Broadcasting (July - Dec 1939)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

ASCAP Hearings Near End in West Master Hears Arguments of Society and Broadcasters ASCAP'S effort to break the Washington State anti-monopoly law, which forbids the copyright combine to do business in that State unless it files its repertoire with the State and places a price on each of its compositions, went into its final stages Nov. 8 in Tacoma when ASCAP submitted its brief, following testimony before a special master acting on behalf of the Federal District Court in that jurisdiction. The hearing was before Archie Blair, special master, taking testimony for the three-judge court, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3. Testimony centered around the issue whether a minimum of $3,000 was involved in the proceedings, which would permit the Federal court to assume jurisdiction. If ASCAP fails to prove that j'urisdictional question to the satisfaction of the tribunal, it cannot entertain the case and it must revert to the State court which already has suspended the Washington State statute. Court to Make Ruling During the trial it was stipulated that testimony given before the master can be used in the trial on the merits before the three-judge tribunal. ASCAP filed its brief Nov. 8 with the State and the Washington Association of Broadcasters allowed ten days in which to answer. ASCAP then will have two weeks to make its reply to the counterbrief. The master then reports to the court which will make its ruling. Chief witness for the State against ASCAP was Ed Craney, general manager of KGIR, Butte, Mont., who identified exhibits and discussed at length the manner in which ASCAP allegedly operated. Under examination by State counsel, the purport of his testimony was to show that broadcasters, under their contracts with ASCAP and with the major networks, actually are paying double tribute for this music. Louis Wasmer, operator of KHQ and KGA, Spokane, and Birt Fisher, general manager of KOMOKJR, Seattle, testified against the Washington State statute, generally reflecting the view that it would cost broadcasters more to investigate each composition performed on the "per piece" basis than stations of the State now pay ASCAP. ON THE 19th anniversary of its founding, KDKA, Pittsburgh, received first and third places in the annual H. P. Davis Memorial Announcers' Award, originated in 1933 by Mrs. H. P. Davis, widow of the first chairman of NBC. Gold medal and $150 in cash were awarded the 1939 winner, David Garroway, KDKA special events announcer. First honorable mention went to Walter Sickles, of WWSW, and second honorable mention was awarded Bob Shield, also of KDKA. Left to right are Sickles; Victor Saudek, founder of the Pittsburgh Little Symphony, presenting awards to Garroway; and Shield. Past winners, from 1933 through 1938, were Fred Webber, KDKA; Bill Sutherland, KDKA; Tony Wakeman, WJAS; Bill Sutherland, KDKA; Ken Hildebrand, KQV; Bill Beal, KDKA. Late Personal Notes ASCAP Launches Suits CONTINUING the campaign of infringement suits against Montana broadcasters launched by ASCAP members early last month [Broadcasting, Oct. 15] when 45 suits were filed for publishers against the ovniers of KGIR, Butte, and KGVO, Missoula, about 30 additional such actions have been taken and a similar number will be filed within the next week, according to Louis Frohlich, general counsel for ASCAP. Of the second barrage of infringement actions, 10 were filed against KGIR and a like number against KGVO, with KFBB, Great Falls, and KGHL, Billings, getting five apiece, it was rep jrted. Actions are believed to be in retaliation for the civil and criminal suits filed against ASCAP officials by the Montana broadcasters. POWEL CROSLET Jr., president of Croslev Corp., operating WLW and WSAI, was readmitted to the Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Nov. 10. suffering from a "grippe infection." The illness was said to be a complication of a back injury suffered several weeks ago when he fell from a horse on his country estate in Indiana. His physician said he was removed to the hospital as a precautionary measure. .TAMES FISHBACK. formerly of WOR. Newark, has been named commercial manager of WOL, Washington, following a year as director of national sales. BOB REICHENBACH, formerly of KNX. Los Angeles, has joined the sales promotion department of KMOX. St. Louis. ED McCaffrey, for four years sales manager of KPMC, Bakersfield. Cal.. has been appointed head of KVOE. Santa Ana, Cal.. commercial department. LEWIS PATTERSON, Hollywood publicity director of Benton & Bowles, is at Palm Springs, Cal., recuperating from a breakdown. .JOHN F. KELSET has joined the announcing staff of WCSH, Portland. Me., replacing .John M. Cooper, who has become radio news editor of Boston Eveninn Transcript, broadcasting on WBZ-WBZA, Boston-Springfield. AUDRE LIPSCOMB has joined the continuity staff of KFDA. Amarillo. Tex., to assist David Clai-k, recently named production manager of the station. DON WILSON, Hollywood announcer, has been assigned to