Broadcasting (Jan - June 1942)

AMERICAN RADIO IS BETTER But Those Abroad Wish Signals Were Stronger; U. S. Should Send Over Radiomen Editor's Note — This personal letter was received ly a member of the staff of Broadcastixg from Jim Sims, formerly an engineer with Texas stations u ho was one of the first radiomen to sign up for duty in England with the Civilian Technical Corps. Dated Jan. 30 and passed hy the British censor, it contains some interesting ohserrations on wartime radio in England, particularly with respect to the British reaction to American shortn-ave programs. Mr. Sims also advances a pertinent suggestion that T'. S. broadcast men accompany our forces overseas, foUoicing the example of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Radio Articles Feature Several Recent Issues Of National Magazines FOUR articles about or by radio folk, carried in three successive issues of the Saturday Evening Post, provide a testimonial to radio's growing stature as a source of magazine material. Eric Sevareid, former CBS correspondent in Paris, now attached to that network's Washington news staff, is author of "Where Do We Go from Rio", to appear in the March 28 issue. He attended the recent Pan American Conference at Rio de Janeiro as the network's special correspondent. The March 21 issue carried an article titled "The Barber of Brooklyn" by Richard G. Hubler, a personality sketch of "Red" Barber, the WOR-MBS sportscaster. An article in the March 14 issue titled "They Call It Misery Hill" by Martin Sheridan tells the story of the scientists and weathermen stationed atop Mt. Washington in New Hampshire where the Yankee Network's FM outlet is located; also the weather observatory partly maintained by Yankee. In the same issue Mark and Maxine Finley, the former Don Lee-Hollywood publicity director now in the Army, are authors of an article titled "Twenty-Four Hours to Asia". The March Readers Digest also leads with an article by a radioman, Cecil Brown, roving CBS war correspondent. His "Stand by for Torpedo," recounting his experiences aboard the torpedoed British battleship Repulse and originally carried in Collier's, is digested in that edition. REPRESENTING the first time that a news wire has been installed in either of Wisconsin's two Stateoperated stations — WLBL, Stevens Point, and WHA, Madison — the former station has contracted for an AP wire. WLBL, established 18 years ago, broadcasts daily market news throughout the State over the Wisconsin Network. POWER! i — WHERE POWER I ^OUNTS MOST I \T H E G R E AJ ! i TENO^JESSEE WjklLEY | WLAC NASHVILLE, TENN: soon going to 50,000 WATTS REPRESENTED BY PAUL H. RAYMER CO. J. T. WARD, Owner F. C. SOWELL, Manager HAVE BEEN receiving Broadcasting all OK — thank Gawd. Now I pass it around to all the boys in the RAF to show them what a real system of broadcasting looks like. I have had an opportunity to study broadcasting under the Government method and now appreciate more than ever the system employed in the States. Americans Are Spoiled I have been reading comments in Broadcasting concerning suggestions for Government control and operation of radio. Well — I am afraid the American people have been spoiled. They would never tolerate any other method than that which they have right now. This isn't casting any reflections on the BBC, but to the Americans over here it has proved a big disappointment. I have been conducting a "oneman poll" and find that Britishers are to a large extent dissatisfied with the BBC. For one reason, programs lack freshness and entertainment value. The Jack Benny and Bob Hope shows are very popular over here. Of course, commercials are cut. The American idea is definitely favored by English listeners. The program schedule of Broadcasting House could undergo a thorough revision and come out the better for it, I think. The only objection to the American system that the Britisher has is that he dislikes listening to programs burdened with commercial continuity. He has the idea that our big shows are interrupted every few minutes with long blurbs on the product being sold. This idea has been taken from the movies that occasionally burlesque the studio side of broadcasting. A BOOM TOWN WITH 270,000 FOLKS Bent on Munition Manufacture in America's 52nd Market UTICA, NEW YORK "The Voice of the Mohawk Valley" and "The Middlelink in Columbians Chain from the Hudson to the Great Lakes" When told that this is not the case and that advertisers have learned it pays to restrict commercial continuity as much as possible, the Englishman will brighten up and will in most cases favor the commercial system. It appears that some form of commercial broadcasting will appear in this country after the war. It most cei'tainly will stimulate the BBC programming staff and will pry the restricting bars of English tradition from modern broadcasting. A peaceful condition exists at present on the broadcasting airlanes over here. Not much jamming and both sides seem to be minding their own frequencies. Perhaps I am wrong but it seems to me that both sides also are "missing the bus" with regard to this business of propaganda. You don't bother to listen to a station unless it has programs that appeal. German propaganda stations endeavor to attract listeners by playing dance tunes and putting on shows that appeal to the German taste. That is all well if you want to entertain a German. But the same doesn't apply when you are trying to peddle Nazi propaganda to an Englishman. In particular, I was surprised at the ineffectiveness of "Haw Haw" Joyce, the English "convert" who skipped over to Berlin. He seemed to me to be extremely naive in his method of propaganda and of little use to Goebbels' propaganda setup. Weak U. S. Signals Rather disappointing is our own American shortwave reception in this country. The signal strength of the various shortwave American transmitters is very low over here. I believe our international service could be improved greatly. American news commentators are very popular here. But the U. S. could certainly be represented more than it is at present on the BBC. Canada has its own announcer over here in the form of Gerry Wilmot. Now that American troops have arrived on this side, why don't we have an American staff of experienced broadcast men to represent the U. S. Forces on the BBC? I am quite sure that our soldiers and men serving in the various organizations devoted to the war effort would appreciate very much the results obtained. . . . Incidentally, not much doing over here with regards to enemy activity. Of course, now and then on a clear day we do get a few shells from Jerry's guns across the way. At present I am about 20 miles from the coast of France. The other night I was restfully reclining on my cot absorbed in an editorial in the latest issue of Broadcasting. Out of the night came a couple of shells that landed rather close. However, it still wasn't enough to pry me loose from my favorite reading matter. Broadcasting Magazine is right in there, doing "front line service". Cheerio for now. New Rate Card Issued For WABC, New York RATE CARD No. 15, dated March 1, 1942, has been released by WABC, New York key of CBS. Daily rate for Class A remains at $1,350 per hour for the 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. period. Changes include the listing of Sunday afterternoon as Class B instead of Class C, showing a slight increase in Sunday afternoon rates. Hourly rate for Class B per day is $1,000 from 6 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays and 12 noon to 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Daytime rates are now classified as Class C, covering 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 12 noon Sundays, 10:30 p.m. to 12 midnight daily. Hourly rate is $675. The D group is now midnight to 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., hour rate being $500. The new 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. period, listed at $150 per hour, is titled Class E, the only classification for which spot announcements are permitted. Rates for them are $25 for onetime live or transcribed one-minute announcements and $20 for 100 words. Present advertisers are, as usual, protected for one year, provided they continue their present service without interruption. They are not protected, however, on additions to their present schedule. Bivens for Douglas BILL BIVENS, former announcer and advance man for the Vox Pop program, sponsored on CBS by Emerson Drug Co., has been named announcer for the NBC Fred Waring Pleasure Time program, heard five times weekly for Chesterfield cigarettes. Mr. Bivens, at one time chief announcer of WFBC, Greenville, S. C, and special events announcer of WJSV, Washington, succeeds Paul Douglas, freelance announcer, who has worked for nine years on network programs sponsored by Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. KECA EARLE C. ANTHONY, INC. 790 KG • 5000 WATTS DAY AND NIGHT LOS ANGELES BLUE NETWORK Ask your Agency to ask the Colonel! ^FREE €f PETERS. Inc., National Representatives Page 46 • March 23, 1942 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising