Broadcasting (July - Dec 1939)

Addition of Mexican Stations To Ford Program Is Approved Use of 10-Statioii Hookup May Lead Others to Include Southern Nation in Schedules A NAME WANTED Cowles Stations Offer Prize -For Group Title PRESAGING introduction of American network commercial program service to Mexico, the FCC Oct. 25 granted the petition of CBS for authority to transmit the Foirl Sunday Evening Hour to 10 stations in the most populous areas of that nation. Regarded as an experiment which will be watched by other netwoi'k advertisers, the service was slated to begin Oct. 29 for a 13week run, placed through the regular Ford agency, N. W. Ayer & Son. Arrangements for projection of the Ford program, featuring symphonic music and outstanding concert artists, were made by CBS at the behest of Victor E. Creighton, representative for a number of regular Mexican stations who headquarters in both Mexico City and San Antonio. No Official Objection CBS did not initiate the move, but on behalf of the Ford company and its agency filed the necessary applications with the FCC and checked also with the State Department. It is understood that no official objection was voiced in any quarter, but on the contrary it was felt that transmission of outstanding programs, both commercial and sustaining, to Mexico and other Latin American countries would tend to foster the Administration's Good Neighbor policy. According to the application filed with the FCC, a toll charge of $250 per program for the one-hour feature would defray all time, special announcer and other charges billed through the Ayer agency. It specifies also that the agency would procure customary discounts as well as the normal 15% commission. While there was no formal explanation, it is presumed that the station time charges in Mexico will be handled locally thi'ough Ford factory branches and distributors, rather than through the American agency. CBS does not stand to realize any return on the "experimental" series. Mr. Creighton, who is understood to have convinced the Ford company and its agency of the desirability of opening the Mexican field for network broadcasting, sought the aid and assistance of CBS in making the arrangements. It was reported also that at least three other substantial network advertisers plan to observe the experiment closely and if it proves successful they propose to follow the same course. Under Section .325 of the Communications Act, specific FCC authority is necessary to transmit pi ograms across the U. S. borders. All three major networks transmit both commercial and sustaining programs to Canadian stations and the network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. The Ford series, however, will mark the first venture of American advertisers into Mexico on a regular basis via network transmission. Commercial transcriptions are used regularly on Mexican stations. It was pointed out that the ten stations to which the service would be supplied are regularly licensed commercial Mexican outlets. So far as is known, none is in the so-called "outlaw" classification and there are no border stations included. Transmission Setup The contract, as filed with the FCC, specifies that the Sunday Evening Hour will be delivered to the Mexican border through KTSA, San Antonio, CBS outlet, by AT&T telephone lines. The contract cost per program to the border was quoted as $190. At the border, the Government-owned telephone and telegraph company of Mexico will pick up the programs for distribution to nine of the ten stations by wire line. Since no wire lines are available to the tenth outlet, XEME at Merida, Yucatan, it will rebroadcast. The FCC was advised that Spanish announcements on the programs would be made from Monterey, and that the commentaries of William J. Cameron included in the program will be faded out with a Spanish translation to be given from Monterey during that interval. In addition to XEME, the regular broadcast stations to transmit the programs are XEQ, Mexico City; XET, Monterey; XECZ, San Luis Potosi; XES, Tampico; XED, Guadalajara; XEU, Vera Cruz. International shortwave stations to TURNING tables on the fecund minds who devise prize contests for public consumption, the Cowles Stations, Des Moines, on Nov. 1 announced their own competition "for advertising men only", offering a $500 award for a name. Following the "What's sauce for the Goose is sauce for the Gander" theme, the Cowles .Stations (formerly Iowa Broadcasting Co.) have annotmced the rules for the contest. The purpose is to procure a market name describing the primary area served by the four stations — WMT, Cedar Rapids; KRNT and KSO, Des Moines, and WNAX, Yankton. Eligible for entry are all employes, male and female, of agencies, advertising managers or any time buyer now using radio as a medium." The Earle Allen agency, of Omaha, handling the campaign, said that it was felt the matter of contests foisted upon the public daily at the instigation of agencies had gone "far enough". To change the usual procedure, it said entrants "will not have to tear the antenna off their radio set to send it in with their entry". carry the program are XEQQ, Mexico City; XETT, Monterey, and XEDD, Guadalajara. The applications filed with the FCC sought authority to transmit the program from Oct. 15 through Jan. 7, 1940. Delay in routine, however, resulted in announcement of the applications on Oct. 24 and approval was forthcoming by the circulation method. It is presumed that if the experiment proves successful, the Ford relays will be extended for another 13-week period or longer. T. FRANK SMITH, manager of KXYZ, Houston, has applied to the FCC for a new 250-watt station there on 1210 kc. EXCITEMENT was furnished by Joe Hamilton Noland, news editor of WSM, Nashville, on Oct. 23 when he described his first solo flight during a special broadcast originated by WSM and fed to NBC-Blue. Noland used a pack transmitter to describe his takeoff, flight and landing, step by step, as well as to participate in a two-way conversation with Jack Harris, WSM special events director, on the ground. To operate the pack outfit it was necessary for Noland to qualify for an operator's license, which he did after 10 days' tutoring by Chief Engineer Jack DeWitt. The broadcast concluded from Washington, where Clinton M. Hester, administrator of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, congratulated Noland. At left are Noland (in plane with chest-mike), and Harris, just before the takeoff", which was made on schedule despite an eleventhhour deluge of red tape, and at right squats Harris, watching Noland's plane (upper right) take off from the Nashville airport. Ruling May Be Required By NAB on Dramatized Programs for Elections WITH open season for electioneering in the offing, some question already has arisen regarding dramatization of political broadcasts, which may force a ruling by* the NAB Code Compliance Committee. Announcement by WHN, New York, that a series of programs under the auspices of the Citizen's Non-Partisan Committee would be based on the dramatization plan precipitated the issue. The code itself does not mention such dramatizations a3 taboo, but the preliminary draft of the self -regulation document made public by the NAB last summer alluded to the subject. It is understood it was decided to eliminate specific language dealing with political dramatizations and leave the issue for interpretation by the Code Compliance Committee after a test. Several years ago a furor developed when the Republican National Committee sponsored a dramatization in which the recorded voice of President Roosevelt was employed in a broadcast by Senator Vandenburg (R-Mich.). The WHN announcement said that the new series involved illustration of a political talk with playlets. "This is believed to be a new idea in political broadcasting and may be the forerunner of similar airings in the political show," the announcement said. New Poughkeepsie Local Is Authorized by FCC FOLLOWING its refusal several months ago to authorize the local newspaper interests to establish a new local station in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., the FCC on Oct. 17 authorized the Poughkeepsie Broadcasting Corp., a group of local residents including newspaper operators, to construct a new fulltime 250-watt station in that community to operate on 1420 kc. Call letters will be WKIP. The corporation is headed by Richard E. Coon, editor of the Poughkeepsie Eagle -News and Poughkeepsie Star & Enterprise, morning and evening newspapers. He owns 40% of the preferred and 70% of the common stock. Mrs. Blanche J. Parks, publisher of the newspapers, owns 32% of the preferred and 16% of the common stock. Other stockholders are: John E. Mack, attorney, 20% preferred, 10% common; James 'Townsend, banker; Henry N. MacCracken, president of Vassar College; John B. Grubb, attorney; Charles S. Mitchell, former head of the local Chamber of Commerce. Each of the latter four own 2% of the preferred and 1% of the common. WENY, Elmira, Starting WENY, Elmira, N. Y., new 250watt outlet on 1200 kc, will become the 122d outlet of MBS when it begins operating in early November. It will be licensed to the Elmira Star-Gazette Inc., publisher of the Elmira Star-Gazette and Advertiser, Gannett newspapers which also operate WESG, Elmira, under lease from Cornell University. The two stations will have joint studios in the Mark Twain Hotel and will be jointly managed by Dale L. Taylor. An RCA transmitter and a 425-foot tower are being installed. Page 22 • f^ovemher J, 1939 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising