Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan - Mar 1951)

THE ADDITION of top-flight advertising and network executives to the State Dept.'s information program on a consulting basis is giving the Voice of America "more punch" in its celebrated "campaign of truth" overseas. This was revealed Wednesday by Edward W. Barrett, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, in ah address before the Brooklyn Rotary Club. At the same time Secretary Barrett reported that a "major effort" is underway to reduce the Voice to a whisper in China, and that the Soviet-inspired campaign has been "successful" in the southern part of the country. He cited the actions of the Soviet, however, as the best proof that the U. S. is "hitting the target" in its foreign information program. Secretary Barrett's talk was delivered a . day before the State Dept. testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Voice funds for 1951-52 and during a lull in Hill activity on the proposal by Sen. William Benton (D-. Conn.) for fresh inquiry into the effectiveness of the overall program. Meanwhile, joint public affairs subcommittees of the Senate and House decided to postpone a brief ing session, slated for today (Monday), on a Voice "progress report," to be delivered by Secretary Barrett and other department officials. Secretary Barrett, in his Brooklyn speech, did not reveal any names in connection with the additions, referring only to "two leading advertising executives" and "a research director from a major network" [Closed Circuit, Feb. 19]. It was learned, however, that Ben Gedalecia, ABC's manager of research, would serve in a comparable capacity with the State Dept.'s information program. The name of one top advertising executive was withheld pending his notification to the agency, one of the larger advertising firms in the country. Y & R Executives Two other agency executives — both from Young & Rubicam — have been serving with ' the department in consulting capacities on a temporary basis in recent Weeks. One of them is Sigurd S. Larmon, Y & R president. Secretary Barrett added that the Voice also has had the benefit of experience and fresh ideas from network producers and other topflight personnel in the technical, press, film, education, public rela "MOO-LA" BUYS THE CARS IN WISCONSIN WKOW DRIVES UP YOUR CAR SALES in AMERICA'S DAIRY CAPITAL In Wisconsin, cows provide the moo-la. Farmers and city dwellers both profit from a half-billion dollars' worth of milk income every year. And the richest part of this great milkland is WKOW's big half-millivolt area, where 874,000 people spent 875 million dollars in 1949 — including 156 million for cars alone. 7KOW-CBS WISCONSIN'S MOST POWERFUL The only 10,000 wott station in Wisconsin outreaches everything in the state — with a primary listening area of 13 rich counties, and a daily "bonus" audience in every corner of the state. WKOW-CBS is your biggest advertising bargain in Wisconsin. 10 7 0 K. C. Madison, Wisconsin Represented by HEADLEY-REED COMPANY u7KOW Cited by Barrett tions and other fields. The State Dept. official told the club that the Soviet Union utilizes "a thousand odd transmitters in a gigantic effort to block us." In recent months officials have estimated that about 30% of the broadcasts beamed to Russia have been getting through. W&L NAMES Four Vice Presidents WARWICK & LEGLER, New York, appointed four vice presidents last week. They are Barrett Brady, copy chief of the agency for the past five years; Thomas H. Shanley, production director since 1935; Tevis Huhn, with the agency since 1939, and Donald Gibbs, a member of the creative staff for the past six years. House Hearings Slated THE HOUSE Un-American Activities Committee last week gave the green light to preliminary hearings on alleged Red influences in the entertainment world, setting a starting date for this Thursday. Authorities said they did not know to what extent the committee will; probe into Communist activities — * ■ : or to what degree the inquiry may touch on the radio and television industry [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Feb. 19]. Rep. John S. Wood (D-Ga.), chairman of the House unit, said the hearing set for next Thursday — and others tentatively slated for March 21 — will be a continuation of the committee's probe, which aroused widespread controversy during hearings in 1947. Theme of the new inquiry is Communism in Hollywood, which observers felt could embrace a multitude of fields. Even if the radio and television industry is not specifically singled out on its agenda, the names of left-wing entertainers who have been identified with broadcast programs probably are sure to emerge, if only inadvertently, committee spokesmen conceded. Past reports issued by the House Un-American Activities Committee have served as the basis, in part, for the publication Red Channels, which stirred protests within the broadcast field. Clean Up Loose Ends Rep. Francis Walter (D-Pa.), ranking Democratic committee member, told Broadcasting • Telecasting last Thursday that the new probe also would serve to "clean up some loose ends" from the 1947 investigation and "clear the atmosphere." He felt that some innocent entertainers had been deprived of employment because of alleged but unproved association with frankly subversive groups and that "some harm had been done." The committee hopes to hear testimony Thursday from V. J. Jerome, identified as head of the CP's cultural commission and a figure during the 1947 hearings. Meanwhile the committee has dispatched two investigators to Hollywood to serve subpenas on actors, actresses, writers and directors for appearances beginning March 21. While there was no tangible evidence that radio and television would figure in the forthcoming sessions, the question of television has arisen in another way in com mittee circles. If Chairman Wood decides to abide a decision in effect for almost two years, the committee will not i| allow television cameras within the hearing room on the premise that the cameras "interfere" with the group's work, Frank Tavenner, J chief committee spokesman, stated 1 last week. The committee may decide to yield in "special circumstances," :j but the decision now is to bar cameras he said. If this position is maintained, the committee may find itself in a controversial position, especially in view of the known feeling by some members that television served to "vindicate" the committee in the public eye in 1947. Basis of this conclusion, one Congressman told Broadcasting • Telecasting last week, is the widespread conception that the committee had badgered witnesses during the 1947 hearings. In other developments last week: (1) The new Senate Internal Security subcommittee voted to ask the FBI for files on President Truman's five nominations to the Subversive Activities Control Board, still to be confirmed by the Senate. (2) The U. S. Supreme Court ruled that once a witness has testified as to his connections with the Communist Party, he cannot refuse to answer further questions; Court also agreed to decide, in forthcoming arguments, whether CIO and AFL officials mustsign non-Communist affidavits under the Taft-Hartley Act before member unions (such as AFRA, AFM, IBEW, RTDG, AAAA and others) may receive NLRB benefits. Thirty-four union compliants about unfair labor practices, now pending before federal courts and NLRB, would be affected by the ruling. Jello Drops Show CUTTING down on the active radio budgets for Jello, General Foods Corp. March 31 drops sponsorship of the half-hour, weekly comedy show My Favorite Husband on CBS after two years. The program, budgeted at $7,000 weekly, stars Actress Lucille Ball. My Favorite Husband, a CBS package, may continue on the network on a sustaining basis. Page 38 • March 5, 1951 BROADCASTING • Telecasting