Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

MBS AWARDS List Children's Show Promotion Winners THE Silver Horse Emblem of the Round-up Riders of the Rockies Is awarded to CBS star Gene Autry (2d I) on the occasion of his visit to Denver a fortnight ago. L to r are Joe Dekker, Denver Civic Theatres; Mr. Autry; Hugh B. Terry, KLZ Denver vice president and general manager, making the presentation; Harold Rice, Southern District manager. Fox Intermountain Theatres, and Robert C. Hill, district manager, Columbia Pictures. TAX REVISION Would Curb Co-op Station Buys OVER 200 U. S. Senators and Congressmen are on record favoring proposed tax-equality legislation v/hich would "discourage" cooperative and educational organizations from purchasing radio stations and other properties, Rep. Noah H. Mason (R-Ill.) told Broadcasting last week. Rep. Mason noted strong sentiment in Congress for some form of tax equality, to plug present loopholes in the tax system, which he said should accompany any repeal of excise taxes. He said the House Ways & Means Committee will review the tax structure shortly looking toward such legislation. Nonprofit firms now have commercial properties and investments totaling $157 billion worth of the country's wealth, and are exempt from corporate taxes, he added. Singles Out Incidents He cited again the purchase of KGA Spokane, Wash., former ABC outlet, by Gonzaga U. last fall, and Duffy's Tavern, which has been tape-recorded in San Juan, P. R. and which he has singled out for alleged tax escape [Broadcasting, Oct. 10, 17, 1949]. Rep. Mason said that his bill (HR .5064), currently pending, would not be aimed, in the case of radio, at non-commercial outlets licensed by FCC or any stations generally used for educational purposes. Instead, he pointed out, it would curb taxfree organizations who invest in stations for commercial gain in direct competition with private investors of firms which do not enjoy similar tax-exempt privileges. During the war, when excess profits were taxable up to 90%, many cooperative and educational organizations "got in on the ground floor" and took advantages of tax loopholes, he asserted, and even now, with a tax rate of some 38 9<-, many enjoy a non-taxable status. By closing these loopholes. Rep. Mason figures the government stands to pick up about $1 billion to compensate for loss of $600 million or $700 million from excise tax repeal. LOBBY PROBE House Launches Inquiry PROBE of lobbying activities by a House Select Committee got underway on Capitol Hill last Tuesday. As the first step staff" investigators outlined progress of their work to members of the group headed by Rep. Frank Buchanan (D-Pa.). After the session, which did not touch on radio. Chairman Buchanan indicated hearings would deal first with groups whose activities are considered by the committee to border on possible violation of the Lobby Registration Act. No date has been set for the hearings, he added. Preliminary reports, dealing mostly with housing legislation, reportedly uncovered some "irregularities" but no "flagrant abuses," some members indicated. Meanwhile, Sen. John Bricker (R-Ohio) has charged that certain heads of independent agencies — some of them "experts" — have tried to influence legislation. "In some cases," he noted, they are the "very men who drafted the legislation under committee consideration." He did not identify any. The committee is trying to determine whether certain organizations have failed to register as lobbyists, and whether certain registrants have complied with the act. Representatives of radio interests are expected to come under the committee's scrutiny. MUTUAL's "President's Cup" for the outstanding promotion of a network children's show was awarded to KVER Albuquerque for its work on the network's "Kid's Block" of shows. Robert A. Schmid, MBS vice president in charge of advertising, pro ^ motion and planning, announced HOUSE HEARINGS FCC, 'Voice' Budgets Listed HEARINGS on a number of appropriations bills were started by various House Appropriations subcommittees in the past fortnight following