Radio mirror (Nov 1936-Apr 1937)

IMPORTANT developments impend as radio broadcasting concludes its first $100,000,000 year, becoming one of the country's major industries. Principal among these is the creation of a kilocycle czar a la Will Hays of the movies, or an advisory council, to dispose of problems plaguing the fastgrowing business. Twenty-five national programs originating in Hollywood have resulted in a scramble for stars with salaries skyrocketing. Advertising agencies, which frame the big commercial shows, are raiding each other for talent and it is such abuses as this that a czar or a council will be called upon to remedy. * * * An immediate consequence of the frequent "raiding" tactics has been the issuance of long term contracts to radio headliners. Where once the agencies were content to sign agreements for a series of thirteen broadcasts with renewal options for similar periods they are now binding artists to two-year terms and longer. * * * Now that Hollywood has surpassed Chicago in importance as a radio producing center, being second only to New York now, the Columbia Broadcasting System starts spending upwards of $2,000,000 for new studios there. Already the National Broadcasting Company has outgrown its quarters in the cinema capital and is preparing plans for expansion. Six studios and an auditorium seating twelve hundred will be provided by Columbia's new plant and it will cover a whole block. * * * The waning amateur hours can't keep out of the newspapers. The Traveler's Aid Society of New York, burdened with the responsibility of returning to their homes broke and disillusioned air aspirants attracted to the metropolis, squawk long and loud that the sponsors of these programs are not paying their share of the expense. One of the biggest of the amateur promoters, solicited for funds, contributed $100, whereas the Society deems that amount wholly in jjjrW»n Martha Raye is featured in the new Al Jolson program. Above, with Michael Bartlett, Johnny Weissmuller, and Lupe Velez. Martha is the girl in white. Right, Irvin S. Cobb, writer, actor and humorist, who is the old Southern cunnel of Paducah Plantation, heard over NBC Saturdays, 10:30. By JAY PETERS adequate under the circumstances. * * * Another item of news involving those amateurs concerns Major Edward Bowes. Experiencing a shortage of neophytes suitable to his program, it seems the Major accepts the aid of professional talent agencies in New York. Whereupon one Ray Halper of New York City files complaint with the Federal Communications Commission that Bowes perpetrates a fraud upon the public by presenting talent supplied by professional bookers. On behalf of the Major it is explained that any acts thus obtained are still amateurs as the books of the vaudeville agencies contain the names of many performers who have never received pay for their services. In other words, the performers would like to be professionals, but actually they're still amateurs. ON THE HOLLYWOOD FRONT GOD, if anything happens to her, it's all over! You can take your radio and your pictures and your money — everything !" Bob Burns, tense, pale, whispered his despair to Hal Bock in NBC's Hollywood palace. Bob's wife was desperately ill. Twenty-four hours later she died. Two days after that Kraft Music Hall renewed Bob's contract and boosted him from $550 weekly to $1,500; the same day his movie option was taken up at a juicy premium, and his agent closed a deal with a men's magazine for syndication of a column. Bob's lean days, which his wife had shared so gallantly, were behind him for ever — but now she wouldn't be here to share the fruits of the sudden success.