NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

The National Association of Broadcasters NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING ***** WASHINGTON, D. C. PHILIP G. LOUCKS, Managing Director NAB REPORTS * * * * * XSESbl Copyright, 1933, The National Association of Broadcasters NAB AWAITING ASCAP BOARD MOVE Plans for litigation looking toward a dissolution of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers have been momen¬ tarily suspended by a request from E. C. Mills, general manager of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, for a conference with Hon. Newton D. Baker, general counsel for the National Association of Broadcasters in copyright matters. The Board of Directors of the Society met Thursday to pass on the questions raised by Mr. Mills’ request and on the NAB proposal for the adoption of a “per piece” plan for the payment of royalties, coupled with an immediate revision of the existing contracts by eliminating the sustaining fee and the percentage on gross revenue and the substitution therefor of a percentage of the receipts on pro¬ grams using ASCAP music. NEWS BROADCASTS ARE RESTRICTED Rigid policies governing the broadcasting of news bulletins and the publication of radio programs were adopted during the week at the annual meetings of the Associated Press and the American Newspaper Publishers Association held at New York. A resolution adopted by the Associated Press membership and regulations promulgated by the Board of Directors thereunder vir¬ tually prohibit the broadcasting of news bulletins collected by that organization. It is believed that both the United Press and the International News Service will follow the policies laid down by the Associated Press. The action governing the publication of radio programs in daily newspapers was taken by the membership of the ANPA at its April 25th meeting. The resolution, sponsored by James G. Stahlman, publisher of the Nashville, Tenn., Banner and president of the Southern News¬ paper Publishers Association, and adopted by the Associated Press, is as follows: “Be it resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the Board of Directors shall not allow any news distributed by The Associated Press, regardless of source, to be given to any radio chain or chains ; and be it further “Resolved, That no member newspaper of The Associated Press shall be allowed to broadcast its local news or news furnished by The Associated Press, other than brief bulletins covering events of major local, national or international importance with credit to The Associated Press and the member newspaper, and then only over an individual radio station located at or near the place of publication of the member paper broadcasting ; and be it further “Resolved, That it is the sense of the meeting that the Board of Directors shall promulgate at once rules and regulations covering the hours of such news bulletin broadcasts so as to distinguish between morning and evening members, fix a schedule of additional assess¬ ments to be applicable solely to those member papers which broad¬ cast Associated Press news, the revenue from which shall be applied to a pro rata reduction of assessments paid by non-broadcasting members; take all steps necessary to protect the news report of The Associated Press from pilfering or such other illegal use by radio news commentators or others; and define the meaning of ‘brief bulletins’ in conformity with the text and spirit of this resolution; and be it further “Resolved, That all resolutions, heretofore adopted by the mem¬ bership in conflict with this resolution, be and the same are hereby rescinded and declared null and void.’’ The following day the Board of Directors of the Associated Press announced the following regulations to carry out the resolution: “Recognizing that any action at this time must be tentative, the Board prescribes the following regulations: “Resolved that Associated Press news of major local, national and international importance may be broadcast only by a member over a broadcasting station located at the place of publication in a brief bulletin form of not more than 30 words each, and one bulletin only on any one subject. Sports events need not be subjected to the 30-word or one-subject limitations. Such bulletins shall be broad¬ cast only within the hours of publication of the member, with full credit to the Associated Press and the member newspaper broad¬ casting. “Such broadcast of bulletins shall in no way be connected with commercial programs ; that extraordinary service material, which is not subject to limited hours of publication, is excepted, but such matters shall be subject to the 30-word limitation. And be it fur¬ ther resolved that all resolutions heretofore adopted by the Board concerning broadcasting inconsistent with this resolution, be re¬ scinded. “That concerning the recommendation of the membership that added assessments be imposed upon members broadcasting, this question involving many complications, is deferred for future study. “In pursuance of its policy to protect the news reports of the Associated Press, the suit now pending in the Federal court to prevent the unauthorized use by radio of such news reports will be vigorously prosecuted.’’ The resolution governing the publication of radio programs was contained in the report of the Association’s radio committee and submitted by E. H. Harris, publisher of the Palladium-Item, Rich¬ mond, Ind., and chairman of the committee. The resolution is as follows: “Therefore be it resolved that it is the sense of this association that in the future newspapers should not publish such programs free of charge and should publish them, when offered, only as advertising matter, to be paid for as other advertising is paid for.” While it was said by an official of the association that the resolu¬ tion is not binding upon members of the association, it was pointed out that since the passage of a similar resolution last year numerous papers have banned free radio programs. FOOD AND DRUGS ACT REVISION Representatives of broadcasters, publishers, and other advertising media attended the conference called by Assistant Secretary of Agri¬ culture Tugwell Saturday (April 29) to discuss proposed revision of the Federal Food and Drugs Act. The Department is seeking the help of manufacturers, agencies and media in the draft of a revision of the food and drugs act which will prevent false and misleading advertising of food and drug products. Following the series of conferences now in progress it is expected the Department will send to Congress a bill amending the present law wherein the Depart¬ ment feels the law is deficient. The National Association of Broad¬ casters, the National Broadcasting Company and the Columbia Broadcasting System were represented at the conference. COMMISSION ALLOCATES ACTIVITIES The Radio Commission this week reallocated the activities of the various members of the Commission inasmuch as there is now a full membership of the Commission for the first time since General Saltzman resigned last July. Under the plan adopted, Judge Sykes, the chairman will have charge of administrative matters. Colonel Brown, Commissioner from the Second Zone, was made vice chairman of the Commission and will continue in charge of field operations. Commissioner Hanley, the new member, will have charge of the Legal Division, while Commissioner Lafount will have charge of the Examiners’ Division and the Press Service. Commissioner Starbuck will continue in charge of the Engineering Division. The Commission announced also this week that George B. Porter, who has been Assistant General Counsel of the Commission since November 1, 1931, will be the Acting General Counsel in place of Duke M. Patrick, who recently resigned to take up private law practice. • Page 29 •