Broadcasting (July - Dec 1938)

Biow Buys WINS; Price Is $150,000 Sale of Three Other Hearst Stations Is Progressing SALE of WINS, New York, to Milton Biow, president of the Biow Co., New York advertising agency and minority stockholder in WNEW, for approximately $150,000, was announced Oct. 7 by Hearst Radio Inc. The transaction, like five others already worked out, is subject to FCC approval. Negotiations toward liquidation of three additional stations owned by Hearst Radio — KOMA, Oklahoma City, KYA, San Francisco, and WISN, Milwaukee — are progressing, with likelihood of consummation in the near future. The two remaining stations, WCAE, Pittsburgh, and WBAL, Baltimore, are not for sale at present. Negotiations between Mr. Biow and Hearst officials were completed Oct. 7, it was stated, and an application will be filed promptly with the FCC seeking approval of the transfer. The four other applications pending before the FCC have not yet been acted upon and hearings have been indicated. Mr. Biow stated that, in contracting for the WINS purchase, he acted as an individual, seeking to dispel rumors that other interests were involved. These appear to grow out of the fact that Mr. Biow is an officer of and a minority stockholder in WNEW, New York, one-half interest in which is owned by Richard E. O'Dea and practically all of the remaining half by Arde Bulova, New York watch manufacturer and station owner. Mr. Biow declared that if the transaction is consummated he will withdraw from his minority ownership interest in WNEW. WINS, operating on the 1180 kc. channel daytime with 1,000 watts power, is now managed by A. A. Cormier, vice-president of Hearst Radio, Inc., who will continue in that capacity until such time as the sale actually is approved. E. N. Stoer, Hearst comptroller, is in charge of all station sales negotiations. He said the former transaction for sale of WINS to Col. O'Brien had been dropped "by mutual agreement." The WINS transaction is the second within a year involving the station. Last March Hearst officials reached an agreement with Col. Arthur O'Brien, Seattle and Washington, D. C, attorney and banker, to sell WINS for $250,000. Difficulties arose with the result that the contract was never finally negotiated. As things stand now, the box score on the ten Hearst stations is five under contract for sale, three in negotiation, and two not for sale. In addition to WINS, those under contract to be sold are KEHE, Los Angeles, for $400,000 to Earl C. Anthonv; KTSA, San Antonio, for $300,000 to O. L. Taylor and Gene Howe, Texas broadcasters; KNOW, Austin, and WACO, Waco, for $50,000 each, to S. W. Richardson and Charles F. Roeser, Fort Worth oil operators. AFRA Continuing Agency Negotiations On Standard Wage Scale for Artists Laundry Group on 4 AMERICAN LAUNDRY Assn., Joliet, 111., is using five spot announcements weekly on WKBN WHK WHBC WADC, through BBDO, Chicago. NEGOTIATIONS between the American Federation of Radio Artists and the American Association of Advertising Agencies toward a standard set of wages and working conditions for actors, singers and announcers employed on commercial programs are progressing, but not so rapidly as had been hoped and the conclusion is not yet in sight, according to well informed sources, although spokesmen from both the AFRA and AAAA refused to comment on the situation when queried by Broadcasting. Meanwhile, negotiation with MBS for contracts similar to those secured last summer by AFRA from NBC and CBS have been held in abeyance, pending conclusion of the agency contracts which AFRA considers its most pressing task at the moment. St. Louis Convention Plans for the first AFRA convention, to be held in St. Louis the week of Nov. 14, are shaping up more as an executive session than a typical convention, according to George Heller, assistant executive secretary of the talent union. Due to the fact that November is one of the busiest months in radio, and consequently a month of consistent employment for radio talent, AFRA expects attendance at the convention sessions to be limited largely to delegates, except for members in St. Louis and possibly from Chicago. Convention agenda, which has not yet been completed, is said to consist chiefly of discussions of progress made and of plans for activity for the coming year, both nationally and on the part of the several locals. Convention will also elect officers and 15 of the 45 directors. Convention delegates include: New York: Ben Grauer, Mark Smith, Eric Dressier, Nelson Case, Wilfred Lytell, Walter Preston, Richard Bonelli, James Melton, Margaret Speaks, Lucille Wall, Taylor Buckley, Teddy Bergman, Ray Collins, Selena Royle, John McGovern, Robert Waldrop, George Ansboro, Ted DeCorsia, Marion Barney, Foster Williams, Everett Clark, Alex McKee, John Brown, Carol Deis, Paul Stewart, John Pickard, Anne Elstner, Helene Dumas. Chicago: Raymond Jones, Philip Lord, Dick Wells, Sam Thompson, Gene Byron, Les Tremayne, Bob Purcell, Anne Seymour, Charles Calvert, Frank Dane, Ken Christy, Martin Jacobsen, Virginia Payne, Roy Franklin, Forrest Lewis, Harold Peary. Cincinnati : Louis L. Levy, Peter Grant. San Francisco: Vic Connors, John B. Hughes, Ted Maxwell. St. Louis: Eliot W. Bergfeld, Adelaide Tarrant, Marvin E. Mueller. Los Angeles: Ben Alexander, Edward Arnold, Forrest Barnes, Edgar Bergen, John Boles, William Brandt, Josephine Campbell, Ed Silk Firm Tests H. SAKANOVSKY & Son, Chicago (Mary Ann silks), is testing a spot announcement series on KMA, Shenandoah, la. If the test is successful, programs will be used on a number of rural stations, through Selviair Broadcasting System, Chicago. die Cantor, Hector Chevigny, Elinor Coleson, Bing Crosby, Norman Field, Georgia Fifield, T. Freebairn Smith, John Gibson, Homer Hall, Jean Hersholt, Warren Hull, Carleton Kadell, Cyrus Kendall, Edward Ludes, Edward Lynn, Lyndsay MacHarrie, Frederic MacKaye, Ray Middleton, Lee C. Millar, Grace Moore, Frank Nelson, Dick Powell, Tyrone Power, Lanny Ross, Ralph Scott, Ynez Seabury, Grederic Shields, Duane Thompson, James Wallington, J. Donald Wilson. Lloyd C. Thomas Resigns Post as WROK Manager; Koessler Is Successor LLOYD C. THOMAS, for the last four years general manager of WROK. Rockford, on Oct. 1 announced his resignation, though he remains as part owner. Walter Koessler, salesmanager of WROK for the last two years, succeeds him. Mr. Koessler, who joined the Rockford station from W C L O, JanesMr. Thomas ville, Wis. where he entered radio in 1933, was previously in the banking and trust business in Milwaukee for ten years. Mr. Thomas, who plans to maintain his residence in Rockford and will continue as a member of the board of Rockford Broadcasters Inc., assumed the WROK direction on Oct. 1, 1934, when it operated half-time with 500 watts. It is now a fulltime regional, with 1,000 watts day and 500 watts night. "I now feel that the time has come that I transfer to other shoulders the responsibilities of continuing the operation and build Mr. Koessler ing up of WROK," Mr. Thomas said. He is chairman of the National Committee of Independent Broadcasters, and has other business interests outside radio. A luncheon was tendered Mr. Thomas by the station executives and staff. Hearst Radio Appoints Quinn Manager of KYA REILAND QUINN, in radio in the San Francisco Bay area for the last six years, became general manager of KYA, San Francisco, Oct. 10, succeeding Clarence B. Juneau, resigned. The appointment was announced by the New York headquarters of Hearst Radio Inc. Mr. Quinn has been with KYA for the last three years as actor, producer, production manager and program director. Previously he was with KFRC, and later at NBC in San Francisco. A new program director had not been named as Broadcasting went to press, nor had Mr. Juneau disclosed future plans. Independents Seek Permanent Group Lloyd Thomas Finds Need for Cooperation by Stations POSSIBLE formation of the National Committee of Independent Broadcasters, representing local and nonnetwork stations, as a permanent organization, was seen with the resignation of Lloyd C. Thomas, chairman of the Committee, as general manager of WROK, Rockford, 111. While no announcement has been made, it is known that independent broadcasters, looking somewhat askance upon the recent action of Independent Radio Network Affiliates in setting up a permanent organization, are thinking along the same line. Mr. Thomas is still serving as chairman of the independent group which was formed to carry on negotiations with American Federation of Musicians on employment contracts. Thus, its advent was almost identical with that of IRNA, which was created in the summer of 1937 for the same purpose and which became a permanent organization last Aug. 16, operating as a segment of the NAB. In announcing his resignation from WROK, in which he retains a substantial stock interest, Mr. Thomas declared he expected to give "as much time as necessary" to the activities of the independent group. He added that his work as chairman of the Committee during the past six months "has shown a definite need in that field for cooperative activity." Mr. Thomas added his immediate plans were to spend several weeks in looking after personal business interests. Then he said he expected to give "careful and serious consideration" to several propositions in the independent radio field. The permanent organization presumably would be affiliated with the NAB and function much in the same manner as does IRNA for network affiliates. The nucleus of this group probably will be National Independent Broadcasters, with a membership of 50-odd local and independent stations which has never been very active. Mr. Thomas, former general manager of KDKA, former NBC manager of NBC owned and operated stations, and a former newspaper publisher, has a background of some 15 years in radio. New Spot Series DR. EDWARDS Olive Tablets, Columbus, O., on Oct. 17 will start using 10 spot announcements weekly on WMCA WFIL WIP WHK WGAR and WBNS. To promote "Clear-Again" tablets, the company will run spot announcements on the Michigan Network plus WAAB WMAL WIRE WIND WJAG WCFL WBBM WISN. Agency is Erwin, Wasey & Co., New York. Longines News LONGINES-WITTNAUER, New York, in addition to its use of time signals and announcements on about 65 stations, is running two news programs: Dr. Preston Bradley, news commentator, on WBBM, Chicago, thrice weekly through Dec. 31; and United Press news on KITE, Kansas City. Arthur Rosenberg Co., New York, is agency. Page 18 • October 15, 1938 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising