Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1957)

NOW IN ROANOKE and Western Virginia WDBJ-^ presents followed by the EARLY SHOW Famous Feature Movies Monday through Friday 4:00 to 6.05 P. M. Your Peters, Griffin, iVoodward "Colonel" can give you the full story concerning participations. Call him now'. OPEN MIKE Word Gets Around editor: The reaction to your article on Ideal's purchase of the Shirley Temple films was quite widespread [B»T, Aug. 19]. From the many thousands in the broadcasting field who read it, we received a lot of comment, pro and con. From the clippings we received, the story was picked up by a number of tv editors in the consumer press, who reported a good share of it word for word. Among these were Norman Shaven, tv editor of the Atlanta Journal, Mary Wood of the Cincinnati Post and Joe Mills of the Columbus State Journal. We found the story to be carefully written and researched. You can be very proud of your staff and your extensive circulation among important people. Melvin Helitzer Director of Advertising & Public Relations Ideal Toy Corp., New York Subliminal Perception editor: Concerning the new invisible tv commercials, here's a temporary remedy, at least until we can find out more about it . . . The secret's in the wink Of your eye-lash. Just put your blink In sync with every flash. Ezra R. (Bud) Baker Bronxville, N. Y. Select Story editor: Congratulations on a very complete, impartial and factual story in your Sept. 16th issue covering the report of the Senate Select Committee on Small Business relating to Daytime Radio Stations. Ray Livesay, WLBH Mattoon, III. (Board chairman, Daytime Broadcasters Assn.) ASCAP vs. BMI editor: In reading your editorial, "ASCAP's War on BMI" [B»T, Sept. 9], I gained no impression of prejudice and deemed it a fair commentary on the situation. However, after reading several letters in a later issue commenting on the editorial, I was impressed by the confusion existing in the minds of some of your readers. This no doubt stems from lack of knowledge of background preceding the formation of ASCAP, and the broadcasters' battle with ASCAP during 1940-41. I do not recall any implication that principles underlying protection of performing rights are wrong, nor that BMI charges are exorbitant. As for the latter inference, BMI is well worth more than its cost in protecting the industry from the monopolistic practices of ASCAP. There are also a number of justifiable reasons why the ratio of BMI charges exceeds those of ASCAP. As for performing rights, it is inconceivable that the huge music industry could sustain its present structure without some legal method of extracting payment for performances. Royalties from the sale of sheet music could not possibly furnish the incentive to create and maintain the steady stream of new popular tunes which are so essential for broadcasting today. Few of them would be published as such sales hardly justify the expense. We may quarrel with ASCAP policies, and we may battle against monopoly, but if rights to license public performances for profit were abolished, some vital finks in the chain supporting broadcasting would be severely weakened or destroyed. Composers, authors and publishers could hardly survive, and the record industry would face disaster. Julian Skinnell Assistant Manager WLAN Lancaster, Pa. She Was Miss KGHF First editor: Here is the picture of a winner. KGHF brought Miss Colorado to the state fair this year at Pueblo as her sponsor. And as it turns out she now is "Miss America." She spent the day with us; we had radio interviews with her, film for KKTV (TV) (our affiliate). She rode in the convertible you see pictured in the morning p^ade through the city. We even named her honorary "Miss KGHF" for the day (Aug. 23). In the picture (1 to r): Nola Ruspini (Miss Pueblo and runner-up to Miss Colorado in state contest), myself, Marilyn Van Berber and KGHF newsman Tom Farley. William G. Stewart General Manager KGHF Pueblo, Colo. ROANOKE, VA. Owned and operated by the Times-World Corp. Page 18 • September 30, 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting