Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

RADIO DAILY: NAB Board Strengthens Industry Organization (Continued from Page 1) ship and will campaign to bring more broadcasters into the fold. These conclusions come following the three-day board session in Washington which ended yesterday. The decisions made on the recommendations of the Board's Structure Committee means that the BAB will function as a departmental operation of NAB and that its services will be available to the membership of the organization. BAB under the direction of Maurice Mitchell has been operating from New York headquarters with most of its activities centered around sales promotion of radio. Action to disband BMB under its present operational plan was forecast some time ago. The audience measurement organization which has functioned under the joint direction of NAB, the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers, is now completing the Second Study and was in financial difficulty at the time of the Chicago convention of NAB last April. BMB Recommendations Made In recommending that a new corporation be formed for continuance of audience measurement service Clair R. McCollough, general manager of WGAL, Lancaster, Pa., and chairman of the NAB Structure Committee, reported to the board. The recommendations of the Structure Committee regarding BMB follow: "That BMB as presently constituted be terminated. "That the assets of BMB be appraised. "That a new corporation be formed to take over the assets under the following conditions: "1. That subscribers, to the extent of their legal rights, be offered stock in the new corporation or cash for their pro-rata share of the assets. "2. That additional stock be offered to other radio stations and other interested parties on bases to be determined. "3. That the board of the new corporation have representation from advertising agencies, advertisers and broadcasters, under conditions to be determined. "4. That the new cororation proceed with research studies and other services, as determined by the board of the new corporation." may consider the "matter of termination" at a later date. FMA Joining NAB The NAB board's invitation to the FM Association to merge with the industry organization is tantamount to FMA becoming a part of the NAB operations. William Ware, president of FMA, who steadfastly denied that FMA might merge with NAB some months ago, is reported ready to throw in the towel. FMA membership today is less than 100 and the dues paying revenue has dropped to the point where it is almost financially impractical for the association to continue. The board took action with reference to the Association of Women Broadcasters by voting that the office of executive director be consolidated with the office of the Association president, thereby removing it from the Public Relations and Publications Department. The name of the latter department was changed to the Public Affairs department. Renaming Departments Renaming of the "Video" and "Audio" divisions of NAB was also voted. The "Video" department will be known as "Television" in the future and "Audio" will be replaced by "Radio." Directors of these divisions, respectively, are G. Emerson Markham and Ralph W. Hardy. The board also approved recommendations that the present television dues schedule be continued in effect ($10.00 per month for stations affiliated with member audio stations; $1,500 per year for TV operations independent of any other kind of broadcast facility. The board voted to receive as new members 32 television stations, 68 AM stations, and 10 FM stations. Nine firms were voted into associate membership. New Associates Voted The nine new associate members are Bruce Eels and Associates, Hollywood, Calif, (transcription company) ; the National Research Bureau, Chicago, 111. (service organization) ; and the following consulting engineers: Adler Engineering Co., Rye, N. Y.; Chambers and Garrison, Washington, Craven, Lohnes and Culver, Washington; George C. Davis, Washington; William L. Foss, Washington; Jansky and Bailey, Washington; and McNary and Wrathall, Washington. 8 BEHMD THE fMHE AS a result of a Margaret Arlen CBS interview last week Lisa Kirk and her songwriter husband, Robert Wells, have been offered a Mr. & Missus daily session. Cathy Mastice starts her own air show after her appearance in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show. Mariners Quartet's first Columbia platter, "Island of Oahu" and "Leprechaun's Lullaby," winning trade raves. Phil Hanna returns on the He de France this week after almost a year starring in the London company of "Brigadoon." Sheriff Bob Dixon, of CBS-TV's "Chuck Wagon," mulling over a Paramount offer to star in film versions of the series. Radio Row has discovered Bill Bertolotti's in the Village, at last. Ivon Newman, WVNJ vice-prexy, mapping extensive plans for the station's first ann'y celebration Dec. 7th. Caroline Burke, NBC tele producer, returns this week from Calif, where she huddled with TV biggies there. Food Industry Is Told Importance Of AM-TV (Continued from Page 1) and that appropriations should be shifted to other media." It should be borne in mind by potential advertisers, he emphasized, that television will create "profound changes" in the character of radio, magazines, and other media. "The food advertiser who fails to watch these trends, and act accordingly, is likely to suffer serious losses or miss some important oportunities for profit," Nielsen said. He continued: "The potential of television is so great that this medium deserves an immediate or early spot in your budget — even if it has to be viewed as a 'capital expenditure.' Those who are the first to experiment will, on the average, be the first to profit from the opportunities offered by television. "As television grows, radio will become increasingly important as a means of reaching small-town and rural markets — which are difficult and costly to reach by other methods, but highly important to the food manufacturer. And these markets — larger than many advertisers realize — are seldom given the amount of promotion they deserve. "As television grows, there will be a continual change in the city-size characteristics of both television and radio. While it will be possible, at every stage in this development, to achieve almost any desired balance or distribution of advertising effort by city sizes or markets, only those advertisers who make a thorough, f-ontinuous study of the subject can hope to get maximum sales results from their advertising dollars." BAB's Role Defined In rescinding the action of the board taken at the Chicago convention in April which called for the establishment of BAB and its eventual separation from NAB, the board dissolved the BAB Board Committee and agreed that the bureau, as other NAB departments, in the future should receive policy direction from the board itself, with a five-man broadcaster committee advising it. The action provided that the board Georgia Broadcasters Plan January Meeting Savannah, Ga. — Plans are being made for the winter meeting of the Georgia Association of Broadcasters to be held some time in January, probably the 24th and 25th, at the Hotel Dempsey in Macon. Complete details are forthcoming. There are forty-two Georgia stations included in the association's membership. Thursday. November 17. 1949 COflST-TOCOAST "Sports Section" Guests Hollywood, Calif. — Jimmy Phelan, coach of the Los Angeles Dons football team was interviewed by Sid Ziff last Thursday evening, and on the following evening Maxie Docusen, famous undefeated lightweight fighter, was heard discussing the prize fight game with Ziff. Ziff's program "Sports Section" is heard over KFWB nightly at 7: 30. Dummy Disc Jockey San Antonio, Tex. — "JohnnyDugan Time" a new disc jockey show will make its bow over WOAI and will be heard Monday through Friday for 45 minutes. Johnny, star of the show, is a flip-tongue dummy created by ventriloquist Bud Vinson. Another feature of the show will be a daily weather report by Henry Howell, WOAI's authority on the weather. WTTM Election Highlight Trenton, N. J.— WTTM broadcasted the election returns from 7: 45 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. Highlight of the all-night WeneDriscoll ballot roundup was the remark of WTTM's Special Events Director, Ernie Kovacs, who aired: "Reports in from 10 of Mercer County's 179 Districts show Wene leading by 4,500 dollars." WHCU Contract Extended Ithaca, N. Y. — It is announced by the World Broadcasting System, that Radio Station WHCU has renewed and extended their contract for continued use of World's transcribed library service. Subscribers to the World service are supplied with transcriptions by such top artists as David Rose, Helen Forrest, Russ Morgan, and others of that calibre. WCOP Wins ABC Award Boston, Mass. — For the fourth consecutive year, WCOP is a winner of ABC's award for outstanding audience promotion on ABC programs, based on a poll of advertising directors and advertising agency account executives. New Staff Member Buffalo, N. Y. — Mike Mearian is the latest addition to the WKBW disc jockey staff. He came from WELM, Elmira, with four years experience in radio. He originally started at WHAM in Rochester at the age of 10, using his talent as an actor. Part of his Army life was spent in the European theater of operations. New Studios Operating Piqua, Ohio — Richard E. Hunt, president and general manager of WPTW, announced the opening of branch studios in Troy, Ohio. The Troy branch studios, located on the second floor of the Hotel Lollis, will be managed by Jim Flinn of the WPTW commercial department. Six local programs will originate each day from the new branch studios.