Variety (Sep 1933)

J"««Ba»y« September 5, 1938 A D I O Inside Stuff-Radio Anything pertaining to radio flnanclng:, on the Ucenslne end lo It must be filed with the Federal Radio Commhjflion sXo^ Records disclose that Donald Flamm and the Knickerbocker Broadcart! Tmc Corp., original ownera of the license of station WMCA. New York, htp l^aranteed $166,000 annually plus 26% over $600,000 annual income. The witlmate purchase price on this installment basis is $4,000,000 'At lewt $100,000 must be accruing to Flamm and his company every rtuee yeafo from the 25% share of the Commercial income. John T jldams heading the new Federal Broadcasting Co. is the new head but license remains in Flanun's name. 'Whereby rests a FBC squawk which technically maintains that It will jjot be party to trafflofcing in radio licenses. The matter is still open for ' adjudication by the FRCT Flamm, it was interpreted in the radio trade, nulled a shrewd stunt in retaining licensee-ownership in his name," with Wtation operation and management ceded to the new Adams-Federal out- fit It i» believed that this will prove successful ultimately in getting around any FBC restrictions. General amusement trends are obtained from VAniBttT, states a radio 0howman such as Monte Hackett, head of the radio division of the Lord & Thomas agency, which in turn are applied to another form of show lufllness, the radio. If Vabibtt should evidence that the public is going for mellers, it would be a cue for the radio to go bullish on mystery Kidio shows again. 'For example, Mae West's astonishing box office reaction through re- peats and re-repeat bookings on her 'She Done Him Wrong* film has established the you-muat-come-up-and-see-me-sometlme gal as a cinch for the ether, state advertising men. They're assured that Miss West would be a cinch on the air for mike-appeal. The big headache now is bow to fit her rough style into an air show that goes into a home. On the other hand, the ad men seem to be impressed by the snootier publications such as 'Vogue' and 'Harper's Bazar* showing how femme styles have been influenced by Miss West's 'Done Him Wrong* flicker, trtth the new styles apelng the mauve decade; also interview stuff, and the like, impressing them that Mae seems to be generally accepted. coast football broadcasts, already bringing protests from indie stations which won't be allowed to handle the games If commercialized, are also causing squawks from the two chain stations. This Is despite the latter will'get the beneflt of the exclusive sponsoring for which Associated Oil Is paying $<0,000. CBS chain will have exclusive commercializing privileges for the oil company on 10 of the games and NBC the remaining 13. Both chains also want to broadcast the grid battles for which they are not paid, as sufltalners, but the oil company, it is reported, has notified them that if tbis Is done they wUI^ave to give It free plugs on these broadcasts. Ben Bard as a radio straight may happen through a combination of circumstances starting first with a reunion of the old Bard and Pearl team for the Metro film when ClifC Hall, > Jack Pearl's regular straight, presumably took ill and couldn't appear in the picture. There was some iaJk about Hall not screening as well as Bard. Bard straighted for Eddie Cantor on .the national NBA hook-up. His Impression is said to have interested the eastern agencies, as the first time that somebody with masculine s.a. and a mild screen rep has come into'the ether ranks. It's regarded as not a bad angle for publicity pur- poses alone. Renewals Louis Phillippe (Cosmetics). Continues thi? serial, 'Marie, the French Princess* for an- other 13 weks on CBS, effective Sept B. Spotting for four afternoons a week over 24 stations Including west coast C. F. Mueller Co. Expands Sept 13 the Bill and Ginger a. m. session to 12 eastern stations on CBS and to three times a week. General Foods Corp. Adds, effective Oct. 5, 13 more weeks to the Maxwell House Coffee Show Boat on NBC's red (WBAF) loop. Standard Brands. Introduces Jan. 7 nfew Fleischmann yeast stanza with Joe Penner and Ozzie Nelson's band over 52 stations on NBC's blue (WJZ) trellis. Lucky Strike used to trade those free admish ducats for the broad- casts atop the New Amsterdam roof for window display with dealers. L.S. sales contacts Would bargain with choice windows for a nice front in exchange for a block of tickets, that being one way of making the free broadcast performances pay. Among the factors that figure in the event an admission were charged for the gratis broadcast shows are the stagehands which would become necessary at union scale In a paid-admlsh theatre, and also the various license fees. Being an invitation affair, all this is circumvented. NBC Artists Service overlooked the fact that last night (Monday) was John Fogarty'a monthly turn on the Jack Frost show and booked the tenor into the Palace,. Bridgeport, for a week*B run starting Friday (1). Commercial contended that it had publicized Fogarty's appearance and that the air booking would have to stand. Situation was straightened out when the Poll circuit which operates the Bridgeport stand, agreed to make it six days for Fogarty, allowing the tenor to step out alto- gether Monday and resume his stage engagement the next day. About the record high for intense work by radio performers was turned in last week by Amos *n' Andy in Chicago, when they doubled on the ether and stage. During that week's ride they managed seven appearances daily at the B.&K. Chicago theatre, two radio programs for their sponsor, be- sides writing their scripts as usual. Were on the Jump, also, since they did no broadcasting from their dressing rooms, but taxied to the Mer- chandise Mart NBC studios. Old Gold will have to find a spot other than Carnegie Hall to hold Its public attended broadcasts after Sept. 26. Carnegie management has advised the cig concern that the succeeding Wednesday nights have been booked for concents. , „ Under consideration Is the next origin for the Old Gold show Is Mecca Temple, a block from Carnegie, with a capacity of 8,600. Milton Berie and Harry Richman join Fred Waring on the O. G. program Sept o. Commercials are finding NBC amenable to splitting up the basic red (^BAF) and blue (WJZ) networks provided that each of the contracts contain removal clauses. Under these provisos if a ttoney to spend puts in a bid for the time held by a split "njj"^*^"^*'; the web Is privileged to move the latter's program to another spot or «*ncel it altogether. Full loop on the red entails 20 stations, and on the blue la. Although they have had several offers of taking ^inc •-guest arUsts on national hookups. Wheeler and Wcol^ ^ceS,e6tor off until they can get together on one of the several nibbles received lor SSlon^'^f'^material for the pair is providing the main headache in plotting air programs. ^•The Three Jesters* now want to go back to ^he ^^^^^.iff^^; «l|.associate themselves from their former ''^^^^y^^^Jr^Zs^nvolTd trio had recently changed the tag to 'Cee, Dee and Bee. Lads involved •re Wamp Carison, Dwlght Latham and Guy Bonham. Trio deem the 'Jesters' too valuable an asset to drop. ^ Networks are-out looking for one big advertiser who will t^J^^^f;;"" Jay night as a hunch spot Figured that Saturday nlgbt so scornea »>y the bulk of accounts, is a natural for an advertiser with a gooo program. 3d Chain in Lead Just Now Seems to Be Southwest Co. Along with the new Federal Ra- dio Corp. regime in Donald Flamm's station WMCA, New York, and the Amalgamated Broadcasting Sys- tem (Ed Wynn, et al.) all talking a third chain, the largest third chain today, outside of the NBC and the CBS. is now the South- west Broadcasting Co. With A. L. Chilton of Dallas joining his KEILD, Dallas, and KRLA, Little Rock, into the S. B. Co.'s network, of which L. H. Ar- mer is president, that gives the chain 12 stations. They are KRLD and WRR, Dallas; KTAT, Fort Worth; KTSA, San Antonio; WACO, Waco; KNOW, Austin; KTRH and KXYZ, Houston; KPDM, Beaumont; KGKO, Wichita Falls; KOMA, Oklahoma City, and KRLA, Little Rock. Key stations will be the Fort Worth and Dallas outlets, with general offices in Ft. Worth and conomerclal offices In Dallas. All (stations are already hooked up in network. Chilton becomes manager of the Southwest network and managing director of all stations. Looking to Affiliate Harry Goldman, t. p. and gen- eral manager of the Amalgamated, the new Ed Wynn-Ota Gygl net- work, is authority for a statement that units such as the Southwest can become a vital factor in aug- menting his ABS. Seemingly Gold- man hiis been In negotiation with or Is entertaining dickering with the Southwest for an affiliation. Goldman Is awaiting Wynn's .re- turn from Hollywood, where the ra- dio 'Fire Chief* has Just completed his film. Goldman states that ABS should get going some time next week or shortly thereafter. There have been numerous delays. Cur- tis Dahl, Bon-in-law of Pres. Roose- velt, is now chairman of the ABS board. NAB Sohmits Matter-of-Fact Code; Says Little with Inside Stuff Out; May Be More for Record if Approved Indie Station Is After Music Society as Trust station WIP, Philadelphia, an indie and not chain-affiliated, has started a restraint of trade suit in the Federal Courts of New York against the American Society and its officers and agents. Control of the public performance rights to copyrighted music is charged In violation of the Fedei^al anti-trust regulations. WIP is operated by the Pennsyl- vania Broadcasting Co, With the ASCAP, Gene Buck, Louis Bern- stein, Jerome Kern and E. C. Mills are named co-defendants. Similar actions have been started in the past against the American Society for the same general rea- sons. The society so far has se- curely rested upon a U. S. Supreme Court decision in its favor. WIND Dae for CU Boild-Up When WGN Steps Out of CBS Chicago, Sept 4. Chicago and vicinity expect a big and deliberate build-up for station WIND (formerly WJKfi), Gary (Ind.) when "W^GN goes out of its CBS affiliaton of Oct 21. With Ralph Atlass, owner of WIND, a brother of Leslie Atlass, of CBS and WBBM, and between whom there has always been a close working harmony, it is expected that WIND will get Its first ride to the big top by being awarded a flock of the CBS sustaining features. This has not been possible here- tofore, since by its agreement with CBS, the 'Tribune station WGN has had first call on any or all of Co- lumbia sustaining features at any time. How much effort Is being spent on this planned boosting of WIND can be seen in the Installation now going oh of new circuits from the Wrigley building, home of CBS and WBBM, to the WIND transmitter out in Gary. Station Is now operating with only a two-hour silence In 24. It is starting on the air each morn ing at 6:30 and doesn*t silence Its transmitter until 8:30 the next morning. About the only ones suf- fering from this are the engineers, who are being rushed plenty with