Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

WGGG SWITCH State Board Defers Action PROPOSAL by WGGG Gainesville, Fla., that it exchange frequency and power facilities with WRUF, the U. of Florida-owned station, was deferred Oct. 23 following a two-day meeting of the Florida State Board of Control. WGGG would exchange its 250 w and 1230 kc dial spot with the 5 k^v-850 kc operation of WRUF, with which it competes in Gainesville. WGGG is licensed to Alachua County Broadcasting Co. Inc., with R. M. Chamberlin as president and general manager. The meeting posed a controversial issue in Florida radio circles where three stations — -WRUF WSUN St. Petersburg and WJAX Jacksonville — operate as city or college properties. Some broadcasters, including Walter Tison, president and general manager of WALT Tampa, feel that the FCC should draw a definite distinction between commercial radio stations and those operating as a service rendered by civic groups. WRUF has been listed as an MBS affiliate. LILIENTHAL Retained as RCA Counsellor DAVID E. LILIENTHAL, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has been retained by RCA as special counsellor on policy and administrative matters. Though no announcement has been made by RCA, it is understood Mr. Lilienthal has been serving in this capacity for some weeks. Mr. Lilienthal has extensive experience in scientific fields as an administrator. Besides directing Atomic Energy Commission in its formative period he was a prime mover of Tennessee Valley Authority in the '30s. It is believed he may assume a top research capacity at RCA. Within a fortnight Mr. Lilienthal is expected to open a consulting office in the American Security Bank Bldg., Washington. He will counsel on administrative and policy matters. Mr. Jahncke Mr. McDonald Mr. Saudek Mr. Oberfelder Mr. LILIENTHAL Page 24 • October 30, 1950 ABC promotions and realignments announced Oct. 20 [Broadcasting, Oct. 23] include Ernest L. Jahncke, vice president in charge of stations, being appointed vice president in charge of all radio, including network and stations; Joseph A. McDonald, vice president and general attorney, and Robert Saudek, vice president in charge of public relations, being named assistants to Robert E. Kintner, ABC president. Mr. McDonald will be responsible for all legal matters and labor relations, and Mr. Saudek, in addition to present duties, will head advertising, promotion and research. Messrs. Jahncke, McDonald and Saudek report to Mr. Kintner. Also announced was the naming of Ted Oberfelder, head of ■ advertising-promotion, as manager of WJZ New York; and Clarence Doty as WJZ-TV manager, both reporting to Murray Grabhorn, vice president in charge of owned and operated stations. Mitchell DeGroot has been appointed acting manager of advertising and promotion. Benjamin Gedalecia continues as manager of research. RED IDENTITIES'"X'r;n^^^^^^^^^^^ WHEELS of new anti-subversive control machinery set up to compel Communist "front" or "action" organizations to identify their radio and television programs and to impose other restrictions on their activities began to turn slowly last week. It was strongly evident that the new law, which may face revision once Congress reconvenes, may have little practical effect on station operations. The burden of enforcement does not rest on stations. Communist party officials and fellow-traveler groups who subsequently may be deemed to fall within that category had taken no action to comply with the law's provision calling for registration with the Justice Dept. within the 30-day limit. Deadline on registrations was last Monday evening. It was believed that the issue eventually would go to the courts as a "test case." In the interim, penalties for non-registration, covering prison sentences and fines up to $10,000, cannot be enforced until ths government firmly establishes who is required to register as an "action" or "front" group. Board Created To that end. President Truman last Monday created a five-man Subversive Activities Control Board to be headed by Seth Richardson, chairman of the government's Loyalty Review Board. The Justice Dept. is expected to ask the board for an order sometime next month specifically requiring the Communist Party to register. The board will be asked to base decisions in individual cases on an eight-point guide, with recommendations from the Justice Dept. The Communist Party, if it should be so designated, then could appeal the board's ruling to the courts. Section 10 of the Communistcontrol bill passed Sept. 23, would make it unlav^rful for any "front" or "action" group to air any radio or television program without identifying, in advance, the program it is sponsoring [BROADCASTING, Oct. 2]. The provision is not intended to add further obligations to those already imposed on broadcasters. A Federal Register compilation of registered organizations would serve as the guide with respect to lawful groups. But broadcasters would not be asked to rule off nonregistrants, upon whom alone the burden of responsibility would rest. FCC regulations already require stations to identify sponsors of radio and television programs. Other Members Other members of the new control board are Peter Campbell Brown, special assistant to the Attorney General; Charles M. LaFollette, former Republican Congressman from Indiana and now executive director of Americans for Democratic Action; David J.' Coddaire, Boston lawyer, and Dr. Kathryn McHale, former director general of the American Assn. of University Women. Motenko Joins Muzak APPOINTMENT of Alexander Motenko as general sales manager of Muzak Corp. Transcription Div. has been announced by Richard A. Wilson, vice presiden of the division. Mr. Motenko, former vice president of Children's Press Inc., will assume full charge of all sales departments. He also will continue to serve as president of Brason Assoc., Chicago record distributor. TOWER FALLS KHQ Plans New Structure PLANS are underway for another 826-ft. structure to replace KHQ Spokane's new radio tower that jack-knifed in opposite directions Oct. 18, according to R. 0. Dunning, president. Tower was to have replaced KHQ's present quarterwave antenna located 250-ft. from the site of the construction. The new structure collapsed at the 608-ft. level as workmen began to tension a second set of permanent guy cables. As yet, cause of the failure has not been determined. Station was off the air for 61 minutes when a falling guy wire severed the transmission line leading to the currently-used tower, which had been cut from the half -wave size of 826ft. to 430-ft. by a windstorm last November. The old tower was unsupported and although damaged by the storm still showed no appreciable loss of coverage as it had separated at nearly the exact quarter-wave point. The new tower, which suddenly gave way, was of a uniform cross section of 6'3", and was to have been supported by two sets of three permanent guys. Two workmen installing neon sections of the tower were on the ground and, while knocked from their feet, were not seriously injured. Chief Engineer John Walker and Salesman Charles Lohnes, of KHQ, and William Whitman, International Derrick & Equipment Co., who were at the scene, sprinted to safety. Prime contractor was RCA, fabrication by International Derrick and erection by Radio Towers Inc., the station reported. NATIONAL GUARD Sets Spots for 1,232 Outlets NATIONAL GUARD will launch a spot announcement campaign using three one-minute spots on more than 1,232 radio stations during the month of November. The advertising budget for National Guard is $300,000, which pays for recruiting aids such as spot radio, posters and newspapers. "Time and space is being bought by the agency, Robert Orr & Assoc., on a long-term rotating basis so that every station and newspaper will be given consideration," Jospeh R. Joyce, account executive of the agency, told Broadcasting. The current spot schedule includes stations of 5 kw and under. During the month of September^ the National Guard sent out a letter under the signature of its chief of bureau, Maj. Gen. Raymond G. Fleming, asking radio stations to use a quarter-hour transcribed show featuring Mindy Carson and Bill Stern, as a public service. Although only 16 programs have been cut, so far, eventually there will be 39 in the series. More than 1,650 stations have agreed to play the programs as a public service and have been doing so since last September. BROADCASTING • Telecasting