Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1958)

PEOPLE at deadline Hammer, Vogel Supplant Roberts, Hauser in Surprise MBS Changes Paul Roberts has been dropped as MBS president and Bertram J. Hauser as executive vice president, with chairman Armand Hammer adding presidency and George Vogel, merchandising and promotion consultant and former broadcaster, being brought in as executive vice president, Mr. Hammer announced Friday. Robert F. Hurleigh, vice president in charge of Mutual's Washington operations, was elected to board along with Mr. Vogel, replacing Messrs. Roberts and Hauser. Veteran of 29 years in news field, Mr. Hurleigh first joined MBS in 1944. Announcement said he will divide time between Washington and New York under new management. Surprise action came at MBS stockholder meeting that extended into Thursday night. Mr. Hammer gave no particular reason for changes — which were effective immediately — but told Broadcasting that stockholders simply preferred new set up. There were implications that policy differences had arisen over programming, with Mr. Hammer feeling network was drifting too far from music-news-special events concept, fn any case he told Broadcasting more emphasis would be put on this basic programming in future. Mr. Roberts confirmed that fundamental policy differences were involved. He is said to be largest single individual stockholder, but his stock is non-voting. In addition to return to music-newsspecial events emphasis, there were indications that Mutual would put considerably increased attention on merchandising and promotion on behalf of both clients and stations under Mr. Vogel, veteran in this field. Mr. Hammer said he will serve as president as well as chairman "at least temporarily," but would not amplify on that qualification. He said Mutual is not for sale. He also said network entry into fm station ownership, planned by Mr. Roberts, probably would not come off, but that MBS was still interested in using fm signals to replace Class C lines in linking stations, if arrangements could be made. Mutual had appeared to be making substantial progress, financially, under Mr. Roberts. Last December he said network was "in the black" where it had been taking $150,000 monthly operating loss before he, Mr. Hammer and other new owners took over from Thomas F. O'Neil's RKO-Teleradio last August. It's reported that sales slipped in January, with losses up to around $100,000, but authorities said business picked up in February and was still rising. Principal MBS stockholders, according to Mr. Hammer, are Occidental Petroleum Corp. of Los Angeles, headed by Mr. Hammer, and Starrett Corp., New York, headed by Arthur Brown; plus H. Roy Roberts, California oil executive, and L. M. Halper of Halper Construction Co., Los Angeles. Messrs. Hammer, Roy Roberts, Halper, and Brown, and Frank P. Barton were re-elected to board. Roy Roberts was named treasurer and Mr. Barton, Los Angeles attorney, was named secretary. Mr. Vogel started in radio in Manila, P. [., where he managed KZRM and KZRF. During World War II he returned to U. S. and as radio aide to Nelson Rockefeller, coordinator for Interamerican Affairs, he supervised one of world's largest radio networks. After war he returned to commercial broadcasting, producing and directing radio and tv programs. With his wife he formed and owns Ethos, New York radio-tv audience promotion and advertising firm. He served as merchandising consultant for television for William Esty Co., and for six years has been consultant on merchandising and promotion for Household Products Div. of Colgate-Palmolive Co. CBS-TV Takes Over KWK-TV President Merle S. Jones announced Friday that CBS-TV would take over operation of ch. 4 KWK-TV St. Louis at close of business that day, effecting long-delayed consummation of $4 million purchase. Consummation had been held up by legal wrangle involving St. Louis ch. 11, originally granted to CBS. Last week FCC approved plan under which ch. 1 1 would be put in escrow and CBS could take over KWK-TV. Call letters will be changed to KMOX-TV March 16. Gene Wilkey, who has been general manager of CBS-owned KMOX will be general manager of KMOX-TV. Charles McAlbee, formerly with CBS-TV Spot Sales in New York, will be general sales manager; Leon Drew, program manager of CBSowned WXIX (TV) Milwaukee, will take similar post with KMOX-TV; Harry Harvey, chief engineer of KMOX, will be director of technical operations for KMOX-TV, and Tom Stanton, promotion manager for KWK, will be KMOX-TV director of promotion and publicity. WHBS, KPAT Being Sold Sales announced Friday, all subject to FCC approval: WHBS Huntsville, Ala., sold by Huntsville Times to M. D. Smith III for $125,000. Mr. Smith, former vice president of WBRC-AMTV Birmingham. Ala., owns WJIG Tullahoma, Tenn., and WBYE Calera, Ala. WHBS operates on 1550 kc with 5 kw and is affiliated with ABC. KPAT Pampa, Tex., sold by Eldon Mahon and George O. Witten to Bob Garrison and Hank Huntley for $42,000. Mr. Garrison is with KLEN Killeen, Tex., and Mr. Huntley is an oilman. KPAT operates on 1230 kc with 250 w. Broker was Hamilton, Stubblefield, Twining & Assoc. Page 10 March 3, 1958 JOSEPH H. REAM, CBS Inc. Washington vice president, was to be married Saturday (March 1) to MRS. VIRGINIA BROWN MILLER of Washington. JOHN J. BRENNAN, business manager of NBC owned and operated stations and NBC Spot Sales, appointed Friday as director, business affairs, California National Productions, NBCs tv film syndication subsidiary. He replaces ROBERT ANDERSON who is assuming special executive assignment with NBC-TV. Mr. Brennan in 1954 became business manager, WRCA-AM-TV New York, and in 1956 was promoted to o&o and Spot Sales. EDWARD W. ALLEN JR., FCC chief engineer, has been chosen to receive 1958 Harry Diamond Memorial Award at IRE national convention in New York March 26. Award is made annually to government scientist making most contribution to electronics art. VAN BUREN DeVRIES, manager of WGRTV Buffalo, elected vice president of Transcontinent Television Corp. He joined WGRTV in 1954. He continues as manager of station. Funeral services held Saturday in Summit, N. J., for EDMUND S. LENNON, 59, vice president in charge of sales, WATV (TV) Newark, N. J., who died Feb. 27 at his home in Summit after long illness. His wife, Catherine, five sons and two sisters, survive. 'K. C. Star' Stations Renewed FCC has renewed licenses of WDAF and WDAF-TV Kansas City, Mo., but failed to take any action on sale of Kansas City Star stations to National Theatres for $7.6 million. In renewing licenses, Commission said Star has to divest itself of all broadcast interests in compliance with antitrust judgment filed last November [At Deadline, Nov. 18, 1957]. Stations have been operating without regular licenses since 1952 when antitrust proceedings began. Although no reason was given for FCC not taking any action on sale to National Theatres, it is understood some commissioners want to study National Theatres antitrust history thoroughly before approving old 20th Century-Fox theatre circuit as broadcast licensee. KNGS Sale in Work Negotiations reportedly nearing completion for sale of KNGS Hanford, Calif., for price of about $260,000 to Ellsworth Peck and A. J. Krisik, co-owners of KGYW Vallejo, Calif. KNGS, 1 kw on 620 w, is licensed to subsidiary of Hanford Daily Sentinel which, with sister newspaper, Santa Maria (Calif.) Times, was sold last Friday to Scripps League, owner of papers in Idaho, Utah and California. Price of Sentinel was $600,000 and of Times $523,000. Sale of KNGS and papers follows recent death of Earl J. Fenston, sole owner. Hamilton, Stubblefield, Twining & Assoc. was broker for all properties. Broadcasting