Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1942)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 13, 194; Off the Antenna CONFIRMATION of the banning of Cecil Brown, CBS correspondent in Singapore, by the British military authorities was received by the network yesterday. Officials announced that the issue was being taken up with the "proper authorities" but the exact status remained in doubt. One of the puzzling aspects was the fact that although Brown was banned by British military authorities from broadcasting over Radio Singapore, he was left free to cable reports to CBS. According to advices received here, the ban was imposed because Brown's broadcasts during the past three weeks were "pessimistic." The matter has been taken up with Col. William J. Donovan. • • • Purely Personal: Albert J. Durante, formerly with the "Daily News," has joined the WOR press department. . . . Judith Cortada, formerly with "Advertising Age," has been named trade news editor for the Blue. . . . Prescott Robinson, WOR nezvscaster, is the father of twin girls. . . . Erskine Chase, radio and magazine witer, has joined the continuity staff of WGN and W59C, Chicago. . . . Dinah Shore has donated royalties on two new recordings to the Committee for the Celebration of the President's Birthday. . . . Jimmy Powers, "Daily News" sports editor, has been signed to another year's contract as WMCA sports editor. . . . Carl Ruff, on leave from the WOR press department for Army service, will enter the Signal Corps Officers Candidate School at Fort Monmouth in March. . . . Frank Burke is the netv CKLW, WindsorDetroit, publicity head. • • • WNEW and WMCA have issued new rate cards, effective Feb. 15 and Feb. 1, respectively. The WNEW rates, which reflect the increase of power from 5,000 to 10,000 watts, increased the basic night time hourly rate to $645. The WMCA rates make no change in the existing one-time rate but discounts for use of the station for two to seven times weekly range from five to 30 per cent under the new rates. Costs for station break announcements have been increased to $60 per minute for all evening time and Sunday afternoons and to $35 for other times. • • • National Association of Broadcasters officers will be guests of the weekly luncheon of the Radio Executives Club at the Hotel Lexington tomorrow. Among them will be Neville Miller, NAB president; Frank E. Pellegrin, director of broadcast advertising; and Eugene Carr, WGAR, Cleveland; E. Y. Flanigan, WSPD, Toledo; George H. Frey, NBC-Red; Arthur Hull Hayes, WABC; Dietrich Dirks, KTRL, Sioux City; John M. Outler, Jr., WSB, Atlanta, and Linus Travers, Yankee Network, the last seven being members of the sales managers executive committee. A committee of 16 has been named by the club to award a plaque for the person or persons who have done most for the advancement of radio during 1941. • • • Program News: Sachs Quality Furniture has renewed its program on\ WMCA. . . . Sterling Products has renewed "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill" and "Orphans of Divorce" over the Blue. . . . Procter <& Gamble will sponsor "Hap Hazard" a new variety show, over 65 CBS stations Fridays', 10-10:30 P.M., beginning Jan. 23. . . . International Silver has renewed "Silver Theatre" over 32 CBS stations. Blue Network Plans Program Expansion Under a New Setuj 8 NBC Charges FCC Authority Is 'Fictional9 (Continued from page 1) works could not operate under the new rules and that all sustaining programs would have to be cancelled. He said stations and networks would lower their standards on acceptable business and the rules would drive the smaller stations out of business because advertisers would insist on only high-powered outlets. Says Rules Are Necessary Telford Taylor, first of Government counsel to be heard, declared that the networks had no right to challenge FCC rulings, which could be done only by licensees. He said the new rules were necessary to permit the stations to choose which broadcasts to carry, something they cannot do under exclusive option clauses now in effect. Judge Bright interrupted Hughes to ask if radio stations were not deprived of free speech by being limited to one network. Hughes replied that newspapers are served by syndicates and still have free speech. Contends FCC Limited Cahill contended that the FCC was limited to governing electrical interference between stations and had no jurisdiction over the business of broadcasting. "Broadcasting cannot survive the impact of the FCC order," Cahill stated. He said 50 affiliates had forwarded cancellations to NBC and more were expected. Cahill asked that the court determine the "issue of fact" involved in the economic effects of the order. He said NBC spent $4,000,000 annually for telephone lines. Hughes declared that CBS spent $5,000,000 annually for sustaining programs, $800,000 for television, and $500,000 for Latin American programs. All public service programs, including news services, would have to be discontinued if the FCC orders were to remain in effect and they would create a period of "economic opportunism," Hughes asserted. Taylor will continue tomorrow and will be followed by Thomas Harris and Seymour Simon, both of the Government staff. Christenberry Again Heads B'way Group Robert K. Christenberry, vicepresident and general manager of the Hotel Astor, on Sunday was reelected president of the Broadway Association at a meeting at the Astor. The term runs one year. Other officers are S. E. Lester, first vice-president ; Edwin S. Friendly, second vice-president ; Ray Whittaker, general manager of Shubert Theatrical Enterprises, third vice-president ; P. L. Ryan, fourth vice-president ; F. A. Burdett, secretary, and Walter G. Schaerer, treasurer. Among the board members elected for a three-year term is William Morris, Jr., president of the William Morris Agency. Rochester Dinner To Golden Planned Rochester, Jan. 12. — Jay Golden, recently named city manager for the Palace, Century, Temple, Regent and Capitol, will be honored at a testimonial dinner at the Hotel Seneca here Jan. 20. The houses are pooled. In charge of arrangements for the affair are Howard Carroll of the Strand ; Lester Pollock of Loew's Rochester ; Bud Silverman, Schine city manager, and Arthur Krolich of the Century. Principal speaker will be Jacob Ark, state commander of the American Legion, with Jack Barry of WHEC serving as master of ceremonies for the floor show. Dietz on Publicity For Navy Society Howard Dietz, director of advertising and publicity for M-G-M, has been named chairman of publicity for the new Civilian Committee for the New York Auxiliary of the Navy Relief Society, it was announced yesterday. Junius Spencer Morgan is chairman.. At a luncheon meeting at the Hotel Astor today, plans will be discussed for a Navy Relief show at Madison Square Garden March 10, with Marvin Schenck as chairman of the production committee. Two Firms Formed; 4 Are Dissolved Albany, Jan. 12. — Two new firms have been formed here. They are : Kayharr Attractions, Inc., by Lillian Schwarz, Sanford Green and -Jerome Edwards ; and Color Film Corp., by Max Levin, William Rosmarin and Seymour Weil. Showroom Previews, Inc., Paycock Productions, Inc., Trapeze Productions, Inc., and TriNational Films, Inc., have been dissolved. Drops Stage Shows Columbus, O., Jan. 12. — The RKO Palace, which several weeks ago adopted a stage show and picture policy, has reverted to straight pictures at the previous scale of 30 and 47 cents for matinee and night, respectively. There is a possibility that stage shows will be resumed later. Two Drop Stage Units Spokane, Wash., Jan. 12. — The Post Street Theatre has dropped vaudeville and contracted for secondrun showings of Universal, RKO, Columbia and United Artists product. The Rex also abandoned its stage show policy and now has a straight film policy, with three changes week ly. The Blue Network will encourage* new program ideas by permittinj producers to air them during sustain ing time, Edgar Kobak, executiv.^ vice-president of the new company^ declared yesterday. Many new prn: gram ideas are planned, Kobak <■' and will be put in effect shortly. The Blue affiliates' committee wil meet in Chicago tomorrow and a} affiliates will meet there on Thur/ day. Kobak said no major oppositioi to the establishment of the new com! pany is expected although he antici pates that there will be some hold outs. All affiliates must approve thei'i contracts with the new Blue Networ],.' Co. as their existing contracts ar with NBC. Niles Trammell, NBC president, {' S commenting upon the anti-trust suij brought by Mutual against NBC an \ RCA, declared that the action wa the culmination of a series of attack which followed NBC's refusal to se i important parts of the Blue to Mutusj two years ago. He referred to R. M| Macy & Co. and the Chicago Trbun as the "dominant interests" in Mr tual. To Use Television i MP In Raid Training Declaring that plans already arl" under way to install one or more tele ",■ vision receivers in police departmer classrooms in each of the city's ai raid zones, Noran E. Kersta, NB< manager of the television division, yei_ ^ terday told the Winter convention o,. the Institute of Radio Engineers ; . Hotel Commodore that receiver manv w facturers were cooperating to makr' television a key factor in traininl 300,000 air raid wardens. Kersta asserted that reports turned in by police and civilian defense off,!, cials after last week's experiment!,!., program on incendiary bombs hal started a movement for regular PTC.JL grams and receiver stations. Kersta declared that 22 per cent (iL the country's population lives withjlL range of stations now on the air <jilie shortly to start operations. He placetlil the number of receivers in the Ne,;it| York metropolitan area at 5,100, <|re which 78.3 per cent are in homes, 1 2 4lhe percent in public places and the mki mainder in dealers' stores. He sailii that an average of 90 receiveii|;j( monthly is being sold here. In the evening, Dr. Peter C. Golf j mark, CBS chief television engineel demonstrated color television on if\ receiver designed for commercial us, IT Heretofore, color television receive' ft have been laboratory models. He alili discussed standards for color trans I, mission. N. O. Musicians Elect New Orleans, Jan. 12. — Charl Hartmann has been elected preside of Local 174, American Federate ■ of Musicians. Other officers are Jol ' DeDroit, vice-president; Leo Broe j man, business representative ; Robe j Aguilera, recording secretary ; Rail Chabao, financial secretary, and Mel vin Smith, sergeant-at-arms.