Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, February 17, 19 RADIO Crosley Air Drive To Assist Business Cincinnati, Feb. 16. — In an effort to stimulate business in general, Powel Crosley, Jr., president of the Crosley Radio Corp., has inaugurated a "Buy Now" campaign in the form of spot announcements and dramatic interludes, aired during sustaining programs and between station announcements over WLW and WSAI. Typical purchases of both necessities and luxuries are translated into terms of how much work they make for the industries and outlets involved. Suggestions are made that concerted buying will help pull the country out of the recession. Crosley hopes other stations, as well as the networks will adopt a similar idea. "There is excellent buying power in the country," Crosley said at a press conference, "but it is being repressed and purchases are being deferred. If we can stir that power by this campaign, we may be able to stop the decline." Radio Libel Bill Is Introduced in N. Y. Albany, Feb. 16. — Senator Julius S. Berg today introduced a bill into the State Senate amending the libel law to bring radio broadcasts under the same provisions as pertain to newspapers. Berg said, in explanation of his measure, that in view of the fact that the radio has an audience as great, or greater, than the newspapers, the air should be subject to the same law. Under the present law, an act of defamation of character or the like is libel when appearing in newspapers, but slander when spoken over the air, with different penalties for each offense. It is Berg's contention that the same rules should apply in both cases. WHN Still Is Basic Outlet of WLW Line Officials of WHN declared yesterday that the station will continue to be the basic New York outlet for the WLW line, despite the agreement between WMCA and the Cincinnati station for an exchange of programs. It was stated that the reason WLW added an auxiliary New York station was that WHN had rejected a proposal by Transamerican that it pay the line charges for the service to Cincinnati which formerly were paid by Powel Crosley, Jr., and WLW. WHN will continue to offer its facilities to advertisers wishing to avail themselves of the high-powered Ohio outlet, it was said. WMCA Adds Two Programs WMCA has added two more programs to its schedule. They are sponsored by Lehn & Fink Products Co. and Nestle's Milk Products, Inc. Both originate in WLW, Cincinnati. The features are "The Life of Mary Sothern" and "The Mad Hatterfields," respectively. The former is for 33 weeks and the latter for 36 weeks. NBC Makes New Disc Series NBC will make transcriptions of "The Mystery Chef" to be used twice a week in Hawaii for six months. KARK, Little Rock, has also ordered similar recording for a year. The series is sponsored by Suburban Gas Companies, Inc. Court Broadcasts Washington, Feb. 16.— WOL finally has won permission to broadcast daily from traffic court as a means of promoting motoring safety. Congressman William T. Schulte, chairman of the traffic safety subcommittee, endorsed the plan and obtained the permission of the presiding judges. Travis Application Argument Up April 7 Washington, Feb. 16. — The Federal Communications Commission will hear oral arguments April 7 on the applications of Gerald A. Travis for a 1,420-kilocycle, 250-watt daytime station at La Porte, Ind. ; Burl Vance Hedrick for a 1,340-kilocycle, 1,000watt station at Salisbury, N. C. ; KVEC, San Luis Obispo, Cal., for change of time from day to unlimited with 100 watts power night, 250 watts day; KGAR, Tucson, Ariz., for change of frequency from 1,370 to 1,340 kilocycles and increase of night power from 100 to 250 watts. It will also hear contesting applications of L. L. Coryell & Son for a 1,450-kilocycle station at Lincoln, Nebr., with 250 watts night, 1,000 watts day; KFOR, Lincoln, Nebr., for change of frequency from 1,210 to 1,450 kilocycles and increase of power from 100 watts night, 250 watts day, to 1,000 watts night, 5,000 watts day, and KCMO, Kansas City, for change of frequency from 1,370 to 1,450 kilocycles and increase of power from 100 to 1,000 watts. WMCA to Air Surrealist Play WMCA will offer an experimental surrealist drama condensed from the stage version of "The Man Who Ate the Popomack" on Saturday from 2 to 2 :15 P. M. The play is currently at the Felix St. Playhouse in Brooklyn. WATR to Start Sunday Pittsfield, Feb. 16. — Harold Thomas, WATR, Waterbury operator, will introduce his new station, WBRK, here next Sunday, with full time operation on the 1,310-kilocycle band. The new station is a CBS outlet. Whipple Show Schedule Set The Harvey Whipple program, which will begin Feb. 22, will be carried by WBZ, Boston and WBZA, Springfield, on Fridays, and WGY, Schenectady, on Sundavs. Lum and Abner Show Starts Feb. 28 The Lum and Abner show which will start over CBS Feb. 28 will go out over the coast-to-coast network of 48 stations. General Foods is sponsoring for Postum. Kaltenborn on "Headlines" H. B. Kaltenborn, commentator, on Feb. 27 will join Bob Trout and Erwin Canham on the "Headlines and Bvlines" program which is heard from 10:30 to 11 :00 P. M. over WABC. Swarthout, Boles on "Hotel" Gladys Swarthout and John Boles will do scenes from "Romance in the Dark" on the "Hollywood Hotel" program over CBS on Feb. 25. NAB Directors Name Executive Committee (.Continued from page 1 ) this evening after having appointed Mark Ethredge, Louisville, as temporary chairman pending the selection of a president, and Edwin W. Craig, of W SM, Nashville ; Walter J. Damm, of WTMJ, Milwaukee; John Elmer, of WCBM, Baltimore; Herb Hollister, of KANS, Wichita; Frank M. Russell, Washington vice-president of the National Broadcasting Co., and Ethredge as members of the executive committee. March 21 was fixed as the date of the board's next meeting to be held here for the purpose of considering the formal choice of a head for the N. A. B. Chairman Frank R. McNinch of the Federal Communications Commission has been invited to a luncheon on that date. The executive committee scheduled a meeting for tomorrow morning at the office of Philip G. Loucks, who was continued as special counsel until the March date. All members of the committee, with the exception of Craig, were still in the city tonight. Russell declared that tomorrow's sessions would be occupied only with minor affairs carried over from the former executive group. The only other announced action of the board was a commendation of the work of the sales managers' committee and a vote to continue that body under the chairmanship of Lew S. Avery, of WGR, Buffalo. Massachusetts Goes on Air Boston, Feb. 16. — The state this week inaugurated a series over WEEI of CBS. Different phases of the state's industrial, recreational and agricultural life will be featured each week at 7:30 P. M. The start of the program comes at an auspicious moment. A bill is before the Legislature for radio censorship in the state. NBC to Air Three Races NBC will cover three outstanding racing events on the coast, the San Antonio Handicap, the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap, over the NBCRed, with Clem McCarthy at the microphone. Buddy Twiss, coast announcer, will assist. The three events will be aired on Feb. 22, Feb. 26 and March 5. To Broadcast from Plane San Francisco, Feb. 16. — Joe Sanders' orchestra and local radio talent will broadcast coast-to-coast, over CBS, from a United Air Lines plane Friday, as part of the buildup for the 1939 exposition. The program will be heard on the entire CBS chain at 7:30 P. M., E.S.T. McQuarrie Resumes from Coast Haven McQuarrie will resume his weekly broadcasts from the NBC Hollywood studios, beginning on Sunday. The show, "Do You Want to be an Actor?" will continue to be aired from 10:30 to 11 P. M. on the coast-to-coast NBC-Red. Defense Program Set on Mutual A symposium on national defense will be broadcast Feb. 22 on Mutual from 9 :30 to 10 P. M. The speakers will be U. S. Senator Richard Russell, Secretary of War Woodring and Gov. Harry Moore of New Jersey. CBS Makes Change* In Florida Station Effective today, CBS has institut ', several changes in its Florida Grot' according to William C. GittingH CBS sales manager. WJNO, W< Palm Beach, which has been availal at the base rate of $125 per eveni hour, as a member of the Columti Southeastern Group, will become ' bonus station for all Columbia a vertisers using the CBS Fl^1! Group, including WMBR, Jac!^ ville; WQAM, Miami; WDBO, C lando, and WDAE, Tampa. The new ranking of WJNO as bonus station adds new coverage the listening areas of the Flori Group, according to Gittinger. N< rates for WQAM and WDAE, f< merly $125 per evening hour, will $150 per evening hour, $90 per ha hour and $60 per quarter-hour, wh the day rates will be $75, $45 and 5 for daytime hour, half-hour and qu; ter-hour, respectively. Seeks Radio Board To Review Scrip Washington, Feb. 16. — Creation I a three-man board of review to wh: broadcasters may submit progr. scripts for approval prior to presen tion will be sought by Senator CI) L. Herring (Dem., Iowa). Senator Herring at this time working on the draft of an amendim to the Federal Communications A which will be introduced in Congr in the near future. The proposed board would be est; lished in the Federal Communicatit Commission. It would be withi,, power to censor scripts, but could dicate changes which would av criticism. It would have no author to demand that broadcasters sub)1 programs for consideration, but wopass upon those sent in voluntarily Rule Chinese Envoy Off NBC Dr. Chengting T. Wang, Chin Ambassador to this country, was ! permitted to speak on Lowell Thoir. broadcast Tuesday evening. NBC ficials who ordered the cancellat stated that it was in line with the n work's policy against broadcast controversial subjects on commen programs. Latin American Broadcasts Se London, Feb. 16. — "Objectr broadcasts from the British Bro casting Co. in Spanish and Portugu to South and Central America will gin on March 15. Concern o Italian propaganda broadcast to Latin American countries is said be the reason for setting an early st; ing date. Start KDKA Music Series Pittsburgh, Feb. 16. — KDKA day started a new series of spe broadcasts by the Federal Symph. Orchestra, under the direction Harry Hoehle and Joseph A. Rail' kus at 10:15 tonight. For four we the programs will be heard at 9 and after that at 9 P. M. Two Goats for Hawley Mark Hawley, narrator on "Fair ; Fortunes" over WOR-Mutual, shc | will receive two goats from a list*! who heard his talk about his Je I farm.