Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

WIBA Defies University of Wisconsin To Prevent Football Game Broadcasts Ohio State Will Permit Radio on Gridiron Regardless Of the Decision of Big Ten at Pasadena Parley BULLETIN Western football games will be broadcast as usual during the 1932 season, the Pacific Coast Conference has decided. Newspapers and business men joined with stations and public in putting over the decision, the San Francisco correspondent of BROADCASTING reports by telegraph as we go to press. REGARDLESS whether the Western Conference or Big Ten universities follow the example of the Eastern Intercollegiate Association and vote to bar the microphone from their football games, there is one station in a college town that absolutely promises its listeners that they will be able to follow the football games of their university by radio. It is WIBA, Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin, whose manager, W. E. Walker, has defied the school's athletic authorities, who are leaning toward the ban. Mr. Walker has not revealed the steps he contemplates taking, but in one of the Madison newspapers he has assured radio fans that all Wisconsin games will be carried over WIBA. The station is owned jointly by the Capital Times and Wisconsin State Journal, local newspapers, and it would be easily possible for their reporters to wire the running commentaries into the studio for broadcast purposes. Big Ten Decision Soon FOLLOWING newspaper comment on the question of broadcasting Wisconsin games this fall, hundreds of inquiries and objections poured into WIBA and Mr. Walker immediately communicated with Maj. John L. Griffith, Big Ten commissioner of athletics, who replied that the entire matter will be considered at the meetings of the National Collegiate Association in Pasadena at the end of July and that the Western Conference directors would render their decision shortly afterward. Ohio State University, which has a radio station of its own, has already announced that it will allow broadcasting of its games regardless of the outcome of the Big Ten meeting. Notre Dame is also on record in favor of radio, which the Eastern Intercollegiate Association recently decided to ban from the games played by its membership because of alleged inroads into gate receipts. The eastern association's membership includes Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Army, Navy, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Brown, Penn State, Dartmouth, Columbia and Syracuse. Station Has Obligation "IF A newspaper reporter were barred from covering a public event," said Mr. Walker, "he would find a way to fulfill his assignment. The modern radio station, like a newspaper, is a quasi-public medium with a definite obligation to its listeners. A substantial amount of money has been spent to provide WIBA listeners with the best programs on the air, and we do not propose to fall down in covering such popular events as the Wisconsin football games. "Our plans are made. Additional equipment is being ordered from the west coast which will enable us to cover all the home football games direct, just as efficiently as if we were seated on the sidelines, in the event that broadcasting at Wisconsin is banned. "It seems unfair that loyal Wisconsin fans throughout the state who have always given Wisconsin teams their financial support in the past and who may not be able to attend all the games this year, should be deprived of hearing the results over the air. The banning of broadcasting by the Big Ten would certainly add dynamite to the charge that collegiate athletics today are conducted primarily for the gate." "The NBC is conducting a nation-wide survey to determine from what points it will be able to broadcast football games this year. We are still hopeful that a Wisconsin game may be scheduled for a national hook-up this fall." MAN AUCTIONS over the radio as a means of relieving unemployment among war veterans has received the official endorsement of Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines, head of the U. S. Veterans Administration. In a letter to all regional managers of the administration, General Hines called attention to the success of an auction conducted by WRC, Washington, in collaboration with the American Legion post, as well as to other successful man auctions. He recommended similar broadcasts throughout the country. The suggestion for the WRC broadcasts, conducted during May, came from Radio Commissioner Lafount, General Hines explained, and resulted in 266 jobs being obtained for District of Columbia veterans. The program was sponsored by the Wilkins Coffee Co. Reports received by the Veterans Administration, it was stated, indicate that the idea is being accepted favorably, and that a number of cities and towns already are undertaking programs of this nature. It is yet too early, however, to determine general results. General Hines explained that the WRC job auctions were of 15 minutes duration. The announcer conducted the program in the manner of an experienced auctioneer, reciting the qualifications and circumstances of each job seeker and invited the listeners who had jobs Mr. and Mrs. Henry Field THIS IS an official campaign photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Field, of Shenandoah, Iowa, being used in Mr. Field's vigorous campaign for United States Senator which is largely being waged via radio. Mr. Field is owner and operator of KFNF, Shenandoah, and it was at the station house that Mrs. Field, during the primary campaign, served her famous chicken stew. Mr. Field defeated Senator Smith W. Brookhart for the Republican nomination by a wide margin, running as a dry. His chief opponent in the November elections will be Louis Murphy, a Democrat and a wet. New WBT Ready FOLLOWING a series of test programs, WBT, Charlotte, N. C, was scheduled to begin operation with 25 kw. power on a 16-hour daily schedule Aug. 1. Its new equipment, however, is capable of producing 50 kw. should the higher power be authorized in the future. to offer to telephone the station during the progress of the auction. The radio audience was informed of the progress being made as calls were received and men were placed, and the names of the persons offering employment were announced. "Considerable publicity resulted," General Hines said, "all of the District of Columbia newspapers carried special articles commenting favorably on the novelty and results of the plan." So far as is known, C. P. Ritchie, manager of KGHF, Pueblo, Colo., originated the man auction idea. (See Broadcasting for May 1, 1932.) He went on the air last spring in behalf of local unemployment relief agencies and described individual cases of men seeking employment at odd jobs. Since then the idea has spread rapidly. Clear Channel Change WOWO, Fort Wayne, Ind., and WWVA, Wheeling, W. Va., on July 22 were authorized by the Radio Commission to operate simultaneously during daytime on their shared clear channel from Aug. 1 to Feb. 1, 1933, pending action on their application for modification of license. Both stations are currently seeking full time on the 1160 kc. clear channel which they share. Democrats to Rely On Radio — Farley Republicans Set Up Budget: Free Time Ceases Aug. 1 THAT THE RADIO will materially change the aspect of the 1932 presidential campaign, as it did to a lesser extent in 1928, was quite frankly and freely indicated byj James A. Farley, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, at a conference with Washington newspaper correspondents in the National Press Club, July 26. Mr. Farley declared that "radio has changed the whole method of campaigning." That, is one of the reasons, he said, why Franklin D. Roosevelt's advisors are opposing a western speaking tour. All sections can be reached via radio, whereas to accept one section's invitation and to ignore another's might lead to harsh feelings, he said. Moreover, it would be a physical impossibility to accept all speaking invitations. Charles Michelson, director of publicity for the Democrats, stated that no arrangements for the radio campaign have yet been made. The committee, he said, is still looking for a man to take charge of the radio. In the meantime, Mr Michelson himself is handling the placing of speakers. Mr. Farley also stated that no funds have yet been made available for the campaign. The "moratorium" which the radio networks placed upon no-pay political speeches is scheduled tc be lifted Aug. 1, except for the broadcasting of the Hoover acceptance speech from Washington Aug 11 and the Curtis acceptance frorr Topeka Aug. 18. These will be carried without cost, both NBC ane CBS have ruled, but all othei speeches of a purely political char acter must be paid for after tha1 date. Budget for Radio REPUBLICANS have allocated i budget tentatively to radio, th( size of which is not revealed. Pau Gascoigne, who handled radio fo. the Republican National Commit tee in 1928, is again doing it thi: year, with headquarters in tin Barr Building, Washington. Ever ett Sanders, chairman of the Re publican committee and Hoover': campaign manager, on July 25 an nounced the appointment of Rep C. William Ramseyer, of Iowa, a director of the speakers bureau t be established in the Palmer House Chicago, Aug. 1. His assistant i Rep. David Hopkins, of Missouri They will be in charge of placini radio as well as other speakers. Democratic headquarters will b at the Hotel Biltmore, New York but Mr. Michelson will divide hi time between there and his office in the National Press Building Washington. It is expected th radio chieftain will do likewise. I: the meantime, pending the Hoove and Curtis acceptance broadcasts which will be without charge, an to "compensate" the Democrats fo their loss of equivalent time o the air due to the Roosevelt accept ance speech having been made a the Democratic convention in Chi cago, both networks have give; two hours of additional no-pa: time to the Democrats. Job Auctions via Radio Head of Veterans Administration Urges Regional Aides To Sponsor Scheme for Placing Service Men Page 14 BROADCASTING • August 1, 1931