Radio daily (Apr-June 1937)

Serving the Better Interests of Commercial Radio and Television VOL. 1. NO. 46 NEW YORK. N. Y.. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 14. 1937 FIVE CENTS New Disk Sales Plan COURT ENDS FICHT OVER SALE OF KTHS Hot Springs, Ark. — Long fought battle over sale and proposed removal of KTHS from here to another site has finally resulted in a decision whereby the sale was declared valid by Chancellor Dodge. KTHS is affiliated with NBC and was sold by the Chamber of Commerce to Col. T. H. Barton, who also owns KARK, Little Rock. Barton is head of the Lion Oil Co. When the outlet was sold by the C. of C, many public spirited citizens as well as the mayor rebelled against the city losing the station and the (Cvniinucd on Paiic (i) Sears-Roebuck Aims At Foreign Element Philadelphia — Sears-Roebuck campaign to reach the foreign element, starting with a 15-minute daily news flashes in Jewish over WDAS here, will later be pumped to a foreign language station in New York and Brooklyn. Same pattern is being readied for Italian, German and Polish programs. Lavenson Bureau is the agency. NAB To Take Action On Title Duplication At its annual convention in Chicago the middle of June, the NAB will act on the problem of title duplication, according to word received from James W. Baldwin, NAB managing director, by WBNX, which recently filed protest with the broadcasters' association. Meanwhile WBNX is dropping its "Rackets" show on Sunday "because other stations in the same service area are now doing the same job." Rehearsal Audience West Coast Bur., RADIO DAILY Los Angeles — Though they are not called such, the Fred AstaireCharles Butterworth NBC-Red network show for Packard is using studio audiences for the 11 to midnight Monday night dress rehearsols. The idea is to use the audiences for checking timing on gags. Opposes Berne Hlove Washiufiton Bur.. RADIO DAILY Washington — Declaring pending Duffy copyright bill makes adequate provisions for widespread expansion of radio, movies and magazine fields, Marvin Pierce, chairman of copyright committee of Nat'l Ass'n of Publishers, appeared before the Senate subcommittee on foreign relations yesterday and opposed entrance of the U. S. into the Berne convention. PLANS ARE REVISED rOR NAB CONVENTION Because the June 13-16 dates conflicted with the Pacific Advertising Club convention in Salt Lake City, dates of the NAB convention have been changed to June 20-23 and the event will take place at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago. Convention schedule includes a golf tournament on the first day, broadcasting matters next two days, (Continued on Page 6) Distribution of Platters Through 29 Regional Exchanges on Flat Fee Basis Launched by New Firm DON LEE WILL GIVE MUTOAL PREFERENCE West Coast Bureau, RADIO DAILY Los Angeles — Though reported that the Don Lee network had worked out an agreement with Transamerican Broadcasting & Television Corp. whereby the Coast web would accept live talent and transcription shows (commercials) from Transamerican, Lou Weiss, general manager of Don Lee chain, stated he would not do anything along these lines which would in any way embarrass Mutual Broadcasting System. Don Lee, affiliated with Mutual since December 29, has a permanent wire, both commercial accounts and sustainings being on the line fairly continuously. According to Weiss, there is no intention to do otherwise (Continued on Paijc 6) Unique and comprehensive merchandising method of marketing electrical transcription program series to stations has been worked out by a newly organized group from the motion picture field who for the first time will apply the showmanship and business methods found successful in the distribution and exploitation of films. New organization, called Universal Radio Corp., headed by Herbert R. Ebenstein and Harold C. Hopper, recently acquired one of the largest transcription studios in Hollywood (Contineued from Page 3) New Amplifying Device Is Introduced by W. E. A new device, developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories, enabling stations to increase their double effective signal level without raising their input power or increasing their licensed carrier power, is announced by Western Electric Co. In the past it has been necessary (Continued on Page 6) Radio News Men Meet In Chicago April 24-25 Chicago — Regular meeting of the executive committee of the Association of Radio News Editors and Writers has been called for April 24-25 at national headquarters, 360 North Michigan Ave. here. It is understood the committee will take up the question of a permanent constitution and by-laws, and again vote (Continued on Page 6) SOAP BUSINESS LED CBS FIRST QUARTER For the first three months of this year, soap manufacturers' radio expenditures on CBS increased 119.3 per cent over the same period last year, a breakdown of CBS gross revenues reveals. Next largest increase, 63.9 per cent, came from the food companies. Other industries which in {Conlliiiicd on Page 2) Phillips Petroleum Co. Gets Control of UBC Wattage Tax on Stations Proposed by Comm. Payne Phillips Petroleum Co. now conI trols United Broadcasting Co., according to report filed by the latter concern with Securities and Exchange Commission, just made public by the N. Y. Stock Exchange. Phillips on (Continued on Page 6) Show Cause Order Issued In Dispute Over WIBW New Orleans — Civil District Court yesterday refused Southern Broadcasting Co. lessors of WJBW, temporary injunction restraining the owner, Charles Carlson, from interfering with station operation, but ordered Carlson to show cause Friday why preliminary injunction should not be issued. Washington Bureau, RADIO DAILY Washington — George Henry Payne, member of FCC commission, yesterday sent to Congressman John J. Boylan (N. Y.) a letter and proposed bili advocating a special tax on broadcasting stations. Bill proposes a rate of $1 a watt annually on stations up to 1,000 watts. $2 a watt for stations of 1,00010,000 watts, and $3 a watt for stations above 10,000 watts. Measure (Continued on Page 8) Time Record Chicago — When Marshall Field's "Musical Clock" celebrates its seventh birthday tomorrow over WBBM, Miss Halloween Martin, the announcer, will have served seven years on one program, under one sponsor, airing 12 hours a week. If this isn't the world's record time total for a program and announcer. Miss Martin wants to know.