Variety (Dec 1939)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

24 VARIETY RADIO TTedncsday, December 6, 1939 9 DIFFERENT GOVT OFFICIALS, NO 2 IN HARMONY, JOCKEY FOR SHORTWAVE John Studebaker, of Office of Education, May Pre- cipitate Showdown Through His Questionnaire— Much Behind-the-Scenes Politics in Washington With An Eye to the Future DEMANDS DEFERENCE Radio Commentators Should Be rolleci, Too, Warner Tells Look ! Washington, Dec. 5, ' Radio news commentators have ' climbed another rung toward parity 1 \\uth their chilly brethren ol the ' the report on DX operations cannot , ,0531 press corps. While caste lines be learned, although it was said the ' e^ist, the spielers now are sure ^Washington, Dec. 5. John W. Studebaker, of the U. S, Office ot Education, sent out an ' Education Commissioner, who also is I elaborate questionnaire last week to the driving force of the almost-de- | all the sliortwave broadcasters in the funct Federal Radio Education Corn- United States. Westinphouse. Cros- mittee, desires to'bring the previou.': | lev General Electric. NBC. CBS, and data up to date.' Associates in his I . ,, . .i nr,™- Walter Lemmon. of WIXAL. Boston.: offices were of the opinion that the j ^/"rRT ^/mpf rht^ if hY This has had the immediate '^s'lH' questionnaire was provoked by State | ""^^^^' /^^^^ of so confusing the i.'sue of who's Department curiosity, but no one in I Herald inoune Dureau, com who in the sovernment so far ?.s' authority at the diplomat!, head- shortwave radio is concerned that.. quarters admits any particular inter- before replying to Studebaker. the est. Execs of both Cultural Relations broadcasters may ask that the White ; and International Communications House decide who is—and who is not' wings said they have no desire for —the right boy. such tabulation as Studebaker seems Studcbaker's questionnaire asked..to have in mind, although both of; among other matters, about 'spons-1 these is generally interested in the ors.' Which the radio trade inter-! amount and type of programs sent prets as a quick reaction to the first' out to foreign nations, and only shortwave advertiser. | The FREC, which has ocen slum- United Fruit of Boston, which began bering for many monlh ■, also is un- only last Friday (11. aware of the reasons for the inquirv. ; (A review of the United Fruit Qne member, who has been in on | program appears in this week s virtually every session and parley Variety.) of a chance to make their guesses for at lea.^t one magazine poll of 'expert' opinion. Irked because only typewriter plained to Look magazine about dis- crimination in finding out what jour- nalistic gentry feel about the danger of war. Reply assured him that henceforth the mag will take the pulse ol regular microphone inter- preters. , . ,. . J , since the project begai a couple of . That shortwave radio is now and.ygg^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ was unaware the 1 hereafter will be entangled in poll tics, both the routine kind and the blanks had gone out. He was sure there is nothing in' the wind as far kind that overlaps the higher strat-1 short-wave for educational egy. is clear. Habitually the advo- ^^^^^ concerned. KSTP PROTESTS AM BAN ON PUBUCITY cates of government ownership-op eration of shortwave stations men- tion 'South -American relations' as their motive. The joker invariably is a proviso making it possible to also use such international transmit- ters 'lor domestic programs or hook- ups.'- In other words, the - interna- tional facade comes up to reveal na- tive politics. Another episode apropos this theme was the drum-thumping by Mayor LaGuardia of New York, who recently urged the establishment of a shortwave non-commercial, net- work in the United States. LaGuar- dia, through municipally owned WNYC, is interested in furthering radio in the realm of education and public enlightenment. His proposal _was seen as close to the ideas long espoused by Walter Lemmon, of Boston, who is always closely watched by the trade. An Old Wound Confusion element, which has been re-introduced by Studebaker's latest tactical move to gain some implicit authority for his Office of Educa- tion (which may one day be a sec- retariat of education in the cabi- net!), recalls Vahiety's story of May, 1039, apropos the need for and quiet steps then reported being taken to set up a booking office through which all radio requests for time .should be cleared. Nothing has since been heard of this movement. Mean- time, among others, at least nine Washington personalities evince a keen interest in shortwave broad- casting and more or less offer advice and make suggestions. Such advice Is uncoordinated with other groups within the government and is, in fact, frequently hostile to the aspira- • tions of others. Leaders among those concerned with shortwave radio are: Robert. 1. Berger, connected with the White House through Lotuell - Millet, an executive as- sistant to the president While the Radio Division of the I now-abolished National Emergency i Council theoretically co-ordinates I Federal use of domestic stations, this outfit, now hitched to the President's office, had no knowledge of the sur- vey and could not think of any rea- son why such data is wanted. Gov- ernment outfits have few occasions to use DX plants, except for certain important speeches oii foreign policy, like the President's annual message to Congress, which is short-waved overseas. For routine affairs, the do- mestic plants in the standard broad- cast band serve all of the adn:inistra- tir .'s needs,' although the State De- partment is interested in transmis- sion of news to U^ S. embassies and legations. Minneapolis, Dec. 9. KSTP has protested to the Ameri- can Federation ot Musicians against the latter's rule barring musical or- ganizations from buying time to an- nounce their itineraries. The rule has been construed to apply to sus- taining groups which are booked through a station's artists bureau. Also to bands picked up from hotels, cafes and similar spots. Chain Income from Time Sales NBC 1039 1938 1937 1956 January $4.033 900 $3,783,516 $3,541,999 $2.r.81.fil.'i February ........... 3,748.695 3,498,053 3,295,782 2.714,300 March 4.170.852 3,808,831 3,614,283 3.037,883 April 3..'i60,984 3,310,505 3,277,837 2.741,928 May 3,702,102 3,414,200 3,214,819 2.561,720 Juno 3,382,404 3.200,569 3,003.287 2.323,4.56 July 3.283.555 2.958,710 2.707,450 2.429,983 August \ 3.312:570 2,941,099 2.784,977 2,422,431 September 3.315.307 2.979,241 2,850,581 2.886,637 October 4,219.253 3,773,964 3,339,739 3,696,489 November 4,234.984 3,898.919 3,381,346 3,468,728 Total .$40,964,606 $37,575,607 $35,012,100 $30,tt6,'>,370 CBS 1939 1938 193T I9:te Jamiai v $2,674,057 $2,879,945 $2,378,620 $1,901,023 February 2.541..')42 2.680,334 2,264,317 1.909,146 -March . .. .. .-.. .ii.i 2;925,684 3,034,317 • 2,559,716 1.172,382 April 2,854.026 2,424,180 2,563,478 1.950,939 May 3,097,484 2,442,283 2,560,558 1,749,517 June 2.860.180 2,121,495 2,476,567 1,.502,763 July 2.311.953 1,367,357 1,988,412 1,292,775 August 2.341.638 1,423,865 1.955,280 1,232,588 September 2,563.132 1,601,755 2,028,585 1,883,932 October 3.366.654 2,387,395 2,505,485 2,429,917 November 3.456,323 2,453,410 2,654,473 2.425,913 Total .$30,992,671 $24,816,336 $25,935,491 $10,454,899 MUTUAL 1939 1938 January $315,078 $269,894 $213,748 February 276,605 253^250 231,286 March 306,976 232,877 247.421 April 262,626 189,545 200,134 May 234,764 194.201 154,633 June i228,186 402.412 117,388 July 216.583 167.108 101,4.S7 Augu.st ; 205,410 164.626 96.629 September 210,589 200.342 1.12,866 October 428,221 347,771 238.683 November 327.045 360,929 258,357 Total $3,012,083 $2,582,955 $1,992,602 Deutsch Goes West AFM's executive board Issued the ruling in dispute Sept. 15, on the ground that the practice Involved tended to create unfair competition among members of the union. Those, it held, who couldn't afford to ad- vertise and diSn't have such chan- nels made available to them were at a huge disadvantage, and that the only solution for the dilemma was a strict ban on any form of itinerary advertising. Columbia s November $3,456,323 Largest Month h Radio History; NBC Red Grossed $3,277,529 Following a tough hospital seige during the summer with pneumonia, Percy Deutsch. head of World Broadcasting System, has ducked the rigors of New York for the win- ter. He left last T^eek. Will rest in Phoenix, Ariz, GrifAth B. Thompsoni sales man ager of KYW, Philadelphia, has been appointed assistant general manager, He will be in charge of the station during the Illness of General Man- ager, Leslie W. Joy. Congressmen Bore Public Town Hall of Air Experience Is That Public Thinks Senators Vague, Representatives Inarticulate Members of Congress are flops on the radio so far as public reaction to their appearance on NBC's 'Town Hall of the Air' program is con- cerned. Fan mail clearly bears this Frank McNinch, the former chair- ; out. Political type of oratory doesn't man of the FCC, who is a somewhat j click on the forums, apparently due inscrutable factor, but understood to to the tendency of senators to be be writing a report on shortwave evasive and vague and the limited vocabularies of their brethren in the radio. Tom Burke, of the telecommunica- tions division of the State Depart- ment, and lower house. That this is more or less the opinion of an audience gen- n... ri,i,-rr-;„^i^^ th^ i^i^- ! «i'ally estimated in the trade to av- Ami;\can" CuS- d?v'ision oXl I erage 8,000.000 every Thursday night, same department • l^^own to be among the nation s Morse SalisbuTV of the Depart-■''^s' educated,^U thought to be a ment of Agriculture. ! "letter of considerable social and po- John Payne of the electrical divi-' significance, sion of the Department of Commerce i Office-holders have been no- (a delegate to the Cairo radio con-; to'iously less straightforward and ference) frank in their answers to questions Gerald Gross, of the FCC s own in-1 asl^ed them, and the large, radio au- ternational division, John W. Studebaker, of the Office of Education. Mystery and confusion, tinged with some jealousy, followed disclosure that Studebaker was surveying short- wave operations. Purpose of the in- quiry remains shrouded, with all hands disclaiming either responsibil- ity or knowledge of his motives and Studebaker unavailable for explana- ' tion. Just what ends will be served by dience senses, this and finds fault with the pussyfoot altitude. On. sev- eral occasions congressmen . have ducked awkward questions by chal- lenging the sincerity, or compslence of the questioner, and the public has considered this a cheap trick. Most shu.ddering occasion was last year, when a New Jersey con- gressman attached to the. Dies com- mittee, and little heard from .since, explained one of the committee's investigators as being a case of 'sel- i ting B crook to catch crooks.' Of- ' ficials of NBC and Town Hall lost five years* life expectancy in that one sinking moment Nothing happened afterward, but It was a bad sample of congressional platform work. Cabinet officers have done much better on the 'Town Hall' series Harold Ickes. in particular, has been 1 iked by the public. Solicitor-Gen- eral Robert E. Jackson also made a good impression. James Roosevelt, then a White House secretary, also registered favorably. Thanks partly to the national pub licity given him through several ap pearances on 'Town Hall,' the utili- ties spokeman, Wendell t. Wilkie has become something of a national figure and is being boomed among business men as a presidential can didate lor 1940. His debate with Jackson was a classic last: season Debate between Secreary of the Interior Ickes and Frank Gannett, the publisher, was perhaps the .nost provocative the Town Hall ever broadcast and it was the only time where the working press actually stood up to fire questions at the I .speakers. Several reporters got miffed at Gannett and quizzed him sharply. AH of which went out to the 8.000.000 listeners from 88 NBC .stations, of which 28 a -e newspiaper owned. NBC DISCOVERS BOSTON Bit Week-End Under The Auspices ot SUtion WBZ Boston, Dec. B. WBZ execs Thursday t3d) night sailed to New York on the Eastern Steamship Arcadia and stayed over [Friday touring Radio City. Friday night they returned on the Arcadia bringing .with them sundry NBC spot salesmen and others as guests for the weekend in Boston. Boat arrived in Boston Harbor Saturday a. m. and entertainment was furnished on board by WBZ's band. Shindig was emceed by WBZ's Fred Cole and the com- plete. 'Breakfast in Bedlam' show was broadcast direct from the Arcadia tied up at her dock. Party then went to WBZ studios lor break- fast with salesmanager Frank Bowes the host. There followed a trip to East Boston Airport from which the whole gang was flown over Hull, Ma.<>s., where the new WBZ trans- mitter is being built. Then lunch at the Harvard Club and a tour of the city in the afternoon. Visitors included: ifiom New York). James V. McCvinell, Maurice M. Boyd, Gordon H. Mills, William O, Tilenlu.s, J. D. Van Amburgh.' W. Donald Roberts and Walter D. Scott. Other guests were Griffith S. Thompson of KYW. Philadelphia; Sherman D. Gregory, of KDKA, Pittsburgh, and John Dodge of WRC-WMAL. Washington. Network time billings last montlt showed about the same pace that hat prevailed since early spring. Co- lumbia grossed $3,456,323 which wai 40.8% better than the total for No- vember, 1938, while NBC did $4.234.< 984, which represents an Increase ol 8.6%. On the first nine months ol this year CBS is up 20.5% as com- pared with '38, and NBC's margin in this respect is 9%. Mutual's $327,049 for November was 10.4% less than it grossed during November of lart year, but the network is ftill up 16.6% on the annual comparison. Breakdown of the NBC's accumu- lative figure for last month (Novem- ber) gives the red link $3,277,529 and the blue link. $957,455. Comparativ* boost is 11.1% for the red and 1.8% for the blue. On the-basis of the above figures and contracts on hand it is estimated that Columbia will gross $34,400,000 for 1939, while NBC's tally for thif year will come to around $44,500,000. In 1938 CBS grossed $27,345,397 and NBC, $41,402,679. CBS gross for November i.« th» largest monthly tally of a web In radio hiistory. Screen Guild, Campana Shows Renewed at CBS CBS last week got a renewal on the Screen Guild show from Gulf and received a contract for the re turn of 'Grand Hotel.' with Campana as the repeat spon.sor. Latter, start ing Jan. 7, will use 30 stations Sun day afternoon.s, 1:35-2 o'clock. Network also got a one-timer from Coty, which will cover Marcelle DSnya, French concert singer, on a 24-station hookup next Tuesday (12), with Mt. Holyoke college, Springfield, Mass.. the originating .spot. Mme. Denya is touring Amer- ican colleges to stir up an interest in French music. LARRY CLINTON OFF SENSATION DEC. 28 Larry Clinton fades out of his Monday night spot for Sen.salion cigarets on the blue link Dec. 28. H« will have been on 26 weeks. Cig's new policy will probably call for the booking of a different talent setup every 13 weeks. Lennen St Mitchell Is the agency. Brown & Williamson Adds Another Half Hour Brown Sc William.sor tobacco has bought another half hour from NBC. This one is on the blue link. Tues- day nights, 9:30 to 10 o'clock. Pro- gram and starting date have not been set. Also NBC Is reported to be on the verge of closing with a commercial for "The Green Hornet,' now a twice weekly series on the blue as a lus- tainer.