only two hours in which to work on the mechanical end of the sta tion. Why Writers Flop Those from Outside Fields Don't Take Radio Seriously, Says Colwell Trouble with most of those who come into radio from other fields of writing, opines Robert J. Col- well, script headman of J. Walter Thompson's radio department, is that they don't take the job seri- ously. Because of this attitude they make no effort to study the re- quirements of the medium with the result that the percentage of radio flops of writers, who have clicked In other fields, is extraordinarily high. Average Broadway writer, says Colwell, undertakes his radio as- signment with the attitude that he can dash it off with one hand. He BQoffs at the restraints which are an integral part of commercial broadcasting and at the principle that the material in a Broadway blackout is not necessarily the right thing for the loudspeaker. Another handicap that these boys have to contend with is their writing habit Accustomed to turning their stuff out slowly, radio eats it np at fast pace. Those who have caught on with the demands of the medium are doing exceptionally well. From the money angle radio is now the most remunerative field, thinks Colwell, for writers. It's not a hard field to crack for those who have been suc- cessful in dialog writing whether for stage or screen. Radio, he says, can use these authors. Colwell predicts that before the end of the coming season the air will be represented by a flock of outstanding writers' from pictures, legit and the fiction field. The new drift in radio will call for light comedy of a finer and higher order and that's where the outside experts should come into their own, says Colwell. The 'Code of Fair Competition tof^ the Radio Broadcasting Industry^ as submitted Aug. 29 by the Nbm tional Association of Broadcasterii (NAB) is an innocuous document^ It doesn't air any IniUra-trade grlev** ance. but in formula manner con* forms with the requirements of th^ National Recovery Administration by setting up wage scales, hours and code of practices, without going too deeply into it. In the letter of transmittal t6 President Roosevelt, signed by AIx fred J. McCosker (station WOR)', president of the NAB, and Philip Or» Loucks, managing director, an4 John W. Guider, counsel of th^ NAB, it is stated that the assocIa«t tion includes some 263 stations tn it4 membership, doing a total broads casting business of perhaps 81 %« although there are approximately, 200 stations still entitled to mem^ bership. These 200 stations may becomQ the ones who will raise whatevef; objections and objectionable trad^ practices there exist in the broad<4 casting business. As is, the document seendis studlx ously intent not to give away toot much, inside stuff for the record. This is contrary to the record oS the film business, for example^ where the exhibs and the producers distributor factions seem to hav^ put almost every thing, there Is IntQ the record. r-i Two days after the filing of tlie[ radio code, the NBA on Ayg. 31 torm mally approved the application of the NAB to have its members fly the Blue Bagle if signing the Fretf** ident's Re-eniployment Agreement) This has no bearing on the cod^ which must be the subject of H public hearing, likely to be hel4 some time in mid-Septemboi^ When and if the President approveel the radio code, the approved cod«( will supersede the President's Re«( employment Agreement. O. K.'s All Commlsh | The articles on radio trade prae« tices are notably broad and sweeps Ing and elastic. Agency commls^ sions, particularly 2-b of Article YI^ is wide open. It okays paying dou«i ble commlsh, L e., 16% and 2% t^ the agencies and 'further commlfi<< sions totaling not more than 16%] may be allowed on sales commisw sion/ on top of that to quote fromi 2-b. That means 80%, but the sec^ ond 16%, it isn't specified, may b«) rebatable to iUmost anybody. On ' the other hand there is a provlsQ against commlsh rebates, discounts^ free time and other unfair practices. The radio unaffiliated indies, oper<K ating on a more or less chisellns basis, pariicularly in the com belt and away from the keys, will not want to be bound by this to any^ great extent. Talent end isn't particularly dls^ cussed, save in sweeping termsgi Equity, which has appointed itselJI as spokesman for the radio talent* will probably figure in the contra-c arguments on the code before it lei ratified. So will t^e musio men, the orchestra leaders, engineens (through the electrical union), and musicians, possibly the scriptlsta. Before it's all over much more may, be ordered into the record than the NAB thinks belongs in it right now. The code now merely provide^! against gratuities against song plugs. That's really a trivial mat-^ ter alongside some of the biggez; angles in the line of time brokerage, subsidies, gratuities, kickbacks and the like, embracing every radio field from talent to production. ^ In designating as a 'network' any 'two or more broadcasting stations,'- that in itself will be opposed by sundry Indies which are in relayed with one or more stations and yet don't regard themselves a network In any degree like the NBC or CBS, On the face of it the radio code includes nothing beyond what Is tho present ethl<ial method of business procedure, only that-these regula-f tions have been infracted time and again in divers ways. To put them under the NRA banner may bring about a more literal enforcement. Text of the proposed code appears on page 59.