the General Foods NBC Aldrich Family serial during its emanation from the West Coast. Felix Mills has been appointed musical director. SYDNEY MEAD, of the engineering staff of WCSH. Portland, Me., who sailed for Europe on a vacation cruise with Mrs. Mead and arrived in England just before the outbreak of war. still is awaiting return passage to America whenever sailing schedules permit. WILLIAM CORNELL has been appointed assistant engineer for remote pickups for WOL, Washington, and MBS, assisting Richard Jevins. EMILY HOLT, executive secretary of the American Federation of Radio Artists, went to St. Louis in midNovember to complete negotiations with KSD. WILLIAM B. CAMPBELL, former European manager of Press Wireless, and previously of RCA, has been appointed executive vice-president of National Television Corp., New York, which expects to have its line of receiving sets in the market shortly. RAYMOND RUBICAM. president of Young & Rubicam, New York, is chairman of the advertising group for the annual Red Cross Roll Call in New York, and Charles Merz of the Neiv York Times is handling the newspaper group. NEW GRID MARKING Quailey Plan Aids Reporters and Spectators A NEW system of gridiron markings designed to assist spectators, the press and radio reporters in following the exact position of the ball on the field has been adopted by nine universities. The system was developed by Les Quailey, in charge of the staff of 102 sports announcers for N. W. Ayer & Son. Used for the first time at Syracuse, it consists of large white diamonds on the 20-yard lines, white crosses on the 40-yard stripes and a circle in the middle of the field. All symbols are placed midway between sideline stripes and stenciled with the same material used in lining the gridiron. Also to increase visibility for those in the stands, large numerals are stenciled on the ground in white at the ends of each 10 yard stripe. Colleges that have followed Quailey's suggestion and introduced the new type of marking are Syracuse, Florida, Temple, Pitt, Colgate, Furman, Carnegie, Princeton and Duke. Other institutions have indicated that the system will be installed before the end of the present football season. WSPD on Basic Red;WHIZ Will Join NBC; McClatchy Negotiationrij WSPD, Toledo, currently an NBC supplementary outlet available with either the Red or Blue basic network, on Jan. 1, 1940, will bfj added to the basic Red and re ' quired of all advertisers using this I network. Advertisers currently us j ing WSPD in connection with the; Blue network will be permitted U continue to the end of their con tracts, but no new Blue advertiser; can secure this station. Deal waf| set by William S. Hedges, NBC vice-president in charge of the sta tions department, and George B Storer, president of WSPD and th( Fort Industry Co. WALK, Zanesville, O., als( operated by the Fort Industry Co. I on Nov. 19 will change its call t(| WHIZ and on the same date wil j join NBC as that network's 180tll affiliate. Station will be availablij to advertisers using WCOL, Co lumbus, in conjunction with eithe:^ Red or Blue network, although ad vertisers on WCOL are not re| quired to add WHIZ. Base networl; rate is $60 per evening hour. Sta tion operates full-time with 10i| watts on 1210 kc. \ Simultaneously, it was reportetj that NBC was negotiating vdth Me j Clatchy Broadcasting Co. for rej vision of its affiliate arrangement ! under which KMJ, Fresno, would become Pacific, basic Red, amj KOH, Reno, now CBS, would joiij the NBC Pacific Coast group a I basic Blue and optional Red. Th | remaining three McClatchy sta] tions, KFBK, Sacramento, KWG Stockton, and KERN, Bakersfiel) • — now optional outlets for boti networks, would become basic Bluj and optional Red. The prospectivj changes were discussed by Mil Hedges with Guy C. Hamiltoi general manager of the McClatch | interests and Howard Lane, mar ager of McClatchy stations, i New York the week of Nov. 6. Standard Program Log A MEETING of the NAB Account ing Committee to devise a propose standardized program log whic would conform with the requir<[ ments of the new FCC rules an' regulations, has been called f< New York Nov. 16. C. T. Luc; manager of WRVA, Richmond, chairman. Decision to call the mee ing was reached after Edwin 3 Spence, NAB secretary-treasure and Paul F. Peter, NAB resear( director, conferred with the FC Rules Committee regarding draf ing of a standard type of log. Sti tions have reported some difiicull with field inspectors who ha' placed varying interpretations ( log requirements. Other membe of the committee are H. W. Bate elder, WFBR, Baltimore, N. Kidd, WSYR, Syracuse; Earl Gluck, WSOC, Charlotte; Harry McKeon, NBC auditor; S. R. Dea CBS assistant treasurer. GILLETTE Safety Razor Co., Bi ton, will sponsor on WHN, New Yoi broadcasts of the fuU schedule of National Hockey League games play at Madison Square Garden this wint Bert Lebhar Jr., WHN sales direct will describe the games, which sti at 9:30 p.m. Agency is Maxon In New York. Page 90 • November 15, 1939 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertisir