Variety (Apr 1934)

Tuesday, Afcril 3, 1934 IA D I O VARIETY Questionnaire Seeks Facts, Figures on Radio Studio Opposition to Theatres Washington, Sweeping survey of broadcast Held to determine effect of free .radio performances is planned by Broadcast Code Authority. Questionnaires to be sent to all Stations in order to get basic facts for use in. reaching agreement .with legit and film groups are being drafted. Will go in the mail in another fortnight,, it is expected. Move resulted. from Inability of three groups to get 'together a month ago on the extent of com- petition resulting from free enter- tainment, due largely to lack of definite information . about patron • age of free broadcasts. Film and legit leaders .insisted hundreds of thousands of, potential Customers are lured away, monthly, while broadcasters feel picture Is painted too darkly.. Sketchy information available here does not show how. many sta- tions provide free admissions or under what circumstances public broadcasts are put on. Questionnaire will , ask not Only for number of persons attending and number of public performances, but purpose and type of broadcast. Code rulers want to know if aim is merchandising of particular products, improving of station good Willi attracting of attention to par- ticular personalities, or some other motive. Survey willbe handled by James W. Baldwin, executive officer, and Fram Russell, local representative of NBC, appointed liaison commit- tee to discuss matter with film and legit groups. WLTH, Brooklyn, Sez Examiner's Report Ga-Ga WLTH, Brooklyn, for whose wave lengtn the Brooklyn Daily Eagle applied, last week filed with the Federal Radio Commission a bill of exceptions to a report turned In on the station by one of the commish's examiners. Oral argu- ment on the report won't take place for another two months. On the point made by the ex- aminer that top many commer- cials were, not justified by the com- mission's policy in granting li- censes, WLTH's answer called at- tention to the applications of two other outlets in the New York area, WJZ and WEAF- These NBC keys, atates the bi'l of exceptions, noted ..in. their . applications that 60% of their assigned time was sold, while only 42% of WLTH's allotment has commercial backing. WLTH's document disposes of the examiner's charge that WLTH sold, 3,0% of its time for resale by quoting the recent case of WMCA Where the commission okayed the deal between Don Flamm and the Federal Broadcasting Corp., allow- ing • the latter resell all of WMCA's time. . In .answer to the examiner's statement that WLTH placed its own interest above that of the pub- He,, thebil^.of exceptions declares J that the station'cannot understand how this conclusion could have been drawn when the examiner made no findings or reported no facts re- garding WLTH's programs, as to their variety, public interest or gen- eral utility. Foster Brooks of Brooks and Pierson team, appointed to the KSO announcing staff. SLIP OF THE TONGUE WBBM Announcers Forget Call Letters, Name of Sponsor , April 2. WBBM announcers will likely get lessons in memory shortly if the memory slips continue. Norman Barry was dropped from the CBS- WBBM announcing staff last week on a miscue. At a program break told the audience they were listen- ing to WIBO; Barry used to work at WIBO in the old days, with: that station now out of business. Two months ago an announcer killed off on the same station when he announced the start of the Old Gold program by very clearly enunciating into the microphone that 'Chesterfield is on the air.' CBS ALTERS % DISCS CBS last week paved the way for its following of NBC . into the spot broadcasting, and electrical tran- scription business on an extensive scale by announcing that effective May 24 Radio Sales, Inc., the net- work's local station booking ad- junct, will discontinue the recogni- tion of all special agencies, time brokers and general station reps. As a preliminary step to entering the spot field NBC stopped its pay- ment of - commissions to these go- betWeen elements two . months ago. Stations now on the Radio Sales representation list-are those CBS owns or operates. They consist of WCCO, Minneapolis; WBBM, Chir cago; KMOX, St. Louis; WJSV, Washington; WPG, Atlantic City; WBT, Charlotte, and WKRC, Cin- cinnati< All present contracts, for which an intermediary had been respon- sible, will pay the agreed commis- sion until their expiration dates. SCHUMANN-HEINK