Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

uropean Society Sues NBC as Test THE SOCIETY of European Stage Authors and Composers, Inc., organized to prevent the unauthorzed use and plagiarism of the porks of foreign authors and composers, filed action on March 8 in he Federal District Court of New fork against NBC, demanding 5105,000 damages. The complaint charges that the ;NBC, on June 14, 1931, presented bver one of its networks selections from Franz Lahar's operatta, /Paganini," which was composed n 1925 and duly copyrighted in the United States and in Europe. The Complaint holds that the program vas broadcast over 21 stations and ^asks the court to allow the plainjiff $5,000 damages for each staion, because the defendant had failed to obtain permission from J he copyright owners. , Lahar, the composer, is a Hungarian and the copyright of the seection is owned by the Crescendo 'Theatre Vertag in Berlin. The iourt action is regarded as a test ■f the ability of the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers to obtain damages for the unauthorized use of certain forign works. iECEPTION of the Chesterfield Hour Xat Shilkret's orchestra and Alex ■ray) at KGMB, Honolulu, is very ■ ood, according to A. Henley, general Manager. The Hawaiian station also ransmits the program to the military ;eservations on the island of Oahu. No Listeners! AN ENERGETIC newspaper advertising manager recently made the astounding discovery that out of 100 persons questioned by telephone in Altoona, Pa., not one was listening at the time to WFBG, the local station. The survey revealed that only 77 per cent of the 100 called owned receiving sets, that 60 per cent were tuned in on national hookups and all were confident they were not listening to WFBG. Gleefully, the advertising man called Roy Thompson, the station manager, and to his surprise the charge of no listeners was admitted — but with the added assertion: "We couldn't have any listeners as this is our silent day." Latin American Radio VIRTUALLY all LatinAmerican countries are patterning their broadcasting after the American plan, and advertising is providing the main source of revenue, it is shown in a survey of broadcast advertising as reported to the Commerce Department by trade consuls in those countries. Information as to the number and type of stations, character of programs offered, advertising costs and commodities advertised is contained in the booklet (Trade Information Bulletin No. 771). It may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington. WMBD Happenings UNDER the title of "Here's What Happened in February," Edgar L. Bill, president of WMBD, Peoria, 111., has published a pamphlet reviewing the station's activities, among which was a localized dealer tie-up with CBS programs and with local wholesalers and manufacturers, providing 26 quarter hours. Posters for dealers' windows, calling attention to the WMBD broadcast, have been effective also. State School Station ESTABLISHMENT of a state-wide "school of the air" to broadcast school programs and state affairs via short waves was urged before a Massachusetts legislative committee recently by Prof. Robert E. Rogers, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Commissioner A. F. Foote of the state department of public safety, pointing to the success of the state's police radio station, declared that it could be used for the purpose. Opposes New Station WHILE admitting the Pillar of Fire, Inc., is equipped to operate a broadcasting station, Examiner Pratt recommended to the Radio Commission that the request for a new unlimited time assignment on 1420 kc. with 100 w. at Cincinnati be denied on the ground that the Queen City area is adequately served. House Cuts Radio Fund From U. S. Treasury Bill THE EMERGENCY radio advertising fund of the U. S. Treasury amounting to $10,000, which heretofore has been carried on a year to year basis and held in reserve for possible use in notifying the public of important funding operations, has been eliminated by the House from the Treasury Appropriation Bill, now in the Senate. William S. Broughton, commissioner of the public debt, explained that the fund was not actually an appropriation but simply an authorization. He said it has not been used since 1928, when the department went on the air as a paying advertiser to explain the refunding of the Third Liberty Loan. He said that in 1927 and 1928, 14 broadcasts were made at a cost of $14,604. Simultaneously, virtually every newspaper was used in advertising the same projects, he declared. Mr. Broughton said the Treasury regretted the elimination of the radio budget, which, however, may be restored by the Senate. The authorization had been recommended to Congress by the Bureau of the Budget but was disapproved by the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. C. L. Abernethy, (D.) of North Carolina, objected to the government paying for radio time. Commissioner Broughton explained that the networks have consistently offered their facilities gratis, but the department has ruled as a matter of policy that such services as the Treasury needed should not be accepted on a free basis. It It I I A New LOW COST-LOW UPKEEP Radio Broadcast TRANSMITTER eQ© APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL RADIO COMMISSION. Guaranteed Frequency Stability. Complete AC Operation — Fully Crystal Controlled — 100% Modulation. AUTOMATIC — INEXPENSIVE — FOOL PROOF Complete Information and Prices on Request EQUIPMENT ENGINEERING SERVICE INSTALLATION 250 Watt RADIO BROADCAST TRANSMITTER Can Be Operated 250 Watts Days — 100 Watts Nights DOOLITTLE & FALKNOR, Inc. 1306 1308 West 74th Street Telephone Stewart 2810 CHICAGO, ILL. arch 15, 1932 • BROADCASTING ■ Page 29