Variety (Sep 1938)

Wednesday September 7, 1938 RADIO VARIETY 29 Coast Indies Will Fatten on Political Com; Millions to Beat Pension Plan Los Angeles, Sept. 6. Political situation in the state has gmall station operators rubbing their hands in anticipation of the wildest spending of any election in recent years. With liberals squaring off against conservatives in Novem- ber for the berths of U. S. senator and the governorship, war chests are bulging and radio is expected to get a lion's share of the coin. Network stations won't profit so handsomely as most of their desirable time has been gobbled up. Setup recalls the state race of four years ago when Upton Sinclair was' the gubernatorial candidate. Big jnonled interests poured no end of coin in the campaign coffers of the conservative candidate, Frank Mer- riam, who is again in the race to succeed himself. The issue is even more serious this time, with the lib- eral nominees favoring the *$30- every-Thursday' plan. Guesses have been made that mil- lions will be spent to beat the pen- sion gimmick and that radio will not be out there with boxing, gloves when the dinero is passed around. FCC STALLING ANTHONY DEALS Los Angeles, Sept. 6. Earle C. Anthony's two-way deal, that of buying KEHE from the Hearst interests and selling KECA (NBC blue) to a group of San Diego businessmen, with CBS in the back- ground, took another setback last week upon receipt of word from Washington that the commission has continued the hearing without set- ting a date. Transfers were to have been gone into by FCC Oct 121 Com- mlsh blessing is all that's holding up both transactions, as the physical aspects of the deals have been con- ■ummated. Anthony plans to use KEHE's f re- uency and substitute the KECA call letters. Whether CBS is still interested in the San Diego deal is debatable, lince the chain's new transmitter now pierces the south south coast fade area' without much trouble, and double the former intensity. NBC's blue here, on the far end of the dial, has long been a headache and cost Anthony and the network considerable biz. Acquisition, of KEHE's wave length would put the two NBC sta- tions ithin a few notches of each other in a preferential section on the band. Playing Down Comm'ls On Rnppert Beer Show Half-hour program which Ruppert beer has arranged to debut on WEAF, N. Y., Sept 20, will have practically no commercial copy. It will be strictly semi-classical dinner music, with Nat Shilkret conduct- ing, arid go on at 6 p.m.-Tuesdays and Fridays. Original contract, is for 13 weeks, but if the program shows results the account will sign for a 82-week extension. Merchandising vtie-in will Include newspapers, billboards and stereop- ticon slides. Lennen & Mitchell is the agency. R&R's Chi Additions Chicago, Sept. 6. Ros Metiger, radio chief for the RuUirauff & Ryan agency here, has further increased the ether staff. "wo new scribblers are pounding the typewriters, Dorothy Mallinson »nd Robert Gardner. Indications Ve that Metzger will make several other additions around the first of we year, especially in the produc- tion department. Fine Thing Los Angeles, Sept. 6. Southern. California's silk stocking istrict, Pasadena, long known as the 'city of millonaires,' will be represented in Congress by a hillbilly radio singer,, if Stuart Ham- blen is as successful in the November election as he was in last week's, primary., He did most of his campaign- ing on two loc radio stations with the sagebrush air troupe he heads. NIX ON BEER AS SPONSOR FOR FOOTBALL St Louis, Sept. 6. St. Louis stations broadcasting home. football games at the Uni- versities of Missouri and Illinois will not be per itted to have beer or liquor sponsors and must pay for the privilege. The tap at Columbia, Mo., is $100 per game, whether sustaining or commercial, while at Urbana, 111., stations are charged $50 if the broad- cast is a sus iner and $100 if it's sponsored. KMOX will broadcast three games from each university; KXOK, which starts operations Sep*. .20, will cover three Missouri home games and two. Illinois home contests: KSD has not determined the number it will cover from each school, although it has a sked of 10 games in the Mississippi Valley. KWK will cover outstanding games but has no skid, at this time, that includes Missouri and Illinois. , WEW and WIL will limit their football coverage to St. Louis, where the Washington and St. Louis Uni- versities make no charge.- The big football game of the season locally is between these two teams on Thanksgiving Day and all stations horn in. WTMV, in East St. Louis, will probably cover all of Illinois home games and also high school games in its area. Ayer Switches Sutter To Enlarged N. Y. Staff Philadelphia, Sept. 6. With switch of Clifford Sutter, ac- count exec, from the Philly to New York office last week, N. W, Ayer agency completed enlargement by three men of its Manhattan head- quarters. Previous week Donald H. Long'was shifted from London office and Robert Collins was added to the staff. Sutter will handle radio and gen- eral publicity. He started with the Ayer force in 1935 doing publicity on San Diego exposition. Collins, who will do radio writing, production and. merchandising,, was formerly v.p. of George H. Hart'man Company. Pbilco Strike Ends Philadelphia, Sept. 6. Strike which has kept the gigantic Philco radio manufacturing plant here closed since May 1 was ter i- nated today (Tuesday) with the sign- ing of an agreement between the company and United Electric, Radio and Machine Workers, CIO. End came with a secret ballot on accept- ance of a contract offered by Philco. Workers had. refused to accept it in open voting. Plant is expected to get under way by tomorrow (Wed.). As many of the 12,000 workers on the- payroll as of May 1,- 1937, as business warrants will be taken back. BLACK RIVER APPEALS IN D . C. Question Right of Comraish to Order Rehearings on Own Initiative — Water- town, N. Y., Outlet Points Up Fact No New Petitions Were Filed Radio Okay As Is, According To Philly Man-on-Street Poll POLITICAL DYNAMITE Washington, Sept. Right of the Federal Communica- tions Corrimi ion to. order new hear- ings on its own initiative—reputedly because of political 'considerations—: is slated for early argument in the District of Columbia Court of Ap- peals. Big radio docket is waiting for judges' return 'hom summer layoff. Unusual question comes before the appellate tribunal in proceeding, de- signed to prevent further delay in constructing the proposed' local out- let at Watertown, N. Y., of the Black River Valley Broadcasts, Inc. Case has many political, angles, including unproved charges that power trust moguls, unfriendly to the New Deal are angels for the contemplated transmitter, and.reflects rivalry with two other local groups in the up- state community. Resort to new weapons was a' failure at the outset, when the Fed eral District Court here denied peti- tion for an injunction Which would prevent the FCC from hearing the witnesses again. Correctness of the finding, by Justice Jennings Bailey, who concluded that the Black River crowd had other remedies at law, is the issue before the Court of Ap- peals. The Black River brief asserts that an injunction plea is the only prac- tical way. of ducking prolonged de- lay and unnecessary expense, as well as of safeguarding considerable ex- penditure of time, effort, and cash (station construction was under way when the'Commish vacated its grant and ordered de novo hearings). Legality of the new hearing order is challenged, inasmuch as the FCC did not act on reconsideration pleas of disappointed rivals, but rather re- opened the matter for undisclosed reasons of its own. Political Dynamite From the outset, the case has been filled with political dynamite.; After the Black River application was granted—in what opponents main- tain was suspiciously rapid fashion— whispers connected personalities in Niagara Hudson Power Corp. with the proposition and charge was made that prominent aide of Postmaster General Farley turned the heat on the FCC. Intervention of Gov. Her- bert Lehman is reported to lie be- hind the decision to think it over again, with White House orders rer putedly preceding the cancellation of the Black River grant. Reason for the political concern is the Ad- ministration's effort to bring to fruition plans for American-Can- adian development of the St. Law- rence Seaway, and fear that the power interests were seeking a radio outlet to stir up opposition to an in- ternational pact under which elec- trical possibilities of-the river would be exploited. The important legal questions raised by Eliot C. Lovett, counsel for Black River, center around, content tion that in the absence of a court order, the Commish could not on its own account disturb a final grant, except by revoking the papers. This was not done, rior was the re- hearing order based bn petitions of other parties, Watertown Broadcast- ing Co. and Watertown Times pub- lisher. FCC Didn't Give Reason Complai ing that his clients will be , irreparably damaged, Lovett emphasized that the FCC never ex- plained why the grant was set aside (Continued on page 32) Daily Headache Few news events in recent years have evoked the bitter- partisanship from listeners as has 'the coverage of the con- spiracy trial of James J. Hines, Tammany chieftain. Telephone calls flood the stations after each broadcast review, of the running testimony, with some listeners protesting against the alleged favoritism shown the defendant, and others taking the outlets to account for what is construed as strong bias toward the prosecution. There are also lots of letters. New York stations carrying these programs are beginning to look on .the event as a daily headache.- STRIKE DEADENS ROCH. OUTLET FOR 3 HRS. Rochester, Sept. 6. WSAY, here, went off the air for more-than three hours last Wednes- day (31) when technicians went on strike for more pay. They detuned the. transmitter and walked out at 1 p.m., leaving the station dead with no explanation over the air. General anager Gordon Brown, a licensed operator, worked 'frantic- ally to get back on, the air, but it was 4:18 before' he' succeeded. Shortly after he'reached'ah agree- ment with, the Electrical Workers Union for a 50 percent salary in- crease pending further negotiations, and the technicians returned to work. Brown said the walkout was the result of a misunderstanding caused by his resentment at a union leader's statement that 'if he couldn't pay adequate salaries he shouldn't be in business.' According to Arthur M. Bruczicki, business agent of the union, weekly salaries for five tech- nicians totaled $64. He said the chief operator received $18 when the union scale is $45, and his assistant $16 against a Union rate of $35. Two technicians received $10 and $5, re- spectively, the latter a part-time worker. This was the first serious labor trouble in the history of radio in Rochester. Technicians at. WHEC are members of the. Radio Teleg raphers Union. WHAM technical staff negotiated one contract as members of that union, but later withdrew and now operate on open- shop basis. -Philadelphia, Sept. 6. Radio is doing a good job just as it is, in the opinion of 111 out of 124 people interviewed by WFIL, in its unique man-on-the-strcet survey to determine listening habits and rcaci lions to broadcasting. Ten questions are asked of passers- by chosen at random.at noonday at Broad and Chestnut streets, city's busiest intersection. Replies are aired on a regular quarter-:hour show and recorded on wax. Tabulations are. made from the discs, which will be played back for any agency or client To the specific question. 'What could radio do to improve its pro- gi-Hir,?' 90% of those queried replied: 'Nothing: they're okay-as' is'.' Prin- cipal criticism was what commercials are overemphasized. ThVro were als a few derogatory remarks about re- corded shows shot full of spot an-, nouncemcnts. Order of program preference was .(I) Variety . shows, (2) usical shows, (3) Drama, (1) •" (5) Quiz, shows, (6) Sports. Among other things learned was that 121 out of the 124 interviewed had radios-in their homes and that the average listening time per day was two.and one-half to three hours. Femmes.LIke Serials In dramatic shows, women favored the serial type, while- men liked theirs complete in on program. About 90% thought that the adventure type of kids' shows arc definitely helpful in building morals and character. Less than 3% thought that these pr grams are harmful in any way, whi 76% confessed they listened to some of them' themselves. 'Lone Ranger* rated first place, with 'Flash Gordon* second. Of 124 asked, 68 said they con- sciously looked for local productions; 51 said they stuck to the networks, and five said they had no preference. Special. ' events broadcasting, was called 'colorful and interesting' by 81, who said there'wasn't enough of it Twenty-two; thought most special features so much hooey, while 21 didn't give a. toot about them either way. • Seventy of those asked thought there are enough good musical, cul- tural and educational programs on the air; 21 thought there are too many, while 12 wanted more: Ninety of 124 preferred their news Without editorial comment and 102 were op- posed to anything that might smack of government control of radi REPORT DOC, IKE LEVY BUYING PHILLY TEAM Philadelphia, Sept. 6. Doc and Ike Levy, prcz and v.p. of WCAU,-respectively, are reported to be in on a syndicate which has bought or is about to buy a con- troling interest in the Phillies, Na- tional League ball club. Also in on the deal, it is under- stood, is M. L. Annexiberg, publisher of the Philly Inquirer and the N. Y, Morning Telegraph. Mark Warnow Goes On Blue Velvet program', tinder the direction of ark Warnow, Columbia musical director, will run on indefi- nitely. Program of popular and semi- classical tunes was previously a sum- mer affair, fading off with the advent of commercial pickups. Warnow will also have the 'We. the People' program, starting Sept. 27 on CBS. CANTOR TESTS SMALL STUDIO Hollywood, Sept 6. Figuring his stage technique un- suited to broa icasting, that of try- ing to make his voice reach to. the rear pews, Eddie Cantor last week experimented in one of the smaller studios at KNX. He made a surprise appearance on 'Studio Parly,' Coast network siislainer, in a two-minute, bit. Auditorium has seats for only 200,' whereas the main studio, where his program originates, comfortably holds 1,000. Cantor was impressed with the test, but will take a couple more tries before reaching a definite de- cision. Intimate spot convinced co- median that he can do a better home dialer job arid still not deprive the studio mob of any of his antics, vocal or visual. Should Cantor decide on a move to a smaller studio it \ il' be a hard blow to the cuffo snatchcrs, who prey on his program and pack the studio at all broadcasts, includi the night-bc/ore dress rehearsal. Jimmy Shields, tenor, set for reg- ular spot in new Pall all program on WEAF, N. Y.