Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

FIRE AWARDS 28 Stations Nominated TWENTY-EIGHT stations have been nominated for the three Gold Medals awarded annually by the Natl. Board of Fire Underwriters for outstanding public service in fire prevention. The stations nominated, along with 46 daily and weekly newspapers, are: KONG Alameda, Calif.; KNBC San Francisco; KWG Stockton, Calif.; WBRY Waterbury, Conn.; WJAX Jacksonville, Fla.; WTYS Marianna, Fla.; WQXI Atlanta; KLIX Twin Falls, Idaho; WEOA Evansville, Ind.; WOWO Fort Wayne; KFH Wichita, Kan.; WAVE Louisville; WWL New Orleans; WLAM Lewiston, Me.; WJEF Grand Rapids, Mich.; WEBR Buffalo. N. Y.; WNEW New York City; WFNC Fayetteville, N. C; KDIX Dickinson, N. D.; WING Dayton; KWON Bartlesville, Okla.; KOOS Coos Bay, Ore.; WIP PhUadelphia; WISL Shamokin, Pa.; KELO Sioux Falls, S. D.; WATO Oak Ridge, Tenn.; WTAR Norfolk; WAUX Waukesha, Wis. 'LAFFING ARTS' NLF to Honor Aces, Berle 1949 "Comedy World" awards for each of the seven "laffing arts" will be presented Thursday by the National Laugh Foundation. Awards will be made at the fourth annual Gagwriters Convention, to be held at New York's Park Sheraton Hotel March 31. Convention is sponsored by the NLF to launch National Laugh Week. An award will go to Goodman and Jane Ace for their mr. ace and JANE radio show. Milton Berle, "comedian-of-the-year," will receive a special citation for his Texaco television program. Another will be presented to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, new comedy discoveries. Other fields cited for awards are stage, film, literature, music, art and dancing. Jimmy Durante, radio comedian, is honorary chairman. U. OF WICHITA Turns Down UAPRE Bid U. OF WICHITA has turned down invitation of the University Assn. for Professional Radio Education to become a charter member of the organization, according to an open letter to Prof. Tom D. Rishworth, U. of Texas, association secretary. The letter was sent by Dr. F. L. Whan, chairman of the university's radio committee. U. of Wichita has long opposed the idea of "accrediting organizations" for individual departments or activities of a university, Dr. Whan wrote, believing accrediting should be on an institutional basis. He explained that the university agrees with UAPRE's basic purpose as well as the intent to improve standards. U. of Wichita also joins NAB in its fight for better training of students seeking radio careers but opposes the accrediting agency idea. J^toductlon GEORGE CREAMER, formerly program manager of WINX Washington, has joined WBZ Boston as supervisor of AM and FM programs. Mr. Creamer will have charge of development of new program ideas and general supervision o f program personnel. Prior to joining WINX he did freelance directing in New York, and previous to that he was a producer director at NBC. Mr. Creamer JOE BOLLES has been appointed program director of WKRC-TV Cincinnati, which is scheduled to start commercial telecasts on April 4. KEN TREDWELL, assistant program director at WBT Charolette, N. C, is the father of a boy, Steven. RICHARD J. GOGGIN, ABC-TV's Western Division program manager, will conduct a course at U. of California at Los Angeles on "Introduction to Television," starting with the fall term. RAY SINCLAIR, formerly with WNJC Jacksonville, N. C, has joined announcing staff of WNAV Annapolis, Md. GLEN KING, disc jockey at KLX Oakland, is the father of a boy. BEVERLY SCOBLE has been promoted to traffic supervisor of KROW Oakland, Calif. PAULINE LANDON, sales promotion secretary, has been named assistant to accounting department head, MARGARET HENDERSON. GLORIA MARKOFF, formerly radio copywriter with Joseph Magnin department store, San Francisco, joins KLX Oakland as traffic manager. PAUL MASTERSON joins KNX Los Angeles as replacement for station announcers on vacation. Atlanta's 'Best Beau' DON BARBER, m.c. of WAGA Atlanta evening record show. Sleepy Time Pal, has been elected "Best Beau" by more than 300 young women in the Atlanta council of Beta Sigma Phi, international business sorority. His first official duty was to present Celestine Smith of Atlanta, who was chosen sorority's international Valentine queen by Movie Actor Larry Parks, to Atlanta members at a Valentine ball. He also will officiate at a ball climaxing the sorority's state convention to be held in Atlanta in early April. EDGAR C. PIERCE and FRANK J. La RUE join KFI-TV Los Angeles as stage manager and make-up artist, respectively. Mr. Pierce was formerly with WDGY and KSTP both Minneapolis; Mr. La Rue was a make-up artist with Universal-International Studios. BILL STULLA, m.c. of KFI and KFITV Los Angeles Ladies' Day, is the father of a girl, Kathryn Louise. LEE ARMENTROUT, formerly of the WBBM Chicago continuity department, has joined WBKB (TV) Chicago, as continuity editor. MARY BARBER, food authority and formerly with Kellogg Co., has signed to do series of weekly talks for A. B. Stoves, Battle Creek, Mich., on WBCK Battle Creek. MACKIE QUAVE, chief announcer at WIS Columbia, S. C, is the father of a girl, Donna Kathleen. HAL O'HALLORAN, formerly with WLS Chicago where he was featured announcer handling, in particular, the m. c. job on WLS National Barn Dance program, has joined CKLW Detroit, where he will emcee its Dawn Patrol program. JIMMY BLAIR, producer at WOIC (TV) Washington, is the father of a boy. BILL BENNETT, formerly with WDOS Oneonta, N. Y., has joined announcing staff of WPTR Albany, N. Y. LYLE MORSE, KFAB Omaha staff writer and Omaha U. senior, has been appointed to the college board of Mademoiselle magazine for her third year. TONY RIZZO has been promoted to director at WENR-TV Chicago. Other promotions include: JOHN FITZPATRICK, assistant production manager; RICHARD ORTNER and RICHARD WYATT, program assistants. LANSING B. LINDQUIST, program director of WOL Washington, has been appointed to faculty of Washington's American U. Mr. Lindquist conducts a weekly seminar and lecture on station management and administration. GEORGE STONE, NBC Chicago announcer, injured in an automobile accident a fortnight ago [Broadcasting, March 14], has returned to his home after 10 days hospitalization. BUD O'CONNOR has joined WGKV Charleston, W. Va., announcing staff. Mr. O'Connor was formerly with WBLK and WEAR Clarksburg, W. Va., •and WVTM Manila, while serving with the Air Corps. WTHI Terre Haute, Ind., played host to Charleston, 111., neighbors by broadcasting the Eastern State TeachersBeloit College of Wisconsin game in the NIAB tournament on March 13. WTHI carried on-the-scene broadcasts of Indiana State's games during the contest. PHILCO STOCK Short Sales Off on March 15 SHORT interest? in Philco Corp. stock were cut almost in half March 15 over Feb. 15, according to the monthly compilation of the New York Stock Exchange. On March 15, the Philco short interest held by exchange member firms was 5,668 shares. On Feb. 15, it was 10,669. Short interests are reported to the exchange monthly, indicating the number of loaned shares outstanding to cover short sales. Total short interest as of March 15 was 1,343,759 shares, compared with 1,220,286 on Feb. 15. The Exchange listed 79 issues in which a short interest of 5,000 or more shares existed or in which a change in the short position of 2,000 or more shares occurred during the month. Among the stocks so listed: Short Interest 3/15/49 Admiral 7,778 AT&T 4,367 Avco Mfg Corp. 20,100 Farnsworfh IT&T Corp. Dom. Sh's Magnavox Philco RCA 31,468 10,615 12,996 5,668 24,155 Short Interest 2/15/49 6,230 9,996 23,610 33,873 Shares 3/15/49 1,000,000 23,573,330 6,618,319 1,680,568 11,115 5,475,391 4,033 659,899 10,669 1,709,980 20,660 13,857,111 WSTS TO 1 KW Remains on 990 kc WSTS Southern Pines, N, C, increased its power to 1 kw March 13. Station had been a 250 w outlet since it first took the air in August 1947. Owned and operated by the Sandhills Broadcasting Co., WSTS operates on 990 kc. Frank L. Baber is president and J. C. Cole is station manager. In addition to the power increase, the station has recently remodeled its studios and has inaugurated a new daily program aimed at the wider coverage area. Titled Going Forward With the Sandhills, the 10-week series salutes one community in the area each day. KULA HONOLULU Announces Staff Changes KULA, 10 w Honolulu ABC outlet, has announced enlargement and realignment of its staff. Among executive appointments are these: Ernest Beattie, chief of traffic and tape recording, formerly of KOPR Butte, Mont.; Jim Walker, chief of continuity, previously in same post at KUTA Salt Lake City, and Dick Smith, transmitter chief engineer, formerly of KYUM Yuma, Ariz. Marion Sexton takes over as sales manager, transferring from KPOA Honolulu. Other appointments: Jessie Babin, secretary to Jack Burnett, general manager; Bill Daniels, announcer; Irving Phillips and Jack Fearnhead, salesmen, and Mrs. Don Creed, editor of KULA's Housewives' Hit Parade. Page 62 • March 28, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting