Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

RICHARDS' SUPPORT Witnesses Pass 100 Mark THE PARADE of witnesses for G. A. (Dick) Richards in FCC's renewal hearing involving the station owner's news policies and the licenses of his stations passed the 100 mark last week, the 15th week since hearings started and the fourth since presentation of Mr. Richards' case was commenced. Defense Counsel Joseph Burns indicated early in the week that approximately 75 witnesses remained to be heard, including 25 additional "reputation" witnesses, ANA Muffles Rate Cut (Continued from page 32) I were an agency." Effectiveness of copy was described by H. H. Haupt, vice president of BBDO, talking on "What the advei'tiser can do to help the agency produce the best copy," and John B. McLaughlin, advertising and sales promotion manager, Kraft Foods Co., "What the agency can do to get the most help from the advertiser." The advertising follow-through was outlined by Clarence Goshorn, president of Benton & Bowles, "What should the advertiser expect from the agency in merchandising his advertising," and Robert J. Piggott, advertising manager, Grove Labs., "After the advertising and promotional campaign starts, what more should the agency do?" The agency and advertiser viewpoints regarding "How far does agency responsibility go in terms of building and maintaining company brands and reputation," were subjects of Leo Nejelski, president of the company of the same name, and John V. Sandberg, vice president of the Pepsodent Division of Lever Bros. Agency Responsibility Leo Burnett, president of the Chicago agency of that name, described "The responsibilities and opportunities of the advertising agency for effective merchandising at the retail level." A panel on "What happens when you go allout advertising-wise" included Dr. Henry C. Link, vice president, The Psychological Corp., asking questions of Herbert L. Baldwin, vice president and director of research of Fletcher D. Richards Inc., and Miss Virginia Fairfield and Thomas H. Young, advertising director, U. S. Rubber. The concluding address of the three-day session was delivered by Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer, speaking on "Mobilizing Industry for Defense," Wednesday afternoon. That morning, Samuel C. Gale, vice president of General Mills and Advertising Council chairman, forecast responsibilities and opportunities for business and advertising in "Guns and Butter." The annual ANA dinner Tuesday evening was headlined by Brig. Gen. Frank L. Howley, speaking on Russian Communism. 30 who would deal with the public service activities of Mr. Richards and his KMPC Los Angeles; 10 to 15 former employes, and five to ten present employes. Examiner James D. Cunningham, conducting the hearing, made clear that the list of "reputation" witnesses would have to be trimmed unless they are "very representa'tive people in some civic capacity." FCC General Counsel Benedict P. Cottone, in charge of the Commission staff's presentation against ■ Mr. Richards, charged at one point that KMPC was presenting "manufactured" testimony. Mr. Richards, chief owner of KMPC, WGAR Cleveland, and WJR Detroit, has been accused of ordering newsmen to slant news according to his personal political and social beliefs. The hearing thus far has been held in Los Angeles, but may continue in Detroit and Cleveland as well as Washington — where, it was decided, testimony by E. Z. Dimitman on his analysis of KMPC newscasts will be received. Mr. Cottone said that if counsel for Mr. Richards should present Mr. Dimitman's testimony at Detroit— where the hearing on Mr. Richards' proposal to set up a trusteeship for his stations is tentatively slated to start Oct. 15 [Broadcasting, Sept. 25] — then cross-examination alone would consume a month. The week's witnesses in behalf of Mr. Richards and KMPC in cluded Rev. James W. Fifield Jr., minister of the First Congregational Church in Los Angeles and national director of the Spiritual Mobilization Movement, plus two rabbis, a priest, and a number of ministers and laymen representing several faiths in addition to professional men. Rev. Mr. Fifield said he had known Mr. Richards for 13 years and characterized their friendship as akin to "love at first sight." Mr. Richards, he said, "is entirely, unequivocally, insistently fair" — a "sterling character at heart" although "sometimes his mouth doesn't gear in with his heart." He said he had heard Mr. Richards say he wished the whole Jewish group would go to perdition, but that the station owner also spoke affectionately about his Jewish employes. Program History Dr. Fifield said the Spiritual Mobilization Movement's Freedom Story program, now released to 530 stations via transcription, originated on KMPC three years ago after discussions with Mr. Richards, "who had considerable experience in Detroit in developing programs of that kind." Asked if he himself had not attacked FCC in a broadcast on KFAC Los Angeles because of the FCC investigation of Mr. Richards and KMPC, Dr. Fifield said he was "very critical of this proceeding," NAB WORK Back Legislative Plans Locally, Quartan Tells Dist. 12 BROADCASTERS should work "at the local level" on behalf of the NAB's legislative policies, NAB District 12 delegates were told Thursday at the opening of their two-day meeting by William E. Quarton, WMT Cedar Rapids, Iowa, district director. Mr. Quarton presided at the * — sessions, held at the Chase Hotel, St. Louis. He commended NAB's "perfect record" in the legislative field, observing that no adverse legislation has been passed in recent years. While NAB covers the Washington front effectively and can alert the field, he said, members can give effective support by contacting locally their legislative representatives. Individuals and groups should make personal calls and write letters at appropriate times, he said. Defense Activities Outlined NAB President Justin Miller described NAB's activities in the defense emergency. He said the new defense bulletin, published for the first time last Monday, had been well received at the White House. Ralph W. Hardy, NAB government relations director, made the NAB membership film presentation Thursday and reported on department activities. Richard P. Doherty, NAB employe-employer relations director, was introduced by Chet L. Thomas, KXOK St. Louis, member of the former NAB Employe-Employer Relations Committee. Mr. Doherty advised members and non-members to begin studying jobs in organizations for proper integration. "You can't possibly do this overnight," Mr. Doherty warned. He urged fusion of sales and program efforts and commented that some salesmen don't even know what is in their transcription library. In referring to the NAB board's Broadcast Advertising Bureau Committee, which is working out plans for a super-BAB, Mr. Quarton called for industry unity. He said Assn. of National Advertisers "has singled us out as the easy mark among advertising media." Lee Hart, BAB assistant director, presented the BAB film, "How to Pick a Winner." She was to conduct a retailing clinic Friday. William E. Ware, KSTL St. Louis, was named chairman of the resolutions committee, which was to submit recommendations Friday. which "seems to me more like Russia than America, and that colors everything I say. It seems to me like an inquisition." He insisted that there was no indication "that free speech was ever curtailed over KMPC." Mr. Cottone asked to see scripts of Freedom Story broadcasts and others given by Rev. Mr. Fifield and guests on KFAC, in the meantime reserving the right to crossexamine the minister further. Rabbi Joseph Jasin, chaplin of the Jewish Committee for Personal Service, said he participated in the Prayer for Peace series on KMPC and testified that he did not recall hearing any criticism of the station's attitude toward Jewish persons or organizations. Dr. Warner Muir, pastor of Wilshire Christian Church in Los Angeles, said he had never heard of KMPC discriminating against any racial or religious group. Others presenting testimony: Sidney Brechner, sound eflFects engineer of WJR; Rabbi William Kramer of Temple Israel, Fontana, Calif., formerly of Cleveland; George J. Meyer, executive director of the Southern California Region, United Synagogues of America; Norman J. Rivkin, public relations director for the National Conference of Christians and Jews; Ira L. Cook, now a disc jockey, who broadcast news for a KMPC sponsor in 1940; Benny La Grasse, former KMPC musical director; Howard Rhines, program manager of KFAC, formerly with KMPC for nine years; Kenneth Carey and Art Ballinger, former KMPC newscastersannouncers; Howard Flynn, chief announcer since October 1946; Mrs. Alice Taylor, manager of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Southern California Symphony Assn.; L. A. Fitzgerald, information service representative. West Coast Division of Veterans Administration; C. T. Pereira, interior decorator associated with various civic and fraternal organizations; Frank P. Doherty, owner of KRKD Los Angeles and widely known attorney ; George Irwin, agency head, who presented material under subpena issued following his earlier appearance on the stand. Vincent R. (Dick) Smith, partner in the firm of Smith & Bull Adv.; Rev. John Henry Engle of Crescent Heights Methodist Church in Los Angeles; Dr. James W. Bell of First Presbyterian Church; Francis L. McDonough, representing the Knights of Columbus; Father John Sheridan, who participated in a Knights of Columbus series on KMPC this year; Aid Kushner, trainer for the Detroit Lions professional football team during the period of its ownership by Mr. Richards; David Silverman, music librarian of WJR since 1936; Hal Berger, sports director of Armed Forces Radio Service, who has been re-creating baseball games and handling other programs on KMPC since 1937; Norman Nesbitt, freelance announcer-newscaster; Grace Glasser, president of GlasserGailey Inc., Los Angeles advertising agency; Paul H. Helms, president of Helms Bakeries Inc.; Lloyd Doctor, Salvation Army p u b li c relations director; Mrs. Paul B. Handel, radio and television director for Los Angeles Girls Scouts; Robert J. Kelly, KMPC sports director since 1946; Paul Masterson, writer-actor on (Continued on page 72) Page 34 • October 2, 1950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting