Broadcasting (Jan - Dec 1935)

WLW Plans Directional Signal To Meet Canadian Objections Cincinnati Station Is Compelled by Order of Court To Reduce Its Power to 50,000 Watts at Night FORCED to reduce its night power from 500,000 to 50,000 watts on Feb. 18, when the U. S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia dissolved the stay order it had procured the preceding month, WLW, Cincinnati, was planning installation of a new type of directional antenna which might make possible restoration of 500,000 watts at night. The antenna arrangement will be designed to simulate in the direction of Toronto— the intensity of a 50,000 watt station, with the power in all other directions remaining at the higher output. The station retains 500,000 watts daytime. Simultaneous with the court action, which validated the FCC ruling that night power be reduced because of complaints of interference lodged by the Canadian Radio Commission, it was learned that WLW had reduced its night rates to the level quoted prior to the 500,000 watt operation. This former rate was $990 per hour, $660 per half hour and $440 per quarter hour. Since it began operation with 500,000 full time last spring, WLW increased its rate by 10 per cent on two occasions. The rate currently in effect until the court action was $1,200 per hour, $800 per half hour and $532 per quarter hour. The Canadian complaint was that CFRB, Toronto, operating with a licensed power of 10,000 watts on the adjacent channel of 690 kc. was blanketed at night. Appeal Pending THE APPEAL of WLW from the FCC ruling of last December ordering the power curtailment was dropped on Jan. 25. The action of Feb. 18, which became effective at once, related only to the stay order to permit WLW to operate with the super-power during the pendency of this appeal. Having lost on that score, WLW now must operate with the reduced evening power until it proves that the projected directional antenna can alleviate the interference with CFRB. WLW hopes to have the new antenna installed within 30 days. In its ruling of Dec. 21, the FCC gave WLW the option of cutting down its night power to 50,000 watts by Feb. 1, or installing a directional antenna which would perform like a station of the lower power in Toronto. WLW, through counsel, Louis G. Caldwell and Arthur W. Scharfeld, elected to go to the courts, and on Jan. 30 procured a temporary stay order, largely on the ground that an investment of some $500,000 in the station would be destroyed, along with loss of service to a large portion of the public. After listening to further arguments, presented by Mr. Caldwell for WLW, and by Paul D. P. Spearman, general counsel of the FCC, the court again extended this stay order until Feb. 18. It was follow ing the final argument on that day that the court dissolved the order, without a written opinion. The fact that no formal opinion was handed down practically negatived any chance of procuring a review in the Supreme Court of the United States. The court did not divulge its reasons for refusing to continue the stay order. The contention of the FCC, however, that international relations with Canada were involved, since the complaint had been lodged with the State Department, is believed to have had telling effect. The first complaint against WLW interference with CFRB was made in December by Lieut. Col. Arthur W. Steel, member of the Canadian Radio Commission in a trip to Washington. He conferred with both the State Department and the FCC, contending there was a violation of the agreement between the two countries respecting interference. WLW operates on the 700 kc. clear channel with CFRB on 690 kc, which, although a clear channel, is being employed by a station listed at 10,000 watts but held by WLW counsel to be using a bona fide output of only between 2,000 and 3,000 watts. Winter Signals THE CONTENTION of WLW was that if CFRB met only reasonable technical requirements in operating efficiency for clear channel stations— that is, if it used 50,000 watts — the ratio of interference with WLW, using 500,000 watts, would be no greater than formerly. The interference did not become sufficiently serious for CFRB to complain about until winter propagation conditions set in. All last spring and summer, when the station operated with 500,000 watts day and night, there was no complaint whatever. The FCC's grant to WLW for the additional 450,000 watts was on an experimental basis, since its rules specify that the maximum allowable regular power is 50,000 watts. The action of the FCC and of the courts is a blow to superpower broadcasting in this country. Several other clear channel stations have been considering applications for power equivalent to that of WLW's, because of the success it has attained. Some feeling has been engendered in broadcasting circles over the whole incident, not only because of the drastic effect of the action, but because the Federal government allegedly yielded to a technical demand of a foreign country without the formality of a hearing on the facts. Typewriter Program ROYAL TYPEWRITER Co., New York, will broadcast a sales talk and demonstration March 4 at 12:45-1 p. m. on 36 CBS stations, coast-to-coast. Hanff-Metzger Inc., New York, handles the account. Mr. Morency Morency Back at WTIC AFTER an exten d e d illness, Paul W. (Fritz) Morency, general manager of WTIC, Hartford, has returned to his office to resume active charge of the station, according to word received Feb. 20. Mr. Morency has managed the Hartford station since 1929. He was stricken with a leg ailment nearly two years ago induced by injuries received at Chateau Thierry during the World War. He is now back to normal weight and practically normal strength, and hopes to dispense with his crutches shortly. During his illness he kept in constant contact with his office and with James F. Clancy, business manager. Prior to joining WTIC, Mr. Morency served for two years as traveling representative of the NAB. George Bijur to Direct Sales Promotion for CBS GEORGE BIJUR, for two years director of publicity and sales for L. Bamberger & Co., Newark department store, will join the New York staff of the CBS by March 15 as director of Mr. Bijur saleg promotion. The appointment was announced Feb. 19 by Paul W. Kesten, recently elected an executive vice president of CBS, whom Bijur will succeed in sales promotion. "Mr. Bijur's exceptional creative work in advertising and promotion first came to our attention," said Mr. Kesten, "during his earlier association with Erwin Wasey & Co. We are glad to attract a man who has won unusual recognition in the agency field as well as in retail advertising work. Mr. Bijur is thus exceptionally well grounded both in national advertising strategy and in retail merchandising, two highly important factors in modern advertising practice." While copy and account executive for Erwin, Wasey, Mr. Bijur handled copy for such accounts as Maxwell House Coffee, Log Cabin Syrup, Diamond Crystal salt, Danersk furniture, Whiz automotive products, Knabe, Mason & Hamlin and Chickering pianos. Among other connections, he served as assistant publicity director of R. H. Macy & Co., department store, and prior to that was advertising manager of Brokaw Bros. At Bamberger's he was responsible for many promotions which achieved nation-wide notice. AMERICAN PACKING Co., St. Louis (Sunrise meats) is sponsoring a daily morning news broadcast on KMOX, St. Louis, featuring Harry W. Flannery, former newspaperman and secretary to J. P. McEvoy, author. Twin Cities Adopt % Agency Recognition | Radio and Press Form a Joint U Group for Mutual Benefit THE FOUR radio stations of Min | neapolis and St. Paul have com \ bined with the five newspapers to \ form the Association of Twin City I Newspapers & Broadcasting Sta j tions to pass on advertising | agency recognition and interchang ; ing credit information. The new 1 organization absorbs the previous ' ly formed Twin City Broadcasters Association, which included WCCO, 3 KSTP, WTCN and WDGY, the formation of which was reported in the Feb. 15 issue of Broadcasting, j James Cole, national advertising ! manager of the Minneapolis Tribune, half-owner of WTCN, was i elected chairman of the group at | a recent meeting attended by William Johns, business manager of the St. Paul Dispatch Pioneer Press, owner of the other half of WTCN; J. R. Van Horn, business manager of the St. Paul Daily News; John Jerome, advertising manager of the Minneapolis Journal; William Auer, advertising manager of the Minneapolis Star; Stanley Hubbard, manager of KSTP; Earl Gammons, manager of WCCO; Kingsley Murphy, publisher of the Minneapolis Tribune, and Dr. George Young, operator of WDGY. Four Principles ACTIVITIES of the Broadcasters Association resulted in the setting up of a code for the recognition of Twin City and Northwest advertising agencies. Under the new code four principles were set up in the recognition of advertising agencies. They are: 1. Financial stability : The agency must furnish evidence of its financial stability. It must have resources adequate to its needs and have business practices that are sound. 2. Demonstrated ability: The principals as individuals, and the agency as an organization, must have demonstrated their ability to develop and serve advertisers. The individual applicant must have satisfied the Association of his or its integrity and financial ability to meet its just obligations. 3. Ethical practices: (a) The agency must be operating primarily in the advertising agency business with a minimum of three accounts ; (b) Translating the commissions paid by the radio stations into service to the advertiser without direct or indirect rebating. 4. Cooperative in practice : No agency commission will be paid on accounts which the station has developed and where the station salesman has secured the order and schedule prior to receiving an agency order. Regular commissions will be gladly paid to the agency, however, on any subsequent contract or schedule that may come through an agency for this same account. Station officials stated that the new code will react to the benefit of advertiser, the station and also to the advertising agency. The work of the Twin City Broadcasters Association thus far is reported to have set a new precedent in national advertising circles, and the short time which it has been in existence has already proved its value. Page 10 BROADCASTING • March 1, 1935