Broadcasting (July - Dec 1939)

McDonald Urges FCC To Leave Television in Private Industry Hands A PLEA to the FCC that it give the greatest possible freedom to private enterprise in television by removing any hampering rules, and that it not become "a financial partner" through a subsidy to the visual medium, was made Nov. 13 by Comdr. E. F. McDonald Jr., president of Zenith Radio Corp. In a letter to the Television Committee of the FCC, Comdr. McDonald said possibility of a Government subsidy had been mentioned. He urged vigorously that no such step be contemplated, since it would not only suppress freedom of the medium but also would mean that the Government would lend tax-secured resources to establish competition with existing advertising media. Comdr. McDonald suggested it might be wise to confine commercial licenses to areas such as New York, where enough receivers exist so results may be observed. If the experiment proved a failure, it then would be easy to alter or cancel it, whereas correction of a "nationwide mistake" would be difficult, he said. Comdr. McDonald, together with James T. Buckley, of Philco, and Dr. C. B. JollifFe, representing David Sarnoff, RCA president, conferred with the FCC Television Committee Nov. 2, as a committee representing RMA. It is understood the group recommended lifting of the experimental ban on television to permit sponsored programs, a course which the committee followed in part (see page 17). On Nov. 3, Walter J. Damm, WTMJ, Milwaukee, chairman of the NAB Television Committee and an applicant for a television station to test program service, also conferred with the committee. James J. Walker Named To Head Artist's Group JAMES J. WALKER, former mayor of New York City, has been elected president of the National Assn. of Performing Artists, succeeding Fred Waring, who now becomes NAPA's first vice-president. The position is an active one and will occupy most of Mr. Walker's time, it was stated, although NAPA refuses to divulge whether or not it has become a paid position. The new president has already assumed an active part in negotiations with Music Publishers Protective Assn. for an alliance in the proposed drive to collect fees for the performance of_ records on coin-operated machines. Mr. Walker's eligibility for membership in NAPA is based on his radio work last spring, when he acted as m.c. on a series of variety programs broadcast by WMCA, this work qualifying him as a performing artist. EASTERN CHIP STEAK Co., Newark, has named Scheek Adv. Agency, Newark, and has placed a test of quarter-hour transcriptions Melody Stars thrice-weekly for five weeks on WAAT, I Jersey City, during September and October. More radio will probably be used in the near future. Gannett Seeks Station Funds to Fight Writers to Seek NewDealRadioControl;OtherComment Contract Change J. A. FOLGER & Co., Kansas City (coffee), on Nov. 13 added WDZ, Tuscola, 111., to the list of 19 stations carrying the Judy & Jane transcriptions, placed through Lord & Thomas, New York. FREEDOM of speech, the NAB code, and alleged New Deal machination which eventually would engulf broadcasting, proved favorite topics of columnists and editorial writers during the last fortnight, as radio continued to make the headlines. Most sensational was the new undertaking of the Committee to Uphold Constitutional Government, headed by Frank Gannett, upstate New York publisher and station owner, circularizing station owners and other segments of the industry to contribute to a campaign to curtail Federal control of radio. The committee is seeking contributions of from $50 to $1,000 from each station along with free time for transcription speeches which it would furnish. Mr. Gannett recently launched a vigorous campaign for repeal of Section 606 of the Communications Act, granting the President power to commandeer radio in time of national emergency. Freedom of radio, the committee contends, is threatened by "bureaucratic caprice" and is subject to "manipulation for political purposes." The Gannett solicitation brought a deluge of inquiries from stations to the NAB. The industry position, it was indicated, would be that stations look to the NAB to champion their legislative causes rather than to an outside committee, though the industry obviously favors any move designed to give to radio widest latitude as a free enterprise. Whether broadcasters as individuals choose to contribute to the cause is a matter outside the pale of joint industry action and presumably is left to the discretion of individual broadcasters. See Code Transformed Joseph Alsop and Robert Kintner, Washington columnists for the North American Newspaper Alliance, in their November 14 column took up the Code-Coughlin issue, and observed that if the industry self-regulatory effort should fail the FCC "can step in". They stated that FCC Chairman Fly believes radio propagandists must be dealt with somehow and that if the code breaks down "the FCC will consider transfoi'ming code rules into binding Commission regulations." The Washington journalists mentioned Elliott Roosevelt's denunciation of the code but said this has no bearing on the official viewpoint. They reported the President had told Fly on several occasions that he "need pay no attention to young Roosevelt and if anything his views carry less weight at the FCC than those of other station managers of equal importance." They added that the President "heartily favors the NAB Code which his son has attacked." Alsop (who is a relative of the President) and Kintner interpreted Pope Pius XII's recent encyclical to the American Church as a direct rebuke to Fr. Coughlin. The Holy Father's observation that the priesthood should be "forgetful of personal gain, despising