Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

1944 (Continued from pagre 139) Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for WOL Washington. In September Marshall Field took over operation of WSAI Cincinnati, formerly owned by Crosley along with WLW Cincinnati. An early 1944 event was February appointment of Paul Porter, assistant to the economic stabilizer, to be public relations director of the Democratic National Committee. Niles Trammell, NBC president, announced in March that NBC's affiliation policy would apply to its television stations. Mutual network decided to tighten its rules governing commercial religious programs. Blue network was reorganized in September into ABC network, with Chester J. LaRoche, chairman of the executive commitee, becoming vice chairman of the board and operating head. Edgar Kobak resigned Oct. 21 as executive vice president to become president of Mutual. A few weeks later he named Robert D. Swezey, Blue general counsel, as vice president of Mutual and Phillips Carlin, Blue program vice president, as MBS program vice president. Paul Porter, after a few months STOP watches Yours New 1950 catalog of internationally famous Clebar stop watches. Most complete line of stop watches in America . . . for every timing purpose. In use by the foremost industrial firms, laboratories, colleges and athletic competitions. Clebar Stop Watches MAIL COUPON """^ exceed the TODAY! rigid specifications of the National Bureau of Standards! CLKBAKWalchAgenc^ I Dept. B, 551 Fifth Ave. . N.Y. n.N.Y. I I Please rush me a FREE copy of the I I new 1950 catalog of the internationally I known Clebar Stop Watches. ' I I I Name | I Address | I City State I L I PaRe 140 • October 16, 1950 Mr. Poppele with the Democratic committee, was named FCC Chairman in November. He succeeded Chairman Fly, who had resigned to enter private practice of law. Mr. Porter took office Dec. 21 after Senate confirmation. Final personnel changes of the year were appointment of John F. Royal, of NBC, to a vice presidency in charge of television, and naming of Theodore C. Streibert to presidency of WOR New York as Alfred J. McCosker moved up to board chairmanship. In line' with oft-heard criticism of station break policies, WWJ Detroit in late November placed a ban on transcribed announcements. A few days later WJZ New York ruled out chain break spots 8-10 p.m., except time signals. Television Broadcasters Assn. held its first convention in midDecember, calling on the industry for united TV effort. Some 750 were registered. Jack R. Poppele, WOR New York, was elected president. The Broadcast Measurement Bureau board held its first meeting Dec. 15, approving corporate articles and layingpreliminary plans for a cooperative industi-y coverage service. NAB, as industry trade association, in January culminated months of internal dissension by naming J. Harold Ryan, assistant censorship director, as president to succeed Neville Miller. In the promotion field the NAB Sales Managers Committee recommended production of an industry movie film forschool and civic showings. NAB Run by Networks, Ed Craney Charges E. B. Craney, of Z-Bar Network, enlivened the winter scene with a charge that NAB was run by the networks and did not truly represent the industry. Mr. Craney was "unofficial attache" to the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee, writing new radio legislation. Lewis H. Avery, NAB broadcast advertising director, announced in April that a clinic test of radio would be made at Joske's department store, San Antonio. Mr. Ryan formally assumed the NAB presidency April 15, calling for cooperation between NAB and FCC. John Morgan Davis joined NAB during the summer as general counsel in charge of labor relations. NAB War Conference was held Aug. 28-31 in Chicago. Creation of a radio circulation bureau was approved, with Assn. of National Advertisers and American Assn. of Advertising Agencies adding their approval in October. In November the NAB board appropriated $75,000 to launch BMB. Final NAB action of the year was a call by President Ryan for the industry to observe radio's 2oth anniversary in 1945. FCC experienced an exciting year in 1944, dealing with such topics as multiple and newspaper ownership, allocations and programming. Starting out the year the Commission issued a tentative ruling in which it said it "tolerates" newspaper ownership of stations. Then a fortnight later the Commission did an about face, leaving the way open for newspapers to own stations and have their applications considered on individual merits. That ended a state of uncertainty that had existed since March 1941. Ewell K. Jett, chief engineer, was nominated and confirmed as Commissioner to fill the vacancy created in mid-1943 when nomination of George Henry Payne for another term was withdra\\Ti. FCC announced in January that total 1942 time sales were $190,147,052. Broadcasting's 1942 Yearbook had estimated in Januarj^ 1943 that total 1942 income was $191,000,000. George P. Adair was named FCC chief engineer to succeed Mr. Jett. Commission Suspends Duopoly Order Another FCC perennial, the multiple ownership problem, came to the surface in April when the Commission suspended its duopoly order, originally scheduled to becom*^' effective May 31. In the television field FCC ruled in May that one company could own five video stations. Tentative amendment was adopted in May to ease requirements on announcement of recordings and transcriptions but this was rejected in August. The FCC in August announced that frequency allocation hearings would start Sept. 28. The censorship issue arose when a CIO local charged WHKC Columbus had not operated in the public interest when it rejected sponsored program material of the union. This charge was made as hearings began in August. NAB's code also was a CIO target. Allocation hearings opened before the FCC Sept. 28. Radio Technical Planning Board urged setting aside of 75 FM channels in the 41-56 mc band. FCC issued an estimated figure for station revenue in 1943, placing the total at $154,050,661. This covered stations only, and not networks. John A. Willoughby was named in November as FCC assistant chief engineer in charge of the Broadcast Division. The year ended with Paul Porter sitting in the FCC chairmanship. The House Select Committee, been working for Mr. Willoughby which had months on its FCC inquiry, ran into a rebuff in January when J. Edgar Hoover, FBI director, refused to answer committee questions. He acted under Presidential orders. Eugene Carey quit as committee counsel in February, charging the investigation had become a whitewash of the FCC. John Sirica, Washington attorney, was named his successor in April. In March the special Senate committee investigating the AFM reopened its hearing, calling for drafting of legislation to curb AFM activities. Draft of new legislation, the White-Wheeler bill, was completed in May. This bill covered a long list of changes in FCC procedure and included a ban on sponsorship of news. Court Upholds WJBK Against Polish Group Only one court decision of industrywide consequence was handed down during the year. This occurred in Detroit when a county court denied petition of a Polish group to enjoin WJBK Detroit from terminating its contract with the group and taking the program off the air. The station contended the program had failed to promote unity among population groups. The mid-year conventions of the Republican and Democratic parties followed a few weeks after the exciting D-Day events, giving broadcasters two more major developments to report. Both conventions were covered in great detail by 300 reporters, technicians and officials. 'The GOP plank included a "free radio" platform. The Democratic platform made no direct mention of radio but included a free-speech clause. An important mid-year development in the history of Broadcasting occurred in early June when Sol Taishoff, editor and general manager, bought the 50% interest of Martin Codel, publisher, becoming with Mrs. Taishoff owner of all outstanding capital stock in the magazine. Mr. Taishoff became publisher and editor. In September Robert K. Richards, assistant chief radio censor, was named editorial director of BROADCASTING. A number of prominent industry figures passed away during the year. Arthur H. Kudner, prominent agency man, died Feb. 18 of pneumonia. Daniel J. Danker, West Coast vice president of J. Walter Thompson Co., died July 5 of a heart attack. Three days later William A. Winterbottom, vice president and general manager of RCA Communications, died of a heart attack. D. E. (Plug) Kendi'ick, president of WINN Louisville, died suddenly July 20. Richard M. Fairbanks, president of WIBC Indianapolis, died July 26 after an operation. W. E. Macfarlane, vice president of WGN Chicago, died suddenly Oct. 9 of a heart attack. Samuel W. Cook, president of WFBL Syra(Continiied on page H2) BROADCASTING • Telecasting