Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

Diamond prospect All-day Listening At Home Oh, a Double Play From Penthouse. To Backyard THE DRAMATIC story of broadcasting's role in the personal, economic and j^olitical life of the United States will be told this year to hundreds of audiences through the medium of the radio-sponsored All-Radio Presentation, film, "Lightning That Talks." Startiyig with the first formal showing in New York March 1, with a thousand top advertising industry executives attending, the p7'omotion film will tell radio's story in the dramatic language of motion pictures. Once before the motion picture medium was utilized by broadcasters but on a more modest basis. This film, produced a decade ago, was widely shown. Move to do a similar job, but with a moderyiized touch, developed at the 19U7 NAB convention at Atlantic City. Eventually the All-Radio Presentation Committee was formed. This committee has held dozens of meetings and its members have devoted targe amounts of their time to the difficult task of planning, ivriting and producing a motion picture film that depicts broadcasting's imjjortant place in the national scheme. Total subscriptions — including a fund of $50,000 subscribed by ABC, CBS and NBC — are around the $150,000 mark. Final cost of the film, turned out by the Independent Motion Picture Producers Society, will be $85,000 for one 35mm print, additional 35mm and 16mm prints costing extra. Station subscription fees are based on station income and range from $25 to $1,000. Elaborate plans have been worked out for community showings of the film. The All-Radio committee is preparing full instructions with publicity and proynotion kts. Committee officers are Gordon Gray, WIP Philadelphia, chairman; Maurice B. Mitchell, director of Broadcast Advertising Bureau, secretary ; Herbert L. Krueger, WTAG Worcester, Mass., treasurer; Eugene S. Thomas, WOIC (TV) Washington, assistant treasurer. Victor Ratner, former CBS vice president and now a vice president of R. H. Macy Inc., New York, was producer. WITH A HIGH voltage hiss, roar of thunder and musical background, the filmed story of radio is introduced. These titles appear, "The Broadcasting Industry of the United States Presents 'Lightning That Talks'." The scene quiets down, many stars ai'e seen, followed by the subtitle, "The Story of America's Greatest Voice." A rolling title carries on the introductory sequence in this way: "This is a true story. Every incident shown here is an actual experience, showing the businessmen and radio listeners to whom these things really happened . . . filmed where they happened." The story opens with a sequence of heavenly orbits, a storm appearing in the background as Benjamin Franklin is introduced during the lecture of a professor in a planetarium. As the story is moved along by use of screen devices, the professor explains that Franklin's "greatest interest was how to bind the people of the Colonies together by improved communications. He published seven newspapers." The camera dollies in to Maurice B. Mitchell, director of Broadcast Advertising Bureau, seated in the professor's audience. Mr. Mitchell comments, "I wonder what Franklin would have thought of my kind of communication — radio." The heavens become an electronic battleground as the camera tells the story of Franklin and the kite, using a true replica of the original key. Sparks jump from the key across Franklin's knuckles as the electrical storm subsides and the scene returns to the peaceful beauty of the opening. "Verily, what a wonderful place to continue my experiments with lightning. This is truly heaven," ? Franklin comments. From the key comes, faintly, then strong and clear, the 1920 voice of KDKA Pittsburgh and the Harding election returns. Sparks jump from the key to Franklin's PRODUCTION crew for the International Movie Production Service on the all-radio film (I to r): Gene Farrell, music composer; Dr. I. M. Levitt, technical advisor; Ben Gradus, director; Joe Brun, cameraman. BROADCASTING • Telecasting