Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

ELIIOTT-HAYNES 'Radio Theatre' Is Firs* THERE is little change in the national rating reports in Canada for December, from those of the previous month. The Elliott-Haynes national program ratings for December listed in first place Radio Theatre with 35.2 rating, followed by Fred Allen 35, Charlie McCarthy 33.5, Fibber McGee & Molly 32.8, Bob Hope 25.8, Amos V Andy 25.6, Ozzie & Harriett 24.5, Album of Familiar Music 24.1, My Friend Irma 21.6, and N.H.L. Hockey 21.3 (Canadian program). Leading daytime programs in December were Ma Perkins 17.7, Big Sister 17, Pepper Young's Family 17, Happy Gang 16.9 (Canadian program), and Right to Happiness 16.6. French language evening programs were led by XJn Homme et Son Peche 40.5, Radio Carabin 32.7, Metropole 32.5, Ralliement du Rire 32.4, Enchantment de la Vivoir 31.3. French language daytime programs were led by Jeunesse Doree 28.7, Rue Principale 27.6, Les Joyeux Troubadours 21.3, Tante Lucie 21.1, and Grande Soeur 20.5. WAR STRIKE Announcers, Engineers Of AFL Go Out WOV New York, has distributed the English and Italian scripts of an interview granted in Paris by H. E. Pietro Quaroni, Italian Ambassador to France, to M. Paolo Ulpia of the Italian Division of the French Radio. WOV aired the interview on Jan. 1. . . . // at local station cost See your station representative or write UMORTH feature programs, inc. scale and terms of employment was arbitrarily rejected by union. The station has bargained in good faith with the union and the strike occurred without notice. WATL is operating fulltime and will continue to do so in the public interest." THREE-YEAR battle between WATL Atlanta, Ga., and the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFL) has flared into a strike of union announcers and engineers, with opposing camps buying newspaper display space to state their cases. A central figure in the prolonged scrap is Lawrence J. Mellert, employed by the station as an announcer in January 1944 and discharged April 26, 1946, to make way for the return of the man who had held Mr. Mellert's job before entering military service. Upholding the earlier findings of one of its trial examiners, the National Labor Relations Board last September [Broadcasting, Sept. 27] ordered the Atlanta Broadcasting Co., WATL licensee, to reinstate Mr. Mellert and pay him back wages. An AFRA advertisement on the radio page of The Atlanta Journal Jan. 7 declared all of WATL's union announcers and engineers were on strike and that "strikebreakers are keeping the station on the air." It made an appeal to "help the WATL employes earn a decent living . . . protest low pay and worse working conditions." It declared: "We have filed charges with the NLRB, FCC and health authorities." WATL, in an ad on the same page and same issue of the Journal, said "requested wage increases have been in effect for weeks" and "there is no dispute involving wages." It added: "Written contract setting out agreed-on wage ARTHUR A. AVERY has been promoted to supervisor of broadcast technicians at WGN-TV Chicago. Other promotions: ELMER F. CAWTHON, assistant supervisor in charge of master control; WOODROW R. CRANE, assistant supervisor in charge of the transmitter, and CHARLES J. ROTHERS, assistant supervisor in charge of mobile unit. KENDRICK H. LIPPITT has resigned from firm of George C. Davis, Washington consulting engineers, to join Technical Appliance Corp., Sherburne, N. Y., as chief engineer. R. W. WASSENBERG, formerly with sales staff of KSFO San Francisco, has been transferred to station's TV affiliate, KPIX, as operations manager. EVERITT BEAVERS has been transferred to engineering staff of KYW, Philadelphia Westinghouse station, from WSBA York, Pa. ROBERT LAY .Jr. has joined WCSI Columbus, Ind., as technician. J. R. DUNCAN, chief engineer of WLWT (TV) Cincinnati, Ohio, has resigned. He has announced no future plans; CAMERON PIERCE, ABC Hollywood television operations supervisor, has been elected president of the Society of Television Engineers of Los Angeles. NEW AM STATION I mpfovements Granted 3 NEW DAYTIME standard station for Georgetown, Del., was granted last Monday by FCC to Rollins Broadcasting Inc. and improved facilities were awarded by the Commission to three existing AM outlets. Rollins Broadcasting, locally owned, was given a construction permit for 1 kw daytime on 900 kc, directional. Estimated cost of $43,127 was cited. KSCO Santa Cruz, Calif., licensed to Radio Santa Cruz, received CP to switch from 1 kw day on 1080 kc to 500 w night, 1 kw day, fulltime on that frequency. Directional antenna at night was specified. WXGI Richmond, Va., licensed to Radio Virginia Inc., was granted switch in frequency from 740 kc to 950 kc on condition it accepted any interference which might occur from granting facility changes to WGBG Greensboro, N. C, and WINC Winchester, Va. WXGI is authorized to operate daytime with 1 kw. KOLT Scottsbluff, Neb., operated by Hillard Co., was granted increase in daytime power from 1 kw to 5 kw, using directional array both day and night. KOLT would continue with 1 kw night on its assigned frequency, 1320 kc. Ownership of Rollins Broadcasting includes the following: John W. Rollins, Lewes, Del., auto dealer, president and 29 Ve % owner ; his Church TV Center A TELEVISION center is being opened by the First Presbyterian Church, New York City, in the hope of keeping youngsters out of Greenwich Village bars and grills. With approval of the church's pastor. Rev. Clarence Boyer, the parents' class of the church school bought the TV receiver. At the formal opening of the center Jan. 19, door charges will be assessed to help pay for the television set. A spokesman for the church said: "We hope it will inspire a pattern for many communities." wife, Katharine E. Rollins, treasurer 4%; Orville Wayne Rollins, general manager of Rollins Bros. Summer Resort, Tunnel Hill, Ga., vice president 33%%; Jack C. Gardner, Salisbury, Md., secretary % % ; Rollins Motors Inc., Princess Anne, Md., 33^/3%. PHILCO PROMOTES Seven in Engineering PALMER M. CRAIG has been appointed director of engineering, electronics division of the engineering department of Philco Corp., Philadelphia. With Philco for 15 years, Mr. Craig was named chief engineer of the company's radio division in 1943. David B. Smith, vice president in charge of research and engineering, also announced the appointment of six chief engineers responsible for major product development in this division. They are: Sterling C. Spielman, television receiver development; Luke E. Closson, home radio development; Arthur V. Nichol, auto radio development; Dr. James F. Koehler, design of specialized government and industrial electronics equipment; Bertram P. Haines, mechanical engineering development for the electronics division; W. Linton Getz, development of television and; radio cabinets. j UPS lin IBWEJl WJI^^rupQift^ • GROUND SYSTEMS • TOWER ERECTION • COAXIAL TRANSMISSION LINES • MAINTENANCE and PAINTING • FM and TV ANTENNA Over 500 satisfactory installations from Coastto-Coast. What we have done so well for others should suggest that you consult America's foremost tower specialist on your next tower or antenna job. TOWER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY • SIOUX CITY, IOWA 402 COMMERCE BLDG. PHONE S-6761 Page 70 • January 17, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting