Radio daily (Feb-Mar 1937)

VOL. 1. NO. 6 NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1937 FIVE CENTS Defer Organizing Actors TALENT Consumption of talent on the air is greater than in any other field of entertainment. For that reason, greater attention should be paid to means of conservation. Yet never in history has there been such a splurge and scramble of star talent as the jamboree that is taking place these days on the radio. The splurging isn't so bad and can't very well be avoided. The scrambling is and can. A little interchanging of guest stars on programs may be all right, but the practice lately has reached alarming proportions. Amusement records of past years show that the names who remained longest in public favor have been the ones who did not give the fans a steady overdose of themselves. They realized that an artist, no matter how good, can become monotonous. Or he may wear himself out. And the "you pat me and I'll pat you" game is one that plays out very quickly. JOKES One of the banes of radio comedy is the old joke. It pops out from even the best programs and hits you in the face like a pitcher of ice water. Gag writers defend their regular recourse to Joe Miller with the argument that there is always somebody who hasn't heard the quip before. It's a poor defense. In this day of broadcasting there is hardly anyone who hasn't heard anything that's been repeated from three to ten times. Why cater to the minority who hasn't? Prosperitv Raleigh, N. C. — Signs of increasing prosperity are noted at WPTF, which reports that mail received in January set a new record for the station. Total was more than double the amount received in the same month last year. Cards and letters came from almost every county in the state, also from such distant states as Colorado, Ohio, Louisiana, Maine and Massachusetts. TRANSCRIPTIONS SHOW 50 PER CENT INCREASE Transcriptions showed the greatest gain in broadcast renditions last year, amounting to 50.6 per cent more than in 1935, according to the reports of the National Ass'n of Broadcasters. Live talent volume rose 26.2 per cent, record volume 9.7 per cent and announcement volume 15.5 per cent. Transcriptions accounted for 24.7 per cent of the total amount of non-network sales, live talent 47.9 per cent, records 2.0 per cent, and announce (Continv.cd on Page 3) Copyright Bill Action Pushed on Two Fronts Washington Bureau of THE RADIO 'DAILY Washington — Action on the Duffy Copyright bill is being pressed on two fronts according to Senator F. Ryan Duffy (Dem. Wis.), who told RADIO DAILY last night he is doing everything possible to bring his new measure up on the senate floor as soon as possible. Senator Duffy, who is a member (Continued on Page 4) Pro Ker Is Launching Series on 60 Outlets Pro-Ker (hair tonic) will take to the ether next week on some 60 outlets throughout the country. Series, cut by RCA Victor, will be a dramatic crime show exposing fraud rackets of various kinds, especially as caught by the Better Business (Continued on Page 3) 'Hands Off" Policy Adopted for Time Being by American Federation of Actors Toward Radio Talent Bedside Broadeasts Kathryn Cravens, CBS commentator confined to her rooms in the Warwick Hotel by influenza, will continue her broadcasts on schedule with CBS running special wires to her bedside. LOS ANGELES THEATER LEASED BY COLUMBIA West Coast Bureau of THE RADIO DAILY Hollywood — CBS yesterday announced leasing of the former Studio Playhouse for immediate conversion into an exclusive broadcast theater. It is planned to have it ready for the Gillette Community Sing next Sunday, with Joe Penner moving in Feb. 28 and Al Jolson March 2. House seats 1,100. Biow Radio Department Adds Two New Members Radio Department of The Biow Co., agency, has added two newcomers to its staff in Peggy Roos, formerly with the Phillips Lord office, and Walter Brockmann, Berlin newspaperman and author. Both will work under Charles Martin, head of the radio department and assist in research work, etc., for the new Phillip Morris show on CBS using the "Circumstantial Evidence" dramatizations, along with Russ Morgan ork. A.F.M. Exec Board to Take Up Ban on Musicians Recording Bigelow-Sanford Start Bergman Series Mar. 1 Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co., Inc., of New York will start distribution of new transcribed series to their dealers March 1. Series will headline Teddy Bergman. The new programs, (Continued on Page 3) A proposal to ban recordings by musicians is expected to come up at the mid-year executive board session of the American Federation of Musicians at the Everglades Hotel, Miami, starting Feb. 22. James C. Petrillo, president of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, which has already voted a ban on (Continued on Page 4) American Federation of Actors has definitely adopted a "hands off" policy in the matter of organizing radio talent and will take this position until such time as either a strong movement of these actors and actresses makes itself felt within, or Actors' Equity Association officially announces that it is dropping the idea altogether. Delegation of radio actors who waited upon Ralph Whitehead, head of the American Federation of Actors, asked him to take up the reins of such organization, but Whitehead referred them to Frank Gillmore, (Continued on Page 3) GEN L MOTORS CONCERT SERIES General Motors, Corp., Detroit, through Campbell-Ewald Co. of New erk, has signed a 13-week renewal, effective March 14, on its General Motors Concert series which is heard on 75 NBC-Red network each Sunday, 10-11 p. m. WJIM, WBCM, WFDF, stations not NBC affiliates, will continue to carry the program. Gen'l Mills Sponsors Ball Games on WNEW WNEW, New York, has signed an exclusive contract with the Newark Baseball club to broadcast the latter's entire schedule during the summer. Games will be sponsored by General Mills (Wheaties) with the Knox-Reeves agency of Minneapolis handling the account. Also under the sponsorship of (Continued on Page 3) Show Boat Sails On Ralph Starr Butler, vice-president in charge of advertising for General Foods, announced yesterday that the Maxwell House Show Boat with Lanny Ross would continue to be heard on the NBC-Red network, Thursdays, 9-10 p.m., as a fullhour show for an indefinite period. This announcement scotches reports that the show was to be cut to a hall-hour.