NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1944)

1760 N STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON 6, D. C. Vol. 12, No. 17, April 28, 1944 WPB CITES A. F. OF M. OFFICERS James C. Petrillo, President of the American Federa¬ tion of Musicians, and the officials of the Chicago and St. Paul locals of A. F. of M. have been directed by William H. Davis, Chairman of the National War Labor Board to appear before the Board next Monday (May 1) to show cause why penalties should not be visited upon them for refusal to call off strikes of musicians in Chicago and Minneapolis. Telegrams were sent by WLB to the Chicago local on April 21 and to the Minneapolis local on April 24, and also to Mr. Petrillo. According to the Board these telegrams, which ordered them to discontinue the strike and return to work, have been ignored. The telegrams were based upon the “no strike” pledge made by organized labor. As reported in last week’s NAB Reports (page 118), William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor, expressed disapproval of the Chicago strike and branded it as a violation of the A. F. of L. “no strike” pledge. He later communicated the same information to the Minneapolis local. According to reports the strikes were called by the unions to compel the use of additional union musicians as “pancake turn¬ ers.” In event the War Labor Board determines to assess penalties against the unions, these might include a recom¬ mendation for the cancellation of any draft deferments and the unions might be punished by withholding certain privileges accorded to them under War Labor Board policy. NAB will be represented at the hearing Monday. PEABODY AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED ATHENS, Ga. — The 1943 George Foster Peabody Radio Awards— the “Pulitzer Prizes” or “Oscars” of Radio — will be presented to the following: Outstanding Community Service by a Regional Radio Station — “These Are Americans”, KNX, Los Angeles, California. Outstanding Community Service by a Local Radio Sta¬ tion — “Calling Longshoremen”, KYA, San Francisco, Cali¬ fornia. Outstanding Reporting of the News — Edward R. Murrow, CBS. Outstanding Entertainment in Drama — -“Lux Radio Theatre”, CBS, and “An Open Letter to the American People”, CBS — a double award. Outstanding Entertainment in Music— “Music and the Spoken Word” (Salt Lake City Tabernacle Choir), KSL, Salt Lake City. Outstanding Educational Program — “America’s Town Meeting”, Blue. Outstanding Children’s Program — “Let’s Pretend”, CBS. A special citation has been voted for Bob Hope “in recognition of his untiring zeal and the high level of enter¬ tainment in his camp tours here and throughout the world. The joy and strengthened morale which he has given to the men and women of the armed forces can never be measured. The Peabody committee does not wish to over¬ look this superb contribution.” The announcement was made jointly by Edward Weeks, editor of the Atlantic Monthly, Boston, who is chairman of the Peabody Board, and Dean John E. Drewi’y of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism, University of Geor¬ gia, through whose office the awards are administered. The time and place of the actual presentations will be announced later, Dean Drewry said. First awarded in 1941, the Peabody citations are de¬ signed to give additional recognition to meritorious public service by broadcasters and to perpetuate the memory of George Foster Peabody, benefactor and life trustee of the University of Georgia. This year’s selections are the result of an elaborate screening process, the most detailed in the history of the awards. Last summer under the direction of Mrs. Dorothy Lewis, coordinator of listener activity of the National Association of Broadcasters, listening-post committees were set up in more than 100 cities throughout the country. Dean John E. Drewry arranged for similar committees in many of the leading institutions of higher learning. The reports of these committees, plus scores of entries by stations and networks, were studied and incorporated in a digest and report prepared for the advisory board by a special faculty committee of the University of Georgia. After a preliminary screening, the board asked for addi¬ tional information about certain programs. The individual board members then prepared their ballots. These ballots were consolidated by Chairman Weeks and Dean Drewry. The winners represent the majority opinion of all these screening groups. Members of the Advisory Board are: John H. Benson, president, American Association of Advertising Agencies, New York City; Dr. Ralph Casey, director, School of Jour¬ nalism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Jonathan Daniels, editor, Raleigh (N. C.) News and Observer and Administrative Assistant to the President, Washington, D. C.; Mark Ethridge, publisher, Louisville (Ky.) CourierJournal and Times; Joseph Henry Jackson, literary editor, San Francisco (Calif.) Chronicle; Waldemar Kaempffert, science editor, New York Times; Alfred A. Knopf, pub¬ lisher, New York City; Dr. I. Keith Tyler, director, Radio Education, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Mrs. Marjorie Peabody Waite, daughter of George Foster Pea¬ body whose name the awards bear, president, “Yaddo”; Edward Weeks, editor, Atlantic Monthly, Boston, Massa¬ chusetts; Dr. S. V. Sanford, chancellor, University System of Georgia; and Earl J. Glade, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah. The Faculty Committee consists of Mrs. Mary S. Geston, chairman, assistant in journalism; Miss Florene Young, assistant professor of psychology; Byron Warner, assist¬ ant professor of music; George Blair, acting head, Depart¬ ment of Drama; E. Claybrook Griffith, associate professor of economics; Miss Lila Wenig, instructor in speech and radio; and Louis H. Edmondson, acting assistant professor of journalism. April 28, 1944-135