ON BABY FOOD NBC SHOW Chicago, April 2. Mme. Schumann-Helnk opens a series for Gerber's Baby FOod for a 13-week minimum, running from 9-9:15 p.m. on the NBC.basis blue on Sundays.. Starting date in the contract is April 29 but minor dif- ficulties may hold the initial gallop until May 6. . Spotted on the show through the Biggie Levin office here with the account- handled" by the Erwin- Wasey agency. The operatic atar reported drawing $1,700 weekly for the turn. Understood agency has negotiated with NBC for west-coast time for a rebroadcast, if and when. Ed Kobak Feted NBC last Monday (2C) tossed a party at the St. Regis, N. Y., so that the personnel in the sales depart- ment could meet the new v.p. in charge of that end of. the organiza- tion, Edgar Kobak. It was the first get-together of its kind financed by the network in years. Number of the boys confined their quaffing to wine. Big Dailies Steam Up Ad- vertisers That Stations Should Give Local Fol- low - Through Service Same as Press—Network Fights Tendency FEARS EXPENSE NBC is giving aid arid counsel to. its affiliated stations as part of - a determined struggle to stop, adver- tisers from getting merchandizing concessions. Pressure . is growing and the stations share the alarm of NBC that the network may ulti- hiately be forced to do a more com- plete selling job than is presently implied in a straight purchase of facilities and programs by a spon- sor; NBC is resisting advertiser de- rcands every inch of the way. Ad- mittedly it puts the network in a delicate position. .Network can get away with a certain amount of stalling, where advertising, agencies are Concerned, but when the spon- sor directly makes the requests for a little follow^ through it's not so simple. Sponsors express their anger more effectively than the di- plomacy-obligated agencies. NBC's idea of merchandizing is to turn over a supply of letter- heads and envelopes to the adver- tiser. Stenographic labor and postage stamps* is for the adver- tiser to provide. Where advertis- ers desire to circulate road crews through a given area NBC's con- ception of the network or station responsibility is to. donate a road map or a list of local dealers, but .otherwise refrains from assuming any additional responsibility. Cost Question NBC hopes to educate advertis- ers away from merchandising de- mands, but the newspapers are constantly, steaming up advertisers on this moot question. Some of the big dailies in particular maintain elaborate research and sales pro- motion staffs. NBC argues that, in radio this is the manufacturer's job and "annot be- undertaken by NBC itself or NBC stations indi- vidually except at added cost to the,advertisers and that a general policy of local merchandising would immediately be reflected in in- creased card rates. Advertisers want stations to make dealer contacts by mail and in person, to distribute posters, window cards and arrange exploi- tation tie-ups generally. Precedent is the : service reridered by " the dailies, which in some instances practically solicit sales for their advertisers. Baker-Armour Show Back in Chi Apr. 27 Chicago, April 2. iill Baker and the Armour show return, to Chicago on April. 27 to continue the NBC ride. Though originally slated to get back on May 4 the Chicago hop was jumped ahead One week. Armour account is now being handled by. Lord & Thomas agency here instead of N, W. Ayer, Rea- son for the account move is said to be the desire of Armour to have an agency with Chicago headquar- ters-handle their'business in close: contact with the Armour home of fice. As Fatal to Small State Affable WFI Philadelphia, April 2. .'Trust Thy Neighbor* ueems to be the theme song of WFI In Phllly, with, no time being sold on basis of contracts. Outfit, NB(i " carrier in Philly, is owned by the classy Straw- bridge and Clothier depart- ment store, and station is op- erated along same lines. All purchases of air time are made by letter only, and the studio claims to have no unruly cli- ents. 'Contracts' may be dis- continued by one week's notice. With most local stations scrambling, around after new business, with heavily involved contracts, WFl's. scheme seems the most workable. All their time is sold! DAVE STONE AT WSM Nashville, April 2. David Stone has joined WSM, Nashville, as announcer for this National Life Variety and Lasses White Minstrel shows. CRYSTAL-MAKER FINDS $3 TAG TOO STEEP Chicago, April 2. Taking one of the quickest brodies in the history of radio, Carlsbad Crystals quit trying to sell its pack-. ages over the ether last week after a short fortnight try. Using three stations, WJJD and KYW in Chi- cago and WJR in Detroit, with Gene Dennis, psychic,.as program, crystal maker found that it was going into the red in jumps with only a couple of listeners going for the direct sale. lame is placed on the stiffest price ever/asked in radio for a pack- age goods sold over the transmitter. Maker asked the listeners to send in three dollars for a package of the crystals direct from Carlsbad. Stiff price killed any chances for the show. DR. LEON LEVY, WCAU, SEEKS RADIO UNITY Philadelphia; April 2. Phllly stations are combining into a solid organization, it is under- stood, as a means of combating un- fair trade practices, price-cutting, dogmatic union rulings, and other studio difficulties. Plan was sug- gested by Dr. Leon Levy, WCAU prexy, at last week's luncheon of station executives, because the gen- tlemen's agreement of monthly gatherings fizzled;. Levy's idea is to constitutionally" organize, with written agreements signed by every station. This would make such a Unit an enforcible power in the treatment of wayward studios, and prevent any One station from suffer- ing embarrassment through the necessity of reporting a competitor to the NRA board. Local radio situation has been topsy-turvy for many years, with the six major outlets constantly warring under cover. Levy's plan w ( bring all these practices und«»r a "ingle body's governing control. Washington, Refusal of the radio industry to accept suggestions that; working hOurs be cut 10% and wages boosted in like proportion was in- dicated Saturday (31) as first re- plies eariie in to Amusement Divi- sion Administrator Sol, Rosenblatt. While definite position has not been taken by broadcasters,. James W. Baldwin; executive officer of radio code authority, informed Deputy Administrator WilliaW P, Tarnsworth that 'in my own opin- ion, the enforcement of your pro- posals to reduce the 40-hour week people to 30 hours and to reduce those working more than 40 hours to' 36 hours with, a 10% increase in wages for all would spell disaster for the industry.' • Suggestion will ; be laid before full radio group-shortly and formal'de^ cision will be made by entire C.' A. Baldwin,, however, terms the idea inequitable and impracticable, riot- ing that it would utterly destroy all small broadcasting enterprises arid would make it impossible for the larger broadcasting enterpris*^ to recover from the reverses suf-' fered during the depression years. Baldwin emphasized that broad- casters . are desirous of giving full co-operation to NRA, but said he is confident if government officials will study matter thoroughly their own mature judgment will dictate a withdrawal of their recommen- dations. WCFL Rejects $150,000 Bid From Hearst Chicago, April 2. Hearst still riot set for a station replacement here when KYW, the Herald and Examiner affiliate, switches, to Philadelphia. Latest to be contacted is'WCFL, the Chicago Federation of 'Labor station, for a possible buy, but the Laborltes laughed it off. Hearst wanted no association or tie-up with the station as presently operated, but wanted to pay a re- ported 1150,000 for an outright take-over. Mexican Government's Dossier on Brinkley Dallas, April 2. Evidently wanting to : know something more about Dr. John R. Brinkley, the Mexican secretary of public works, through a Dallas represCntatlv Felix Garcia is be- ing forwarded transcripts, of a court.trial held In Dallas two years ago when the. State Of Texas sought to axe the medico's prac- ticing license. Mexican government wishes to fortify Itself with details of the case in event of a comeback from Doc. 'Grand HoteP Layoff Chicago, April 2. Campana's 'Grand Hotel' pro- gram on NBC quits for the season on April 29, Scheduled to resuriie, however, on Oct. 2. Ralph K>tf>rintf, ex-legit manager and now with 1h<; NUC production staff, as been writing, the scripts. Committee Steers WNEW Don Clark is out o: WNEW, Newark,, as program director, and goes with Cleveland B. Chase agency. . Sei^efoHh^WNEW without a program boss, substi- tuting instead a program commitr tee composed of six members, Wal- ton Butterfleld, Bern ice Juckes, Sybil Sicgal, -Ed. Fisher, Howar.iL. Wiley, Bill Farren. Three of the six will constitute a quorum any' sU*tornt>on to listen to auditions be- tween 2 and 4.