popularity, impartial" was viewed as being directed toward the Detroit priest, particularly in the light of the recent criticism by Rev. Bernard Shiel, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, of Fr. Coughlin. The 'Neiv York Daily News, in a syndicated editorial Nov. 14, cracked the NAB Code, predicting that if the radio industry goes along with the "no controversy" issue it "is taking a big chance of getting ridden straight into the corral of Government ownership." The editorial recited that radio "has a loud voice but a weak heart". It called the NAB statement that it would give away time for controversial programs as "flossy chatter" pointing out that only undesirable hours would be turned over for such broadcasts since stations obviously have the profit motives along with newspapers , grocery stores and peanut peddlers. Chicago Tribune's Attack The Chicago Tribune, under the same ownership as the New York Daily News, in an editorial Nov. 13 attacked both the NAB Code and the FCC position in connection viith it. It referred to the "stranglehold the Commission has upon the life of each licensed station" as embodied in the public interest clause, and held that a recent letter sent by the FCC to the United Rubber Workers, which had complained about refusal of sale of time by WJW, Akron, was a warning "which seriously modified the seeming concession that the radio was free and independent, subject only to the libel and other laws which impose responsibility for public utterance and public writing." It charged that the Government does not quite dare yet to do all the bureaucrats might like them to do but that they "feel constrained to control by intimation and intimidation but the fact that each station must appear before the Commission as a pleader with proof that it is serving the public interest is a condition which must weigh heavily upon the freedom of many managements. They will hesitate to offend the Administration because that offense might count against them when application for renewal is presented." For Banking Accounts CHRISTMAS CLUB Inc., New York, late in November and early December will sponsor one-time five-minute programs, transcribed by World Broadcasting System, on about 50 stations throughout the country to secure new and renewal Christmas Club accounts, which are organized by local banks. Account is handled by Brooke, Smith, French & Dorrance, New York. Continental on CBS CONTINENTAL BAKING Co., New York, will start, probably on Dec. 9, a new dramatic program titled Lives of Great Aviators for Wonder Bread on 48 CBS stations, Saturday, 7:30-8 p. m. An m.c. for the program and the definite starting date will be announced shortly. Benton & Bowles, New York, "is agency. ADAM HAT STORES, New York, will sponsor George Hamilton Combs' commentaries seven nights a week on WHN, New York, through Glickman Adv. Agency, New York. Waiver of AH Rights Is Cause Of West Coast Resentment A DEMAND on advertising agencies to revise contracts with radio writers so that all rights to scripts are not usurped by commercial accounts will be made by Radio Writers Guild with support of Screen Writers Guild and Author's League. United action by the three groups was decided upon when it was brought to notice that a Hollywood film studio will make a series of shorts based on Campana's First Nighter dramas. Western Division of Radio Writers Guild, at its Nov. 7 meeting in Hollywood, unanimously voted to investigate the situation and communicated with New York attorneys regarding privileges taken. It is charged that radio scripts which sold for around $100 each must carry a waiver from the author on all rights. Hollywood writers contend that they are being deprived of revenue from other sources by signing such agreements. They further point out that the price paid for scripts is too meager to compensate them for the broad use made of their plays. To Start in Chicago The Guild will first concentrate on Chicago agencies which buy most of the continuities. Demand on agencies is now being drafted and will be presented after the membership of the three Guilds have approved the arrangement. To protect writers. Western Division is investigating script racketeering now said to be prevalent on the West Coast. A committee consisting of Willis Parker, Daniel Frees, Bill Johnson and Bob Thompson has been named to handle the situation. Western Division, at its Nov. 7 meeting re-elected Forrest Barnes president. He automatically becomes vice-president of the national body. John Boylan, Donald H. Clark, Irving Reis, True Boardman and Thomas Conrad Sawyer were elected to the western regional council for two years, with Leonard J. Levinson, John Slott, David Taylor, Mel Williamson and Jerome Schwartz named to serve for one year. Paul Franklin was selected as alternate. Boylan, Clark, Levinson and Reis were also elected representatives to the Author's League. New York division of the Radio Writers' Guild on Nov. 6 elected new Eastern officers and discussed "contractual relations" between script writers and agencies. Kenneth Webb was unanimously reelected national president, although final approval awaited action by the Los Angeles and Chicago groups. Knowles Entriken, new Eastern regional vice-president, presided at the meeting, which set up the ten-man Guild Council as follows: Merrill Denison, Stuart Hawkins, Katharine Seymour, Lawrence Hammond, Elaine Sterne Carrington, Ruth Adams Knight, Henry Fisk Carleton, Welbourne Kelly, Margaret Lewerth and Bayard Veiller. Four of these members, Hawkins, Hammond, Denison and Miss Seymour, will represent the writers on the Authors' League Council. BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising November 15, 1939 Page 85