President Truman's budget report for fiscal 1950-1951. Congress this year has decided to lump all funds in one package bill. Chairman Wayne Coy and other top-ranking members of FCC are scheduled to appear before one subcommittee early this week to testify on the Commission's 1951 budget. Schedule for Comr. Coy's appearance was incorrectly reported in Broadcasting Jan. i6. Full committee hopes to end independent offices hearings by March 3 and mark up its report by mid-March. Rep. Albert Thomas (D-Texas) heads the subcommittee. Another group, headed by Rep. John J. Rooney (D-N. Y.), fortnight ago began hearings on funds for the State Dept. and other government branches. State Dept. officials, slated to testify shortly, will seek larger funds for the international information (Voice of America) program and other activities. Sessions will be concluded by Feb. 17. Meanwhile, Sen. Pat McCarran (D-Nev. ) has announced that his State-Justice-Commerce subcommittee will begin Senate hearings Jan. 31. SLATER NAMED Is Ruthrauff & Ryan V. P. THOMAS G. SLATER, who has been with Ruthrauflf & Ryan, New York, since September 1946, has been elected a vice president. He will continue to handle network relations, p r o gram and talent development, as well as Canadian radio operations. Prior to joining R & R , Mr. Slater had 12 years of radio experience in producing, performing and executive capacities. His last appointment before joining the agency was director of special events and sports for Mutual. Mr. Slater was in charge of the Friendship Train for Citizen's Food Committee and received the National Headliners award for radio's outstanding special events broadcast in 1946. He also won the Treasury Dept. Silver Award for patriotic service and the King Haakon Liberation Medal for wartime assistance to the Norwegian Government. Mr. Slater the winner last week. William T. Kemp, the station's general manager, received the award from Frank White, MBS president, at the close of the two-month-long contest among the network's 500 aflSliates. Awards were made on the basis of promotion of the 5-6 p.m. children's shows, Straight Arrow, Tom Mix and B-Bar-B Riders. Divided Into Categories A total of 37 prizes were awarded, including 15 awards for the best overall promotion of the "Kid's Block," and 22 prizes for the outstanding jobs in specific promotion categories. The top 15 awards were distributed in the three station classifications— stations in cities of 100,000 and over population; in cities between 25,000 and 100,000, and in cities Under 25,000 population. These winners are: Classification No. 1 — William Schweitzer, WEBR Buffalo; Ron Tuten, WJHP Jacksonville; Joe Baker, KBON Omaha; Vivian Blanken, KFEL Denver; Herb Sonnenberg, KHJ Los Angeles. Classification 2 ; William Kemp, KVER Albuquerque, N. M.; Waldemar C. Porsow, WHBY Appleton, Wise. ; C. Lowell Smith, KFXM San Bernardino, Calif.; Lynn Fairbanks, KFIZ Fond du Lac, Wise; Jean Hundley, WWOD Lynchburg, Va. Classification 3: Ed Breen, KFVD Fort Dodge, Iowa; Dan Corrigan, KCOK Tulare, Calif.; Bert Wick, KDLR Devil's Lake, N. D.; Louis C. Wrather, WENK Union City, Tenn.; Bob Bingam, WCNC Elizabeth City, N. C. 22 Awards The 22 stations and the winners of prizes for outstanding jobs in specific promotion categories are : Harry Hoessley, WHKC Columbus, Ohio; William Sprague, WHK Cleveland, Ohio; Kermit Edney, WHKP Hendersonville, N. C; Bill Monroe, KENT Shreveport, La.: Gene Hoenes, KMHO Hannibal, Mo.; Bob Instad, KOVC Valley City, N. D.; Betty Crocker, KRNR Roseburg, Ore.; Wayne Phelps, KHUZ Borger, Tex.; George H. Wilson, WSTV Steubenville, Ohio; William Carlier, WRBC Jackson, Miss.; Dick Bolender, WBRK Pittsfield, Mass.; Earl Corbett, WCPO Cincinnati; Ken Gordon, KDTH Dubuque; Don Getz, WGN Chicago; Don O'Neil, WHKK Akron; Fran Ide, KGB San Diego; Mack Newberry, K P A C Port Arthur ; Clarence Waggoner, WMAK Nashville; Jack Swenson, WLOL Minneapolis; Helen Penny. WRCX Duluth; Lennon Kelly, KTRI Sioux City; Charles Curtin, WNAC Boston. Page 32 • January 23, J 950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting