Broadcasting (July - Dec 1939)

Logan Bill and WageHour Amendment May Get Last Minute Congress Action Facilities Granted iTo Dozen Stations Ipulltime and Power Boosts ■Are Authorized by FCC ^IMPROVED facilities, including jiulltime and power boosts, were autthorized for about a dozen stations iduring the FCC's sessions of July ■27 and 28. Most of the grants were pnade without previous hearing, alIthough the Commission also disposed of several cases on which jhearings had been held. ' WILM, Wilmington, Del., and WAZL, Hazleton, Pa., both of the llVIason-Dixon Group, and both 100 matters which have operated simultaneously daj-tinie on 1420 kc. but shared time nights, were authorlized to operate fulltime. WFBG, Altoona, Pa., operating with 100 watts on 1310 kc. and sharing with WJAC, Johnsto-\vn, was granted fulltime, WJAC having won a similar grant earlier in the month. KTEM, Temple, Tex., secured fulltime on 1370 kc, \\ith 100 watts night and 2.50 day, having formerly used 250 watts daytime only. WOLS, Florence, S. C, secured 100 watts on 1200 kc. in lieu of daytime operation only, a rival application (Pee Dee Bcstg. Co.) for similar facilities having been denied. In each of these cases the Commission made final its previous findings. I Two Get Fulltime ' WJBO, Baton Rouge, La., which formerly signed off for one hour Monday nights, secured fulltime, as did KRLH, Midland, Tex., formerly operating daytime only with 100 watts on 1420 kc. Power boosts were won by KM J, Fresno, Cal., granted 5,000 watts ! daji;ime on 580 kc; KHUB, Was! tonville, Cal., granted fulltime with 250 watts day and 100 night on 1310 kc. instead of daytime onlv; • WOPI, Bristol, Tenn., boosted from 100 to 250 watts day power on 1500 kc; WEST, New Castle, Pa., i gi'anted an increase in day power : from 250 to 1,000 watts on 1250 I kc; WDEV, Water bury, Vt., ■ boosted from 500 to 1,000 watts daytime on 550 kc. An application of WSBT for a shift from 1360 to 930 kc. and full I time, with relief from sharing -svith ! WGES, Chicago, was ordered set 1 for hearing. An application of I, WGTM, Wilson, N. C, asking for ' 500 watts daytime on 1240 kc. in . lieu of its present 100 watts day; time on 1310 kc, was denied, i In proposed findings, which are I subject to later ratification, the i Commission approved an application of KRSC, Seattle, to increase from 250 to 1,000 watts on 1120 kc, and disapproved an application of Sherman C. Amsden, doing busi, ness as Doctor's Telephone Service, seeking an emergency shortwave I station to operate with 500 watts i on 31,180 kc Nesbitt Fruit Test NESBITT FRUIT PRODUCTS, Los Angeles (orange juice), thru Chas. H. Mayne Co., that city, on July 21 started for six weeks or more a local test campaign on KMJ, Fresno, Cal., using a weekly half-hour transcribed program, Nesbitt Radio Rascals. Similar tests are to be conducted in other territories on the West Coast. By WALTER BROWN AS CONGRESS swning into its pre-adjournment drive, two measures of importance to the broadcasting industry appeared to be slated for action. The Logan Bill, providing for "the more expeditious settlement of disputes with the United States" was pending in both Houses, after the Senate first passed the measure, only to adopt a motion to reconsider it. It would set up a uniform system of procedure for the FCC and other Government administrative and quasi-judicial agencies, and clear up grounds on which appeals can be made from decisions of these agencies to the courts. A companion measure in the House has been favorably reported from committee and is awaiting action of the House itself. Wage-Hour Measures Wage and hour legislation came to the fore in a sudden burst of action by the House Rules and Labor committees, which reported out three measures to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act, all of which provide for adjustment of provisions relating to white-collar workers. The legislation is of importance to the broadcasting industry because of proposed exemptions relating to hours. The Norton labor amendment exempts from the hour provision of the Act all employes making guaranteed monthly salaries of $200 or more or who are employed "in a bona fide executive, administrative, professional or local retailing capacity or in the capacity of an outside salesman." The Barton amendment would reduce the minimum exemption salary to $150 a month but specifies it shall apply only to employes not required to work any specified number of hours and notified by their employers in \\T.-iting of that fact. The Ramspeck amendment contains the same provision as the Norton Bill in regard to "white-collar" employes. The rule issued by the Rules Committee on July 27 kills a proposed change in the white-collar amendment sponsored by Chairman Norton of the Labor Committee following a decision by Wage & Hour Administrator Elmer F. Andrews to reverse his stand in support of the Norton amendment. The revised Norton amendment, containing a last-minute compromise dra\vn up by the Labor Committee, adds the provision that no worker in the white-collar classification can work more than 160 hours a month. With adjournment expected by mid-August at the latest, it ap The Northwest's Best ■ Broadcasting Buy —— WTCN AN NBC STATION MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL I I Owr>ed and Operated by llllll MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE AND ST. PAUL DISPATCHPIONEER PRESS FREE & PETERS, INC. — NoH. Rep. peared that the Wheeler Bill, for reorganization of the FCC, the Johnson Bill, banning advertising of alcoholic beverages, including beer, from the air, and the Chavez Bill, to establish a Pan-American shortwave station, Governmento-wned, would die. The House Appropriations Committee has before it the third deficiency bill, which is expected to contain a supplemental appropriation of approximately $200,000 for the FCC. Action on this measure is expected prior to adjouiTiment. Also apparently pigeon-holed are the Wigglesworth and Connery resolutions in the House, and the White resolution in the Senate, seeking an investigation of the FCC and the industry. Results of Omar Survey In Midwest Made Public TABULATION of over 98,000 coincidental personal interviews on radio audiences in the Milwaukee, Columbus, Indianapolis and Omaha trading areas has been completed by K. B. Arrington, advertising manager and director of market research of Omar Inc., Omaha (flour and cereal), long a radio sponsor and a proponent of a national radio audit bureau. Interviews were made by 700 house-to-house salesmen of the bakery division of the company, completing the survey within a five-day period in each market. Results have been tabulated by days and by hourly intervals and divided by town and country areas. Chief feature of the survey is the "almost perfect" sampling of each area obtained by interviewing Omar custoiiiers, for a consumer census completed in December showed an average correlation between Omar customers and total population of 97.4% with respect to age, occupation, status of employment and economic groups as determined by house rentals. Both telephone and non-telephone homes were interviewed. The survey was made by Omar Inc. for its own guidance in station and time selections, but has been released to leading stations "in the interest of factual and unbiased station coverage information". 10,000 SOAP BOXES! The combined influence of 10,000 soap box orators could not oflFer you the sales power available here at WAIR. They listen! They believe! They BUY! WAIR Winston-Salem, North Carolina National Representatives Sears 8C Ayer KEHE Facilities Taken Over by KECA July 31; San Diego Deal Dropped ACTIONS by the FCC July 27 cleared the way for the taking over of KEHE, Hearst Radio station in Los Angeles, by Earle C. Anthony whose purchase of the station for $400,000 was approved last June 21 [Broadcasting, July 1]. It was reported by counsel for Anthony that the station would be occupied July 31 when Anthony's KECA is abandoned in conformity with the grant. It is planned to change the call letters for KEHE to KECA as soon as FCC approval is secured. KEHE operates fulltime with 1,000 watts night and 5,000 day on 780 kc. KECA operated with the same power on 1430 kc, which frequency is now abandoned, the Commission having denied permission to move it into San Diego for a new station to be built by Warren B. Worcester. Mr. Anthony, who also owns KFI, will move the operations of both his stations into the studio plant of KEHE. Mr. Worcester having been denied authority to purchase the KECA facilities for §97,000, has been authorized by the Commission to file a new application for them in San Diego. His application thus becomes a new proceeding. The Commission on July 27 dismissed petitions of the American Communications Association, labor union, for a rehearing of the KECA transfer grant. The union opposed it on employment grounds. In Omaha Advertisers get quick results from KOIL where every program is backed by a tested, 7 POINT PLUS MERCHANDISING PLAN . . . where 201,430 radio homes tune to this liasic Columbia Outlet for the outstanding programs in= this rich trading area. For an Outstanding Job, it's KOIL-OMAHA Rep. by The Katz Agency BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising August i, 1939 • Page 65