Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE radio DAI LY 8 Propaganda Is Losing Out in Latin America (.Continued from page 1) that propaganda, no matter how palatable or benevolent, still was propaganda, and would not be relished by the Latin American governments. That explains why the attempts of the Nazis and Fascists to penetrate Latin America with their ideologies have begun to backfire badly. When Latin Americans are told seriously, as they repeatedly have been and still are, that Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini are angelic apostles engaged in spreading the spirit of peace and international understanding throughout the world, they may take it or leave it. Currently they are leaving it. U. S. Programs Increase From reports coming to the American networks engaged in shortwave operations, programs from the United States are increasingly growing in favor, primarily because the United States broadcasters have been too smart to "'lay it on thick." American broadcasters wisely are sending out programs of entertainment or of news value, and are leaving the propaganda to the German and Italian broadcasters. As an executive of a network summed it up yesterday : "Propagandists broadcasts stir up more antagonism than enthusiasm." Principals engaged in shortwave broadcasting here are CBS, with W2XAL; NBC with W3XAL; Westinghouse with W8XK and W1XK, and General Electric with W2XAD. The latter two are interested in shortwave principally to promote the sale of sets. Others in this country engaged in shortwave are Crosley Radio Corp., with W8XAL; Isle of Dreams Broadcasting Corp., with W4XB ; WCAU, Philadelphia, with W3XAU, and World Wide Broadcasting Corp., Boston, W1XAL. Operate on Two Beams All are engaged in a daily operating schedule, operating on two beams, Latin America and Europe. CBS, for example, operates week days, from 7:30 A. M. to 12:30 A. M., and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 A. M. to 12 :30 A. M. The broadcasts until 6 P. M. are beamed toward Europe, from that time on until close, toward Latin America. NBC operates daily from 9 A. M. until 1 A. M. The broadcasts are in English, Italian, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese. NBC and CBS each has approximately 35 persons working in the short wave departments. Elizabeth Anne Tucker is in charge for CBS, while Frank Mason heads NBC's short wave division. Germany has 11 shortwave stations broadcasting on all beams daily. The principal stations are DJE, DJB and DJQ. All the German stations operate under the official Government title of Reichs Runrlfunk Gcssellschaft. They come in powerfully practically throughout the world. The German programs, while sprinkled with music and sports are devoted mainly to propounding Nazi ideas, giving glowing Broken Precedent Toronto, July 31. — The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has broken precedent by announcing the name of the sponsor of a commercial program in its official schedule for the national network. For the first time on record the list of featured periods — that for today, July 31 — contains the notation that a highlight is the Chase & Sanborn program, "Sponsored by Standard Brands, Inc." pictures of daily life in Germany, the absence of unemployment, contentment of the people under Hitler, German progress, etc., etc. Those who tune in in this country are frequently startled to hear, from Berlin, the gutteral English of a German announcer calling "Nord America," and addressing specifically by name and address a person or organization in this country, adding personal messages from Nazi officials. This writer, not long ago, heard Berlin calling a German club in Milwaukee, giving the names of all the members and greetings to each, and a talk on the economic progress of Germany since Hitler took hold. The German programs wind up with the Nazi "Marching Song" and "Deutschland Uber Allies." American Shows in Demand CBS and NBC receive heavy mail, principally from the Latin Americas, Germany, Italy and some of the Balkan nations, most of which beg for more and more news broadcasts and for broadcasts giving editorial opinions of America's great newspapers on the regimes of their nations. One letter is typical : "Please send us more news and editorials from your newspapers, as yours is the only news we can trust." No estimates are available as to how much it is costing Germany, Italy or the United States broadcasters to reach the ears of listeners beyond their borders, but the sum for the former two must total millions by now, while no doubt the cost to American broadcasters must run into several hundred thousands of dollars yearly. The F.C.C. permits no commercial shortwave broadcasting, so the cost comes out of the pockets of the networks. Sets Comparatively Few The Latin Americas are the principal targets for the broadcasts, yet surprisingly enough there are but slightly more than 2,000,000 sets of any kind now in use in the Latin Americas. Costa Rica has 15,000 ; Cuba, 150,000; Dominican Republic, 7,000; El Salvator, 10,000; Guatemala, 12,000; Haiti, 2,500; Honduras, 15,000; Mexico, 250,000; Nicaragua, 4,000; Panama, 8,500; Argentina, 1,000,000; Bolivia, 20,000; Brazil, 420,000; Chile, 75,000; Colombia, 58,000; Ecuador, 6,500; Paraguay, 10,000; Peru, 40,000; Uruguay, 125,000, and Venezuela, 26,000. Miss Bankhead on WAPI Tallulah Bankhead and her father. Representative