Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - June 1951)

Texan Protests via Radio EVERY U. S. Senator and Representative was urged by Jap Lucas, operating the Jap Lucas Hardware Store in Athens, Tex., to listen to two broadcasts on WOL Washington, June 6-7, 8:30-45 p.m. Mr. Lucas bought the two quarter-hours to broadcast arguments against the Federal Reserve Board's Regulation W, which curtails retail credit. He sent WOL tape recordings in which he explains his objections to the regulation. A former state legislator, Mr. Lucas was credited with inducing Congress to modify price regulations after testifying at length before a special small business subcommittee. He paid card rates for WOL Class A time. The House Banking & Currency Committee is currently considering legislation covering the whole credit picture. Radio-TV Scrutinized RADIO and television, along with motion pictures and legitimate theatre children's programs, are scheduled to come under exhaustive scrutiny at the seventh annual Children's Theatre Conference of the American Educational Theatre Assn., to be held on the U. of California Los Angeles campus July 25-28. A three-day workshop study follows the conference. Theme is "The Impact of Mass Media on the Child Audience." Time Buyers, NOTE! NO TV Stations within 60 miles of YOUNGSTOWN, 0. Ohio's 3rd Largest Trade Area Buy The Only ABC Station Serving This Market All programs duplicated on WFMJ-FM 50.000 Watts on 105.1 Meg. WATTS CALL Headley-Reed Co., National Representatives KTUC Tucson, for its client, American Vitamin Assn., recreated a baseball game in a window of a downtown drug store. The station reported that it was a success and that several thousand persons saw the broadcast. In action are KTUC employes (I to r) Pete Tufts, Stan Norman, Bud Murphy and Mac Matheson. 'VOICE' CRITIQUE Growing Too Fast, But Improving THE VOICE of America has shown marked improvement in raising "the general level of competence, loyalty and character" of its personnel, but the U. S. overseas radio arm has grown "too big too fast" and is spreading itself thin in the propaganda war abroad. These were a few of the plums and prunes handed out in a summary of a study prepared for the Council of State Chambers of Commerce comprising 33 state groups. Study was made by the council's research director, Alvin A. Burger. Noting Congressional action under which Voice appropriations for new facilities were cut 90% — President Truman signed the supplemental June 2 — the study laid, this and other State Dept. difficulties to numerous criticisms on Capitol Hill. 'Inept Handling' "The Voice has too often been the victim of inept handling, ideological ax-grinding and attempts by zealots to innate and twist it into something Congress never intended it should be," the council declared. Additionally, it said, rapid expansion can actually retard progress in that efforts are concentrated on global coverage and the "essential job" in selected strategic countries may suffer. The American "Truth Campaign" may last several years barring full scale war, it noted. Meanwhile, the Voice should measure its techniques and results against those of Radio Free Europe and World-Wide Broadcasting Foundation, which operate at a small fraction of VOA's budget. World-Wide (WRUL Boston) is headed by Walter S. Lemmon. The question of "maximum utilization" of overseas medium and shortwave broadcast facilities and other phases of VOA operation would be explored under a proposal sponsored by Sen. William Benton (D-Conn.) and now laying dormant within the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Using a recent New York Times editorial on the Voice as a peg, Sen. Benton May 31 prodded the committee to take up, upon completion of the MacArthur hearings, his resolution for a fresh inquiry into Voice of America operations. He added that hearings are "urgently needed." Under the Benton proposal, introduced earlier this year, the group would review the effectiveness and progress of shortwave broadcasts and the possibility of divorcing the VOA from the State Dept. Sen. Benton had speculated on the possible creation of an independent agency, "wholly-owned" government corporation, or a Communications Psychological Strategy YOUTH SHOWS Stations Report Activit I" % Hi m m m I avi OP: «] TOTAL of 198 out of 875 radi and TV stations responding t questionnaires currently are airin youth discussion or forum pre grams, with the majority havin initiated program series since tb formation of the Junior Tow Meeting League in 1944. This information was compile by the Evaluation Committee the Junior Town Meeting Leagui on the basis of questionnaires serfl to stations, school administratoi j and league members. The breakdown showed 188 prep grams on radio and eight on tel< vision, with 133 originating ioliK studios and 50 in school aud * toriums. Stations replied the origin of the programs was dii in large measure to league activ ties. In its report the committee e: pressed belief that stations wei influenced by schools in some case-: and that in others the league ha failed to reach stations directl; It suggested the league launch [gii program to stimulate interest i youth discussions on radio and 'C pointing out that 500 of the 3,31 stations queried had requested ii formation. In another category school a< ministrators reported that the institutions are using 148 present; tions on radio and five on telev^ ; sion, in addition to those in clasL rooms and auditoriums. 4PIL irj ' I Board [Broadcasting • Telecasts e p ing, Feb. 26]. On the House side, Rep. Eugei J. McCarthy (D-Minn.) insert* in the Congressional Record a b lined article by his colleague, Re Fred Marshall (D-Minn.) , conten d: ing that "the increased attacks cf Mt the Voice of America programs 1 the Soviet and satellite press speal for the effectiveness" of the Cari; paign of Truth. The article wj-k published in the Sauk Centijti Minn., Herald April 5. Mr. Truman's signature on tl,},, supplemental funds bill assured t! Voice of an additional $9,533,9; for the completion of seven broa| cast transmitters already begun. Page 86 June 11, 1951 BROADCASTING