Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Appeals Dismissed By Station WHAM Withdraws Two Cases As Court Gets Other Pleas DISMISSAL of the two appeals of WHAM, Rochester, N. Y., from Radio Commission decisions having to do with the projected clear channel reallocation of two years ago and the high power grants of last year was authorized Sept. 6 by the courts on joint motions filed by the Stromberg Carlson Telephone Manufacturing Co., operating WHAM, and the Commission. An applicant for 50 kw. in the high-power controversy, WHAM was denied the maximum power but authorized to increase from 5 to 25 kw. It had appealed along with several other unsuccessful applicants for the maximum power in the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, and gave no reason for its withdrawal of the appeal. The other case dismissed was that pending in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia from the Commission's General Order 87 which ordered the shifting in assignments of some 18 clear channel stations, but which was blocked by court injunction. The Commission subsequently dropped the whole scheme and the WHAM case therefore has been dormant. B. M. Webster, Jr., former general counsel of the Commission, and counsel for WHAM, filed the dismissal motions. Defer Power Brief AUTHORITY to defer the filing of appellants' briefs in the high power case from Sept. 1 to Sept. 21 was granted by the Court of Appeals Aug. 31 on motion of WMAQ, Chicago, KGO, Oakland, WGN, Chicago, and WJZ, New York, the remaining appellants. The briefs, however, probably will be filed in advance of the new date. A motion to dismiss the appeal of KDYL, Salt Lake City, against the Radio Commission's order of Aug. 9 authorizing KLO, Ogden, Utah, authority to move to Salt Lake City, was filed with the Court of Appeals Aug. 31. The motion also requested dismissal of the petition for a stay order sought by KDYL, the Commission holding that KDYL had not taken advantage of the legal remedy available before the Commission, and that the appeal therefore was out of order. In a second motion, the Commission asked the court to strike the petition for intervention in the appeal of KFPY, Spokane, Washington, filed by KGIR, of Butte, Mont. It contended that KGIR was not a proper party to the case. Briefs were filed with the Court on Aug. 31 by WNJ, Newark, N. J. and WMBA, Newport, R. I., both of which were ordered deleted by the Commission for failure to serve public interest, but which obtained stay orders from the courts, pending determination of their appeals. Japs Try Advertising ALTHOUGH commercial broadcasting is prohibited in Japan, sponsored programs have been inaugurated in Formosa, a part of the Japanese Empire, with marked success, according to a report received from Consul John B. Ketcham at Taihoku, by the Department of Commerce. On June 14, the report said, programs sponsored by advertisers were introduced, the method being much the same as that followed in the United States, with announcement at the beginning and the end of the program. Heretofore the semi-public Taiwan Broadcasting Co., which operates Formosa's two stations, has been dependent on the one yen (30 cents) monthly tax imposed on licensed sets. Four Advertisers Share Hour by Dialogue Team FOUR ADVERTISERS are sharing a one-hour program and are permitting their advertising appeal to be woven into the dialogue of the comedy and music by the Two Doctors, Pratt and Sherman, three afternoons a week from KYW, Chicago. Three of the clients have signed with the program for a period of 52 weeks, and the fourth will run for 26 weeks. Mickelberry Food Products Company, distributors of meats and prepared foods; Fitzpatrick Brothers, makers of Kitchen Klenzer, and Purity Bakeries, all Chicago firms, were signed about the first of September, shortly after the Mississippi Valley Canning Co., La Seour, Minn., (Del Maize Food Products) started its initial broadcast late in August. The bakeries contract will run 26 weeks. Erwin, Wasey & Co., placed the canning company account, and the others were handled direct. San Francisco Rivaling New York as Originator Of Programs for NBC By HAROLD BOCK MORE THAN 50 programs a day are produced in the San Francisco studios of NBC for its KGO and KPO western networks, according to Don E. Gilman, NBC vice president and Mr. dilman western manager. This high rate of creation puts San Francisco nearly on a par with the New York and Chicago studios, and gives employment to from 250 to 400 artists, musicians and arrangers weekly, while nearly 200 persons are on the general studio staff. At the present time there are only about half a dozen weekly programs sent to New York from the Pacific coast, the number being limited because the high cost of breaking down west-bound circuits and the equal cost of permanent east-bound lines. However, when it becomes possible to transmit a program eastward without the expense of breaking down lines several western sponsors are expected to buy time for such a market, according to Mr. Gilman. NBC's gross on the western network for the month of September thus far is ahead of last year's intake at this time, Mr. Gilman said, -o1thougrh the net on two networks is considerably above that of last year with only one chain. At the present time NBC is getting1 more inquiries for auditions and prices on programs than ever before in its history, and indications point to an exceptionally good season. WJW, Mansfield, O., was authorized by the Radio Commission Sept. 8 to remove to Akron, O., using its present assignment on 1210 kc. with 100 watts, unlimited time. The decision reversed Examiner Hyde. WWSW Power Boosted WWSW, Pittsburgh, was granted a license Sept. 8 by the Radio Commission covering an increase of its day power to 250 watts with night power remaining at 100 watts. Board of Strategy Urged by Caldwell AS A MEANS of effecting more cooperation between broadcastei> and radio equipment manufacturers, the formation of a National Board of Strategy is proposed by O. H. Caldwell, former federal radio commissioner, in the September Radio Retailing, of which he is editor. The board would be composed of five to nine members, representing "set makers, radio trade, broadcasters and national chains." The reorganized Radio Manufacturers Association also is urged to: "carry cooperative advertising to reach non-listeners, pointing out the important features on the air, the notable foreign re-broadcasts, radio in the presidential campaign, etc. Provide small boxes to be included in individual ads of radio manufacturers, distributors and dealers. Take measures, through newspapers, broadcasts, dealers' window displays, etc. to show listeners how to improve their present radio reception and to eliminate interference." The industry is urged "to reawaken the popular appeal of radio" with the view of reaching the 15,000,000 American homes still without adequate radio sets. These and other suggested activities for reviving the radio trade would be conducted under the supervision of the board of strategy. The way is prepared for the revival, Mr. Caldwell points out, by the RMA reorganization Aug. 23, when leading set manufacturers were placed on the board of directors. Syndicate Changes RAYMOND KNIGHT, well known continuity writer and radio star, has been named president of Beacon Syndicate, 373 Fourth Ave., New York, which markets scripts to stations and agencies. He succeeds Harold Matson, well known in newspaper syndicate circles, who has become vice president and treasurer of Ann Watkins, Inc., literary agents. Peter Dixon, author and lead in the Wheatena "Raising Junior" series continues as vice president of Beacon Syndicate. WCCO Inaugural DISTINGUISHED visitors from various parts of the country were scheduled to be present when WCCO, Minneapolis, held a reception Sept. 15 on the occasion of the completion of its new 50 kw. transmitter. The station, one of the nine granted maximum power in the high power cases of last year, has installed a Western Electric transmitter at Anoka, Minn. JAPANESE VISITORS— Here to cover the Olympic Games via short wave broadvCastSf three leading radio announcers of Japan were photographed^ w|£Ji ^Graham McNamee during a visit to NBC headquarters. Left to' right they are Seiji Shimaura, McNamee, Mitsumi Kasai and Norimitsu Matsuchi. The latter is known as the "Graham McNamee of Japan."' -" WERE Owner Passes LOUIS BENJAMIN, president of the Erie Broadcasting Corp., operating WERE, Erie, Pa., and former publisher of the Erie Dispatch-Herald, died at his home Aug. 29 following complications from a paralytic stroke. He was 49. Page 14 BROADCASTING • September 15, 1932