Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

NARTB APPROVES RADIO CODE SYMBOL Stations adhering to association's voluntary Standards of Practice now will be able to use air identification announcements, board rules at Chandler, Ariz., meeting. RADIO broadcast stations adhering to the NARTB's voluntary Standards of Practice henceforth will be able to use air-identification announcements and visual symbols to show they observe the code. The NARTB Radio Board, meeting Thursday at Chandler, Ariz., unanimously adopted a plan submitted by its Standards Committee headed by Walter E. Wagstaff, KTDO Boise, Idaho, bringing about a counterpart of the tv code symbol. Besides air announcements, subscribing stations can use visual symbols on stationery and published material. This resolution, submitted by Mr. Wagstaff. was adopted: "Whereas radio broadcasters of the United States have voluntarily observed self-adopted standards of practice since the early days of the art, and "Whereas responsible broadcasters desire to be provided with symbols by which they may proclaim their conscientious observance of the Standards of Practice, and "Whereas reputable advertisers are increasingly aware of the value of associating with those broadcasters who have won the confidence of their listeners through observance of the Standards of Practice and are eager for means of readily identifying such broadcasters, "Now therefore be it resolved that it is the recommendation of the Committee on Implementation of the Standards of Practice that there be made available to any broadcaster pledging adherence to the standards certain visual and audio symbols of his intent and practice." FCC Should Clarify Its Position Confusion over new FCC concepts regarding commercial practices in radio and so-called "program imbalance" as evidenced by recent citations on license renewals was voiced by radio directors. They said clarification of FCC's position will be sought although no formal action was taken. The week of May 13-19 was selected for observance of a separate National Radio Week. National Television Week is to be observed Sept. 23-29. Manufacturers and dealers will participate in both events and Radio Advertising Bureau will build its summer promotions around the radio event. A proposed horizontal increase in power for all am stations to four times the present levels was rejected unanimously on the grounds it would be too expensive for many stations and would involve NARBA complications. FCC's recent order requiring fm stations entering dual service such as functional music and storecasting to multiplex such service by July 1 was considered. Fm board members asked NARTB to urge FCC to drop the "must" requirement for multiplexing and to allow simplex operation. Transmitter changes costing $4,000-$ 10,000 and receiver costs of $90-$ 180 per unit were cited as objections to multiplexing. These costs were declared beyond the means of many stations, with 35 stations immediately affected. The board deferred action until the Fm Committee, headed by H Quenton Cox, KQFM (FM) Portland, Ore., can study the subject some more. A membership drive to be conducted prior to the April convention was authorized. Total membership is now 1,986 (1,249 am, four radio networks, 324 fm stations, 279 tv stations, three tv networks, 127 associates) compared to 1,867 in 1955. NARTB President Harold E. Fellows was directed to name a Radio Research Committee to study radio set data and report to the June board meeting. Existing radio data shortchange the medium by failure to show accurately the out-of-home circulation, it was reported. The plan would take advantage of new tv research techniques. Prose Walker, NARTB engineering manager, reported the association will file with FCC by Feb. 15 a petition to extend remote control privileges to all stations. Present remote gear is confined to nondirectional stations of 10 kw and under. More than 700 stations would benefit from such an order. The board voted 15-9 to eliminate the eight at-large radio directorships — two each for large, medium, small and fm stations. The action was subject to ratification by the full board and the membership, and would become effective in i957. The Radio Board would be reduced from 29 to 21 members. The Tv Board consists of 14 directors, though 18 are authorized. The four radio and three tv networks each appoint a member to the respective boards. A resolution was adopted thanking Radio Board Chairman Henry B. Clay. KWKH Shreveport, La.; Vice Chairman E. K. Hartenbower, KCMO Kansas City, and E. R. Vadeboncoeur, WSYR Syracuse, for their services. Terms of the three expire this year, and they are ineligible under the two-term limit to run for re-election. Attending the Radio Board meeting besides Messrs. Cox. Clay. Hartenbower, Wagstaff and Vadeboncoeur were Herbert L. Krueger. WTAG Worcester. Mass.: George H. Clinton. WPAR Parkersburg: Robert T. Mason. WMRN Marion. Ohio: Robert B. McConnell. WISH Indianapolis: William Holm, WLPO LaSalle. III.: F. E. Fitzsimonds. KFYR Bismarck, N. D.: Alex Keese. WFAA Dallas; W. D. Pabst. KFRC San Francisco; Calvin J. Smith. KFAC Los Angeles: Richard M. Brown. KPOJ Portland. Ore.: John M. Outler. WSB Atlanta: John F. Patt. WJR Detroit: Cecil B. Hoskins, WWNC Asheville. N. C: J. Frank Jarman. WDNC Durham, N. C: F. Ernest Lackey. WHOP Hopkinsville, Ky.; Lester L. Gould. KFMA Davenport, Iowa: Edward A. Wheeler, WEAW-FM Evanston. III.: Don Durgin. ABC: Arthur Hull Hayes. CBS Radio: John B. Poor, MBS. and Charles R. Denny, NBC Radio. Owen F. Uridge. WQAM Miami: James H. Moore. WSLS Roanoke. Va.. and Cy Casper. WBBZ Ponca City, Okla., were excused. Sports Broadcasters Get McConnaughey Compliment SPORTSCASTERS received kudos from FCC Chairman George C. McConnaughey at the annual dinner of the Sports Broadcasters Assn. in New York last week. The broadcasting and telecasting of sports has not only served to bring the games into the living room, Mr. McConnaughey, a high school and college baseball pitcher, said, but has made listeners and watchers become active participants in sports. This is what is needed, the FCC chairman said, to induce physical fitness in American youth. He referred to the meeting on physical fitness called by President Eisenhower last year, later cancelled, after dismal reports of American youth fitness. Referring to subscription tv, Mr McCon naughey repeated what he had said before: It won't be in tomorrow's headlines. Mr. McConnaughey said watching sports events on tv was the next best thing to being there in the first row on a free pass. NCAA Television Committee Hears Suggestions for Fall THE National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Television Committee held a three-day hearing in New York last week, at which representatives of networks, advertising agencies and member colleges presented suggestions for inclusion in the NCAA's television program for 1956. The 12-man tv committee will hold a meeting in Chicago Feb. 13-14-15 to discuss the proposals heard by the group last week. A spokesman in New York said it is not known whether the Chicago meeting will produce a plan to be submitted to the membership for approval, but said the committee was "hopeful" that one would be forthcoming by March 1 . The 50th annual convention of the NCAA last month [B«T, Jan. 16] voted for a plan that would be restrictive in nature, as has been in effect for the past several years, but assigned to the tv committee the task of working out specific details. Radio's Greater Circulation Cited by Eastman at Seminar SPOT RADIO has more circulation today than it had 10 years ago. Robert Eastman, executive vice president. John Blair & Co., said Tuesday in a talk on spot usage and advantages before the Radio & Television Executives Society's timebuying and selling seminar in New York. Also on the program was Roger C. Bumstead, media director of David J. Mahoney Inc. (see page 36). Mr. Eastman detailed radio's attraction to advertisers. This he highpointed as saturation, immediacy, as a re-enforcement of a long media campaign and as a complimentary medium to a tv campaign. He said radio can be used — and that more advertisers are discovering it — on a continuous basis. Summing up radio, Mr. Eastman said "it adds cement to the advertiser's campaign." Huntington Takes TvB Post APPOINTMENT of George C. Huntington, project director in charge of media research for Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, New York, as director of sales development for Television Bureau of Advertising, was announced last week by Oliver Treyz, TvB president. Mr. Treyz observed that Mr. Huntington's research and presentation background MR. HUNTINGTON "wiU «ive impetus to the bureau's in-the field selling activities." Trachtenberg Joins RAB IRVING TRACHTENBERG, account executive, General Outdoor Advertising Inc., New York, today (Monday) joins the national sales department of Radio Advertising Bureau as sales executive on RAB's beer and transportation accounts. Before his association with GOA, Mr. Trachtenberg was with the New York Daily News and the Oklahoma City Times. Broadcasting • Telecasting February 6, 1956 • Page 47