Broadcasting (Jan - Dec 1935)

APPLAUSE AND THE AMATEUR It's the Decibels That Count When Neophytes Appear On the Weekly "Town Hall Tonight" Program A SQUAT gadget plays an important role in deciding the fates of a dozen amateurs every Wednesday evening on the Town Hall Tonight amateur hour broadcasts over an NBC-WEAF network by Bristol-Myers Co., New York. It is the "applause machine", and it replaces yesterday's master-of-ceremonies, who stood on the stage with hand cupped to ear and decided which amateur had stirred up the most thunderous handclapping. It is, in reality, a sound meter, such as Mayor LaGuardia used in determining the focal points in his attack on Manhattan noise. It was supplied by the acoustical department of the Johns-Manville Corp., New York. Enclosed in its black outer box is a microphone that picks up the sound energy of studio applause and transforms it into electrical energy. This, in turn, is amplified and rectified until at length it operates a meter. A slender needle on this meter moves along a scale divided into decibels, or units of sound, to a point determined by the intensity of the applause. Prolonged applause has no effect upon the stopping place of the needle. It registers the sound's greatest intensity and sticks there. The scale of decibels in sound measurements runs from zero to 150. Zero, however, is the very "threshold of hearing" — to be found only in a sound-proof room. One hundred and fifty maximum is a theoretical maximum. The highest recorded sound is an airplane in HOW LOUD IS LOUD? — This little gadget, a sound meter, records applause volume on the "Town Hall Tonight" program. Here is Carl Meyer, acoustical engineer, taking readings of the hand clappings for amateur performances; flight, when the combined racket of motor and propellers runs the needle up to about 120. Between these extremes lie the applause range on the Town Hall Tonight program. Results since the program began last January show a low recording of 70 and a high of 90. Usually the readings are very close. To make certain that winners are fairly chosen, the four best acts are voted on a second time at the close of the contest. News Associations Acquiring Stations KFI Signed by UP as INS Adds KFRC ; Transradio Adds to List DESPITE a let-down in sale of press association services to broadcasting stations, attributed to August vacations, newspaper ownership of stations and news broadcasting continued to be live topics in these spheres during the last fortnight. On the West Coast, the California Newspaper Publishers' Association, representing some 350 publishers, adopted a resolution at its executive committee meeting Aug. 16 favoring Federal enactment to take radio away from commercial interests and place it on a government operation basis. The action was forwarded to the FCC. Sale of news by press associations to stations and networks, the organization held, has increased the problem of radio competition. United Press scored a coup in signing the two Earle C. Anthony Inc. stations— KFI and KECA, Los Angeles, among others, including WREC, Memphis, which begins Sept. 16, and KIEM, Eureka, Cal., which began Aug. 11. On Aug_ 26 UP began to supply the special news report required from Monday through Friday for the daily March of Time dramatization on CBS, sponsored alternately by Remington-Rand Inc, and Time Magazine. Transradio Press Service on Aug. 25 announced the acquisition of seven new stations and three newspapers for its news service, while its subsidiary Radio News Association acquired KGGC, San Francisco. The new stations are KHQ and KGA, Spokane; WBRE, Wilkes Barre, Pa.; W6XAI, Bakersfield, Cal.; KGHF, Pueblo, Colo.; KIUP, Durango, Colo.; KGY, Olympia, Wash., and KFVS, Cape Girardeau, Mo. New newspaper clients are The Peoples Voice, new daily of Paterson, N. J.; Burlington (la.) Post, and the Tulsa (Okla.) Post. Meanwhile, International News Service announced the addition to its client list of WNAX, Yankton, S.J).; KQW, San Jose, Cal., and KFRC, San Francisco, with an increased schedule to WBOW, Terre Haute. Scoops on Tragedy COMPETITION among clients of the private press association, of Transradio and of Radio Press Bureau on big news events was heated on the Will Rogers-Wiley Post crash. Press Radio claims that it carried the Associated Press Flash at 10.49 (EDST) and that NBC broadcast it seven minutes later, with a half hour to 40 minutes elapsing before competitors caught up. Transradio, however claimed credit for the first positive announcement of the deaths, asserting that this unequivocal account originated in its Seattle Bureau and was carried 11 minutes after the AP flash, which it branded as a "rumor". Reports current in New York that Transradio and Reuters Ltd., European news service, are terminating their contract, were emphatically denied both by Herbert Moore, Transradio president, and A. Bernard Moloney, of Reuter's. The contract has some time to run and contains an option clause. INS, however, is understood to have given notice of its intention to terminate its Reuter's contract. The California Association's action followed a survey which showed the majority of the daily publishers in that state objected to news associations' sale of news to stations. The resolution it adopted, copies of which, it is understood, were sent to news services and members of Congress as well as to FCC members, follows in full text: We, the directors and advisory board of the California Newspaper Publishers' Association, assembled in executive session, hereby strongly disapprove of and protest the use of news broadcasts over radio stations. We go even further and recommend that by federal enactment a start be made to return to the people, the air channels now used by commercial interests, similar to the plan now in effect in England, whereby the air is used only for the benefit of the people as a whole. Although further action to be taken by the CNPA has not been learned it is expected that it will be aggressive and probably militant. The August number of the California Publisher, official organ of the CNPA, in an editorial headed "Radio News" decries the action of the press wire services, and points out that "most of the daily newspaper publishers of California see a real menace in the new unrestricted sale of news by press wire services to radio stations and chains." The issue also publishes the results of the questionnaire which was circulated among the daily members of the CNPA, for opinion on the situation, in making the survey. Returns from the questionnaire showed 41 objecting to the sale of regular news bulletins to broadcasting stations, while two did not object. Asked if they regarded further development and extension of news broadcasting as dangerous to all newspapers, 42 replied "yes", three "no" and one answered "not to weeklies". Pepsodent Co. Sponsors Al Pearce Gang on NBC PEPSODENT Co., Chicago, early in October will sponsor Al Pearce & His Gang on a weekly halfhour evening program, on an NBC-WJZ network. At first the program will originate in New York but later a personal appearance tour, arranged prior to the sponsorship contract, will be taken. The new program will advertise Pepsodent tooth powder and Junis Cream, with Amos 'n' Andy appearing for Pepsodent toothpaste on the present NBC-WEAF network. The Al Pearce troupe first appeared on the air in 1928 on the Pacific Coast, staging a happy-golucky type of program that met with widespread popularity. This led to a sustaining spot for NBC in New York where his success attracted the sponsor. Pearce will act as master-of -ceremonies of the new series and handle the commercials in his novel style. Lord & Thomas, Chicago, is the agency. Newspaper Statioi List Is Augmented TO THE LIST of newspaper owned and corporately affiliate radio stations published on pag( 12 and 13 of the Aug. 15 issue c Broadcasting should be adde KGKL, San Angelo, Tex., a sul stantial portion of whose stock owned by the San Angelo Stam ard; also KGFK, Moorehead Minn., which is four-ninths owne by the Fargo (N. D.) Forun which owns a similar share i WDAY, Fargo. The Moorehea station is under a purchase optio I to private owners for removal t \ Duluth, action on which awaits court decision. During the last fortnight it als , developed that Amon Carter, put ] lisher of the Fort Worth Telegrat j & Gazette, and owner of WBAI I had purchased KGKO, Wichit Falls, which operates with 25 I watts night and 1,000 watts da ] on 570 kc. Authority is bein j sought from the FCC for th I transfer of ownership and for th I removal of the station into For Worth where it would be operate j as a second outlet for Mr. Carter' I newspaper and presumably woul 1 secure for WFAA-WBAP basi NBC connections as well as a sec I ond NBC connection for itself. Cl W. Snider, majority stockholder h I KGKO, has applied to the FCC fo I a new 100-watt station there. To the list of newspapers seek 1 ing new radio facilities, also pub J lished Aug. 15, should be added th I Portland Broadcasting Co., a stocl j interest in which is held by th J Portland (Me.) Herald & Express 1 which is seeking a new 500-wat j station there on 640 kc. ; and als' the St. Paul Daily News, seekin; J a new 100-watt fulltime statioi there on 1370 kc. From reliable sources it wa also learned during the last fort night that the Omaha World-Her aid is represented in the interest: behind Lloyd C. Thomas, operato: of WROK, Rockf ord, 111., who ha; taken purchase options on variou: Nebraska stations. Transfer oij KGBZ, York, Neb., to the Ne braska Broadcasting Co., is al ready being sought in FCC appli cations, and the company is stil > negotiating for WJAG, Norfolk j KMMJ, Clay Center, and WAAW; j Omaha. The first affiliation of t h < j Scripps-Howard newspapers witl a radio station in recent years was announced Aug. 19 when the Neu York World Telegram began t( broadcast New York Stock Ex ' change reports and one of th« j newspaper's financial editors start } ed five days weekly over WMCA I New York. Charlie Chan on Discs CHARLIE CHAN, famous Chinest detective of fiction and the films brain child of the late Earl Den Biggers, will furnish the locale anc motif for a transcription series that will start production in Sep tember. It will be produced by tht American Radio Features Syndicate, Los Angeles, in the Holly wood plant of RCAVictor. Then will be 78 fifteen-minute discs ir 1 the initial series. Arrangement; for the programs were made bj Frederick C. Dahlquist, presidenl of the radio syndicate, with tht widow of the author. Page 16 BROADCASTING • September 1, 1935