Broadcasting (Jan - June 1943)

Wood Reports Mutual Billings Up 30%; Affiliates Discuss Plans for Cooperation PLANS for increased network cooperation with affiliates were unveiled by MBS at meetings held by the network at the Drake Hotel Chicago throughout last Monday coincident with the appointment of Richard F. Connor, station relations head of OWI Domestic Radio Branch, to the newly created post of station relations executive. The MBS executive committee met Monday morning, while the board of directors and stockholders convened in the afternoon. An affiliate meeting presided over by Miller McClintock, MBS president, was attended by MGS station men in the evening. The year 1943 will see an increase of 30% in MBS billing, Ed Wood Jr., MBS sales manager told the affiliates at the evening session. He compared average monthly billings of the past three years. In 1940, he pointed out MBS average monthly billing was $300,000; in 1941, $600,000; in 1942, $800,000. In the last quarter January through March inclusive, MBS had its largest increase in sales in its history. The March sales he revealed, were $1,400,000. The volume discount plan, first announced by MBS at a similar meeting in Cleveland last year, has been extended, with 13 programs now fed to the full network, while seven have expanded their station list. McClintock Talks Mr. McClintock delivered an address to the affiliates on the function of radio during the war and its potential in the post-war era. "In all the contacts and activities I have had," he said, "I have never known an industrial organization in this country as challenging, as full of opportunity as the Mutual Broadcasting System. Radio is the greatest single factor to preserve the unity of the people." Mr. McClintock emphasized the inter-dependence of radio with other media as channels of public information which are facing their greatest task during this war. Robert Schmid, MBS sales promotion director, talked briefly on network promotion. A kodachrome slide film title "This is Mutual", prepared under Mr. Schmid's direction, was exhibited. Committee Approved At the board of directors meeting, the organization of an MBS Affiliated Functional Committee was approved. The committee, consisting of ten or twelve affiliates, will be appointed by geographical areas and by size and will operate as a liaison group between MBS stations and the network on station service, programming, and merchandising and other network functions. The committee will be in operation by the end of May, it was said. Appointments of the committee members will be made by Mr. McClintock. Present at the board of directors meeting were: Alfred J. McCosker, chairman of the board, WOR, New York, who presided; W. E. Macfarlane, head of network executive committee, WGN, Chicago; vice-presidents T. C. Streibert, WOR, New York; Lewis Allen Weiss, Don Lee network; T. C. Cambeau, CKLW, Windsor-Detroit, vice-presidents; H. E. Carpenter, WHK, Cleveland; Harold Batchel MR. CONNOR der, WFBR, Baltimore; Leonard Kapner, WCAE, Pittsburgh; Benedict Gimbel Jr. WIP, Philadelphia; Kenneth Church, WKRC, Cincinnati; Ed Wood Jr., sales manager; Fred Weber, general manager, and Louis Caldwell, attorney. Attending the executive session held in the morning were Messrs. McClintock and Macfarlane, who presided, McCosker, Shepard, Weiss, Streibert, and Carpenter. Following the meetings, in reply to a query on whether MBS was rejoining the NAB, Mr. McClintock said that "although we have a friendly feeling toward the NAB and the contribution it is making to the industry, we have no attitude to express on MBS rejoining. The presence, however, of opposing factions within a trade group is healthy, virile and democratic." MBS Station Post Given To Connoi OWI Official Is Appoints To New Post on Networl RICHARD F. CONNOR, statioi relations chief of OWI Domestii Radio Branch, has been appointe.station relations executive of MB; effective May 15, it was mads known last week. The appointmen was confirmed by the MBS boari of directors which met in Chicagi last Monday at the Drake Hote coincident with the NAB War Con ference. Widely known in industr. circles, Mr. Connor, a former news paperman broke into radio in 192 on KMIC, Inglewood, Cal. (no\ KRKD), and inaugurated man; radio news coverage features o. the West Coast. He was genera manager of KMPC, Beverly Hilk and later formed his own Los An geles advertising agency. With Don Lee He continued as head of the firn until January 1941 when he ac cepted a special assignment t broadcast Affairs of State on Doj Lee Mutual from Sacramento, Ca Shortly after Pearl Harbor, he wa selected as radio coordinator of th Southern California Broadcaster Assn., a group of 29 stations i: that area. An emergency broadcas plan put into operation by Mi Connor was used as a model b; similar groups throughout thj country. He joined the OWI las December. Don Stauffer, chief of OWI Dq mestic Radio Branch, in announcin? Mr. Connor's resignation stated i: Chicago that he had asked Mi Connor to serve as OWI consultant! at-large. "I have asked Mr. Connoi to continue with the OWI in a} advisory capacity because of thi splendid job he has done in conj ducting the radio activities on thi West Coast and in coordinatim OWI station activities nationally We hope to have his advice o:j many problems with which he hai intimate contact. The outstandin; job he has done for OWI is know to every radio station in the counj try, he said. Miller McClintock, MBS presrj dent, stated that Mr. Connor's ap pointment is in line with a recentll, adopted policy of Mutual in bring ing about a closer working organ:1 zation of affiliates. "Mr. Connoi has been selected," he said, "becausi of his varied, matured experiencjj in all aspects of station operatio and in relation of station to nell work operations." ANNUAL MEETING OF MUTUAL executives with affiliated station heads was held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago April 26-29 in conjunction with the War Conference sessions. Among those attending were (seated 1 to r) : Miles E. Lamphiear, MBS controller, Chicago; Ade Hult, western sales manager, Chicago; Jack Latham, assistant sales manager; Ed Wood, sales manager; Miller McClintock, president. Back row, Ted Doescher, account executive; Don Pontius, sales service, Chicago; Arnold W. Carlsen, account executive; George Haggard, MBS attorney; Norman Boggs, chief, New York sales office for WGN, Chicago; Carroll Martz, auditor, Chicago; William A. McGuineas, WGN sales manager. Gaeth Joins Mutual ARTHUR GAETH has joined Mu|| tual as a commentator, replacin,;; Stanley Dixon in the Monda1 through Friday 3-3:15 p.m. perio^ and on Sunday, in the 10:45-1, p.m. spot. Mr. Gaeth spent tej years lecturing and broadcastinj in European countries includinj Czechoslovakia, where he was heart; on Radio Prague. He has taughii political science at Brigham Yount U. in Utah, and has broadcast loi cally in this country. Page 24 • May 3, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising