Broadcasting (Jan - Dec 1935)

Dominion Inquiry Into General Radio Status Is Foreseen Investigation of Broadcast in Recent Election Promised By JAMES MONTAGNES IF PRESENT plans of the government are not altered before Parliament begins in January, there will be another Parliamentary committee appointed to look into many angles of radio broadcasting, including broadcasts of the last election candidates, the fate of the Radio Commission, the technical development under the Commission and the work done by that body since its appointment some three years ago. Broadcasting is expected to form a part of the new Department of Communications which is now being planned, consolidating the departments of marine (radio licensing and ship radio), railways and canals. Under this plan there will be a general manager instead of a Broadcasting Commission, to look after nationalized radio broadcasting, and he will be responsible to the minister of communications. There is, however, objection even among government supporters, to dissolution of the broadcasting commission, as it is felt that this will mean that French-Canadians will receive too big a place in the high command of broadcasting. Nevertheless government plans are considered far enough advanced that this objection will be removed. The general manager plan was the outcome of the last Parliamentary committee in June, 1934, but the plan was never put into force by the late Bennett administration. The committee at that time recommended the retirement of the three commissioners and the appointment of a general manager. Meanwhile the commission's life was renewed annually, and it runs out again on March 31, 1936. Before then plans must be perfected and passed by legislation deciding the fate of Canadian radio for some years. One of the election programs, Mr. Sage, will be investigated, according to reliable information. The report is that "Mr. Sage" was an American actor imported to run the program, under the sponsorship of an individual, who really represented the then government (Conservative) party. "Mr. Sage" did not spare the present Premier, W. L. Mackenzie King, in his broadcasts, and Mr. King is evidently going to have something to say as to how political broadcasts in future are to be conducted, by others than those officially representing political parties. Entertainers, listeners, and technical men, will be heard at the proposed parliamentary committee to find out what the commission has done with broadcasting and to decide on future policy, which will probably include the building of high powered (50,000 watts) stations, as recommended in 1929 by' the Air Commission. Jinx Captured TIME after time the sound effects box has toppled from its table in Studio B, of WINS, New York, spoiling many a program. Even sound engineers were called in to investigate the mystery. Finally they found that a certain note played by a violinist in Louis Katzman's orchestra hit the fundamental frequency of the sound effects box and sent it down with a crash. The legs of the sound effects cabinet were shortened to take it out of the frequency of musical instruments. REPUBLICAN PARTY TO SPONSOR TESTS A TEST of the script Liberty at the Crossroads, written by Henry Fiske Carlton for the Republican National Committee, is tentatively planned over a Chicago station on a sponsored basis shortly, according to Thomas G. Sabin, its radio director, who is now dividing his time between New York, Washington and Chicago to formulate plans and policies respecting the use of radio in the forthcoming national political campaign. Mr. Sabin returned to Washington Dec. 10 after spending some time in Chicago. He has extensive radio plans, including the sponsorship of programs on behalf of the party even before the nominating convention next summer, but they remain to worked out. Mr. Sabin has opened a New York office at 1 E. 57th St. to operate in conjunction with the party's finance committee until funds are raised for the radio campaign. After that he will establish regular offices in New York, Washington, Chicago and in one Pacific Coast city. His Chicago headquarters temporarily are in the Palmer House. The station to be used for the test of the Carlton script, which deals with general trends in American political life, remains to be selected. Carlton is the author of ■ Great Moments in History, Socon e y I a n d Sketches, the Stebbins Boys and other radio hits. Humphreys on NBC HUMPHREY'S HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE Co., New York (Humphrey's remedies) will return to the air on 3 NBC-WEAF stations Dec. 15, 1:45-2 p. m. and thrice a week thereafter, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. On the two week days the program will go on the air at a different time — 10:3010:45 a. m. The program, Sweethearts of the Air, will have Breen and de Rose with Andy Sanella. The three stations are WEAF, KYW, WFBR. Biow Co. Inc., New York, is the agency. Italio Station, WFIA-WSUN STUDIOS xompfl • CLEARWATER. ST. PETERSBURG M\ SERVING FLORIDA'S CENTER OF POPULATION \ THE TAMPA TRADE TERRITORY i 6Z0 KC • 5000 Watts Day • 1000 Night Full Time A GOOD AGENCY Knows A GOOD STATION Mitchell-F aust Advertising Company Chicago Paul Holman Faust Suys-. "What better indication of our attitude toward WLS than our constant renewal of contracts. The record breaking success of our Feature Foods program is a tribute to WLS drawing power. Advertising 30-minutes each weekday morning, in the last 12 weeks Feature Foods have received over 32,000 letters, nearly all containing boxtops and coin." Director of Radio Mitchell-Faust Adv. Co. THESE MITCHELL-FAUST CLIENTS now are using WLS * * * * * : Campbell Cereal Company Rap-InWax Company Squire-Dingee Company "The 'JUNKET' Folks" Airy-Fairy Foods, Inc. Steele-Wedeles Company Feature Foods, Inc. * Each asterisk indicates one year on WLS. THEY KNOW WLS December 15, 1935 • BROADCASTING THE PRAIRIE FARMER STATION 1230 WASHINGTON BLVD. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BURRIDGE D. BUTLER, President' . . GLENN SNYDER, Manager NEW YORK OFFICE: Graham A. Robertson. 250 Park Are.