Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

INAUGURATION Coverage Plans Final; Music Cleared LJ l_J VJ LJ UL. AS THE INDUSTRY made its final plans last week for all-out coverage of one of the year's biggest events, blanket clearance on all ASCAP and BMI music and the blessings of James C. Petrillo were given for festivities ushering in President Truman's second term. Clearance on all ASCAP music for radio and television networks which will carry to vast audiences, all or parts of the Inaugural gala on Jan. 19, oath ceremonies, the parade and Inaugural Ball Jan. 20, was offered in a telegram to Melvin D. Hildreth, general chairman of the Inaugural Qtemmittee. The message was initiated by ASCAP President Fred E. Ahlert. Identical courtesies were extended for BMI by its vice president, Robert J. Burton. Petrillo Sends Message Permission for participation of American Federation of Musicians members was contained in a message from AFM President James C. Petrillo. Kenneth D. Fry, Inaugural radio director, estimated that 550 radio and television men — commentators, announcers, cameramen, directors, rewrite men, engineers, reporters and electricians — will lend their efforts to bring a word and visual picture into millions of homes throughout the nation. Midwest audiences will get their first major on-the-spot news telecast from the Nation's Capital. Stations of the four eastern and midwestern video networks, linked Jan. 11 by coaxial cable, will re NBC IS SUED Million in Damages Asked DAMAGES of S1.2 million are sought from NBC and three other defendants in a suit filed in U. S. District Court at Fort Worth Jan. 12 in behalf of William E. Ballard, of Palo Pinto County, Texas. Mr. Ballard alleges that NBC used a copyrighted idea of his on its People Are Funny program last September and October without his consent. Defendants, besides NBC, are: Russel M. Seeds agency, Chicago; Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., and Raleigh Cigarettes. Mr. Ballard asserts that he is the author and sole owner of copyrighted matter known as "The Lucky Interview Introducing Secrets of the Little Black Pox." Date of the copyright was Feb. 12, 1948, according to the petition. It was this copyrighted material, the petition declares, that NBC used. Petition asserts further that Mr. Ballard was closing a deal with a Texas businessman to sell exclusive rights to his copyrighted material in Texas for a fee of $25,000 and that the deal was not consummated after the material had been included in the People Are Funny broadcast. Plaintiff contends he suffered loss of §25,000 in each of the 48 states as a result of alleged infringement and piracy of copyrighted material. ceive a pooled telecast of proceedings. Hardly a vantage point in Washington will be lacking the familiar microphones and cameras. Coverage is planned from various buildings, stands, mobile units, airplanes, a blimp and a helicopter. The gala from 8:30 to 11 :30 p.m. Jan. 19 and the ball from 10 p.m. Jan. 20 to 2 a.m. Jan. 21 will be covered by the 4 AM networks, Continental FM network and the television networks, through a pooled arrangement. Heavy coverage will be given by television newsreel companies planning to fly their films immediately to video stations off the coaxial path. The Inaugural gala will feature the largest musical organization ever assembled in Washington. Composed of 525 musicians and a 185-voice chorus, it will be heard as the grand finale to the variety show. Comprising the orchestra will be members of the National Symphony, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps bands, and an ensemble of 32 specially selected musicians. Participating Bands Taking part in the two and onehalf hour show, but not participating in the finale, will be the bands of Lionel Hampton and Phil Spitalny. The orchestras of Guy Lombardo and Phil Spitalny will play for the Inaugural Ball. Stars entertaining for the gala will include Edgar Bergen, with \^nnr7 LINE OF MARCH for the Inauguration Parade will start at the Capitol, lower left, following the black line up Constitution Ave. to Pennsylvania Ave. where it will go diagonally to 15th St., N. W. There, at the Treasury Dept., the parade turns right for three blocks until it again hits Pennsylvania Ave. The parade then turns left past the White House, upper right, and disbands at 17th St. * * * Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd; Phil Harris and Alice Faye, Margaret O^Brien, Lena Horne, Jane Froman, Dick Haymes, Joan Davis, Gene Autry, George Jessel, Gene Kelly, Jane Powell and Kay Starr. CONTINENTAL Network Plans for Inaugural CONTINENTAL FM Network will add western Pennsylvania and New England this week, feeding its Inauguration coverage to groups of stations in those areas. Hudson Eldridge, WASH (FM) Washington, network manager, said an 8,000-cycle wire link from New York to Boston will provide Continental stations to the New England Group, which consists initially of four stations with others in the negotiation stage. Continental now has a 15,000-cycle line to Alpine, N. J. The fulltime line to Boston will feed WXHR (FM) Boston, operated by Harvey Radio Labs in conjunction with WTAO, AM outlet. Others on the link will be WPJB-FM, Providence Journal station; WACE-FM Springfield, Mass., with the AM outlet using some of the service on a delayed basis; WHAV-FM Haverhill, Mass. Negotiations are under way in Portsmouth and Berlin, N. H.; Augusta, Me.; North Adams, Mass. ; Hartford New Britain Meriden area, and others. A special events line of 5,000 cycles will feed Universal Network in the tri-state area around Pittsburgh. The hookup may be expanded to cover a score of FM outlets. Key station is WKJF (FM) Pittsburgh. Others are WNIQ (FM) Uniontown, Pa.; WFAH (FM) Alliance, O.; WAJR-FM Morgantown, W. Va.; WISR-FM Butler, Pa.; WMEWFM Meadville, Pa.; WAVL and WAVL-FM Apollo, Pa. ; WPIC-FM Sharon, Pa. Universal also will take the Continental high-fidelity tape service, which is being fed to an eightstate midwestern area and a hookup on the West Coast and in Florida. FCC REORGANIZATION Temporarily Delayed REORGANIZATION of the FCC into semi-autonomous panels, although approved in principal [Broadcasting, Jan. 10], was delayed temporarily last week pending final agreement on details. One of the principal points of disagreement was the degree of autonomy to be given the three panels. Comr. Frieda B. Hennock in particular was understood to feel that the plan as drawn up did not give the panels enough authority, especially in its provision for automatic appeal from a panel to the full Commission. She also felt there should be more definite plans for personal assistants for each Commissioner, it was reported. Vice Chairman Paul A. Walker also was understood to favor greater autonomy for the various divisions. Under the Communications Act, which gives the Commission author ity to divide itself into panels, the members of each division elect their own chairman. The panel assignments and probable chairmen, as disclosed originally, are: Broadcast Panel — Rosel H. Hyde, chairman; George E. Stirling and Frieda B. Hennock. Common Carrier Panel — Paul A. Walker, chairman; E. M. Webster and Robert F. Jones. Safety & Special Services Panel • — E. M. Webster, chairman; Paul A. Walker and Robert F. Jones. Chairman Wayne Coy would concentrate on administrative duties and sit on no panel except in the absence of a regular member, according to the proposal. The full Commission would handle all matters not specifically assigned to a panel, including general rulemaking, overall allocations and similar affairs which affect all panels. With Comr. Sterling at the high frequency conferences at Mexico City, and Comr. Webster slated to attend a meeting of the Dominion Marine Assn. at Montreal this week, it appeared unlikely that action on the plan would be taken before next week. Chairman Coy reportedly is sup porting the plan as a means of re taining the services of Comr. Webster, who has indicated he will not accept reappointment when his term expires June 30 unless there is a reorganization of the Commission into divisions. The plan which the Commission has agreed upon in principle was advocated almost a year ago by Comr. Jones, in the course of comments which the Senate Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee had solicited in connection with the then-pending White Bill to amend the Communications Act. Page 24 • January 17, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting