Broadcasting (July - Dec 1943)

WATN, Waterloo, N. Y. . . . "Washington Inside Out," like the rest of The AP service, is swell I Harry G. Righter, General Manager available through PRESS ASSOCIATION, inc. SO Rockefeller Plaza New York, N. Y. BRITISH COLUMBIA LAND OF OPPORTUNITY 1 VANCOUVER, CANADA J. H. McGILLVRA (US) H. N. STOVIN (CANADA) WW MOM WHEW , First on New York's Dial... 570. 1 (America's Leading Independent Station MONEY TO BUSN Farmers in this sixstate area never had more money in their lives. They're BUYING! WIBW can make them ask for your product. Offer By Petrillo Rejected By Navy Not Interested in Proposal To Make Recordings Free OFFER of the American Federation of Musicians to donate the services of its members without charge to make phonograph records for entertainment of United States servicemen, provided no charge is made for performance of such recordings [Broadcasting, July 5], has been rejected by the Navy, James C. Petrillo, AFM president, revealed last week. The Army has not made any comment on its position. Mr. Petrillo released a letter from Capt. R. A. Koch, special assistant to the Chief of the Bureau of Navy Personnel, which stated that despite the limited record supply "Navy personnel are acquiring phonograph records in sufficient quantity to meet their recreational and entertainment needs." The letter continued: "Any plan duplicating present facilities, in view of current shortage of materials, would not appear to be essential to the all-out current prosecution of the war effort." Union's Answer AFM offer of free discs for servicemen was the union's answer to statements of Elmer Davis, director of the Office of War Information, and other Government officials that in preventing its members from making new records the union was injuring morale and so adversely affecting the war effort, allegations apparently contradicted by the Navy letter. Offer had first been made to Mr. Davis, who responded that service camps were outside the jurisdiction of the OWI, following which the AFM wrote to the Army and Navy. Mr. Petrillo, commenting on the fact that no answer had been received from the Army, reiterated his earlier statements that "if they want records they'll get them. But remember, they gotta fix the juke boxes so the boys don't have to put nickels in." Navy letter to Mr. Petrillo follows in full text: Tour letter of 6 July 1943, addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, concerning a proposal for furnishing the professional services of members of the AFM for the purpose of making phonograph lecords for the recreation and entertainment of naval personnel, has been referred to this Bureau. It is recognized that the supply of phonograph records available on the existing commercial market is necessarily limited by shortage of critical materials involved in the manufacture of such records. However, Naval personnel are acquiring phonograph records in sufficient quantity to meet their recreational and entertainment needs. Any plan duplicating present facilities, in view of current shortage 'of materials, would not appear to be essential to the all-out prosecution of the war effort. Please be assured that your offer of the services of members of the AFM in the interest of Naval personnel is nonetheless fully appreciated. OWI Moves Forward With New Program Of Using Voluntary Control Centers WITH 12 new regional offices now in operation to handle program clearance, the OWI Radio Bureau moved last week to bring about the establishment of voluntary control centers in 40 cities to handle the work formerly performed by OWI branch offices. John Hymes, OWI station relations chief, returned last week from visits to the new Cleveland, Chicago and Kansas City offices and plans to visit the remaining nine offices within the next week to coordinate their activities with the Washington headquarters. Mr. Hymes explained that because of the necessity of closing the branch offices formerly operating under the OWI regional offices [Broadcasting, July 19], the station relations division of the Radio Bureau has asked broadcasting stations to set up clearance and control centers for OWI activities. The whole project will be a voluntary cooperative venture financed and organized by the stations in each of the cities where OWI formerly maintained branch offices. It is hoped that most of the centers will be set up within the next week. All stations in these cities, he said, will clear through the control center which will then clear for final approval with the OWI regional office in its territory. Such centers will be in the interest of economy and efficiency and will eliminate separate handling for each clearance. One such center has already been set up in Los Angeles by the Southern California Broadcasters Assn. Luther Keplinger, OWI regional station relations chief in San Francisco, attended a meeting of the Association Friday to iron out the clearance procedure and general set-up to cover the southern California area. The appointment of station relations chiefs for Chicago and Kansas City was announced by the Bureau, thus completing the lineup of personnel for the new OWI regional clearance offices [Broadcasting, July 19]. Mrs. Lavinia Schwartz will take charge in Chicago. This office has been moved to 75 E. Wacker Drive. Marvin McAlister will be in charge of the Kansas City office. Changes in assistant regional consultants to OWI were also announced as follows: Hugh Feltis, KOIL, Omaha, for Nebraska. Frank Quin, KOB, Albuquerque, for New Mexico. John C. McCormack, KWKHKTBS, Shreveport, for Louisiana McCarrens Shot by Irate Publisher Who Kills Self JOHN S. McCARRENS, general manager of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (WHK-WCLE) was shot three times last Thursday by a former foreign language publisher, Herbert L. Kobrak, who committed suicide following the attempted murder. Mr. McCarrens was in serious condition following an operation for the removal of the bullets from his abdomen, but last Friday the 74-year-old newspaperman was reported to be recovering. Repeatedly rejected support by Mr. McCarrens for his plans to establish a foreign picture newspaper in Cleveland, Mr. Kobrak left notes which showed that he had been planning the attempted murder and suicide for some time. The shooting occurred following an argument in Mr. McCarrens' office. Mr. McCarrens was twice president of the American Newspaper Publishers' Assn. WPB RULE EFFECTS HELD EXAGGERATED TYPE OF APPEAL rather than volume in the recent request to retailers by the War Production Board to eliminate "buy now" and "scare" advertising of textiles, WPB asserted last week. Alarm in part of some stations over the WPB request was brought to the attention of Broadcasting by the NAB. Richard N. Johnson, director of the Textile, Clothing & Leather Di vision of the Office of Civilian Re quirements, said the purpose of the request is to conserve textile supplies to avoid rationing. There is nothing in the WPB policy to re strict the amount of advertising, he emphasized. From the standpoint of the sta tions, the WPB action was seen by Lew Avery, director of broadcast advertising of NAB, as presenting a sales problem which calls for in genuity and straight thinking. WFIL, Philadelphia, has acquired the si'ecial AP radio news wire through Press Association. Expended news coverage will include telescripts and other features of the service as well as AP dispatches. Introductory Broadcast BULLFROGS AND MARINES Carnation Contented Hour — NBC — August 2 Associated Music Publishers, Inc., New York Page 62 • July 26, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising