Broadcasting (Apr - Jun 1949)

SET FAMILIES 8MB Estimates U. S. Total THERE were 39,274,700 radio families in the United States as of Jan. 1, 1949, according to BMB estimates, Dr. Kenneth Baker, acting president, announced Wednesday. This figure will be used as a base for the county and city quotas in BMB's second nationwide study of station and network audiences, now under way, he explained. The 39,274,700 figure was reached, Dr. Baker said, by applying 94.2% — ratio of radio families to all families established by an independent BMB study last year — to the total number of U. S. families. This total, on Jan. 1, 1949, was 41,692,900, according to estimates of Sales Management, which BMB is using as its starting point. Decision to use these figures instead of those of the U. S. Census Bureau was based primarily on the fact that the census figures are now nine years old and a projection of them to the 17,000 places where BMB mails its ballots would not be as accurate or useful, Dr. Baker said. "Any station manager who wants to know the total number of radio families in the counties covered by his outlet's signal need only refer to Sales Management estimates for those counties and multiply by the percentage of radio ownership which BMB published for each county in 1948," Dr. Baker explained. "When BMB's study No. 2 is released, subscribing stations then will know how many of that potential audience they are reaching. Breakdown of the radio families figures into the nine census regions and into state totals will be announced later," he added. Waivers Signed Noting that more than 400 station subscribers of BMB have signed waivers of their 90-day cancellation privileges, accounting for more than 90% of the organization's dollar volume of pledged income, Dr. Baker urged that broadcasters who have not yet signed these waivers should do so and send them to BMB headquarters at the earliest possible moment, so that firm contracts can be signed to guarantee the completion of the second study. BMB has just completed a mailing to all non-subscriber stations, sending them copies of the 28-city test study of the new method of reporting station listening by six or seven days a week, three to five days, and one and two days, in addition to the total weekly figures. These stations also received BMB contract forms, together with personal notes from Dr. Baker asking for their subscriptions and giving broadcasters their lump sum cost of subscribing for the second study. BRONZE plaque marking 20 years of affiliation of WPTF Raleigh, N. C, with NBC is presented to S. B. Coley (I), WPTF vice president, and Station Manager R. H. Mason by Easton C. Woolley (r), NBC director of station relations. Presentation was made at a luncheon May 17 celebrating the anniversary. Gov. W. Kerr Scott of North Carolina was the main luncheon speaker. EQUAL TIME Democrats File Complaint Against CBS MUST stations and networks furnish "equal time and facilities" for replies when they carry a public official's "report to the people"? This poser may be answered by FCC in its disposition of a complaint filed by the New York Democratic State Committee last week against CBS. The Democrats claimed they were entitled to equal time to reply to a speech broadcast by Republican Gov. Thomas E. Dewey. CBS held that they weren't. Paul E. Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Democratic committee and part owner of WE BR Buffalo, who filed the complaint, contended Gov. Dewey's talk, delivered May 2 over a CBS state network, was "political." He said it contained "at least seven statements of a controversial nature, and at least one false statement detrimental to the Democratic Party in the State of New York." But when the Democrats asked for reply time, he said, they were notified by Helen Sioussat, CBS director of talks, that "Gov. Dewey spoke in his capacity of chief executive of New York State in a report to the people of the state and not as a candidate for office" and that therefore "we do not feel that ... a reply is indicated." Mr. Fitzpatrick said precedent for equal time in such circumstances was set in May 1947 when NBC "placed at our disposal equal time and facilities to answer a similar report on the activities of the state legislature made by the Republican Governor of the State." Following its customary procedure, FCC forwarded copies of the complaint to CBS with a request for the network's comments. When these have been received it will decide what, if anything, it should do. Mr. Fitzpartick requested "whatever action you may deem proper." CBS meanwhile was disposed to stand pat. Davidson Taylor, CBS vice president and director of public affairs, said the network intended no further action on the Democrats' request. In his protest, sent as a letter to FCC Chairman Wayne Coy, Mr. Fitzpatrick charged that Gov. Dewey in his talk misrepresented the Democratic position on the state's new disability insurance system. He also claimed the GOP leader made "statements of a political, controversial nature" on other matters of state interest, including public housing, state-wide building code, disability insurance, state aid to education, the budget, and taxes. The only specific equal-time rule in the Commission's books is based on a provision of the Communications Act (Sec. 315) and applies only to candidates for public office. In various decisions, however, the Commission has stressed the importance of programs on controversial issues and of balance and fair play in dealing with public questions. Dorothy Cook DOROTHY MICHELS COOK, 28, traffic director of KFWB Los Angeles, died May 11 of pneumonia. Interment was in New York. She is survived by her husband, Harry E. Cook. Mr. Capelle MILES HIATUS Savings To Expand Video MILES LABS., Elkhart, Ind., will take its NBC Quiz Kids off the air this summer for 11 weeks and use the money for an expanded TV version of the juvenile series in the fall, according to Oliver B. Capelle, Miles sales promotion manager. Mr. Capelle termed the move "a sensible swap" and made it clear that Miles is maintaining a heavy summer schedule with 20 netw.ork broadcasts every week. He added that it in no sense indicates a preference by Miles for television over AM radio. Miles has had the Quiz Kids on TV several months following the Milton Berle NBC TV program. Starting on WNBQ (TV) Chicago, series was extended to Cleveland and Detroit. The summer hiatus cn NBC will provide sufficient funds to finance a SeptemberDecember TV series on 16 NBC television stations, according to Mr. Capelle. "Baseball broadcasts and other Sunday afternoon diversions provide tough competition for the Quiz Kids in summer," Mr. Capelle said. "Use of the same money for the Quiz Kids on television in the fall seemed like a sensible swap to our directors. "However, our summertime radio schedule will still be a powerful one. In addition to shows in local areas, Alka-Seltzer will have 20 network broadcasts every week from our News of the World on NBC, Queen for a Day on MBS, Hilltop House on CBS and a summer replacement for Herb Shriner Time on CBS, which is now under consideration." COLE LIBRARY Station Purchase Plan Set HARRY S. GOODMAN Radio Productions, New York, last week announced a plan whereby radio stations may purchase outright the M. M. Cole Library. Goodman recently took over the library's sales distribution. The plan is in accordance with resolution unanimously passed at the NAB convention covering the outright sale of transcription libraries. At a fee of $30 per month for 30 months regardless of the market size, immediate shipment will be made of 1,800 selections to be followed by 20 selections a month until the library contains more than 2,000 numbers. After final payment, the library becomes the station's property. For 15 months thereafter, Cole will replace all defective or broken platters at no charge. More than 200 stations have subscribed to the plan to date. Page 30 • May 23, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting