Variety (Sep 1935)

^edncBday, September 25, 1935 A D I O VARIETY 49 Pbiladelphia Union Drives Adantic Refining Program to New York City Pbil9,delphla, Sept. 24. Atliantle • Reflhine — inovcd • th© -,«rlgln of Its Saturday night broad- casts from WCAU, Philadelphia, to GoluBibter'* -New'. York- .etudioB- last week end (21), after the Philly mu- eicians' union had objected to tied 'I^lchols 9ervincr aa batonlst of the oi;t;hestra. As a result of Nichols' appSft(t-to • the Ajnerlcan F^iwtation • _pjt M uaictans o h the matter, Jos eph . Weber Issued a'clrcuiar letter to local unions throughout the coun- try advising them that a traveling conductor may not be barred as long as a standby Is psovlded for. Rather than engage in further discussions with the Philadelphia local the account decided to move the show to New Tbrk iand turn the program's orchestral assignment over the Nlchol's regular men. Nichols and the members of his unit are members of the New. York local. Atlantic had preferred to originate the show from the town. In which It had its home oHlces. It engaged a local Unit, Anthony. Candelorl's, to do the music, with Candelorl himself, at full pay, stepping aside so that Nichols, who had provided the band arrangements, could di- rect. When the Philly union balked at the substitute, following the Initial broadcast (14) of the series, Nichols brought the situa- tion to Weber's attention, but be- fore the AFM ■ priez could take a.c- tlon the reflning company ordered the point of origin shifted to New Tork. In matter of the Atlantic show, union first tried to bar Nichols, eveii though he was not to get credit and Anthony Candelorl, nom- inal leader', was to get regular fee. After intense last-mliiute fight among union members, eicecutiye committee, and president Romeo Cella, union signed agreement al- lowing Nichols In show and for- warded to sponsor. First show then originated from WCAU Sept. 14. Fact that 21 musicians in show reetiived about $70 apiece for broad- cast and rehearsals had strong ef- fect on union memtiershlp, that, be- ing ble^est money local show had drawn in some years. Executive committee, boW4ver, apparently figuring to win Increased conces- sions from sponsor' and station, early last, week reversed Cella'e okey of Nichols and notified At* lantlc that agreement was oft. That bnurned Candelorl plenty and, while sponsor was throwing up its hands In disgust over the whole eit- uafion and moving show to WABC, leader wired details of case and ap- peal to National union president Joseph N. Weber. He again upheld action of Cella, reversing local ex- ecutive committee. But Atlantic Reflnlnjg by that time was fed up with whole affair and refused to bring show back to Philly. Even so, union apparently persisted in belief station and sponsor were bluffing, musicians appearing at WCAU Saturday night for broad- cast and refusing to leave until they heard It coming In from WABC. Then they began to sizzle. Whole fiasco is likely to do every- one concerned plenty of harm. In fact, offhand it isn't possible to see who has escaped black eye. Cer tainly musicians and union look pretty sick. Station Is In position of having started show and couldn't continue to hold it. N. W. Ayer, who handled it, Is disgusted iit develop- ments; Atlantic Reflning has run into record series of headach6s, and even Columbia, which has had to move show into WABC after first spotting it at WCAU, is fed up. Only listeners, who Have been of- fered new class program, are the winners. At present, while various groups try to bring back show to WCAU (and without much Indication of success), station-union dispute that underlies, whole series of quarrels and recriminations, has reached a new stage. Stalemated for some ■weeks islnce i)r. Leon Levy,, WCAU president, turned down union, de- mand for 11-man house band at $70 scale, to play five hours a day, con- tiest again came back to discussion stage with new counter-proposals by Levy. His suggestion is for 12-man crew,' with reduced working hours to three a day and proportionately lower scale of $50; Both sides are agreed on ruling of no commercials after 6 p. m. So far union has taken no action on latest Levy offer, al- Time Changes Sept. 29 Annual fall return to sun- ...„cpmpu,tftdL...„.tim9.,..fitar.ta this Sunday, Sept. 29. Change marks the settling down of broadcasting program schedules for the fall, winter and sprli^period. Seeks to Break Down 'Surplus Coverage' idea Pittsburgh, Sept. 24. E. . H. James, NBC program manager, cited the radio succes^ stories of other equipment manu- facturers In telling a convention of the Stay-Kool Co., maker of a:ir conditioning apparatus, in Pitts- burgh Isist week why the firm should spend a .portion of its cur- rent $300,000 advertising budget for broadcasting. Regardless of the fact, said James, that the firm's primary objective are plumbing and heating contracts, an air .cam- paign allows for no waste circulation since it would create goodwill for thie product among those who event- ually benefit by the equipment. : Expatiating on the 'surplus cov- erage' objection cited by industrial advertisers when approached about radio, James pointed out that even though the owners of apartment houses and commercial structures represent a small' portion of the broadcast audience the need for reaching the people who live In apartment houses ahd work In com- mercial structures .is of equal Im- portance. Thie prospective tenant, who has heard the Stay-Kool pro- gram and the product's message against a dramatic background, may be greatly Influenced in his decis- ion if the renting. agent tells him that the place has Stay-Kool equip- ment. ' Radio paves the way for the sales- man and build prestige for the product, said Janies. In relating how broadcasting has gained favor* able reactions from the dealer, NBC's promotion head cited the suc- cess adihissione made by the johns- Manvllle Corp., the Sieberling Rub- ber .Co., the Carborundum Co., and the American Radiator Co. To be effective a. Stay-Kool cam- paign m radio, opined James, should be tied up with other media. He suggested that the firm spend $3,672 for an evening half hour on the basic blue (WPZ) network over a period of 26 weeks, allow another $1,500 for talent, which would bring the combined cost of the program for the span to $129,698, and spend $20,000 for the merchandising of the show. Latter would Include offers, spotlight ads oh the radio pages of the dallies and dealer tle-lns. Rea- son, said James, that he recom- mended the basic network was be- cause in this territory Is concen- trated 63% of the country's radio families and because here Is con- centrated the great apartment house market and the major percentage, of the country's', industrial and coni- merclal enterprises. though it was made beginning of last week. It will be considered at general meeting of union Oct. 1. Meanwhile union continues to bar all remote dansapatlons over WCAU until settlement of house band ques- tioii, alternative being payment of $3. a man for local remptfes and $4 for network remotes. Only place loss of remotes hits . station is through WCAU-controlIed Universal Artists Bureau. With , number of local bands under contract, bureau's chance of booking them in local spots depends, on getting them wire outlets. But Manny Sacks, Univer- sal director, has gotten around that —at least partially. With WIP now at peace with union and allowed to air remotes free, bands booked by Universal will have WIP wires. Of other stations, 'WDAS was scheduled to meet with union today, for discussion of house band ques- tion, WFIL is still standing pat, and Dr. Levy is waiting acceptance of offer similar to that of WCAU to put it up to NBC for its local red network outlet, KYW. SheD Show Upset as ^' Jolson Blows* Agency Seeks Stop-Gap idea "■Hollywodd; Sept. l!4'.~" John U. Reber of the J. Walter Thompson agency, was Insistent over long-distance phone iSunday (22) that AI JolBon continue on the Shell program after Sept. 2S, as he cannot find anyone to. replace him to do an hour show without buying six or seven outside acts. , ..Jplson countered •wj^^ji^hp. .propo- sltlpn of taking a three week vaca- tlcn before resumption," wtth-Reber now trying to get individual names for each of three respective shows. Cast for the show (Oct. 6) lif&t follows Jolsbn's dieparture had not been entirely set by prfess time yes- terday (Tuesday). Nor has the Thompson agency decided whether to bring Victor Young, maestro of the Shell stanza, back to New "Tork from the Coast. • Agency Is bow trying to ascertain whether It! can keep the program series going from the Pacific end and is having Us Los Angeles reps scout the field for guest m.c.'s and ehtertalneris foir fiUlng-in over a period of weeks) or while a .perma- nent nanie for the assignment can be found. ' Oct. 6 programi will orlglpate from New York, with Walter W^chell m.c.ing, and Eleanor Powell and Niele Goodelle among the guestees. FRIfiffiAlRE MOVES TO LORD & THOMAS Monaghan Radio Control Bill Gets &idorsenient of Labor Convention Sign Painter's New Job Philadelphia, Sept. Siidden staff shakeup at WPEN drops Paul Alger, dean of local prograifn directors, and replaced him with X^uis Lpii-:, don. LonciTliirrne;^ program direc- tor, was previously a: slgn- palhlen ' " Outs Qaim Ins Use GovL-Owned Radio Lord & Thomas, Chicago, has the Frigldaire refrigeration and air conditioning accounts. Frigldaire, world's largest maker ot mechanical refrigerators. Is one of the_few in that line to iiise radio. Once spon- sored a Phillips Lord series on NBC. and last winter had Jack Pearl on CBS. Radio plans for coming, season not set Previous Frigldaire agency, was Oeyer, Cornell & Newell which has now acquired the Kel- vinator and Leonard accounts (neither of which have so'far used radio extensively). Grand Opera Series On Australian Radio Sydney, Sept 2. roaxlcastlng Commission, con- trollers of A-stations, announce a 13 weeks' season of grand opera un- der the conductorshlp of Maurice de Abrayanel. Principals will Include Florence Austral, Sydney de Vrles, Ben Williams and several overseas' Importations. Proposal Is to broad- cast two operas weekly over the 13 weeks froni the principal Sydney studio. Maurice de Abravanel, and most of the principals, are left-overs from the recent g. try . made by Sir Ben Fuller. Winnipeg, Sept. 24. Canadian Rsidlo COmmiission came in for an editorial blast from the Winnipeg Free Press for permitting a question and. ianswer act to go. over its network last Saturday night attacking personalities in the general election. Stunt advertised In daily papers, was labelled 'Mr. Sage,' and purported to' give, infor- mation concerning issues Involved in the election. Chief criticism is directed to the fact that the CRC Is government- owned and that the program Is al- legedly propaganda for the govern- ment, which is contrary to CRC policy. Opponents of the govern- ment, chiefly adherents of the Lib- eral party, were- particularly In- censed over the fact that the second program atti.cked, in a subtle way, W. L. Mackenzie King, Liberal leader, for residing In I the United States while Canada was at war. Officials of the CRC disclaimed responsibility for the broadcast, die Glaring that the manner in which It was introduced Indicated it .was not an official program. Programs: spon sored by the CRC aire introduced as official programs, while 'Mr. Sage' was introduced as/'coming, to you over a network o^ Canadian sta- tions.' Second program has been glv^n without any indication of it being discontinued. Theatre Circut-WFAA Can't Get Together Dallas, Sept. 24. Unable to work out terms with the Interstate Circuit Max Halpertn, chief of WPAA's artists bureau. Is sending out a unit to ^lay high school auditoriums armories and hotel ballrooms. Entertailnment Is built around the Early Birds or- chestra, and progratn of WFAA.. Halpedn will hit 30 Texas towns within the 50,000-watters listening area. Hot Newspaper Circulation Campaign Conducted Over Baltimore Stations Baltimore, Sept. 24. Newspapers here are resorting to radio as a prime medium of con- ducting circulation and reader-in- teresting campaigns. When Hearst purchased WBAL last winter and spotted quarter-hour programs of various sorts on station to plug the Baltimore Hearst dailies, American and News-Post, the Baltimore Sun abandoned its erstwhile aloofness toward radio and arranged with WCAQ a tie-up whereby station ad- vertised In paper and paper on sta- tion on reciprocal basis. Lately the Sun has started spot announcement' bombardment over WCAO. Hearst sheets replied in kind, and a scrappy joust began. Rivalry has become as heated as cirr culation campaigns of rival publi- cations always were when newspa- pers publicized selves through other than radio media. Radio rampage has gotten so fren- zied that the papers aren't prepar- ing copy for each spot till right be- fore It Is due for airing, then they lead with, what they think is best card at moment. Last week the Hearst News-Post snagged a serial- ized life story of Huey Long, and on day he died started whirlwind seiies of nearly a score of spot' announce- ments plugging fact blog would ap- pear 'exclusively' in News-Post on following day. That 'exclusive' an- gle has the newspapers fevered; they now find they have a means of telling public generally when they have bC news beat on a rival, so the radio listeners how don't even have to buy papers to know which rag scooped which on what.' Papon* ap- parently enjoy boasting about what they 'exclusively' have or will have— even though boasting over the air via the myriad spot announcement route isn't cheap. There have been reports that the Sun papers would like to buy into onn of the local .stations. As far as can be determined, the papers have made no direct overtures to any o£ the stations here as yet. but it Is known that the bigwigs of sheets have bopn tuylnij with the Idea/ Washington, Sept 24. fight next winter over government operation of radio fa- cilities looms with. Anxcrlcan Fed- eration of Labor forces preparing to launch a nation-wide campaign to put across the Mohaghan 'govern-" ment control bill. Movement to force aj^shbw-down over'the question'of " gbve'nimeh^^ private operation of broadcasting system is swinging into high fol- lo'wing unanimous action of the In- ternational Typographical Union at Montreal early this months Annual con'vention plunked unanimously for the Monaghan proposition. Enthusiastically passing a reso- lution calling on congress, to enact legislation cancelling 411 licenses at the end of present periods, typos approved idea of a national cam- paign to put each member of .con- gress on the spot. Although factions in the A..F,L. high command, particularly , leaders of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, are rumored luke-warm and displeased, union headquarters is reported agreeable to the plan and assisting in the move to put eve;v senator and rep- resentative on record. Locals, "with the assistant of state conferences, will interview each politician and demand signed pledge to support legislation along the lines of the Monaghan bill. Radio Cold to Uhi Labor has the knife out for com- mercial broadcasters for several reasons, primarily because wide- spread unemployment among print- ing trades membership Is blamed on growing use of radio with curtail- ment of printed advertising which has hurt printers. Furthermore,^ I.B.E.W. luls m4de notoriously little headway in ' unionizing broadcast technlclansi even 'with the help , of ,the abolished NRA. code, and com- pany unions have about ended hopes that'AFL can mak^ converts in. the radio iield. The action of t}te typos Is the strongest move 'to' ' rordlnate strength behind' government opera- ilor. ideas, ' slough previously a number of stefCb federations', notably Massachusetts, have gone on' rec- ord in favor of more drastic regu-* latlon of radio. Drive to put legislators on the spot gets going soon, 'with pledge cards being printed here and soon ta be shipped to each typographical local. ITU resolution, charged that in defiance of the expressed wish of congress, 'two monopolistic groupi* have been enabled to establish al- most complete dbmlniatlon of broad- oasting and to use facilities for per- sonal gain rather than public in- terest. . Proposlsh also poihted out that free shows have been put on, hurting conimerclal ventures. Resolve ordered oflflcers of the union 'to petition the congress of the United States for the enact-, mcnt of legislation wherein all existing radio broadcasting licenses be cancelled at the expiration of. the present license period and that all radio broadcasting thereafter be op- erated exclusively by a go'vern- mental agency, to be set up by ac- tlcp of the congress, with commer- cial advertising on such radio sta- tions restricted to not nioi-e than tv/o hours of each day of which not more tha,n one hour be. u.sed -for ad- vertising aftep sundown.' INSURANCE PREZ HIS OWN H.C. IN TEXAS Dallas, Sept. 24^ . Clarence Linz, prexy of South- land life Insurance Co.; expanded his emsee activities Monday (23), when the first of 52 weekly hour program^ of his firm went over four CBS stations. Linz has been m.c. of Southland's other program, on. WRR, Dallas, for several months. Eullt around Hyman Charnlnsky's ork. Southland program features .soloists. Risk executive has de- veloped Into quite a mike individual- ity. He broadcasts from the South- land's own studio., Time Is 7 p.m. KTAT, KNOW, WACO and.KTSA carry all the program.?, and KTRH and KOMA pick up 'Voice, of the Southland' when thev have clear time.