Broadcasting (July - Dec 1941)

Muzak Forecasts FM 'Subscribers' Sees 10% of N. Y. Population Paying $2.50 Per Month MUZAK Corp., New York, expects 10% of that city's population to apply for its non-commercial FM program service when it starts early next year at a maximum rate of $2.50 per month, according to a statement by Waddill Catchings, Muzak president. Company, for some years engaged in supplying advertisingless musical programs by wire to hotels, restaurants, apartment buildings etc., was recently granted a permit to construct an FM station (117.65 mc.) in New York by the FCC. Although the programs will be broadcast, Muzak plans to restrict reception to subscribers by sending a disHcordant noise along with the proijgram which can be tuned out only [with the special Muzak receiver i[BROADCASTING, July 7]. 'j Citing a statement of the NAB jjthat advertising on the air is justified because of the high quality of pntertainment it allows the broad[^jtasting industry, Mr. Catchings [declared : i, "Muzak, which is now furnishing programs to hotels, restau[irants and defense industries, can ^ive just as high quality entertainpient to its home subscribers. |( cj Everything But Commercials "We expect 109c of the popula'pion of New York City to apply for ^bur FM service," he declared, 'whether or not they are radio set owners. Our programs can be ;tandby programs, supplementing j:he big commercial programs on :he air. Enough subscribers paying he nominal fee we plan to charge J.vill enable us to supply music, s 3(iews broadcasts, dramatic programs (including live talent kvherever desirable) — everything, in short, that radio provides, ex^ ^3ept commercials." •J Muzak patents will also be availible to others desiring to operate a :ompeting service. "We have agreed vith the Commission to make our latent available", Mr. Catchings iaid. "Purpose of the patent is to nake sure that only those who sub 'Ar-r-k! better spot WFDF Flint Michigan! ar-r-k! so the old buzard will get results!" scribe to the service receive it. Thus we avoid 'bootlegging.' This is a technical aspect of transmission and does not concern a subscriber to the service." Success or failure of the Muzak experiment will depend on the public's willingness to pay the fee that would warrant furnishing such a service. "Purpose of the experiment," according to a statement issued by the company in applying to the FCC for permission to construct the FM station, "is to determine whether the public or a sufficiently large portion of the public would prefer to obtain radio programs by direct payment for the service." Navy Will Expand Radio Department WITH naval communications traffic increasing rapidly. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox recently announced expansion of facilities to meet the increased load. Secretary Knox also indicated that plans are under way to increase materially the size of the Naval Communication Reserve and to train reserve officers and enlised radiomen and signalmen in increasing numbers. According to Navy figures, nearly 300% increase in traffic has been handled in the last 2% years. Total average daily messages increased from 1,534 during the early part of 1939 to 4,518 on July 1, 1941 — with a corresponding wordage increase from 98,402 to 156,864, it was stated. To relieve the growing load on official naval radio facilities, much of this traffic has been diverted to wire lines and the telephone and telegraph services, the Navy Department commented. Since 1939 radio personnel of the Navy has more than doubled, it was indicated, with 1,350 officers performing communication duty now, as against 700 in 1939; 9,200 radiomen against 4,600 and 3,150 signalmen against 1,400. Of the 903 officers on the rolls of the Naval Communication Reserve, 653 are on active duty, along with 5,277 of the 7,000 enlised men. It is anticipated that 1,700 reserve communication officers will be required, and a procurement program is in progress to provide this number, with still further increases foreseen. The Navy Department also lauded the work of the Defense Communications Board, headed by FCC Chairman James Lawrence Fly, declaring that DCB's "vast effort" would be justified, if only for its development of prospective plans for using Governmental and commercial communication facilities to supplement the purely military communication services and for the alternate routing of traffic to meet essential commercial requirements should normal routes fail to function. Kornheiser Heads Radio Tunes PHIL KORNHEISER, for 20 years general manager of Leo Feist Inc.. and more recently serving as a consultant to Merritt Tompkins, vicepresident and general manager of Broadcast Music Inc., has been named general manager of Radio Tunes Inc.. BMI subsidiary organized to publish and promote popular music [Broadcasting, July 14]. i»l8ROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising BOND BURGEONS Drops Radio 'Til Stocks Can Be Replenished — CONTRACT for 111 hours of time on KGKO, Fort Worth-Dallas, is signed by Wright Titus (seated), president of the City National Life Insurance Co. of Dallas. Offering the pen is Ed Bryant, KGKO sales representative, while looking on is Alex Keese, manager of WFAAKGKO. The contract for 260 quarter-hour programs and 52 halfhour programs on KGKO marks the first use of radio by the insurance company. Couchman Adv. Agency, Dallas, is agency. BOND CLOTHING Co., Philadelphia, men's clothing chain, recently cancelled its radio contract with KYW, Philadelphia, under unusual circumstances. It wasn't that radio failed to produce results t\ r the sponsor. Rather, according to A. L. Petrie, manager of the local Bond store, it was because radio was too fruitful. Attributing the results entirely to radio, Mr. Petrie explained that the store has sold out practically its entire stock and it would be necessary to go olT the air in order to reduce the traffic of customers whose needs the concern is unable to meet at the moment. "There is no sense in advertising," said Mr. Petrie, "when we have nothing to sell." Mr. Petrie said that the store would return to the radio in the Fall, with stock replenished. Bond Clothes participated in the KYW Musical Clock each morning for a quarter-hour. NBC Video and FM ON Sept. 10, W2XWG, NBC's FM station in New York, will drop its summer schedule of experimental broadcasts from 3 to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and revert to its original broadcasting schedule of Wednesday through Saturday. It is expected that the operating schedule of WNBT, the network's television station, will similarly be altered at the same date, inaugurating weekend telecasts with the end of the summer season. NBC has regularly coordinated its FM and television program services to avoid unnecessary duplication of technical personnel. MBS Includes FM CURRENT issue of the MBS program folio lists FM stations carrying Mutual network programs along with regular Mutual affiliates, marking the first time a major network has tied in FM outlets with its affiliate listings. FM stations include W71NY, owned by WOR, Mutual New York affiliate; W43B, Boston, W39B, Boston, and W47A, Albany. Network Lists FM FREQUENCY modulation stations carrying MBS network programs are listed along with regular Mutual affiliates in the current issue of the network's progiam folio. The new listing marks the first time that any major network has tied in FM outlets with regular affiliated listings. First FM stations to be so included are the WOR-owned W71NY, New York; W43B. Boston; W.39B, Boston; W47A, Albany. Ot^W RADIO ENGINEERING LABS., INC. Long Island C i t y , N . Y. August 11, 1941 • Page 41