Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1962)

Radio-tv reps form association in Dallas Broadcast Representative Assn. of Dallas has been formed in that city by 18 representation firms to cope with problems of the radio-tv industry in the Southwest. Through guest speakers, forums, presentations and other means, BRAD hopes to maintain a high standard of radio-tv advertising sales. Pictured above (1 to r) are the organization's officers: Robert C. Miller (Edward Petry & Co.), secretary; Dave Rutledge (The Katz Agency), president; Al Carrell (Robert Eastman Co.), vice president, and Ralph Widman (Paul H. Raymer Co.), treasurer. The organization represents a combined list of 787 radio stations, 421 tv stations, 14 regional radio networks and four regional tv networks. NCAB seeks hearing on courtroom access A hearing on the right of broadcasters and cameramen to cover North Carolina superior court proceedings was asked Jan. 31 by North Carolina Assn. of Broadcasters in a petition filed with the state supreme court. The action followed adoption by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar of a resolution asking the supreme court to consider a ban on all broadcasting or photographing of superior court proceedings. At present superior court judges have the power to grant or deny coverage by news media. W. C. Harris Jr., Raliegh attorney representing NCAB, asked for a chance to discuss modern electronic techniques. NCAB's board adopted a resolution Jan. 22 stating the bar council's recommendations are not founded in fact. Dick Dunlea Jr., WMFD Wilmington, NCAB president, said the association would cooperate with North Carolina Press Assn. in efforts to keep courtrooms open to media. Fire guts WSAN facilities WSAN Allentown, Pa., returned to the air 66 hours after an early morning fire gutted its transmitter and caused over $70,000 damage. The fire broke out at 3 a.m. Jan. 29, destroyed all equipment in the transmitting room and caused the roof of the building over that section of the combined officestudio-transmitter building to collapse. Station owners Reuel H. Musselman and Olivia Barnes ordered a new trans mitter from RCA that day; it was delivered and installed and the station was on the air by 9 p.m. Jan. 31. Station operates on 1470 kc with 5 kw fulltime. Its night time power has been temporarily reduced to 500 w pending arrival of a phase monitor. IATSE local's $500 fee found excessive by NLRB Initiation fees of $500 assessed by IATSE for membership in its Local 804 of Television & Radio Broadcasting Studio Employes are excessive and discriminatory, according to a Feb. 1 ruling by National Labor Relations Board. The ruling reversed an examiner's decision on a charge brought by WFIL-AM-FM-TV Philadelphia. NLRB ordered the union to discon tinue the $500 fee, which the decision found was designed to reduce the number of part-time, non-union employes at the Triangle stations. The union was ordered to refund any initiation payments over $50, the fee levied prior to the tenfold union increase. The board asserted the right to look at union records pertinent to the reasons for levying the fee. In the decision NLRB reversed the examiner's finding that charges brought by the stations were moot because the complaint was filed after expiration of the union contract. The union security clause was held to be valid. S. C. radio network airs political talks Fifty radio stations carried live broadcasts over a statewide network of talks by leading political candidates as they were delivered to the South Carolina Broadcasters Assn., which met Jan. 2527 at Sumter, S. C. Candidates for U. S. Senate, governor and lieutenant governor made formal appearances and joined a question-answer session. Filmed versions were carried by tv stations. The association voted $1,000 to the U. of South Carolina to be used toward establishment of a proposed communications school to teach radio and tv. Dr. Robert L. Sumwalt, USC president, told the association, "No subsidy could compensate for the loss we would suffer from the imposition of federal regulations on the free marketplace of ideas." He added that freedom "to communicate information and ideas and a free system of education — both without government control of content — have been an essential ingredient of our democracy." Swezey sets Buffalo talk Robert D. Swezey, NAB code authority director, will address an Advertising Week luncheon sponsored jointly by the Ad Women of Buffalo and the The fifth estate leads the fourth WLOS-TV Asheville, N. G, is getting extra exposures for its on-theair editorials, thanks to newspapers in the station's coverage area. According to WLOS-TV , many newspapers are not only reporting on the editorials but have adopted the practice of reprinting them en toto. Mr Whiteside The editorials are prepared and delivered by Arthur Whiteside, the station's public affairs director. The station cites two recent editorials which prompted newspaper reprinting: (1) its editorial campaign condemning the firing of a school principal allegedly because of political reasons, and (2) a two-day editorial campaign that resulted in direct action from North Carolina Gov. Terry Sanford who restored the principal to his job. Mr. Whiteside, who joined WLOSTV in 1960, formerly was production manager of Mutual Broadcasting System. 48 (THE MEDIA) BROADCASTING, February 5, 1962