NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1942)

nation in these critical times. It is heai’tening to hear this fact recognized hy the government and it is up to all of us to see that the privilege is not abused.” “HOT FROM HOLLYWOOD” Several member stations have written regarding the five-minute “Hot from Hollywood” transcriptions being offered by Thomas J. Valentino, Inc., 1600 Broadway, New York, N. Y. In response to an inquiry from the Department of Broadcast Advertising, Mr. Valentino reports : “The transcriptions entitled ‘Hot from Hollywood’ are designed to maintain a public interest in news of Holly¬ wood personalities. These transcriptions are being pre¬ pared on behalf of various members of the motion picture industry and consist of a good-will gesture in which is in¬ cluded a dramatization of scenes from forthcoming mo¬ tion pictures. No advertising of any kind is included in these programs and the only mention of the title of the picture is to identify the scene which is dramatized. The distributor of the picture is in nowise mentioned.” Under the circumstances, the Department strongly ad¬ vises against the use of these five-minute transcriptions on a sustaining basis. However, Mr. Valentino adds in his letter that: “These entertainment programs . . . may be broadcast by the station for local sponsors without any payment to us”. Since one of the member stations has reported that these transcriptions are definitely entertaining and of good quality, the availability of this series may offer you an opportunity to interest a local threatre or group of theatres in the use of your facilities. Similar programs have been successfully sold by other stations to women’s ready-to-wear, shoe, department and similar stores. PER-INQUIRY AND FREE TIME REQUESTS Vanderbie and Rubens, Inc., 410 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ilk, is seeking per-inquiry deals in an effort to sell the Le Roy piano lessons. Many stations are carrying this account on a straight rate-card basis, so the business can be obtained that way. Several members stations have reported letters from the “Doughboy Commemorative Committee” to observe the 25th anniversary of the serving of the first donut in World War I. Although the president of the committee insists that the activity is sponsored by a group of patri¬ otically inclined war veterans, he admits that the sponsors of the “National Donut Week” — which oddly coincides v/ith the commemorative activity — are co-operating. To NAB, it looks like a good opportunity to sell a local bakery on some broadcasting advertising. WPB RATING ORDER P-133 ASSIGNS BROADCASTERS A-l-J Assignment of preference ratings to facilitate the ac¬ quisition of equipment and supplies for the maintenance and repair of radio broadcast and commercial sound-re¬ cording facilities is provided in Preference Rating Order P-1.33, issued October 5 by the War Production Board. The order may not be used for any expansion, improve¬ ment or change of design of equipment. It covers only materials needed for maintenance and repair and assigns the preference rating A-l-j to all operators of radio and communication facilities, including broadcasting, police, direction-finding and aviation facilities, as well as all commercial sound-recording studios. The rating, however, is assigned only after the operator has complied with nine conditions stipulated in section (e) of the order. Plans are also under way to allocate materials and manu¬ facturing facilities to make available vacuum tubes and 592 — October 9, 1942 other parts on the A-l-j preference rating. This should eliminate the necessity in most instances in filing PD-l-A applications. Preference ratings for maintenance and repair of radio communication equipment formerly were assigned by P-129, which expired September 30. The new order replaces this one, and extends the field somewhat, since P-129 was primarily designed to cover maintenance of telephone equipment. The order reads as follows: Part 3037 — Electronic Equipment [Preference Rating Order P-133] Section 3037.5 Preference Rating Order P-1S3 — (a) Definitiovs. For the purpose of this order: (1) “Operator” means any individual, partnership, as¬ sociation, business trust, corporation, receiver or any form of enterprise whatsoever, whether incorporated or not, the United States, and the several states thereof, and any political, corporate, administrative or other division of agency thereof, to the extent engaged in any activity listed in Schedule A, hereof. (2) “Material” means any commodity, equipment, ac¬ cessory. assembly, or product of any kind. (3) “Maintenance” means the upkeep of an operator’s buildings, structures and equipment in sound working condition; and this, without regard to whether the expendi¬ tures therefor are for any reason required to be recorded in the operator’s accounting records in accounts other than maintenance and repair. (4) “Repair” means the reconstruction or restoration without expansion, improvement or change of design of any portion of an operator’s buildings, structures and equipment when such portion has been rendered unsafe or unfit for service by wear and tear or other similar causes, but not including reconstruction or restoration of any por¬ tion damaged or destroyed by fire, flood, tornado, earth¬ quake, act of God or the public enemy; and this, without regard to whether the expenditures therefor are for any reason required to be recorded in the operator’s accounting records in accounts other than maintenance and repair. (5) “Operating supplies” means any material which is essential to and consumed directly in the operation of any of the services specified in (a) (1) above but does not include recording discs, film, other recording media, fuel, office or building supplies, or equipment of any kind. (b) Assignment of preference rating. Subject to the terms of this order, preference rating of A-l-j is hereby assigned : (1) To deliveries of material to an operator for operat¬ ing supplies and for maintenance and repair. (2) To deliveries to any supplier of material to be physically incorporated in other material required by an operator for operating supplies, maintenance or repair. (c) Persons entitled to apply preference rating. The jireference rating hereby assigned shall be applied where a preference rating is required to obtain material for main¬ tenance, repair and operating supplies by: (1) Any operator engaged in an activity in Schedule A hereof and may be applied by (2) Any supplier, provided deliveries to an operator or another supplier ai’e to be made by him, which are of the kind specified in paragraph (b) and have been rated pursuant to this order. (d) Applicability of priorities regulations. This order and all transactions affected thereby are subject to all applicable provisions of the priorities regulations of the War Production Board, as amended from time to time. (e) Restrictions on inventory and use. The preference rating hereby assigned may be applied by any operator, provided : (1) Such rating is not used to replace in inventory more than one snare tube for each active tube socket. (2) Such rating is not used to replace in inventory any spare parts except: (i) Those subject to fi-equent failure, deterioration or other exhaustion. (ii) Those which are so unique that failure would inevitably result in long delay in resumption of essential operations.