NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

The National Association of Broadcasters NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING * * * * ★ WASHINGTON, D. C. PHILIP G. LOUCKS, Managing Director NAB REPORTS * * * * Copyright, 1933, Tho National Aisoolation ot Broadcaster! Vol. 1 No. 14 JUNE 3, 1933 CHANGE ELECTRICAL POWER TAX LAW The Congress is expected within the next few days to adopt the conference report on the so-called electrical energy-gasoline tax bill under which radio stations would be relieved from payment of the electrical power tax after September 1, 1933. Section 6 of the bill would amend Section 616 of the Revenue Act of 1932, as follows: “(a) There is hereby imposed upon electrical energy sold for domestic or commercial consumption and not for resale a tax equivalent to 3 per cent of the price for which so sold, to be paid by the vendor under such rules and regulations as the Commis¬ sioner, with the approval of the Secretary, shall prescribe.” The present law imposes the tax upon the domestic and commer¬ cial users of power which the new law will shift the tax upon the power companies. Under a ruling made by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue last year, over the protest of the NAB, broadcast companies were held to be commercial users of power. REORGANIZATION PLAN SLOWED UP The plan to consolidate and reorganize various government bureaus and commissions developed under the direction of Secre¬ tary of Commerce Roper may be sidetracked until the next session of Congress, it was rumored this week. It was learned on good authority, however, that the President may send to Congress a reorganization plan that will be limited to minor changes in existing bureaus in several departments. Cooperation with Local Civic Groups — Discussion led by Ed. Bill, WMBD, Peoria, Ill. Participating Ideas — Discussion led by Ed. Craney, KGIR, Butte, Mont. Station Surveys — Discussion led by Martin Campbell, WFAA, Dallas, Texas. Standardization of Units of Sale and Rates — Discussion led by Arthur B. Church, KMBC, Kansas City, Mo. Standardization of Commercial Forms — Discussion led by Roy Harlow, WNAC, Boston, Mass. Sales Problems Common to Both Small and Large Station — Dis¬ cussion led by Leslie Fox, WSM, Nashville, Tenn. Station Displays — Discussion led by Don Davis, WHB, Kansas City, Mo. How the NAB Can Cooperate with Commercial Managers and Program Directors — Discussion led by Herman S. Hettinger, Uni¬ versity of Pennsylvania. Maintenance of Published Rates — Discussion led by Philip G. Loucks, NAB Managing Director. RAMSPECK NAMED RADIO CHAIRMAN Representative Bland, Virginia, chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine, Radio and Fisheries, announced this week that Representative Ramspeck, Georgia, has been named chairman of the subcommittee on radio of the full committee succeeding Representative Briggs, Texas, who died recently. MAY NAME THREE U. S. DELEGATES It is reported that Representative Schuyler O. Bland, of Virginia, chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine, Radio and Fisheries of the House of Representatives, will be asked by the State Deoartment to be a member of the American delegation to the North American Radio Conference to be held in Mexico City beginning July 10. In view of the fact that the Mexican Government has invited the Central American countries to participate in this conference, it is reported that the AmericanJjovernment will appoint three instead of two delegates. The name of the third delegate has not been mentioned but it is understood that he will be someone who is thoroughly conversant with South and Central American conditions. No intimation has come from the State Department as to when the other two delegates will be named. The only one named to date is Judge Eugene O. Sykes, chairman of the Federal Radio Commis¬ sion, who will also be chairman of the American delegation. NAB COMMERCIAL SECTION MEETING Announcement was made this week of the tentative program for the second NAB Commercial Section meeting which will be held at Grand Rapids, Mich., on Tuesday, June 27, in connection with the annual convention of the Advertising Federation of America. The session will commence at 10 a. m. and early indications are that the session will be well attended. H. K. Carpenter, chairman of the Commercial Committee, will preside. The tentative program is as follows: Problems of Station Promotion — Discussion led by John Patt, WGAR, Cleveland, Ohio. Sales Management — Discussion led by Louis Weiss, WJR, De¬ troit. Mich. Merchandising— Discussion led by Harry Howlett, WHK, Cleve¬ land, Ohio. Commercial Scripts— Discussion led by John Henry, KOIL, Council Bluffs, Iowa. ASCAP DRIVE ON RESTAURANTS The campaign of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers to exact royalties from restaurants has now spread to the States of Michigan and New Jersey, according to reports received from a number of broadcasting stations by Oswald F. Schuette, NAB director of copyright. If member stations learn of further efforts of this nature on the part of ASCAP, they are urged to communicate with Mr. Schuette, National Press Building, Washington, D. C. Restaurants receiving threatening notices from ASCAP should communicate immediately with their Congressmen, calling attention to the fact that a year ago, in the hearings of the House Patents Committee, the highest officials of ASCAP formally pledged themselves to Chairman Sirovich of that committee that they would make no effort to exact royalties from small restaurants and other minor shopkeepers. PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING CALLED Edgar L. Bill, chairman of the NAB Program Section, has fixed June 28 at Chicago as the time and place for the meeting of the NAB Program Committee. The Committee will have before it at its meeting a number of important proposals, all of which will be acted upon at the meeting. One of the important matters on the agenda is the establishment of a Program Department in the NAB and the development of details for the operation of such Department. The creation of the Department was approved by the Board of Directors upon recommendation of the Managing Director. LUCE INTRODUCES COPYRIGHT BILL Representative Luce of Massachusetts on May 31 introduced in the House a bill (H. R. 5853 ) which would change the present copyright law in certain important particulars. Generally, the bill would (1) enable the United States to enter the International Copyright Union under the Rome convention of June 2, 1928; (2) provide automatic copyright for authors and ■ Page 57 •