NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

Mrs. Crane had served as acting president of the AWB since the resignation of Frances Farmer Wilder, of New York, last August. The final session, which was followed by a closed Board meeting, concluded a week-end in which the women bi’oadcasters had heard House Speaker Joseph Martin (R-Mass.) warn of a conspiracy to undermine public confidence in Congress. The Speaker told the assembled delegates that sabo¬ teurs could “execute a sudden coup and take over the government,” if the powerful campaign being waged to destroy confidence in Congress is successful. If this confidence can be destroyed, he declared, so that people put their faith in “powers of control, regimen¬ tation and restriction concentrated in the executive department,” the people will have been defeated and free government shackled. Speaker Martin was followed by Secretary of Agri¬ culture Clinton P. Anderson, who spoke to the conven¬ tion on the food situation. The Saturday (31 ) ses¬ sions also included entertainment by musically gifted members of Congress, and an address by Benjamin Cohen, assistant secretary general of the United Na¬ tions department of public information, on “Women’s Responsibility in World Affairs.” Honorary Member. In the evening, delegates were guests of Mrs. George Mesta at a dinner party, at¬ tended by Margaret and Mrs. Truman. The Presi¬ dent’s daughter was made an honorary member of the AWB, the second woman to be so designated. Mrs. Fi’anklin D. Roosevelt was the first. Resolutions adopted at the final Sunday session in¬ cluded expressions of support for the NAB in develop¬ ing a plan to make fine music available to the public, of belief that radio should be maintained as free as the press, and opposition to all government efforts leading to control or censorship of radio programming or programs. At the request of A. D. Willard, Jr., NAB executive vice president, a committee was appointed to advise NAB heads. This committee consists of the follow¬ ing officers: Ruth Crane, WMAL, Washington, D. C., president; Gertrude Grover, WHCU, Ithaca, N. Y., newly appointed first vice-president; Eleanor Hanson, WHK, Cleveland, third vice president; Nell Daugherty, WSTC, Stamford, Conn., secretary; Norma Richards, WSPD, Toledo, Ohio, treasurer; and Violet Short, KTSA, San Antonio, Tex., 13th district chairman ; Ann Holden, KGO, San Francisco, vice president; Vernice Irwin, KVI, Tacoma, Wash., 17th district chairman; Nancy Grey, WTMJ, Milwaukee, 9th district chair¬ man; and Linnea Nelson of J. Walter Thompson, New York, to represent associate members. Mrs. Dorothy Lewis announced at the meeting her resignation from the NAB, which she has served as Coordinator of Listener Activity since 1941. Her resignation followed action of the NAB Board of Directors, taken last fall, closing the New York office. Mrs. Lewis' Statement. Mrs. Lewis, in her resigna¬ tion message, said: “The decision of the National Association of Broad¬ casters’ Board of Directors to close the New York office makes it advisable, because of personal reasons. for me to terminate my long association of nine years with NAB. I take this opportunity to expi'ess my ap¬ preciation to the NAB members for the opportunity which the position I am now leaving has afforded me to meet thousands of listeners and broadcasters, to work with hundreds of national and local leaders in the promotion of civic and education projects. I can only wish each broadcaster could have a similar experi¬ ence. To have played a part in the development of the Association of Women Broadcasters is rewarding. The task of educating listeners to an appreciation of the magnitude of our free system of broadcasting is only begun. Radio education, still in a pioneer stage, offers a challenge. Radio’s role in the emancipation of the world’s one million illiterates staggers the imagination. Closer cooperation between public groups and broadcasters can expedite these processes. After the details of this AWB convention are cleared up, the office moves to Washington, and after a short holiday, I shall announce my future plans, which include fur¬ ther projects as coordinator of listener activity with listener groups throughout the country and radio con¬ sultant to a number of national organizations.” Mrs. Lewis, as a member of AWB, will continue to represent that Association in liaison activities between the women broadcasters and public interest groups, it was announced. The Board decided that the sixth annual convention will be held in Chicago, but no date for the conven¬ tion was set. 447 IVliliions Spent on Radio During 1947 Total expenditures for broadcasting advertising dur¬ ing 1947, including costs of both time and talent, were 447 million dollars according to the new Broad¬ casting Y earhook. This estimate, announced by the magazine Friday (6), is made up of three sub-totals: $356,690,000 from net time sales; $20,000,000 collected by stations and networks for talent and other services; and $70,000,000 spent by advertisers independently for talent and programs. The figure for net time sales (network and station) represents an increase of 7.5% over 1946. Red Cross Disaster Guide Is Being Mailed The NAB is mailing to all radio stations, members and non-members, a special Red Cross disaster guide, designed to coordinate radio and Red Cross activities in emergencies. The guide, in the form of a poster to be hung in radio station news rooms and control rooms, outlines the functions of the American National Red Cross and its local chapters, and suggests advance arrangements to handle broadcasts of appeals for assistance and of news. Suggestions for disaster procedures include the co¬ ordination of broadcast casualty lists with coroner and Red Cross, the checking of appeals for doctors, nurses and medical supplies with health officials, hos¬ pitals and the local Red Cross chapters. (Continued on next page) FEBRUARY 9, 1948-102