Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - June 1951)

EBONY THE NATION'S LEADING, NEGRO MAGAZINE * BUYS wok To enlarge its coverage to 500,000 Negroes in the New Orleans Trading Area" *208,000 Negroes live in Greater New Orleans *500,000 Negroes live in WBOK's coverage Area of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. $450,000,000 NEGRO TRADE AREA COVERAGE Concentrated Negro programming with the South'? TWO outstanding Negro Disc Jockeys. "Honeyboy" Hardy Featuring spirituals and sweet talk music "Okey Dokey" Featuring, hot jive and knocked out jazz. wok 1000 Watts 800 KC Stanley W. Ray, Jr. Vice-Pres. & Gen. Mgr. FORJOE & CO.— National Reps. BILL MOSHIER, KJR Seattle farm director, was honored by his sponsor, the Puget Sound Power & Light Co., on the occasion of his 3,000th consecutive morning broadcast. Present were, seated (I to r) Karl Dim mi 51, PSP&L farm electrification director; Mr. Moshier; Art Kreamer, PSP&L advertising directorstanding, Frank Swearingen, formerly PSP&L advertising director now with the Dept. of Agriculture; Pat Johnson, PSP&L vice president; Don Reed, KJR publicity director; Paul Moore, KJR account executive; Arthur Gerbel Jr., KJR sales manager, and Glenn Cushing, PSP&L agriculture engineer. MONOPOLY HIT Celler Asks Newsprint Fight REP. EMANUEL CELLER (DN. Y.) last week called on newspapers throughout the country to "rise in wrath" against certain monopolistic practices of Canadian and American newsprint companies. In a speech on the House floor last Tuesday, Rep. Celler observed that the Abitibi Power & Paper Co., third largest producer on the continent, had announced an increase of $10 a ton on newsprint effective July 1 — bringing the cost to $116 per ton. Earlier, Rep. Celler asked the Office of Price Stabilization to set "just and reasonable prices" for newsprint. Sen. Ed C. Johnson (D-Col.) expressed similar sentiments. Price Stabilizer Michael DiSalle formally asked Canada to suspend the increase. Rep. Celler, whose House Judiciary Monopoly Subcommittee has just completed an inquiry into the newsprint situation, told colleagues he had not seen "a peep in any of the newspapers . . . complaining of this operation." The price boost, he added, will have a "very deleterious effect" on smaller newspapers, forcing many to discontinue operation, he added. At stake in the newsprint issue, over the long range view, are not solely price boosts, described as "gouging" by Rep. Celler and Sen. Johnson, but also a growing newsprint shortage which could fan out through the whole American advertising structure. The effect would be manifested on media expenditures of national advertisers and, logically, in broadcast advertising, authorities point out. Moreover, about 25 % of the nation's radio outlets are newspaperdowned. 1 Development of substitute processes for newsprint production would provide a welcome source of additional supplies, a strongly competitive factor in the newsprint industry, and replacement for essential natural resources in the U. S., according to the Celler subcommittee. A report on newsprint released May 28 contains a number of recommendations which the subcomittee compiled following lengthy hearings last year on the scarcity of newsprint. On May 31 Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) announced similar hearings on newsprint price and supply beginning July 11. Sessions will be headed by a Senate Small Business subcommittee under his chairmanship, and representatives of industry and government agencies will be invited to testify. The House group, urging accelerated competition and production, called for (1) study by the Justice Dept. of restrictions on the newsprint trade; (2) the Office of Price Stabilization to encourage producers to set their own prices after controls are lifted; (3) construction of more plants in the South; and (4) vigorous anti-trust action against Canadian and U. S. newsprint producers where it is warranted. STAFF INCREASE KFMB Separates AM, TV ADDITION of personnel to the staffs of KFMB-AM-TV San Diego was announced last week by Howard Chernoff, stations' general manager, who explained that radio and television operations were being divorced. Bill Fox, production manager for KFMB-TV, is to be elevated to the post of program director. He succeeds Alvin Flanagan, who was slated to leave Saturday to assume duties as program manager for ABC's Western Division, Hollywood. Paul W. White, ex-CBS network news director and Peabody Award winner, joined the staff as executive editor for KFMB [Broadcasting • Telecasting, June 4]. Hobby Myers, former account executive with KGB San Diego, was named KFMB commercial manager. WAGE FREEZE Exemption Question DISCUSSIONS on the panel level were held last week at the Wage Stabilization Board in Washington regarding the status of workers engaged in industries which are specifically exempt from price control by the Defense Production Act. Question to be answered is: Should these workers be exempted as well from wage control? Radio-TV labor representatives were heard last Tuesday. Panel members included Sol P. Pryor, representing the American Federation of Radio Artists, and Television Authority. Also heard were a representative of the American Federation of Musicians and Frank B. Murdock of AFL's International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE). Radio and television come under the category of services which are exempt from the price freeze but generally are affected by wage control. ALCOHOL ADS Radio-TV Cited in Ruling RADIO and television have been construed by the State of Maryland as falling within the scope of its regulations covering relations between manufacturers and wholesalers of alcoholic beverages and non-resident dealers. In a ruling by J. Millard Tawes, Comptroller of the Treasury, it was held that "advertisements, promotions and announcements by or for persons holding manufacturers or wholesalers licenses involving reference to a retailer or in any manner identifying his place of business through the medium of radio, television, magazines and like mediums employed in contacting the general public, fall within the provisions of Sec. 95 of Article 2B and are unlawful especially when the proportionate cost of time or space used exceeds a value of $5, or the value of any sign, display or other form of advertisement exceeds $5. "This is true though the form of advertisement, promotion or announcement may or may not be furnished or intended to be furnished for the benefit of such retailer. It is obviously to the advantage of the retailer mentioned or publicized and also has a tendency toward the development of a tied house. Such actions have the effect of stimulating the trade of the particular retailer in preference to others." The regulation as applied to media in general has been on the books a long time, it was indicated. Penalty is suspension or revocation of license, and on conviction, fine of not over $5,000 and imprisonment not over two years, or both. CHUM Toronto has added Press News service to its newscasts which already had British United Press and full local coverage. Page 56 • June 11, 1951 BROADCASTING • Telecasting