Broadcasting (July - Dec 1942)

Spartanburg Staff Revised by Brown Shepherd Named WORD Head ; Kirkpatrick Directs WSPA EXECUTIVE appointments on both WSPA and WORD, Spartanburg, effected with the removal of the stations to new headquarters in Spartanburg Radio Center, were announced last week by Walter J. Brown, vicepresident and general manager o f Spartanburg Advertising Co. G. 0. Shepherd, of Asheville, veteran broadcaster, was named manMr. Shepherd ager of WORD, BLUE Network outlet, in full charge of its operations. Promotion of J. W. Kirkpatrick, commercial manager of WSPA for the last two years, to station manager, also was announced by Mr. Brown. William J. Ratcliff, former manager of WORD, rejoined the staff of WSPA as night manager and director of special events. Robert A. Shaffer continues as assistant general manager of the Spartanburg Advertising Co. Asheville Activity Mr. Shepherd took over management of WWNC in Asheville in 1928 when it was operated by the Chamber of Commerce as an independent outlet. The station later was acquired by the Asheville Citizen and is now operated by the Citizen-Times and is a CBS outlet. In 1934 Mr. Shepherd entered the advertising and publishing field, in which he has since been engaged. He has been a resident of Asheville since 1919, is a World War veteran and a former officer of Kiffin Rockwell Post No. 2, American Legion. Mr. Kirkpatrick is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson. He first was engaged in the automobile business, later became associated with Purina Mills, and afterward became commercial manager of WFBC, Greenville, N. C. Mr. Ratcliff has been connected with the Spartanburg stations since March, 1941, in several capacities. Before coming to Spartanburg he was program director of WIZE, Springfield, 0. Griffin in Florida GRIFFIN MFG. Co. launches its annual Florida campaign for shoe polish Oct. 12, using transcribed announcements and live copy 12 times weekly on about five stations. This year advertising will be directed mainly at the large group of service men stationed in Florida, and will last for 52 weeks, instead of the usual limited seasonal period. Griffin is currently engaged in a Campaign of transcribed announcements on news on 62 stations throughout the country. Agency is Bermingham, Castleman & Pierce, New York. INSPECTING new 10,000-w. transmitting plant of KMPC, Beverly Hills, Cal., before the dedication ceremony recently are (1 r) H. ti. Linden, chief of Los Angeles FCC office; L. C. Sigmon, KMPC chief engineer, and Dr. Lee De Forest, father of modern radio broadcasting. Entire first day of new transmitter was devoted to War Bond sales, with all commercials cancelled. Program to Rebuild Broadcast Tubes Announced by RCA; Vance Given Post ANNOUNCEMENT of a rebuilt tube program for brosdc-st stations, designed to alleviate the tube shortage to some degree, was made by RCA Mfg. Co., Camden, last week by L. W. Teegarden, manager of its Tube and Equipment Division. Simultaneously, appointment of Harold F. Vance, former RCA broadcast engineering sales executive, as engineer in charge of power tubes for broadcast stations and industrial uses, was announced. Mr. Vance left RCA in 1940 to enter consulting engineering practice in Philadelphia. He returned last December to engage in Government sales activity and now has been assigned the power tube post. Salvage Methods RCA's announcement to the industry on rebuilt tube operations follows in full text: During the past year, as material and facility limitations have lessened the availability of tubes for broadcast stations, we have devoted considerable study to ways and means of providing the tubes needed to keep this vital service in operation. Particular emphasis has been given to the possibility of salvaging through rebuilding the larger types of tubes which use substantial quantities of critical materi Is. We have, therefore, decided to offer the following plan : 1. Effective immediately, we will be glad to receive orders accompanied by Preference Rating Certificates for rebuilt tubes of the following RCA types: 207, 891, 891-R, 892, 892-R. 2. Acceptance of such orders is contingent upon your making available to us, at no charge, a defective RCA tube of the same type that is still in good mechanical condition. Since the yield of rebuilt tubes is considerably smaller than the number of old tubes consumed, we will welcome the return of any additional tubes of the types indicated. 3. The prices of the above types of rebuilt tubes will be 85% of the price of a new tube of same type. 4. We guaran'ee rebuilt tubes against defects in workmanship, materials and construction. In addition, adjustments on these rebuilt tubes will be on the basis of 85% of the adjustment that would be made on new tubes of the same type, i. e., rebuilt tubes will be adjusted on the basis of 850 hours or 10 months, whichever occurs fi st. 5. The charge for attaching radiators or credit for returned radiators will be the same as in the case of new tubes. 6. All orders must have WPB rating sufficient to use the critical materials required and to ship the rebuilt tube. 7. Rebuilding of tubes can be scheduled only as facilities are available that are not being used for new tube war production. For that reason, we cannot extend delivery promises or supply availability information. 8. All correspondence, inquiries, orders, etc., relative to the rebu'lding of tubes, should be addressed to the atten ion of Mr. H. C. Vance, Tube and Equipment Division, RCA Mfg. Co., Camden, N. J. 9. No tubes should be returned for rebuilding prior to the receipt of specific shipping instructions. 10. Please order the minimum number of tubes that are essential to your station operation. 11. We resei've the right to cancel any orders or discontinue this plan at any time without notice. This policy is subject at all times to WPB regulations cui'rently in force at time of shipment of the rebuilt tube. NORTHERN PUMP CO. ON FULL NBC NET NORTHERN PUMP Co., Minneapolis (institutional), an industrial firm engaged in war production, on Oct. 10 started sponsorship of a Saturday afternoon quarter-hour commentary series on NBC with Upton Close as commentator. Program, broadcast on the full NBC network of 125 stations at 5:45-6 p.m., with a repeat for the Pacific Coast at 7:45, carries institutional messages aimed at war workers and stresses the need of greater and more efficient war production. Sponsorship of Upton Close, who is also heard on 127 NBC stations for Shaeffer Pen Co., Sundays at 3:15-3:30 p.m. represents the first venture into radio by the Northern Pump Co. Contract for 13 weeks was placed through BBDO, Minneapolis. NBC-Chicago Changes THREE DIRECTORS have been appointed to the program staff of NBC-Chicago. Al Morey has been named a musical director. Wheeler Wadsworth, transcription director and Homer R. Heck, dramatic director. Mr. Morey, a former orchestra leader and producer of WHO, Des Moines, has recently returned from the coast where he was gagwriter for Edgar Bergen. He wrote the NBC Uncle Walter's Doghouse for three years. Mr. Wadsworth is former director of W51C, Chicago, and at one time was a member of Paul Whiteman's orchestra. Mr. Heck was former program director of WNAD, U of Oklahoma station at Norman. Award Deferred ORIGINALLY scheduled to close Oct. 1, the contest period for entries in the H. P. Davis National Announcers Award has been extended to Oct. 24, by decision of the judges. Reason for the extension is the difficulties experienced by NBC ovmed and affiliated stations in preparing recordings of their announcer entries. The Davis memorial, an annual contest, gives awards to four regional winner and one national winner, selected from staff announcers of NBC stations. NBC War Programs CONTINUING its steady increase in the amount of time devoted to promoting the nation's drive for greater industrial output and to maintain morale, NBC broadcast a total of 35 hours and 17 minutes relating to the war effort during the last half of August, as compared to 27 hours and 57 minutes in the first 15 days of the month. Barry on Yankee Net JOHN BARRY, Boston newspaperman and radio news commentator, begins his Frontline Headlines Oct. 12, news program, over WNAC, Boston. Running thriceweekly, the program will be sponsored by the National Shawmut Bank of Boston. CKLN, Nelson, B. C, has appointed Stovin & Wright, as exclusive representatives at Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. Page 18 • October 12, 1942 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising