Broadcasting (July - Dec 1942)

Mr. Mills Mills' New Plans Soon to be Known Ex-ASCAP Official Expected To Remain in Music E. CLAUDE MILLS, who retired as chairman of the administrative committee of ASCAP July 1, shortly will announce a "new connection," probably in the music performing rights field. Mr. Mills, whose activities in the radio music field go back almost to the onset of radio, was instrumental i n working out both the 1932 and 1935 performing rights contracts with broadcasters. He was at loggerheads with his own board, however, in the handling of the 1940 negotiations, which resulted in the rupture of industry-ASCAP relations. "The discontinuance of my service with ASCAP is under circumstances entirely agreeable to all concerned," Mr. Mills told Broadcasting last Wednesday. "I would not pretend that it wasn't a wrench to disassociate myself from an enterprise in which I have had such a deep interest. At Odds With Board "But under existing circumstances, it being perfectly clear that during the past few years ASCAP's board of directors and myself have been completely at odds as to policy and strategy, it is much better for ASCAP and much better for Mills that the association terminate." In 1919, when the composer, Victor Herbert and the late Nathan Burkan, attorney, were getting ASCAP under way, Mr. Mills joined the organization as general manager. He left in 1929 as chairman of its Administrative Committee, to become the president of Radio Music Co., a subsidiary of NBC. This venture failed and Mr. Mills returned to ASCAP in March, 1932, as general manager. In 1937 he again became chairman of the Administrative Committee, when John G. Paine, at the time general manager and trustee of Music Publishers Protective Assn., became the ASCAP general manager. Mr. Mills follows Gene Buck, former ASCAP president, in retiring from the Society. Mr. Buck was succeeded by Deems Taylor, but was retained as a consultant for a 15 -year period at $25,000 per year. Mr. Mills, while he left ASCAP as of July 1, was voted one year's salary of $35,000. REGINALD LEONARD, war correspondent of the Melbourne TTernld, Australia, will be hoard on WBNX, New York, in a scrios of transcribed tali<s presented liy the Aiitralian News and Information Bureau. Leonard made the transcriptions while in New York on his way back to Australia from London. RCA Achieves Savings In Tube Packing Method RCA MFG. Co., Camden, N. J., has developed a new principle of packing radio tubes which is saving RCA some 120 tons of packing material a year, as well as enabling the company to ship twice as many tubes in a boxcar or truck. Developed by Charles I. Elliott, RCA tube-packing engineer, under direction of L. E. Mitchell, manager of the industrial engineering department, the new packing principle offers greater protection from breakage, a lessened cost for all transportation cases, reduction in the fire hazard and a saving of some 30,000 additional hours of time required for testing the tubes. RCA has granted patent rights to other tube manufacturers. BEHIND THE SCENES of Command Performance, transcribed series being shortwaved to U. S. armed forces overseas, are these Hollywood executives gathered for a discussion of production and technical problems. They are (1 to r) : Robert Scheutz, manager of NBC's Hollywood recording division; Glenn Wheaton, writer; Maurice Holland, producer; and Robert Colson, assistant chief of the radio branch. Army Bureau of Public Relations. RETURNING to the air for the first time since Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Galls, a program of native melodies by the islanders, is again heard on MBS Saturday, 6 :30-7 p.m., via shortwave from Hawaii. IN CHICAGOIT'S W-G-N In Chicago, the spot time buyer has a choice among five 50,000 watt stations as well as numerous others of smaller power. Among these five 50,000 watt stations, W-G-N has become the predominant choice of these spot time buyers. W-G-N not only carries more local and national spot time than any two other major Chicago stations, but comes within a negligible percentage of carrying more than the four other 50,000 watt stations combined. A Clear Channel Station 50,000 WaHs MUTUAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM BASTCRN SALES OFFICE: 220 E. 42nd Street, New York, N. Y. PAUL H. RAYMER CO., Los Angeles, Cat., San Francisco, Ctrft BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising July 13, 1942 • Page 49