Broadcasting (July - Dec 1942)

Post -War Growth s Seen by Hanson Petrillo Asked by NAB to Reconsider In Best Interests of War and AFM {apid Progress to Come Says i^ice-President of NBC ITRINGENT conditions imposed n radio during wartime operation /ill result in a post-war period of ntense technical innovation and evelopment, according to O. B. lanson, NBC vice-president and hief engineer, speaking informally n what will happen to the radio ndustry when peace comes. Drawing a parallel from past exerience, Mr. Hanson pointed out hat "we went into the last war ^ith wireless telegraphy and came lUt with wireless telephony — which ave radio broadcasting its start." Knowledge Pooled I Prior to Pearl Harbor, radio had 'lany little-developed scientific projcts going forward at normal peaceime rates of pi-ogress, the NBC tjjixecutive declared, adding that ow while we are at war again norlal working must be scrapped. Men pool ideas, experience and iboratories, searching every bit of Jjechnical knowledge for its possible se. As long as we are at war all will be the exclusive property ■f the armed forces; but when ^eace comes again all the ingenious i,evices, all the wealth of intense wartime research and most of the len now busy in the nation's labIratories will revert to civilian ife." " Until then, Mr. Hanson pointed 'ut, "the civilian will know little Ijr nothing of the immense treas■ res of research and development ^eing piled up in wartime. But if ,liey are in proportion to the vastess of science's application to war (1 1942, the forward surge of radio, mce the Nazi scourge has been >iped out, should be almost beyond alculation." on 11' NBC-Chicago Changes fERSONNEL changes of NBC|lhicago recently are: R. N. Neu/auer, cashier for 10 years, has ^'j"l|lpined the local and spot sales staff ; ■ F. Fredendall, audio facilities ngineer of NBC-New York, has QYiransferred to Chicago as transmis^jJ,„ion engineer, succeeding P. J. , J.Ioore on leave for Army service; ,T|.Iyron Golden, formerly continuity ' 1 ditor of WWJ, Detroit, has joined '[|ie continuity department, succeedig Jack Mitchell, on leave to write FBC Tent Show Tonight. lARY ASTOR, Hollywood m.c. of ae weekly CBS HoUyicood Shoivcase, 'jonsored by Richard Hudnut Inc. cosmetics), and a pilot, has taken ave of absence from that proram to serve with the Civil Air Pa■■ol in the Gulf of Mexico area. Edna est, film actress, is pinch-hitting for fiss Aster. AFTER A FULL discussion of the music problem precipitated by the AFM edict banning production of transcriptions and records for public performance purposes, the NAB Board of Directors last Wednesday issued the following formal statement : "Mr. James C. Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians, has instructed all musicians who are members of his union to stop making phonograph records and other types of recordings after July 31. Mr. Petrillo's order will affect all Americans who listen to music, and it will have a very serious effect upon the broadcasting industry. The broadcasting industry does not employ musicians to make records, and the musicians it employs are engaged on union terms. Want the Best "As the result of a series of great inventions, Americans, whereever they live, have become accustomed to the best in entertainment. The radio, the moving picture and the phonograph bring the great artists to the smallest village as well as to our large centers of population. Mr. Petrillo's order amounts to a statement that only those people who live in large cities, and who can afford to see the great artists in person, are entitled to enjoy their performances. "Hundreds of broadcasting stations are located far from the centers of population at which an ample supply of the best in musical talent is available. Even if these stations could afford to hire more mvisicians than they now do, the limited amount of talent which would be available to them could not compete for public favor with the great popular and classical orchestras. If Mr. Petrillo can make his order effective, hundreds of broadcasting stations, which are ncessary in the public interest and for the national defense, will have their usefulness to the public greatly curtailed. "Mr. Petrillo is mistaken if he thinks that his order will bring more employment to musicians. All that it means is that millions of people will hear less music. Even if Mr. Petrillo's theory were correct, his order, at this time, would be not only arbitrary and illegal, but unpatriotic. "Music plays a vital part in war morale. This is no time to destroy the phonograph record and the electrical transcription which bring the best in music to the people of the United States. This is no time to have any part of the nation's manpower engaged in the perform tEtvBOSTIIN IISOoaYouTDIAL Broadcast Advertising A CHECK for $3,600, proceeds from a novel salvage drive by WLS, Chicago, is presented by George Cook (center), WLS treasurer, to Dan Carmody (left), USO chairman of McLean County, 111., while Arthur Page, station farm director, looks on. Charging scrap metal or rubber as admission to a recent National Barn Dance program which originated for the occasion at Bloomington, 111., the station collected 53,000 pounds of rubber and 605,000 pounds of metal. Experienced NO REHEARSALS were needed when WWVA, Wheeling, W. Va., recreated an American court scene for its Ohio Valley at Work program. Judge William B. Casey, judge of the intermediate court; Charles Ihlenfeld, Ohio County prosecutor; Arbie Creighton, assistant clerk of courts; and Joe Niehous, court deputy, all played their own parts. Program was produced by George Skinner and contrasted American and Nazi court procedures. Women Needed by Army LT. COL. ALBERT T. WILSON, training director at Scott Field, Army Air Corps central radio post, declared last week that men and women were needed immediately as instructors at Scott Field and other Army bases. Women are being requested for the first time for positions paying from $1,600 to $2,600 per year^ No Raise in Postal Rates DISCOURAGED by a report of Postmaster General Frank C. Walker that he could not prepare revised rates for second and third class mailing privileges before January, the House Ways & Means Committee last week voted to eliminate a provision in the new tax bill to make such mailing self-supporting. The proposal on third class mailing would have directly affected stations and advertisers since it applies to circulars and advertising matter. ance of artificially-created tasks. This is no time to try to abolish one of the world's great inventions. "Radio employs thousands of musicians. Millions of dollars are paid annually to musicians to make recordings. We call upon the members of Mr. Petrillo's union and on Mr. Petrillo himself, in the interests of the war effort and in the best interests of the American Federation of Musicians, to reconsider the course of action which has been proposed." HAMMOND HEADS MANPOWER NEWS COMING from New York headquarters of the Office of War Information, where he was Army service section chief in charge of shortwave broadcasts for armed forces overseas, Lawrence Hammond, 10-year-man in radio, has been placed in charge of radio for the information division of the War Manpower Commission. In his new position Mr. Hammond will direct WMC information for release through radio as well as direct radio policies of the commission, it is understood. Mr. Hammond before entering Government work was producer of a number of network shows, including out-of-town pickups for the CBS We the People and NBC Defense for America series, and worked through BBDO and Ruthrauff & Ryan in producing Phillips Lord shows. A graduate of Cincinnati and Stanford U, Mr. Hammond also did post graduate work in Geneva. Raymond Rubicam of Young & Rubicam, New York, is special assistant to Paul V. McNutt, WMC chief, in charge of public relations. Frederick William Wile Jr., of Y&R, is assistant director under Mr. Rubicam. TO MEMBERS of its personnel now in the armed services, or holding government jobs, J. Walter Thompson Co., New York, is sending a mimeographed monthly news letter, containing personal items and stories of the agency's activities. The first issue appeared in June. LEHIGH STRUCTURAL STEEL CO. 17 BATTERY PLACE, NEW YORK, N, Y, July 20, 1942 • Page 55