Broadcasting (July - Dec 1940)

Bulletin Watchers PRE-WAR days of 1914, with thousands gathered about bulletin boards at newspaper offices, has its 1940 counterpart in Omaha. Throughout these days crowds ranging from 100 to 500 persons gather around WOW's newsroom window on Farnam St. to watch and listen to war bulletins, posted evei-y 15 minutes. Down the street, about half a block away, similar crowds congregate around an outdoor speaker established by KOIL. At the time Italy declared war Farnam St. — Omaha's main thoroughfare— was completely blocked, with about 2,000 persons on the street listening to WOW's Foster May casting war news. candidate for President on a ticket with Franklin D. Roosevelt, had recommended his renomination to the White House. As the heai'ing concluded, Sen. Tobey asked Commissioner Brown to furnish the committee with a record of all of Donald Flamm's idealings with the FCC, over and ^above the license history of WMCA, which he had procured earlier from the FCC. Mr. Colin's Statement Following is the statement issued June 21 by Mr. Colin: I "Charges made by Senator Tobey |today with reference to transacitions in 1932 by William S. Paley, jpresident of the CBS, and other 'directors of that company, are Ifalse. I acted as counsel for Mr. iPaley and the other stockholders jof CBS in the 1932 transactions land I am personally familiar with 'all of the facts. Senator Tobey's xiharges result either from the delliberate and malicious intent to injure Mr. Paley and his associates, and the CBS, or from ignorance of the facts and rash statements despite such ignorance. "In 1932 half of the Columbia stock, or 63,250 shares, were owned by Paramount Publix Corp. and the 'other half of the stock were owned by fewer than 30 individuals. Parlamount decided to sell its half of jthe stock and individual stockholders of Columbia owning more than 95% of the other half bought from Paramount 49,094 shares of Columbia stock at $82.21 a share. "At the same time and without profit to any director, Columbia bought for its own treasury the remaining 14,156 shares of Columbia |stock at the same price of $82.21 a share. Senator Tobey is in error in stating that the stock at that time had a market value of only 135 radio stations from coast to coast now using TEL-PIC WIIVDOW DISPLAYS with its daily mailed picture service TEL-PiC SYNDICATE, Inc. 1650 BROADWAY, NEW YORK P.S. Our new reciprocal plan is ivithout cost to station. LEAVING for the annual convention of the National Assn. of Retail Grocers in New York, the Cincinnati contingent got a radio sendoff at the station. Fred Foster (holding mike) interviewed grocers. Behind him (polo shirt) is Herbert Flaig, special events man. WLW sent its own crew to the convention. $35 a share. At that time the stock was not dealt in on any market and accordingly it had no market value. That the price of $82.21 a share paid for the stock by both the individual stockholders for their own account and by Columbia for its treasury was a fair valuation is proven by the fact that, coincidentally with the purchase from Paramount, the individual stockholders were able to resell 24,328 of the shares they had purchased from Paramount to a syndicate of third party purchasers at the same price of $82.21 a share which the stockholders and Columbia had paid to Paramount. "Two things should be emphasized in connection with the transaction. The first is that neither Mr. Paley alone nor in association with his directors used a single dollar of company funds for their own personal benefit. Company funds were used to reacquire its own stock for its own treasury and the wisdom of that acquisition has been proven by the fact that the stock acquired even at present depreciated market values, is now worth many times the price paid for it. Secondly, the profit made by Mr. Paley and his associates has resulted from their efforts on behalf of the company and the increase by reason thereof in the value of its stock over the value at the time of their original investment." Fight Shortwaved TIDE WATER ASSOCIATED OIL Co., New York, on June 19 during its regular shortwave program to South America on WGEO, General Electric Co.'s shortwave station in Schenectady, presented an interview with Arturo Godoy, South American, who fought Joe Louis on the following evening in Madison Square Garden, New Yoi"k. Tide Water broadcasts two shortwave programs weekly on WGEO to promote its lubricants [Broadcasting, June 1]. G. M. Basford Co., New York, handles the company's foreign advertising. The Godoy-Louis fight itself was sponsored by Adam Hats on NBC as well as on NBC's shortwave stations to Latin America, WRCA and WNBI. Interviews with Louis and Godoy featured the transcribed Radio Ne^vs Reel on WMCA, New York, June 19. 'Elm Street' Amateur Winners WINNERS in the amateur talent contest conducted by the Wander Co., Chicago, for its MBS Carters of Elm Street serial program, are Miss Thelma Hansen, Lowell, Mass., a demonstrator for Canada Dry Ginger Ale, and Mrs. Ethel Chase Christide, Eugene, Ore., a high school teacher. Each of the 84 Mutual stations carrying the program held its own auditions to find one girl between 15 and 25 years of age and another of 25 or over. The winners will be brought to Chicago, all expenses paid, and will i-eceive roles specially adapted to their acting ability to enact on the program for two weeks at $112. .50 per week. Agency handling the Wander account is Blackett-Sample-Hummert, Chicago. JACK PEARCE. engineering supervisor of WGN. Chicago, escaped with only a slight head injury when his car was turned over by a blowoiit enroute to the Illinois Republican convention at Springfield. Glenn Miller Is Winner Of 'Ballroom' Band Poll GLENN MILLER, young orchestra leader heard thrice-weekly on CBS under sponsorship of Liggett & Myers Co. for (I^hesterfield cigarettes, was named the "Nation's No. 1 Bandleader" in the annual poll conducted by Martin Block for listeners to the Make Believe Ballroom program on WNEW, New York. This year the poll was conducted not only among New York listeners, but also in the 20 cities in which National Biscuit Co. has been sponsoring RCA-Victor records with introductions by Martin Block, similar to the Ballrom, since Feb. 12. Miller's nearest rival in the poll was Tommy Dorsey, with Benny Goodman, Sammy Kaye and Kay Kyser following in that order. In the old days they fired a gun from The Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia to tell the time. Today the population listens to CHNS for the time. NOTE: They Still Fire the Gun Keeping Up the Old Traditions! Traditions, However, Don't Get Much Business CHNS Does — Try It. FAIR VISITORS .make the St. Francis your home while in San Francisco! Take advantage of the gracious service, famous cuisine and central location. You'll enjoy the Pageant of the Pacific more if you are at the St.Froncis. 1000 rooms from $4 HOTEL ST. FR/V^CIS MANAGEMENT DAN E. LONDON UNION SQUARE SAN FRANCISCO BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising July 1, 1940 • Page 79