Edward J. Thorns, president and general manager, advised Radio Daily yesterday. The station, owned and operated by Fort Wayne Broadcasting, Inc., went on the air in 1947 as an independent operation using the Associated and KBS transcription service. Xinas Campaign ABC commentator Nancy Craig, in cooperation with the Save The Children Federation, yesterday launched her second annual Christmas drive for dolls for underprivileged children. Her appeals for SI contributions and originally • designed dolls las' year netted 1.600 stocking dolls. Prizes to be awarded to contestants this ysar will total S5.000.