Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

formed in the late '30s primarily to meet the music-copyright crisis. Again during the summer discontent was apparent among NAB members. This led to formation Sept. 25 of a competitive association, American Broadcasters Assn. Its founders included John Shepard 3d, of Yankee Network and chairman of Broadcasters Victory Council; Mr. Damm; James D. Shouse, WLW-WSAI Cincinnati; Mr. Pulliam; George B. Storer, president of Fort Industry Co. as well as National Independent Broadcasters ; Harry Bannister, WWJ Detroit; E. B. Craney, Z-Bar Network; Stanley Hubbard, KSTP St. Paul; 0. L. (Ted) Taylor, of TaylorHowe-Snowden stations and BVC executive secretary. Though ABA wanted Mr. Miller removed as president, the NAB board at a special mid-October meeting gave him a new vote of confidence. ABA conducted a survey of station reaction and decided in mid-November to abandon the whole project. It was a good business year despite all the disturbing war influences, judging by statements of industry leaders at the yearend, promising to surpass the $237.6 million gross time sales in 1941 ($176.3 million net), as estimated in January by Broadcasting Yearbook. FCC's 1941 analysis, appearing in November, placed 1941 net time sales at $178.1 million. The U. S. Census Bureau had announced Aug. 3 that as of April 1940 82.8^^0 of U. S. Homes had radio receivers. The year saw many industry figures leave their desks and microphones to take part in the war effort. The military services drew such persons as David Sarnolf, RCA president and NBC chairman, who entered the Signal Corps; Harry C. Butcher, CBS Washington vice president, who became aide to Gen. Eisenhower; John A. Kennedy, head of West Virginia Network, to the Navy; Edward M. Kirby, NAB public relations director, to head the Army's radio section, and Frank E. Pellegrin, NAB director of broadcast advertising, to the same section, to mention just a few of those in the industry who donned uniform. Several pioneers in the Industry died during the year. Among them were Graham McNamee, announcer; Dr. John R. Brinkley, onetime Kansas and Mexican broadcaster; Maj. Gen. C. McK. Saltzman, chairman of the Federal Radio Commission from 1980 to 1932; C. Roy Hunt, general manager of KOIN and president of KALE Portland, Ore.; Paul H. La Stayo, president of WAAT Newark; Edward A. Hanover, vice president in charge of manufacturing and broadcast operations, Stromberg-Carlson Telephone Mfg. Corp. 1943 Mr. McNamee AFTER more than a year's experience in operation under war conditions, the broadcastindustry found itself in harmony with most of the government's key officials. This was especially the case at Office of Censorship and Office of War Information. As the year was getting under way, key broadcasting and OWI officials had just completed a threeday conference in which a plan was drawn up for government war-effort programs. Heart of this plan was a five-weekly quarter-hour program, slated for Feb. 1 inauguration, to be available for sponsorship on all stations. A station allocation plan was adopted by OWI to aid broadcasters in planning war information programming. One of the first radio war heroes was Lt. Thomas E. Knode, of NBC Washingington, who received the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action. Lt. Knode was twice wounded near Buna, New Guinea, on Dee. 5, 1942. Later he was promoted to captain and before the year ended had returned to his duties as NBC Washington news editor. Broadcasters were granted important manpower relief in a revised list of critical occupations issued Jan. 28 by Selective Service officials. Though WLW Cincinnati had been directed to cease operating Lt. Knode with 500 kw the first of the year, it was authorized to continue engineering tests at peak power of 750 kw. The plant was earmarked for use in psychological warfare. Off.ce of Censorship announced Feb. 10 a revision of its code to centralize domestic activities and strengthen supervision of foreign language broadcasts. As War Production Board perfected its technique, Frank H. Mcintosh was promoted in March to assistant director of the WPB Radio Division under Ray C. Ellis. The OWI's series of quarter-hour programs, started in February, continued to attract sponsors and by mid-March stations all over the country had sold the series locally or regionally. War industries were using radio time in larger quanti(Continued on page 136) GIVES YOU BONUS COVERAGE! The South Bend-Mishawaka trading area — all by itself — is a market worth covering. Over half-a-million people live in these eight counties alone. They spend nearly half-a-billion dollars a year on retail purchases. 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