Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1950)

BROADCASTING TELECASTING ...at deadline xAAAAAMVUVVVWin/UW Closed Circuit \comin< PRESIDENT H. Leslie Hoffman of Hoffman Radio Corp. hasn't by any means abandoned hope of acquiring Don Lee Broadcasting System, despite court acceptance of $12,320,000 offer of General Tire & Rubber Co. over Hoffman group's $11,200,000 bid [Broadcasting, Oct. 23, 30]. Questioning whether FCC will approve transfer to General Tire, he conferred with FCC authorities last week, reiterated his group's offer still stands if General Tire plan (due for filing shortly) doesn't win FCC blessing. THOSE reports of negotiations for purchase of ABC by United Paramount Theatres [Closed Circuit, Oct. 30] beginning to get authoritative but unofficial confirmations, despite continued official disclaimers. One report' ties CBS in on parlay deal as possible purchaser of ABC's WENR-TV Chicago if sale goes through, sinee Theatres already owns WBKB (TV) there. STRONG possibility that John Herbert, onetime Hearst executive and now assistant to NBC president, will be appointed chief of NBC radio network sales, replacing Harry C. Kopf, who will move to Chicago as NBC vice president in charge of Midwestern Division. Move hinges on I. E. (Chick) Showerman, now NBC midwestern vice president, accepting transfer to San Francisco as general manager of NBC's owned and operated KNBC. AT LEAST ONE network regional station in a television market is planning to raise rate structure as of Dec. 1. LONG-RANGE plan to build up NAB's legislative activity may point to registration of William B. Ryan, general manager, as lobbyist. Development of state and local broadcaster contacts with legislators also envisioned. ADVERSE effect of widespread big-league radio re-creations on minor league baseball attendance to be shown in 1950 sports survey by Jerry Jordan, famed young researcher whose work is most extensive in athletic field. New findings due within week. WASHINGTON observers who watched World War II unfold, see in recent developments precise pattern insofar as mobilization, manpower and economics are concerned. They're advising privately that advantage should be taken of harsh lessons learned during last emergency. MAJOR network ready to announce large national sponsor will buy FM as well as AM coverage in one metropolitan market. GAME OF HIDE and seek on Phonevision continued last week. Latest report was that Zenith has commitments on Class A pictures from 20th Century-Fox and Warners, provided Paramount goes along. Meanwhile, Zenith is seeking its third postponement to Dec. 1 on Chicago "pay as you look" TV experiment. ODDS ARE in favor of abandonment of excess profits tax and stepping up of corporate levies to possibly 60%, according to informed Con(Continued on page 90) Nov. 13-14: American Public Relations Assn., Willard Hotel, Washington. Nov. 14-16: Radio-Television Mfrs. Assn. conference, Waldorf-Astoria, New York. Nov. 15: House Ways & Means Committee hearing on excess profits tax begins. New House Office BIdg., Washington Nov. 15-17: NAB Board, NAB Hdqrs., Washington. (Other Upcomings on Page 55) Bulletins PONTIAC MOTOR Corp., General Motors division, working on radio and television spot campaign to introduce latest models. Agency, MacManus, John & Adams, Detroit. ALLIS CHALMERS Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, will sponsor special full-hour TV version of its National Farm & Home Hour to telecast International Livestock Exposition over NBC interconnected network, Nov. 28, 3-4 p.m. Agency, Bert S. Gittins Adv., Milwaukee. NAB DISTRICT 5 MEMBERS GET TIPS ON SELLING PROPOSED million-dollar fund for Broadcast Advertising Bureau perhaps not enough to spend on sales promotion for half -billion dollar industry but it will have to do for time being, Edgar Kobak, WTWA Thomson, Ga., NAB director-at-large and member of board's BAB Committee, told NAB District 5 Friday (early story page 24). Selection of top-fiight executive to head .BAB urged by Mr. Kobak. He said BAB will make NAB stronger. Discussing station selling, he said, "Think big, sell big, sell constantly." Don't take clients for granted, he warned, urging stations to call on them regularly for ideas. He cited instances where neglect of clients by broadcasters had influenced shift to other media. Resolutions adopted Friday afternoon proposed NAB hold series of clinics on continuity writing; endorsed BAB expansion plan; voiced confidence in NAB President Justin Miller and headquarters officials; advocated showing of slide film depicting NAB functions at state broadcaster meetings; commended speakers who took part in meeting. Two more stations joined NAB Friday — WMLT Dublin, Ga., and WBHF Cartersville, Ga. Four others joined Thursday. Members of Resolutions Committee were W. Wright Esch, WMFJ Daytona Beach, Fla.; Bert Benk WTBC Tuscaloosa, Ala. ; Ray Rington, WRDW Augusta, Ga. Receptions held during two-day meeting by WAGA Atlanta and General Manager James E. Bailey; Lille, Neal & Battle, large Atlanta agency, and Associated Program Service. Registered attendance of 104 at meeting set alltime District i record, according to Allen Woodall, WDAK Columbus, district director. Lee Hart, BAB assistant director, presented orchid Friday by District 5 because she is only NAB-BAB executive to make all 17 district meetings. Business Briefly SCHAFER BUYING • F. & M. Schafei Brewing Co., Brooklyn, buying spot radio announcement campaign in 22 markets, starting in November. Agency, BBDO, New York. STERLING AGENCY • Sterling Films Inc, New York, names Gross-Evans Assoc., New York, to handle advertising, publicity and pub-' lie relations. NORTON DEFENDED; STRATOVISION REVIEWED "NOTHING has been shown in any way which impairs the qualifications" of K. A. Norton, National Bureau of Standards radio propagation authority, commented FCC Counsel Harry Plotkin Friday summarizing interrogation of Mr. Norton by Paul A. deMars, consulting engineer (see early story page 62). Mr. deMars challenged Mr. Norton's qualificationE as wave propagation expert in view of alleged past errors. Most of Friday was devoted to detailed Westinghouse reports on Stratovision and UHF tests with Walter Evans, Westinghouse Radio Stations president, and Ralph Harmon, engineering executive, appearing. Mr. Evans said his firm did not take position on Stratovision but merely reported facts for FCC. He termed it has been proved technically sound and considered economic problems "not insurmountable." He saw it usable only in UHF as practical matter but explained it could work as well in VHF. Mr. Harmon called for flexible allocation rules for "realistic treatment" of presently known variables such as terrain, power, antenna height, irregular spacing of cities and irregular shaping of metropolitan areas. His report on Fort Wayne, Ind., UHF test on 508 mc was considered very encouraging. Pittsburgh report indicated UHF would have trouble there because of severe terrain. Raymond Wilmotte, consulting engineer who proposes Polycasting technique [TELECASTING, Dec. 6, 1948], urged FCC to set flexible standards and permit engineering freedom. He said natural facts must not be subverted to arbitrary rules. All direct testimony on general issues completed except on reservation of educational channels. Cross examination begins Thursday. ED ZIMMERMAN RESIGNS G. E. (Ed) ZIMMERMAN, vice president and general manager of KARK Little Rock, Ark., since 1936, resigned Friday, according to Col. T. H. Barton, president. Mr. Zimmerman, in radio since 1933, resigned due to ill health. He plans to stay at Little Rock home. T. K. Barton, 43, son of Col. Barton, with KARK in executive capacity last two years, succeeds Mr. Zimmerman. POLITICIAN FILES SUIT LIBEL suit for $1 million in damages and criminal indictment under Illinois radio libel law brought Friday by State Sen. William J. Connors in Chicago Superior Court against Commentator Robert Montgomery, ABC and Lee Hats, sponsor of Montgomery show, for statements about Mr. Connors aired Oct. 26. Co-defendant is Marjorie Letts, Mr. Connors rival for State Senatorial post which he won, who is alleged to have given information to Mr. Montgomery. Commentator charged with calling Mr. Connors, father of Chicago TV star Dorsey Connors, "Democratic kingpin and a power-drunk tyrant" and blaming him "for crime and corruption on Chicago's near North Side." Mr. Connors also seeks criminal indictment, provision for which is in state's libel law covering statements made on radio programs. Page 4 • November 13, 1950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting