Broadcasting (July - Dec 1939)

WNEW Licensed For RCA Records Pays $300 a Month Fee for Victor, Bluebird Discs FIRST application of the right of a manufacturer of phonograph records to control the use of his records in broadcasting occurred Sept. 6, when RCA Mfg. Co. issued a license covering such use of Victor and Bluebird records to WNEW, New York, which accepted the license. Action followed serving of the station with the injunctions against broadcasting these makes of records without permission which Justice Leibell of the Federal Court in New York had granted to RCA [Broadcasting, July 15, Aug. 1]. Decca Serves Notice Also on Sept. 6, Decca Records served WNEW with a notice requesting the station to discontinue the broadcasting of any Decca discs on that date, under threat of legal action if the station rejected the request. In accordance with, this edict, WNEW immediately withdrew all Decca records from its collection for use on programs of recorded music. Decca has taken no further steps against other broadcasters as yet. And although Jack Kapp, president of Decca, on Aug. 10 advised all stations that his company was preparing a licensing agreement [Broadcasting, Aug. 15], this has not yet been issued. Neither has RCA proffered its license to any broadcasters other than WNEW, having agreed to a request from the NAB to withhold such action until Dec. 1 [Broadcasting, Sept. 1]. As a Class A station under the terms of the RCA license, published in full in the Aug. 15 Broadcasting, WNEW will pay RCA a monthly fee of $300 for the privilege of broadcasting Victor and Bluebird records on its Make Believe Ballroom and Milkman's Matinee programs, consisting almost entirely of phonograph records and taking up some nine hours a day of the station's 24-hour broadcasting schedule. National Assn. of Performing Artists, which on Aug. 19 notified RCA that NAPA would "legally resist" all RCA efforts to enforce its licensing proposal, has taken no steps. Advertised Brands Week TO HELP promote Nationally Advertised Brands Week, Sept. 15-25, the three networks are presenting special broadcasts featuring details of the drug industry. NBC on Sept. 17 will present Health and Beauty, Inc., contrasting the modern drug store of today with apothecary shops of olden times. Robert L. Swayne, editor of Drug Topics, will discuss the industry on CBS Sept. 19, and on Sept. 22 Dave Driscoll and Al Josephy will devote the Welcome Neighbor program on MBS to the industry. Fourth Fight Broadcast ADAM HATS, New York (chain stores), on Sept. 25 will sponsor the fourth in the series of 1939-40 boxing matches on NBC-Blue when Sam Taub and Bill Stern describe the 15round return bout for the world's light heavyweight championship between titleholder Bill Conn and former champion, Melio Bettina. Blue Affiliates and NBC Sales Chiefs Discuss Problems at Chicago Session VANGUARD of the NAB convention, approximately 70 representatives of the NBC Blue network, including NBC executives and station managers, in their first joint get-together met at the Palmer House in Chicago Sept. 12 in a one-day session to discuss Blue Network problems and progress. Headed by Niles Trammell, executive vice-president, the NBC delegation included Frank M. Russell, vice-president; Don E. Oilman, vice-president; William S. Hedges, vice-president; Sidney N. Strotz, manager, Central Division; Keith Kiggins, director. Blue Network; Ken R. Dyke, director of sales promotion; John H. Norton Jr., Blue Network station relations; E. P. H. James, sales promotion manager; Harry C. Kopf, Central Division sales manager; Ken Carpenter, Central Division Blue network sales manager; Robert Saudek, New York sales; A. A. Schechter, special events manager. Station Representation The station representation included John A. Holman, WBZWBZA; John Shepard 3d, for WEAN and WICC; Samuel R. Rosenbaum and Roger Clipp, WFIL; Kenneth H. Berkeley, WMAL; Harry C. Wilder, WSYR; William Fay, WHAM; C. R. Thompson, WEBR; Sherman . D. Gregory, KDKA; H. K. Carpenter, WHK; George W. Trendle and H. Allen Campbell, WXYZ; W. C. Swartley, WOWO; Burridge D. Butler and Glenn Snyder, WLS; Robert T. Convey, KWK; Luther Hill, WMT; C. T. Hagman, WTCN; Gardner Cowles, KSO; Vernon H. Smith, WREN; Campbell Arnoux, WRTD; Harold E. Smith, WABY; George F. Bissell, WMFF; Charles Denny, WJTN; Harold F. Gross, WJIM; Roy Radner, WIBM; Dan E. Jayne, WELL; Howard M. Loeb, WFDF; Earl E. May, KMA; C. W. Corkhill, KSCJ; Henry P. Johnston, WSGN; Lambdin Kay, WAGA; Charles P. Manship, WJBO; Harold V. Hough, KTOK and WBAP; John I. Prosser, KTHS; C. B. Locke, KFDM; William D. Pyle, KVOD; Harrison Holliway, KECA; Thom as E. Sharp, KFSD; Birt F. Fisher, KJR; W. Gary Jennings, KEX; Loren L. Watson, WBAL; Dewey H. Long and Dick Ruppert, WSAI. Covering Europe The morning meeting was highlighted by special features and departmental analyses of Blue network activity; the afternoon, by roundtable discussions of sales, promotion, programs and merchandising. In a surprise shortwave broadcast from three European capitals, directly follov^ng Mr. Trammell's welcoming talk, NBC European correspondents described behindthe-scenes activity in covering the continent. Talking with Abe Schechter, special events director, stationed at the Palmer House, Fred Bate in London explained his method of keeping NBC listeners posted on the British Empire. From Paris, Paul Archinard described pickup points in the French capital. Max Jordan in Basle, Switzerland, discussed Swiss mobilization and broadcast wire problems. A comic motion picture titled "Blue Horizons", satirizing NBC Blue executives, station managers and sponsors, enlivened the morning meeting. In a series of short addresses, Mr. Hedges traced the history and growth of the Blue Network from its inception in 1926; Mr. Strotz, formerly program director of the Central Division, discussed its programming; Ken Dyke developed its sales story. Numerous network and station problems were aired in the afternoon, with a number of station executive programming suggestions retained for further consideration by John F. Royal, vice-president in charge of programs. Station executives pledged cooperation in merchandising network commercials as aggressively as local commercials. Unanimously adopting a resolution by Harry C. Wilder, the group agreed to hold similar meetings at six-month intervals. Closing the day, Dewey H. Long and Dick Ruppert, WSAI, made a presentation of the merchandising activities of their station. THESE NBC chieftains headed the first get-together of NBC Blue Network officials and station managers held Sept. 12 at the Palmer House, Chicago. Seated (1 to r) are Sidney Strotz, manager, Central Division, Chicago; Don Gilman, vice-president in charge of Western Division, Hollywood; Niles Trammell, executive vice-president. New York; William S. Hedges, vice-president in charge of station relations. New York. Standing (1 to r) Keith Kiggins, director, Blue Network; Frank M. Russell, vice-president in charge of NBC's Washington office. Coast Dramatic Series^ May Become Nationwide! SUSSMAN, WORMSER & Co., San Francisco (S&W food prod-^ ucts), on Sept. 27 will shift its time for / Want a Divorce, West Coast dramatic series, from Fridays to Wednesdays on eight CBS Pacific Coast stations, with reports heard that the show may start Oct. 8 on a national basis on NBC-Red under cooperative sponsorship of the Food & Beverage Broadcasters Assn. The NBC broadcast, to originate from Hollywood, would be heard Sundays, 3-3:30 p. m. (EST), with rebroadcast at 4 p. m., v/hile S&W sponsorship would be for Wednesdays, 7 to 7:15 p. m. (PST), on the Pacific Coast stations, in additionto 9 others from Salt Lake Citj?^?e west, with an Australian broadcasti continuing as a separate unit. The) S&W firm has sponsored the program on the Pacific Coast for the last two years and will continue sponsorship on CBS. The cooperative group mentioned as sponsor of the NBC series includes Seeman Bros., New York;Sprague Warner, Chicago; Lee &j Cady, Detroit; Martin L. Hall Co.^ Boston; General Grocer Co., St, Louis and Morey Mercantile Co.,' Denver. The group is reported to' have signed for 39 weeks with no: cancellation coverage, with an op-, tion for an additional 13 weeks evening time during summer months. Although NBC states that negotiations have not been completed, it has said that if the plan goes through, the participating companies would sponsor it in their individual sections of the country, Emil Brisacher & Staff, San Francisco, is in charge of the national broadcast, although sponsors'^ individual agencies prepare territorial commercials and participate in commissions. F( 2 AffiUates' Time Plan PROPOSALS advanced by NBC officials whereby additional time might be made available to basic Blue outlets were construed as in-, adequate by basic Blue owners at a meeting held Sept. 13. It was; decided that Samuel R. Rosenbaum,, president of WFIL, Philadelphia,^ should confer with Mr. Trammel! in the hope of procuring relaxa-i tion of affiliation agreements to permit more open time. Blue outlets originally suggested that every other hour around the clock be optioned to NBC in lieu of the existing arrangement in order that other schedules might be accommodated. The majority of the basic Blue outlets also are affiliates ofj MBS. National Tea's Musico NATIONAL TEA Co., Chicago, on Sept. 22 starts Musico, half-hour; weekly musical quiz show, on WGN, Chicago. The show has been tested on WROK, Rockford, 111., during the last two months and may soon be expanded to other stations. It is understood that Kroger Baking and Grocery Co., Cincinnati, will sponsor the show in markets where National Tea has no distribution. H. W. Kastor & Sons Adv. Co., Chicago, handles the account. Page 10 • September 15, 1939 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising