Broadcasting (July - Dec 1938)

NEW $100,000 studios of WFBR, Baltimore, will occupy the entire second floor of the new Radio Center, being built by Morris A. Mechanic, Baltimore theatre operator, on East North Ave. The new building, affording 18,000 square feet of floor space for WFBR studios and offices, will also house the Center Theatre. Construction will be finished late in November, and WFBR expects to be occupying its new quarters shortly after Thanksgiving. WFBR PLANS NEW QUARTERS Will Occupy Entire Floor of New Building About Thanksgiving/ No Windows in Plans WFBR, Baltimore, will occupy new studios, estimated to cost about $100,000, in the modernistic Radio Center, which will also house the new Center Theatre, being built on East North A*ve., Baltimore, by Morris A. Mechanic, president of the New Theatre. Construction is expected to be finished late in November. The WFBR studios, to cover the entire second floor of the building — with 18,000 square feet for studios and offices — were laid out and planned by W. A. Clarke, NBC manager of technical service, under supervision of O. B. Hanson, chief engineer of NBC. Armand Carroll, Philadelphia architect, has been commissioned to draw the plans and supervise construction. Actual construction work will be done by Carl W. Schmidt, Baltimore contractor. No Windows at All the studios and offices will be completely air-conditioned and artificially illuminated. In addition to the studios, the new quarters provide space for an artists' lounge, and offices for station executives, sales department, program manager, musical director, production men, continuity writers, engineers, announcers, news room, director of women's programs and special events. Space will also be provided for a musical library, cutting of recordings, and a shop for maintenance and repair of technical equipment. The expansion program, based on WFBR's recent CP for a power boost by the FCC to 5 kw. day and 1 kw. night, also provides for construction of a new transmitter. Although bids have been received, no contracts have been let, and definite plans for the new transmitter house and equipment have not been made public. JOHN* BLAIR & Co. has taken over the representation of KGMB, Honolulu, and KHBC. Hilo. which closed their San Francisco office Aug. 1. L. I>. West. San Francisco manager, has joined offices with Lindsay Spight, the Blair partner in that city. LINDSEY SPIGHT. San Francisco manager of John Blair & Co., and Anue Director, radio time buyer of the Pacific Coast offices of J. Walter Thompson Co.. were principal speakers at a symposium on "The Purchase and Sale of Radio Time" in Oakland. Cal., Aug. 2. .TACK SCATTER. Toronto, recently appointed eastern Canadian exclusive representative of CFRX, Edmonton. CFCN, Calgary, and CFQC, Saskatoon, recently visited the three stations to study their markets and conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces. JOSEPH HERSHEY McGILLVBA, Chicago, has been appointed exclusive national representative of KRK1>, Los Angeles. JOHN LIVINGSTON, formerly Los Angeles manager of International Radio Sales, has succeeded J. Leslie Fox as Pacific Coast manager of IRS and will divide his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Livingston will headquarter at KEIIE. Los Angeles, and KYA, San Francisco. WIS, WCSC in 3-Year Free & Peters Contract CLAIMED to be the longest noncancellable contracts in national representation, three -year contracts have been signed with Free & Peters, by G. Richard Shafto, president of WIS, Columbia, S. C, and John M. Rivers, president of WCSC, Charleston, S. C. In commenting on the new contracts Mr. Shafto and Mr. Rivers said that all phases of the radio industry need stabilization now more than ever before, and that long-term representation contracts make for greater stability. James Free, of Free & Peters, said he was gratified with the voluntary action by WIS and WCSC being convinced that as time goes on there will be more and more longterm agreements "because this will not only have a stabilizing effect on the national representative picture but will create such confidence that both the station and the representative will reap benefits of loyalty and morale." Texans Aid Cause TEXAS radio stations have assisted materially in raising funds for the flood sufferers of the recent high waters at San Saba, Texas. When flood was at its height, KGKO, Fort Worth, sent portable equipment and John Rosser, public events man, to flood area for first-hand flood broadcast. WFAA, Dallas, has broadcast numerous gratis spot announcements, urging contributions to be sent to the American Red Cross. Most recent sign of whole-hearted cooperation came Aug. 8 when the facilities of the Texas Quality Network, comprising four stations, were donated to the cause. W. Lee O'Daniel, who recently won the Democratic nomination for governor of Texas in a sensational radio campaign, made the appeal. The Radio Center will have an impressive facade, with a neonilluminated central tower. The grand foyer will be thickly carpeted and walls paneled in striking detail. Corridors of the entrance lobby will be used to display advertisers' products. Five studios are provided, four with individual control booths, and a master control room using the most modern equipment. All the studios will incorporate the latest developments in floating soundproof construction, lighting and air conditioning. RCA control equipment will be used. Studio "A", largest of the five, will be 56x32 feet, with a 20-foot ceiling, and will accommodate an audience of about 200, with a large observation booth for clients. Studios "B" and "C", both 20x30 feet, will be used primarily for small combination musical programs and playlets. Studio "D", 13y2xl4 feet, will be used for transcription programs and speakers. Studio "E", 16x14 feet, will serve as a combination speaker and audition studio. Built entirely without windows, Flood Defied by KNEL To Serve Brady Victims DURING heavy rains around Brady, Tex. recently, Brady Creek swelled to flood stage and drenched the KNEL transmitter. On the fourth day of rain, with water rising into the plant, Engineer Marion Crawford and Announcers John Sloane, Forest Cox, and Pel Jarvis, and Clinton Newlin, commercial manager, raised the transmitter off the floor to keep the station on the air. However, the Brady power plant later was flooded, cutting off power to KNEL, and forcing the station off the air. Another power line, running about 600 feet from the transmitter, was spliced in by Omer Holland, a lineman who waded through water to connect the plant with the 2300 volt hot line. Within three hours after being off the air, KNEL returned and broadcast reports on flood conditions, with a grounded antenna, since the water had risen two feet up the regular antenna. NATIONAL Transcription Recording Co., recently formed, has opened offices in Hearst Bldg., San Francisco. Ray Lewis, account executive with KFRC, San Francisco for the last two years, and before that with KJBS". KQW and KGGC, has been named general manager of new company. The firm has secured the transcription rights on the program I Want a Divorce, currently sponsored in the West on NBC by Sussman & Wormser Co. (S & W Fine Foods). LIST of transcription companies licensed by Music Publishers' Protective Association, published in Broadcasting, Aug. 1, should have included E. V. Brinckerhoff & Co., New York, which was omitted through an oversight on the part of MPPA and will be included on their future lists. WILLIAM R. CARLSON and Henry K. Parnes now represent R. U. Mcintosh & Associates, North Hollywood transcription concern, in the Midwest and are headquartered in the Drake Hotel. Chicago. Lawrence O'Connell and Edward J. Samuel have taken over the New England territory and have established offices at 175 "State St., Springfield, Mass. HOLLYWOOD Radio Productions, has been organized in Hollywood with temporary headquarters at 729 3/10 N. Western Ave. Recording equipment manufactured by C. C. McDonald, that city, has been installed and firm will build and transcribe programs. McDonald is also technical director of the firm, which is headed by E. R. Rood as general manager. AMERICAN RADIO FEATURES, Los Angeles, has prepared audition transcriptions of Tailspin Tommy and Judge Puffle. from the newspaper strips of the same name. R. U. McINTOSH & Associates, Hollywood, is producing and cutting a 65 episode, quarter hour feminine appeal show, Green House, written by Eleanor Thompson, Hollywood writer. The firm has started a library service. ALLEN ALSOP EDDY Radio Recording Corp., New York, has opened an affiliate office in Ottawa, Ont., to handle the firm's Canadian business. L. L. Booth is in charge. CHARLES MICHELSON now represents Mertens & Price, Los Angeles production concern in the East, with offices at 545 Fifth Ave., New York. C. E. Meredith is no longer associated with the Los Angeles concern. CHICAGO division of RCA Mfg. Co. began making musical recordings in early August for the first time in a year and five months. Under its three-month trial license with AFM, it is understood that the RCA plant will increase considerably its output of recordings. First platters turned out under the new agreement were for the Beatrice Creamery Co., Chicago, which on Aug. 19 starts an half-hour weekly disc series titled Meadow Gold Roundup for its Meadow Brook ice cream and butter, featuring Francis X. Bushman on WCAE and KLZ. Lord & Thomas, Chicago, is agency. STANDARD RADIO, Chicago, is releasing its mid-August dance selections in four groups, including Hawaiian tunes, quartet arrangements by the Royal Rogues, Jo Stafford vocalizing with the Bluestone Swing Salon Quintet and Chester Gay in swing on the electric organ. NEWSPAPER cartoon rights to the Charlie Chan series have been sold by Irving Fogel & Associates Inc., Hollywood, to the McNaught Syndicate, New York, with art work to be done by Alfred Andriola. BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising August 15, 1938 • Page 55