Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

The National Daily Newspaper of Commercial Radio and Television VOL. 49. NO. 28 NEW YORK. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14. 1949 TEN CENTS STRESSES NEWS PROGRAM IMPORTANCE Language-Radio 'OK' Expected From FCC Washington Bureau of RADIO DAILY Washington— The FCC law department is expected to file exceptions to the November 4 initial decision by Examiner Hugh Hutcheson in the allocation of a frequency in Boston. Hutcheson's attack upon foreign-language broadcasting, which he termed discouraging to the Americanization process of foreign-born citizens, will be disowned by the Commission's law staff. It is likely, too, that a number of foreign-language broadcast stations —including WHOM, New York— will file briefs with the FCC. Woods, Denny Negotiate New 'Town Meeting' Deal Mark Woods of ABC and George V. Denny of Town Hall, Inc., are scheduled to continue their negotiations this week looking for a new contract for the continuation of "America's Town Meeting of the Air" after the current contract expires in January, 1950. Several managers of ABC affiliates, during the past 10 days, have been approached for their views on the (Continued on Page 2) Radio License Fee Costs Disclosed In Canada Montreal — Canadian radio owners paid more than $13,000,000 in radio license fees during the last three years. Transport Minister Chevier disclosed Friday in a reply tabled in the Commons. The fee is $2.50 yearly. Those who failed to pay and were caught by the government's radio in(Continued on Page 2) Howdah Remote Durham, N. C— When the Biller Brothers Circus played Durham recently, an elephant-in-thestreet broadcast was arranged. WHHT's "Country Boy" (farm editor) scrambled to the top of Big Ruth and aired a shaky-voiced broadcast from the lofty "howdah" on her back. After the fun was over he admitted that he had never seen a live elephant. Takes Chairmanship Frank Stanton, president of CBS, has accepted the chairmanship of the Radio and Television Committee for Brotherhood Week sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Brotherhood Week will be observed from February 19 to 26 with slogan, ""Brotherhood — for Peace and Freedom." Vandals Cause Break In WABB Operations Mobile, Ala. — The Mobile PressRegister's station, WABB, is offering a $1,000 reward for tips leading to the capture and arrest of vandals who put the station and a large number of telephones out of commission by severing a 26-line cable at a location adjoining the transmitter site. The station had continued regular broadcasts despite a three-weeks-old strike of union radio electrical technicians until the vandals punctured (Continued on Page 2) KDYL Sponsor Offers Insurance For Dogs Salt Lake City — Insurance policies for dogs are being offered on KDYL in a spot campaign for "Thanks" dog food, launched here as a newproduct test last Monday. "Thanks" spots are featured on the Emerson Smith show, an hour-long cross-theboard morning feature. Insurance-minded dog owners fill out a coupon attached to each can of (Continued on Page 2) President Of NARND Tells Convention That Prestige Of News Personnel Gaining In Radio And TV ANA-AAAA Adopt BMB Resolutions Another round in the battle to keep the Broadcast Measurement Bureau alive has been fired by two of its three member organizations, the Assn. of National Advertisers, and the 4-A's. In reply to a BMB request that each of its sponsoring organizations (NAB, AAAA, and ANA) "carefully analyze and describe those of its re(Continued on Page 6) Radio Theater, Benny Are Nielsen Leaders "Lux Radio Theater" held its leading position in the National Nielsen-'Ratings for Oct. 2-8, just released, followed in order by Jack Benny, "Charlie McCarthy," Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, and "Amos 'n' Andy." Topping the second bracket in (Continued on Page 2) Anderson To Agency Post As Radio-TV Director McCann-Erickson Inc. yesterday announced the appointment of Frederick Anderson, formerly vice-president of Compton Advertising Agen (Continued on Page 2) Ohio Broadcasters Stage Two-Day Radio Sales Clinic Cleveland— An audience of 121 station executives attending a twoday sales clinic sponsored by the Ohio Assn. of Broadcasters Nov. 9-10 was told that the day of "unseen radio buying" is over. The warning note was sounded by Bob Dailey, radio director in the local office of McCann-Erickson, Inc. Speaking at the clinic's opening session on Wednesday on "Preparation of Presentations," Dailey out lined the types of information required by agencies and advertisers eyeing the radio market. These include data on station coverage and popularity, program appeal, audience listening habits, audience types, composition, and loyalty, cost per listener, program promotion, and merchandising cooperation, he said. Stephen A. Douglas, sales promotion director of the Kroger Co., (Continued on Page 3) Increasing the prestige of news personnel within the station, insuring the newsman's stake in television, and building up membership were listed as the immediate objectives of the National Assn. of Radio News Directors by Sig Mickelson, NARND president, at the opening session (Continued on Page 3) Broadcasters Blast FCC For Sluggishness Sarasota, Fla. — The Florida Assn. of Broadcasters has asked the FCC to place a two-year maximum limitation on consideration of applications by stations for improvements in facilities. Meeting here on Nov. 6, the Association criticized the Commission for "its policy of delay and procrastination" in considering such applications, and went on record as fav(Continued on Page 3) WOR-FM Boosts Air Time From 42 To 79 Hours WORJFM will increase its weekly broadcast hours from its present 43 hours to 79 hours, beginning today, it was announced over the weekend by J. R. Poppele, v-p in charge of engineering at the station. The reasons given for the expanded FM schedules, Mondays (Continued on Page 3) 52-Week Sponsor General Mills, Inc., in behalf of its "Gold Medal Kitchen Tested Flour/' has signed a 52-week contract with the American Broadcasting Company for sponsorship of the opening quarter-hour segment of "Modern Romance," on ABC network. Dancer-FitzgeraldSample. Inc.. represented General Mills. D-F-S is the agency handling the G. M. account.