Broadcasting (Jan - June 1940)

NOTES GEORGE McGUFFIN BURBACH AMONG THE FEW newspaper executives who never for a moment had a blind-spot for radio is George McGuffin Burbach, general manager of KSD, St. Louis Post-Dispatch station, and advertising manager of that newspaper. If George Btirbach has the slightest touch of myopia, he suggests that it might trace to a weakness for the number "13". Regardless what the popular fancy may be, it is his lucky number, he says — and he has ample basis for a personal superstition about it. It took exactly 13 years for KSD to recapture the fuUtime status necessary for any station's operation with maximum efficiency. On March 13 last, negotiations were completed with the various parties involved in the wavelength shifts necessary to relieve KSD of its time-sharing burden [see detailed story on page 28] . That day George Burbach was in Washington for conferences with the principals, including FCC officials. His train arrived on Track 13 ; he left on Track 13. Thirteen years ago the Department of Commerce authorized the Lutheran station KFUO to utilize several hours a day of KSD's time on its 550 kc. channel. Now all that has been settled ; KFUO gets a new facility and KSD, which Under Mr. Burbach's guidance has earned the reputation of being one of the most progressive radio stations in the country, within a few weeks will .yoperate without disrupted schedules. Best of all — and this is traceable to the genial and fairminded attitude of Mr. Burbach and his willingness to negotiate on a give-and-take basis — all direct parties are happy about the whole thing. That it means better service for St. Louis listeners goes without saying. George Burbach comes from a newspaper family and might be regarded as a newspaperman of the old school were it not for the fact that a zest for his work, particularly for his pet project of radio, has kept him constantly on his toes and alive to the new opportunities presented by new developments. KSD is one of the country's oldest and best known broadcasting stations. From its inception as the first Class B 500-watter, on March 9, 1922, its destinies, at least in its commercial phases, have been guided bv Mr. Burbach. While the advertising department of one of the country's great newspapers is a vastly bigger job, George Btirbach avows that radio holds an unwavering fascination for him. Certainly it keeps up the youngish spirit, clear eye and steadfast outlook that appear to his friends as his most marked characteristic. A native of St. Louis, where he was born Nov. 22, 1883, and where he attended the local public and high schools and was graduated from a local business college, George Burbach was 21 years old when he joined the old St. Louis Republic as a space salesman. He remained with that newspaper 13 years, during which he opened and managed its Chicago office. On Jan. 1, 1913, he resigned to become manager of national advertising for the Munsey newspapers, with headquarters in New York, the group embracing the New York Press, Washington Times, Baltimore News, Boston Journal and Philadelphia Times. He remained with Munsey for only nine months before accepting the position of advertising manager of the Post-Dispatch in his home tovra. .'.In 1922 Joseph Pulitzer the younger, publisher of that newspaper, asked his advertising manager what he thought about going ,into radio. Burbach favored it, particularly seeing in the developjnent of radio programs and a radio page a source of advertising linage for the newspaper. The business details were left to him, while construction and operating phases were left to Vice-President A. G. Lincoln, the veteran circulation manager of the newspaper. KSD from the start was a popular DX pickup for radio fans {Continued on page 55) BENEDICT GIMBEL Jr. has been reelected president of Pennsylvania Bcstg. Co., licensee of WIP, Philadelphia. Edward A. Davies was reelected vice-president in charge of sales. Arthur Miller replaces James J. O'Brien as secretary, the latter remaining on the board. Raymond Filske was reelected treasurer, and Ellis A. Gimbel was renamed board chairman. JAMES TURNER, for the last three years with WSIX, Nashville, who has resigned as program director to become director of the new WLBJ, Bowling Green, Ky., which begins operation about June 10, was tendered a series of farewell parties during early May by friends at WSIX, WSM and WLAC as well as the Nashville local of AFM. ROBERT E. MAY. formerly an associate attorney with the FCC and more recently with the Federal Power Commission and the National Assn. of Railroad & Utilities Commissioners, has become associated with Carl I. Wheat in the practice of law. Mr. Wheat, iformer assistant general counsel of the FCC, is now practicing in San Francisco but recently opened a Washington office, with which Mr. May will be associated. HAYDEN HUDDELSTON has been appointed commercial manager of WCHV, Charlottesville, Va., in a reorganization in which Pat Padgett has taken over the duties of production manager in addition to chief announcer and Charles Piedra has been named continuity chief. Louise Hayden has been appointed copywriter. IRA ROGER, formerly with WIS, Columbia. S. C., has joined the new WJHP, Jacksonville, which will start operating sometime in July. He will be commercial manager under Henry Wells, who will be general manager. Hal Davis, formerly commercial manager of WTMC, Ocala. Fla., has been named manager succeeding R. R. Powell, who will join the WJHP sales staff. Mr. Wells has relinquished his managership of WCOA, Pensacola, to work on the WJHP project for the John H. Perry interests. AL BAMFORD. formerly with WGRC, Louisville, and Conquest Alliance Co.. recently has joined the sales staff of KROW, Oakland, Cal. JAMES M. PATT, of the sales staff of WKRC, Cincinnati, on June 15 is to marry Patricia Mather, formerly in the WKRC accounting department. Louise Evans succeeds Miss Mather. WALKER BLAKE has been promoted to commercial manager of CJCA, Edmonton, to succeed Ed. Chown. moved to the Toronto office of All-Canada Radio Facilities. P. H. CUNNINGHAM, formerly commercial manager of KWOC. Poplar Bluff, Mo., has been named general manager of the station, succeeding Bill Bates, who resigned to join KCKN. Kansas City, Kan., as program director. HENRY C. PUTNAM, national advertising and special events man of KGMB. Honolulu, is the father of a girl born in midApril. JACK STEWART, formerly NBC Hollywood, account executive, has joined KH.I, Los Angeles. HUGH GILMORE, of the sales staff at KIEM, Eureka, Cal. has resigned to enter the clothing business. KING MITCHELL, formerly of KWLK. Longview, Wash., has joined KMO. "Tacoma, as account executive. JOHN F. ROYAL, NBC vice-president in charge of programs, was scheduled to leave by plane May 12 for South America to complete details for the South American tour of Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra scheduled for June and July. JAMES M. GRIFFITH, formerly manager of KVSO, Ardmore. Okla., has been named manager of KADA. Ada, Okla., succeeding John M. Whitney, who has resigned after three years as KADA manager. FIN HOLLINGER. since early 1939 commercial and merchandising director of CJLS, Yarmouth, N. S., has joined WHLD, Niagara Falls, N. Y., as promotional director. Richard Irvine succeeds HoUinger at CJLS, as of May 15. W. E. WILLIAMS has resigned as manager of WGRM. Greenwood, Miss., to join KORN, Fremont, Neb., as commercial and production manager. Before his WGRM affiliation, he was with KFDM Beaumont, and KTAT, Fort Worth, as commercial manager. HARRY KOPF, sales manager of NBC-Central Division, on May 2 left for a vacation cruise in the Caribbean. WALTER E. WAGSTAFF. commercial manager of KDYL, Salt Lake City, has been elected president of the Salt Lake Advertising Club. WILL WHITMORE, advertising supervisor of Western Electric Co., New York and editor of the company's house organ Pick-Ups, on April 27 became the father of a baby girl, Jane. H LESLIE ATLASS, vice-president of the CBS Western Division, has entered a number of horses from his Sunny Ridge Farm in the American Royal Horse Show to be held in Kansas City in mid^May. Mr. Atlass will be on hand to watch his animals perform. ELIZABETH WADE CRAIG, daughter of Edwin W. Craig, executive head of WSM, Nashville, and of the National Life & Accident Insurance Co., was to be married May 15 to William Cheatham Weaver Jr., Nashville business man. BERT LEBHAR Jr., sales manager of WHN, New York, on April 28 became the father of a baby girl, Vivienne. VINCENT ROSSI, accountant of WBBM. Chicago, has returned to his desk following an appendectomy. HOWARD L. CHERNOFF, manager of WCHS, Charleston, W. Va., on May 4 underwent a gall bladder and appendix operation. He is reported in good condition. A. A. SCHECHTER, NBC director of news and special events, and Guy C. Hickok. director of NBC's international division, were initiated into Sigma Delta Chi, national honorary journalism fraternity, in Columbus. O., while attending the Institute for Education by Radio. ED BARKER, account executive of KGO-KPO, San Francisco, became the father of a boy April 29. HOWARD CARNOW, general manager of Radio Attractions, New York, on May 6 became the father of a baby girl. CARTER M. PARHAM, commercial manager of WDOD. Chattanooga, Tenn., is the father of a boy born early in May. s, ^ PETER STEEL, formerly assistant continuity editor of WOR, Newark, has been appointed commercial continuity editor of the station, replacing Leonard Leonard, who resigned recently to join Austin & Spector, New York. Robert F. Blake, formerly on the staff of the New Yorker magazine, will be sustaining continuity editor and writer. Charles Godwin, formerly assistant production manager, has been appointed head production manager, to be assisted by Frank Knight of the announcing staff. BRQA.P CAS TING • Broadcast Advertising May 15, 1940 • Page 51