NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

The National Association of Broadcasters NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING * * * * * WASHINGTON, D. C. PHILIP G. LOUCKS, Managing Director Vol. 1 No. 3 MARCH 25, 1933 NAB REPORTS ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Copyright, 1933. The National Association ot Broadcasters HANLEY APPOINTED TO COMMISSION President Roosevelt on March 23 sent to the Senate the nomina¬ tion of James H. Hanley of Omaha, Nebr., to be a member of the Federal Radio Commission. Mr. Hanley, a lawyer, will be the representative from the Fourth Zone, succeeding General Charles McK. Saltzman who resigned more than a year ago. Senator Dill (D), Washington, chairman of the Senate Inter¬ state Commerce Committee, announced on March 24 that hearings on the Hanley nomination will be held next week, the date to be determined later. It is understood that there is little objection to the appointment and confirmation will follow shortly after hearing. After the Hanley confirmation, the Commission will have its full complement of five members once again. Since the resigna¬ tion of General Saltzman the Commission has not had full mem¬ bership. Mr. Hanley is a Democrat. He is 50 years old and has been prominent in Nebraska politics. He is a graduate of Creighton University, Nebr., and for four years was secretary to Congress¬ man Loubeck. He is married and has four sons. JUDGE SYKES ELECTED AS CHAIRMAN Judge Eugene O. Sykes took the oath of office on March 20 as a member of the Federal Radio Commission for a six-year term dating from February 24, 1933. He succeeds himself as the repre¬ sentative of the Third Zone. By unanimous vote Judge Sykes was on March 21 elected chairman of the Commission. He is the only member left of the original Commission of five members provided under the Radio Act of 1927, which was organized March 15, 1927. Judge Sykes has served as vice chairman of the Commission since his appoint¬ ment to the Commission in 1927. For the time being Judge Sykes will direct his attention largely to preparatory work for the North American Radio Conference to be held in Mexico in the near future. As chairman of the American Delegation to the International Radio Conference held in Madrid last fall, Judge Sykes acquired a valuable background regarding the problems to be solved at Mexico City. Judge Sykes is a native of Mississippi and retains his legal resi¬ dence at Jackson. He received his academic training at St. John’s College, Annapolis, and at the United States Naval Academy. He was graduated in law at the University of Mississippi in 1897 and for a time practiced law at Aberdeen, Miss. He served as justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1916 to 1924, resigning to resume the practice of law. REORGANIZATION PLANS INDEFINITE The administration’s plans for reorganization of Government bureaus and commissions are still indefinite although many rumors persist. The reorganization plan is being studied by Secretary of Com¬ merce Roper, Director of the Budget Douglas and Swagar Sherley, Washington lawyer and former chairman of the House Ap¬ propriations Committee, but no official announcement has as yet been made. Whether the Radio Commission will be affected by any reorganization finally worked out, is not known at this time. In the meantime, however, President Roosevelt by appointment has completed the Commissioner-personnel of the Commission. NORTH AMERICAN RADIO CONFERENCE No date has yet been set for the North American Radio Confer¬ ence to be held in Mexico City. It is possible this date will be fixed some time in May. Several meetings of the committees engaged in work preparatory to the Conference were held during the week. This work is headed by United States Senator Wallace H. White and the Chairman of the Federal Radio Commission, Eugene O. Sykes, who will represent the United States at the Conference. ROOSEVELT SIGNS BEER BILL President Roosevelt on March 22 signed the beer bill permitting the sale of 3.2 per cent beer. The new law becomes effective on April 7. With the resumption of the manufacture and sale of 3.2 per cent beer many breweries will undoubtedly resort to radio for the advertising of their product. The Federal law imposes no re¬ striction upon the advertising by radio or by newspapers of 3.2 per cent beer, but stations are advised to consult their state statutes and local ordinances before accepting beer advertising accounts. SENATE AUTHORIZES HEARINGS The Senate on March 20 adopted a resolution authorizing the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee to sit during recess and to hold hearings. The resolution, a routine matter, was adopted on the motion of Senator Dill (D) , Washington, chairman of the committee. WIRED RADIO ALLEGES INFRINGEMENT Wired Radio, Inc., 60 Broadway, New York, has notified a number of radio broadcasting stations that certain patents owned by this company are being infringed. In letters to stations the company lists the patents which it claims it owns and are being infringed and offers licenses for their future use. STATE LEGISLATURES’ STATUS Only five of the forty-eight States in the Union are not scheduled to have sessions this year. Forty-one have already met, and two are due to meet soon. Of the forty-one that have met thirteen have adjourned, and all apparently without passing any legislation adversely affecting broadcasting. There is not much field for favor¬ able state legislation in so far as broadcasters are concerned, and about the only laws that have been passed in any states are those authorizing broadcast equipment and automobile receiving sets for police departments, and those compelling certain colleges to permit athletic broadcasts. KANSAS SLANDER BILL HIT H. 155, which has passed the Kansas House, was reported un¬ favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 20th. This is the bill that makes the person broadcasting the slander sub¬ ject to a fine of $1,000 or imprisonment for one year, or both. COMMISSION FILES COURT BRIEFS The Radio Commission on March 24 filed briefs in dockets Nos. 5604 and 5598 in the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia. No. 5604 is the case of Fred H. Goss against the Commission because of the refusal of the Commission to grant him a license for a new broadcasting station in Boston, while No. 5598 is the case of Station WLOE, Boston Broadcasting Company, against the Commission because of its action in denying the station a license renewal. • Page 1 1 •