William B. Bankhead, will join in the anniversary celebration marking the first year's affiliation of WAPI, Birmingham, with CBS, Aug. 10, from 11 to 11 :30 P.M. Autumn Application Hearings Assigned Washington, July 31. — -The Federal Communications Commission has made tentative assignments of broadcasting applications for hearings, as follows : Sept. 22, before the commission : Application of Great Western Broadcasting Co. for a 1,500-kilocycle, 100watt station at Omaha. Sept. 28, before an examiner : Applications of Citizens Voice and Air Show, Provo Broadcasting Co. and Midwest Broadcasting Corp., each seeking a 1,210-kilocycle, 100-watt station at Provo, Utah, and Warner Brothers for a 1,280-kilocycle, 500watt station at Oakland, Cal. Oct. 6, before the commission : Applications of WCOP, Boston, for change of frequency from 1,120 to 1,130 kilocycles; George W. Taylor Co., Inc., for a 1,370-kilocycle, 100watt daytime station at Williamson, W. Va. ; Greater Greenwood Broadcasting Station for a 1,420-kilocycle station at Greenwood, S. C, with 100 watts night, 250 watts day ; W. A. Barnette for a 610-kilocycle, 250-watt daytime station at Greenwood, S. C. ; Pinellas Broadcasting Co. for a 1,370kilocycle station at St. Petersburg, Fla., with 100 watts night, 250 watts day; WGNY, Newburgh, N. Y., for change of frequency from 1,210 to 1,220 kilocycles, increase of power from 100 watts to 250 watts, and change of time from sharing to day. To Air Bridge Ceremony Montreal, July 31. — The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. will broadcast the opening ceremonies of the new Thousand Islands Bridge, linking Canada and the United States, on Aug. 18, from 2:45 to 4 P.M. President Roosevelt and Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor General of Canada, will head the group of important officials of both countries who will attend the ceremonies. Vyvyan Bonner to Speak Vyvyan Donner, 20th Century-Fox newsreel fashionist, has been honored by the Millinery Stabilization Commission with an invitation to address a fall millinery and fashion show. Miss Donner will speak on "The Influence of Newsreels on Fashion" at the show's luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Aug. 2. Miss Parsons Talks Deal Louella Parsons is now negotiating with several agencies here for a new fall radio program, with indications that a contract will be signed with one of the clients before Miss Parsons returns to the coast. Renew Whiteman Pact Chesterfield cigarettes have signed Paul Whiteman to a one-year renewal for the Wednesday 8:30 to 9 P. M. program over CBS. The renewal, effective Sept. 28, is through NewellEmmett. Plan Mexican Station Mexico City, July 31. — Another radio station, XEQ, of 50,000 watts, is being installed here under a Federal concession by Radio Panamericana, S.A. It is to be inaugurated next month. "1 Monday, August I, 1938' . . i ► Radio Personals < TED STREIBERT, Mutual vicepresident, will return today with his wife on the Santa Rosa from a 16-day southern cruise . . . Chela and Freddy, Argentine radio stars, sailed yesterday for Venezuela where ^K^y will appear on a Philco prograrvh/jr four weeks. They then will proceed to Buenos Aires . . . Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra took off in a chartered plane Saturday for Chicago and the Bon Air Country Club, where they will be heard for the next 15 weeks over Mutual . . . WNEW's "Milkman'. Matinee" will celebrate its third anniversary, Aug. 2 . . . Al Cormier, manager of WINS, will return today from a 10-day motor trip through New England. + Latham Ovens, who resigned from the WLW-WSAI staff last year to join Joe Penner's continuity staff on the coast, has returned to WSAI . . . Van Woodward, of KMOX, St. Louis, and Robert Monroe, recently of Columbus and Cleveland, also are additions to the WSAI forces . . . Norman Sullivan and Dick MacKnight are leaving WSAI . . . Jack Foy, veteran hillbilly, who was on WLW from 1929 to 1931, has returned to that station. "Shadow" to Return To Mutual Sept 25 "The Shadow," a mystery series, will return to the Mutual network Sept. 25 for the D. L. & W. Coal Co. The contract, for 26 weeks, was placel by Ruthrauff & Ryan. The show, from 4:30 to 5 P.M., will be heard over WFIL, WBAL, WNAC, WTIC, WCSH, WEAN, WICC and WTAG, and the repeat broadcast, from 5:30 to 6 P.M., will be carried by WOR, WGN, WKBW, CKLW, WNBF, WOL and WSYR. Orson Welles, who played the "Shadow" last year, is now doing a series for CBS and is unavailable for the role, and the agency is now casting for the part. Givot Wins Extension The application of George Givot to i extend to Sept. 15 his time to answer a $65,000 damage suit brought against him by Herman Bernie was ; granted in N. Y. Supreme Court on Friday by Justice Peter Schmuck on the ground that Givot at present is fulfilling an engagement at the Embassy Club in London. The suit alleges a breach of a five-year managerial contract after the second year. Plan Show Over WNEW Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. for Avalon cigarettes, is sponsoring "Slim and Slam" on WNEW for 13 weeks. The schedule is for six hours per week. Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn placed the business. O'Leary Joins Rambeau George J. O'Leary has resigned from Ruthrauff & Ryan as account executive to join the sales staff of William G. Rambeau Co., radio station representatives.