Broadcasting (Jan-June 1933)

Educational Program Sources Proposed to Advisory Council Lafount Suggests Government Give Features ; Tyson Would Form National Institute CANTOR WINS WHK Sponsors Essay Contest Among High Schools Lafount TWO PLANS to make available educational p r ograms of accepted excellence as sustaining features over independent s t a tions and networks, without resorting to the extremes of either government ownership of stations or the setting aside of exclusive facilities for educational stations, were presented to the National Advisory Council on Radio in Education at its third annual assembly in New York on May 19. A suggestion that the government itself make available such features, and thereby provide all broadcasters with the "finest possible sustaining programs," was made in an address by Radio Commissioner Harold A. Lafount. He predicted that the government, in the near future, will establish a few powerful short wave stations to broadcast such programs for pick-up and rebroadcasting by networks and stations. Program Institute Proposed FORMATION of a "National Radio Institute", entirely apart from any organization now in the e d u c a t i o nal broadcast ing field, but anticipating the cooperation of all, Mr. lyson ^nd having as its sole purpose the raising of funds for devising and producing programs of generally accepted excellence, was proposed by Levering Tyson, director of the council, in his report. With a budget of $1,000,000, he declared, such an organization could devise programs that would equal if not surpass anything the centralized educational systems in Europe have produced. The council, created several years ago to further the development of education by radio, confined its 1933 assembly to one day of continuous discussions and speeches on this broad subject. Hector Charlesworth, chairman of the newly created Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, discussed the Canadian broadcasting set-up, with particular reference to advertising limitations on commercial programs and the new regulations; C. M. Jansky, Jr., consulting radio engineer of Washington, addressed the 200 delegates on the engineering crisis in American broadcasting; Lloyd Espenschied, engineering executive of the American Telephone & Telegraph Co., discussed broadcasting aspects of the International Radio Conference at Madrid last year; Frank A. Arnold, of Albert FrankGuenther Law, Inc., advertising agency, spoke on radio as a social force; Prof. Herman S. Hettinger, of the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed studies concerning the radio audience, and Miss Katherine Ludington, National League of Women Voters, led discussion on "The Air as an Open Forum." Lafount Lauds Nets FAILURE of all elements in broadcasting to make better use of sustaining time, which has increased tremendously because of economic conditions, prompted Mr. Lafount's recommendation that the government go into the business of program production. He made it clear, however, that he did not believe programs on the whole are deteriorating. "NBC and CBS are to be congratulated for maintaining a high standard of programs during this depression period," Mr. Lafount said. "I recognize the fact, however, that many of the 450 stations not affiliated with these chains, and 50 others who broadcast chain programs only a small portion of their time, are having difficulty in providing worthwhile sustaining programs." The Commissioner said that a recent Commission study shows there are approximately 25,000 hours a week of unsold time now being used for sustaining programs. "This time is often used to broadcast material of littLe entertainment and, perhaps, of no edu ASKED the question, "What radio program do you like best and why?" 1,000 high school pupils in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, embracing Cleveland, voted the Chase and Sanborn Hour with Eddie Cantor the best, the Maxwell House Showboat a far-away second and the Robert Burns program with Guy Lombardo and Burns and Allen a close third. The contest was sponsored by WHK, Cleveland, and the boy and girl whose essays are judged best will be taken to the state capital, Columbus, and to the studios of WAIU, sister station of WHK. A wide variance of opinion was expressed by the students. Of the programs which drew more than one favorable vote, 20 are heard on WHK, 15 on WTAM, 13 on WGAR and one on WJAY. Rudy Vallee and Buck Rogers tied for fourth place in popularity, Jack Pearl ranked fifth a'rtd Myrt and Marge sixth. Fred Allen and Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd both garnered more votes than Amos 'n' Andy. The Wheatena program, Lowell Thomas, the Goldbergs, Sherlock Holmes, and baseball broadcasts, however, outranked all the latter comedians. cational value," he asserted. "I say, generally speaking, this sustaining time is not used as intelligently as it should be." After analyzing statistics covering chain programs and station affiliations, Mr. Lafount said these show that on an average there are more than 500 stations broadcast{Continued on page 33) Leniency in Canadian Advertising Rules Admitted by Chairman of Commission 5-Per-Cent Restriction Applies Only to Sales Talks, Spot Announcements Limited, Charlesworth Says THAT the Canadian limitation on advertising in commercial p r ograms is not as rigid as it apappears at first blush was indicated by Hector Ch arles worth, , chairman of the Mr. Charlesworth Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, in an address May 19 before the third annual assembly of the National Advisory Council on Radio in Education in New York. While the regulations limit advertising to 5 per cent of the program period, Mr. Charlesworth explained the Commission has defined that percentage to apply only to "direct advertising" or straight selling talks. The Commission, under certain circumstances, he explained, permits "indirect advertising", such as casual allusion to a product or a joke about it without counting it in the 5 per cent limitation. Spot Advertising Cut THE BIG advertisers, Mr. Charlesworth declared, do not present any problem. The Commission has experienced its chief difficulty with "spot" advertising originating in local centers. "It is a type of advertising distasteful to the public and is absolutely prohibited between the hours of 7:30 and 11 p.m.," he said. "Appeals from stations and broadcasting groups to allow a string of short advertisements to be run off one after another at certain times, as in the past, have been rejected." Mr. Charlesworth declared also that news broadcasts present another difficult problem as in the United States. He said Canada has had to deal with many cases of "sheer piracy where a shoe merchant would take a newspaper and read off all the important news." The Commission, he said, is now negotiating with the Canadian Press, to which all daily newspapers in Canada belong, for regional news broadcasts, which would "give them exclusive privileges in this respect as the surest guarantee of accuracy and service." The bulk of the 108 regulations promulgated by the Commission, Mr. Charlesworth declared, are of (Continued on page 32) Roosevelt's Secretary In Weekly RCA Victor New Network Program COL. LOUIS McHENRY HOWE, President Roosevelt's confidential secretary since his Albany legislative days and chief of the White House secretariat, will be featured in a new NBC-WEAF network Sunday night series starting June 4 and sponsored jointly by RCA Victor, RCA Radiotron and Cunningham Radio Tube companies. Col. Howe will be interviewed on current governmental affairs at 10 p.m., EDST, by Walter Trumbull, writer of the North American Newspaper Alliance. Trumbull will act in the capacity of a private citizen, interrogating Col. Howe on matters of current interest. The radio audience will be asked to use Trumbull as its spokesman and urged to write him the questions they would like asked. Lord & Thomas, New York, RCA agency, is handling the details. The program will mark the return of the RCA companies to the air after an absence of two years. A special dealer program was carried over a nation wide NBCWEAF network the afternoon of May 31 under sponsorship of RCA Victor to mark the launching of the summer merchandising campaign. Speakers were E. T. Cunningham, president of RCA Victor; E. A. Nichols, vice president in charge of sales, and Dr. W. R. G. Baker, vice president in charge of engineering. NAB Section to Meet During AFA Session THE PROGRAM for the Advertising Federation of America convention in Grand Rapids June 25-29 is rapidly nearing completion. The second annual meeting of the NAB commercial section will be held on June 27 in connection with the convention. Plans for this session were discussed May 11 in Washington by H. K. Carpenter, WPTF, Raleigh, N. C, chairman of the section, with Earle Pearson, manager of the AFA, and Philip G. Loucks, NAB managing director. Preparations are being made for extensive broadcasts of the proceedings, and outstanding radio entertainers will participate. Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, of Michigan, will deliver the keynote speech. Educator Appointed DR. GEORGE F. ZOOK, president of the University of. Akron, has been appointed U. S. Commissioner of Education by President Roosevelt, succeeding Dr. William John Cooper, who will join the faculty of George Washington University. All radio educational activities of the Office of Education, Department of Interior, will come under his jurisdiction, the work being directed by Dr. C. M. Koon. Dr. Zook has long been interested in radio, his institution having cooperated for many years with WADC, Akron, in offering courses in radio speaking and radio engineering. Page 12 BROADCASTING • June 1, 1933