NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1942)

second front is right here in (give the name of the town)” and it goes on to observe that frequent explanation of the slogan should be announced, at least at the beginning. It suggests that the slogan should be followed with a. few words to explain that offensive mili¬ tary action today was really fought out on the home front six months ago; that what we produce in the way of tanks and guns and planes, what sacrifices are made for the fighting forces, will have a direct bearing on the outcome of military action. In that sense the OWI says the second front is right here at home. They feel that a clear public understanding of this point if brought out by the use of these announce¬ ments will have a very beneficial effect. It is passed on for such use as individual stations care to make of it. WAR-EFFORT PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS Radio Station WFIL is now serving school children in every grade from 1 to 12, in the Philadelphia Public Schools. Two patriotic, school-participation programs are presented over WFIL each Friday, in cooperation with the Philadelphia Board of Education; one program is carried by Philadelphia’s elementary schools, the other by Philadelphia’s high schools. “The Quaker City Scrappers,” featuring a musical char¬ acter called “Fil'oert the Flea,” consists of a series of broadcasts boosting the scrap metal drive, directed par¬ ticularly to young children. In an entertaining manner, advice and instructions on getting in the scrap are pre¬ sented. A group of school children appears on each broadcast, to discuss ways and means of getting more junk. A light motif is provided by the adventures of “Filbert the Flea,” represented on the air by a piano monologue, with “Scrappy,” champion child scrap col¬ lector of Quaker City. 'This broadcast is heard by an audience of 6,800 children in Philadelphia’s elementary public schools. It is presented in cooperation with the Philadelphia Board of Education. The “High School Victory Corps” program is broadcast by WFIL, cooperating with the Philadelphia Board of Education and the committee in charge of Victory Corps in Philadelphia High Schools, who prepare the program material. This program carries latest news and instruc¬ tions from Victory Corps headquarters in Washington to students in all Philadelphia Public High Schools. VACUUM TUBE REPAIRS The Federal Telegraph Company, Inc., of 200 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Newark, New Jersey, has just an¬ nounced that they will accept for repairing certain vacuum tubes of their own manufacture. The statement issued by Federal reads as follows: “We are vitally interested in maintaining the operation of broadcasting stations and since tube materials are be¬ coming more difficult to obtain, we have decided, where possible, to repair transmitting tubes of our manufacture. We feel confident that these tubes cannot be expected to equal the performance and reliability of new tubes, but in the present emergency will be better than no tubes at all. “Our repair program at this point will be operated as follows: 1. We will repair or rebuild as required: F-124A F-320B F-125A F-328A F-129A&B F-332C F-307A F-337A F-342A F-891A F-343A F-891R F-348A F-892A F-363A F-892R F-898A 2. We will determine cost of repair or rebuilding after we have had a report as to life and operating conditions and an opportunity to examine the tube at our plant. 3. Life guarantee if given will be based upon condition of the tube upon arrival at our plant. 4. The priority required will depend mainly on the re¬ quirements for new materials to effect the repair within a reasonable time. “Since we have had no experience in this field, we feel that it is necessary to handle each tube as a separate problem until such time as we can determine average costs of repair for each tube.” For information concerning other organizations repair¬ ing vacuum tubes see page 580 of NAB Reports, October 2, 1942. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FLY DISCUSSES COOPERATIVE BROADCAST RESOLUTIONS James Lawrence Fly, FCC Chairman, at a press con¬ ference on Monday said he had not made a critical study of the complaint of the Cooperative League against the networks nor had he tried to make an exhaustive investi¬ gation of the possibility of legal action. “But it would be my judgment at this juncture that we do not have any authority to do anything about it,” said Mr. Fly. Mr. Fly called attention to the fact that the Commission had asked both networks for a statement of fact, and insofar as the Commission is concerned “that is where the matter stands at this time.” The chairman told the newsmen that the Board of War Communications Committees and the Board itself have completed their action insofar as a wartime basis of operation for the broadcasting industry is concerned. These recommendations, Mr. Fly said, have been for¬ warded to the FCC for its action. The chairman stated that an announcement of policy will be made shortly by the Commission. He estimated that the announcement would be coming along within a matter of a few days. “The matter has had a very thorough-going considera¬ tion,” said Mr. Fly, “by most of the parties concerned. As you know the Domestic Broadcasting Committee and our Coordinating Committee have spent a considerable length of time on it, and the WPB staff have spent con¬ siderable time on it. I think we have got it in pretty good shape.” NORRIS RESOLUTION The FCC has written to Mr. Niles Trammell, President of the National Broadcasting Company, and Mr. William Paley, President of the Columbia Broadcasting System, advising them that the Commission has received a letter from the New England Co-operative Federation, Boston, Massachusetts, stating that NBC and CBS have refused to sell radio time to the Cooperative League of the United States. Both organizations are requested to send the Com¬ mission a statement of the facts regarding the matter. The Commission has also advised the New England Co¬ operative Federation that the request for a statement of the facts has been made and that the matter will be given appropriate consideration when the replies have been received. The letter from the New England Co-operative Federa¬ tion was submitted to the Commission by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., to whom Chairman James Lawrence Fly replied under date of October 15, 1942: “My dear Senator Lodge: “This will reply to your memorandum of October 8, 1942, submitting for the consideration of the Commission October 23, 1942 — 611