Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

(Reprinted from Oct. 15, 1931) 1937 (Continued from page 107) games, spending $250,000 for rights alone, and Kellogg Co. sponsored gridiron contests from New England to Denver. Networks continued their expansion in 1937 and at the end of the year CBS had 114 affiliates; NBC-Red had 94 and NBC-Blue 99, with considerable duplication; MBS had 73. FCC issued licenses for 39 new stations during the year and O. H. Caldwell, editor of Radio Today, estimated that 7,700,000 home radios and 1,750,000 auto sets were sold, bringing the national total at year's end to 37 million sets and 26 million radio homes. Dr. Daniel Starch, in a study made for CBS, found U. S. broadcasters providing more than 95 million family-hours a day of listening. The move to Hollywood for program origination became almost a stampede in 1937. In the spring a Broadcasting analysis of network program sources showed the percentage from the movie capital up from 6.2% the year before to 11.4%, with New York holding its same relative position — 58.6% com INVIGORATED by the desire for a strong industry organization able to withstand and repel attacks of the sort which the previous year had found the NAB weak and faltering, the NAB membership, risen to a new peak of 434, met in February for a two-day whirlwind convention which enthusiastically ratified the reorganization plans and elected a new board with orders to put them into effect as rapidly as possible, even including the increased dues schedule. The board retained Philip G. Loucks, former NAB managing director and author of the reorganization plan, to guide the association until the new paid president should take over, then set about the task of choosing the right man for the job. Finally in what Broadcasting editorially termed a "master stroke" of industry diplomacy, the board drafted Mark FLOOD COVERAGE was one of the most important radio events in 1937. Stations everywhere performed outstanding public service. Above is typical view. This is scene in WSM Nashyille studio (I to r): Tom Stewart, Jack Harris, Betty Smith, Manager Harry Stone, Otis Devine, Ed Kirby, David Stone and Mrs. Margaret Ackerman. pared with 57.8% the spring of 1936 — and Chicago down from 30.6% to 25.0%. CBS began constructing a $2 million Hollywood studio and office building in the spring; NBC broke ground for Its new Hollywood headquarters in the fall; World Broadcasting System also that fall started work on a building to house recording studios and a processing plant. Agencies opened or expanded Hollywood offices. By fall the hardest part of putting a new program on the air from that city was to find a studio for it. Radio Wins Respecf With Flood Crisis Activities From the crowded pages of radio's 1937 chapter the most memorable sequence is that recording radio's part during the flood crisis in the opening months of the year, when the Ohio and Mississippi rivers inundated the land with a flood of unprecedented proportions. Paying its respects to "all the men and women of radio who in the disastrous 1937 flood crisis gave unstintingly and heroically of their time and effort to rescue and relieve distressed humanity," Broadcasting said, in part : "Radio has often been accused of having no tradition and being greedy. But youth, too, can build a tradition — and a wholesome example of radio's willingness to forget self was furnished by the complete abandonment by all stations in the flood regions of everything but broadcasts devoted to human needs; by the heroic rescue and relief work of the station managers and their staffs, not to mention their remarkable news coverage of the disaster so that the outside world could know; and by the magnificant results achieved by stations and networks generally in helping the Red Cross put over its great drive for funds." Ethridge, vice president and general manager of the Louisville CourierJournal and Times and of WHAS Louisville, as interim president. He had repeatedly rejected offers to become NAB's permanent paid head executive. Mr. Ethridge immediately dispelled any fears that his would be a watchful-waiting administi'ation. Calling in Edwin , M. Spence, former manager of WBAL B a 1 1 i more, as acting staff executive Mr. Ethridge began building the kind of headquarters organization required by the new plans. Joseph L. Miller, veteran newspaper man, was appointed publicity director Mr. Spence with emphasis on labor relations; Paul F. Peter left his post as secretary of the tripartite Joint Committee on Radio Research to become research director of NAB; Edward M. Kirby, sales promotion director of the National Life & Accident Insurance Co. and its radio station WSM Nashville, was made NAB public relations director. The executive committee was assigned to tackle at once its toughest long-term task, an exhaustive exploration of the entire copyright situation was the goal of defining a positive NAB position before the expiration of the current ASCAP contracts on Dec. 31, 1940. Mr. Ethridge himself led the industry opposition to Congressional bills for the construction of a Government-owned shortwave radio station which succeeded in blocking (Continued on page 110) KMBC First— in the Heart of America" Now Becomes a Key Station of the Columbia Network Adding— Additional Prestige Listener Interest Value <^ Midland Broadcasting Co. Pickwick Hotel Kansas City,Mo. Page 108 • October 16, 1950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting