NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1942)

But, here and there, an advertiser has taken advantage of the war to enhance the appeal for his merchandise or service. How to detect such infringements of good taste and patriotism is one of the problems that will be explored by the sales managers. Perhaps we have thought that advertising in general — and broadcast advertising in particular — has been criti¬ cized unfairly in the past. But such criticism has doubled and quadrupled within the last few months. As you all know, one publication has sought to build what amounts to an anti-radio-advertising league. If we are honest with ourselves — and we must be — such criticism is deserved in part; must be met in whole, if we are to progress as an advertising medium. That’s just what the sales managers will do at the forthcoming dis¬ trict meetings. Perhaps this is no time to plan even a “slicking-up” around the house but, based on the old adage that “there’s no time like the present,” the Sales Managers’ Executive Committee has recommended a study of the factors that contribute to good taste in broadcast advertising, looking toward the preparation of a statement that codifies the practices and principles of good broadcasting. Evidence so far accumulated indicates that the rate of turnover among local advertisers is undoubtedly the high¬ est in the history of our medium. What’s more, the foresighted feel that this rate may even be stepped up as we swing intp 1943. How, then, can we continue to hold or increase the present volume of broadcast advertising so that the owner, the manager, the program director and the newscasters can continue to render their vital service in the leading role that broadcasting is playing in the conduct of the war. You’ll hear plenty about that at the district meetings, so be sure to attend. Now that you are thinking about it — what about the future of our business in 1943? What can we reasonably expect in the light of the past? How much of what has happened in the past has a bearing on the future? Per¬ haps we can all contribute to such a forecast as will kindle our enthusiasm and build hope and confidence. But that’s only part of the story of the sales managers meetings that will be held on the second day of the district meetings. You’ll certainly want to attend. You have ideas and plans that the whole industry can use. Perhaps you, too, can glean something of value from the ideas of others. Recheck that list of district meetings and plan now to be at one of them. SPECIAL MEETING NAB BOARD A special meeting of the NAB Board of Directors will convene at the Palmer House, Chicago, on Tuesday, Octo¬ ber 13. This meeting will immediately follow the hearing of the arguments in the government’s case against the A. F. of M. and James C. Petrillo. The case will be argued on the government’s behalf by Thurman Arnold, head of the Anti-Trust Division of the Attorney General’s Office and NAB will present a brief as a friend of the court. Pay Freezing President Roosevelt on October 3 issued his long-expected wage freezing order and appointed the War Labor Board to enforce it. In brief, the order freezes all wage rates at their Sep¬ tember 15 level, except in cases where the WLB finds in¬ creases are “necessary to correct maladjustments or in¬ equalities, to eliminate substandards of living, to correct gross inequities, or to aid in the effective prosecution of the war.” Salaries above $5,000 are frozen, too, “except in instances in which an individual has been assigned to more difficult or responsible work.” We used the italics in the previous two paragraphs because it now appears that there was a mistake in draft¬ ing the order, and that salaries below $5,000 were not frozen. Unless and until this mistake is corrected (which it probably will be), the order leaves the broadcasting in¬ dustry practically untouched, because the bulk of broad¬ casting employees are paid on a salary basis (by the week, month or year) and not on an hourly (“wage rate”) basis. As it stands, only the salaries of radio’s top executives and performers are frozen. We repeat, however, that this mistake probably will be rectified, and all salaries as well as wages will be frozen. Within the next few days, the WLB will issue some gen¬ eral regulations as to enforcement. One of these probably will automatically allow any increases made prior to October 3, despite the September 15 freeze date. Another will permit so-called “automatic” increases. As an exam¬ ple, an employee hired with the understanding that he is to receive a $5 increase after 6 months service will be permitted to receive that increase. The NAB will keep you advised. The text of the Executive Order: _ By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitu¬ tion and the statutes, and particularly by the Act of Octo¬ ber 2, 1942, entitled “An Act to Amend the Emergency Price Control Act of 1942, to Aid in Preventing Inflation, and for Other Purposes,” as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, and in order to control so far as possible inflationary tendencies and the vast dislocations attendant thereon which threaten our military effort and our domestic economic structure, and for the more effective prosecution of the war, it is hereby ordered as follows : TITLE I Establishment of an Office of Economic Stabilization 1. There is established in the Office for Emergency Management of the Executive Office of the President an Office of Economic Stabilization at the head of which shall be an Economic Stabilization Director (hereinafter re¬ ferred to as the Director). 2. There is established in the Office of Economic Stabili¬ zation an Economic Stabilization Board with which the Di¬ rector shall advise and consult. The Board shall consist of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Re¬ serve System, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, the Price Administrator, the Chairman of the National War Labor Board, and two representatives each of labor, management, and farmers to be appointed by the Presi¬ dent. The Director may invite for consultation the head of any other department or agency. The Director shall serve as Chairman of the Board. 3. The Director, with the approval of the President, shall formulate and develop a comprehensive national economic policy relating to the control of civilian purchasing power, prices, rents, wages, salaries, profits, rationing, subsidies, and all related matters — all for the purpose of preventing avoidable increases in the cost of living, cooperating in minimizing the unnecessary migration of labor from one business, industry, or region to another, and facilitating the prosecution of the war. To give effect to this com¬ prehensive national economic policy the Director shall have power to issue directives on policy to the Federal depart¬ ments and agencies concerned. 4. The guiding policy of the Director and of all depart¬ ments and agencies of the Government shall be to stabilize October 9, 1942 — 589