Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

The National Daily Newspaper of Commercial Radio and Television VOL. 49. NO. 23 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1949 TEN CENTS PLANS COMPLETE FOR ELECTION COVER FCC Fire Damage Appraised By Coy Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington— Fire damage to FCC files appears to be less severe than was at first believed, Chairman Wayne Coy said yesterday. Commission schedules are certain to be thrown out of whack somewhat, he allowed, but the overall realignment of work schedules will prob. ably not be great. Water damage to files is believed to be severe, but probably not as destructive as had been believed, i One top staff official said yesterday that while the law department will have to find temporary quarters for a period of several months, the worst result of the fire and blast Tuesday Ls that "we've got to put in a rush order for a lot of new red tape." BMB's Subscriber-Data r May Go To Non-Members Future demand for BMB data by agencies and advertisers may convince broadcasters that the reports should be made available to nonsubscribers, it was predicted by BMB's acting president, Dr. Kenneth H. Baker, in his progress report presented to an AMA luncheon yesterday. j "We have sharpened the measurc(Continued on Page 2) Radio License Fee To Continue In Canada Montreal — Revenue Minister McCann, whose responsibilities include the CBC, indicated yesterday there is no foundation for reports that the (Continued on Page 8) While It's Hot Cleveland — WNBK yesterday televised a spectacular downtown blaze while firemen were still struggling to bring it under control. A WNBK crew mounted a camera with a 28-inch telephoto lens atop the NBC building and picked up the action several blocks away, as flames gutted a manufacturing plant turning out lampshades. Explanation Washington — While there was no agreement on an official explanation for the blast which leveled FCC offices and led to the firehose drenching of office equipment and files Tuesday, wags came up yesterday with one possible answer. It was suggested that Chairman Wayne Coy had called Senate Interstate Commerce Committee Chairman Edwin C. Johnson and told him the Commission had reached a decision on the clear channel issue. When Johnson reached the Commission, according to the dreamed-up explanation. Coy told him the Commission was sending out notices to all clear channel stations that they could at once raise their power to 750 kilowatts. And Johnson raised the roof. CBS Gross Income Up; Net Decreases The gross income of CBS for the first nine months of this year increased to $74,607,071 from the $70,904,806 of last year while net income decreased to $2,003,812 from last year's $3,010,446, it was announced yesterday at the close of the meeting of the web's board of directors. A cash dividend of 35 cents per share was declared on the company's class A and class B stock, payable Dec. 2, 1949, to stockholders of record at the close of business, Nov. 18, 1949. Earnings per share in 1949 was $1.17 compared to $1.75 per share in 1948. Networks And Outlets In Eastern Area Giving Full Coverage To Returns; Video To Offer SeeAndHear Scientific Freedom Urged By Sarnoff A plea to let the world's scientists pursue their quests into nature's mysteries "unshackled" by "false concepts of state or ideology" was voiced last night by Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, RCA board chairman, as he accepted the Peter Cooper Medal for the Advancement of Science. Speaking in New York at ceremonies marking the 90th anniver (Continued on Page 2) NARBA Resolution Adopted In Boston Boston— A resolution opposing any change in the station power limitations contained in the last NARBA agreement as being "inimicable to the interest of the U. S. broadcasters" was adopted at the 1st District (Continued on Page 6) Industry Is Applauded For Helping Chest Drive William M. Ramsey, chairman of the national radio committee for the Community Chests of America, yesterday announced completion of the October campaign, and voiced (Continued on Page 6) 2nd District Broadcasters Meeting In New Jersey By FRANK BURKE Editor, RADIO DAILY Asbury Park, N. J.— The highly competitive business of commercial broadcasting in many cities and towns of the New York and New Jersey areas has brought a turnout of 150 broadcasters to annual Second District NAB meeting which gets under way today at the BerkeleyCarteret Hotel. Highlighting the two-day meeting will be a report on the status of BMB's Second Study and the Sales Session which will consume most of the time of today's session. The broadcasters of the 2nd District are greatly interested in both topics and have many questions to present to Kenneth Baker, acting president of BMB, and Maurice Mitchell, director of Broadcast Advertising Bureau. They want to know how the Second (Continued on Page 8) Radio and television coverage plans for next Tuesday's elections are being made by the networks on a local level, since the outcome will be of state and regional importance primarily, rather than of national interest. In the case of the major networks, election arrangements will be han (Continued on Page 8) Two Yankee Stations Leased To Baybutt WAAB, 5,000 watt station in Worcester, Mass., and WMTW, 250 watt outlet in Portland, Maine, owned by the Yankee Network in those cities, have been leased to John A. Baybutt. of Boston, it has been announced by Linus Travers, executive vicepresident and general manager of the Yankee Network. Purpose is to (Continued on Page 2 Richards To Address Coming NARND Meeting The chairman of the committee sponsoring the third Annual Voice of Democracy contest, Robert K. Richards of NAB, will discuss the contest in a speech before the National Association of Radio News Directors in New York next week. Mr. Richards will be one of sev(Continued on Page 2) Quiz Kids Contest "The Quiz Kids" will launch their fifth annual "Best Teacher" letter-writing contest on their NBC show Sunday, 3:30 p.m. Prizes include $2,000 in cash and a trip to Chicago for the "Best Teacher of 1950," and 52,000 for the "Most Promising Teacher." Students who write the prize-winning letters will be awarded United Stales security bonds.