Variety (Sep 1938)

/ 31 •VARIETY'S* LONDON OFFICR. • SU Martin's IMaee, Trafolmr Sqourei INTERNATIONAL RADIO OM« Addresa: VARIETX. LONDON Telephone Temple Bu Mil-mils RADIO VS. VISIO NOW MAJOR BATTLE IN ENGLAND; BBC SPLIT Radio Contends Tele Still Few Years Off for Stix, but Ballyhoo Has Public So Hypoed They're Not Buying New Sets London, Aug. 30. While the current Radiolympia is putting television into its stride with the biggest boost yet given to the service, a mighty battle wages on the inside of the radio industry here to decide whether visio goes forward or is kept in check to let radio con- tinue to make all the running. Mak- ing the situation still more piquant and fraught with possibility is the attitude of the British Broadcasting Corp., which in itself is divided into opposing camps on the selfsame is- sue. At bottom is the basic fact visio is rapidly outdistancing itself, the ar- tificial boost it has been getting in recent months having worked up the public to a pitch of enthusiasm where they look to tele as their en- tertainment of the near future, so that radio as such is likely to And itself on the skids. This is the contention of those who are struggling tooth and claw to keep the situation as is. With a strong element of justification, they bitterly assail the big biz interests who are forcing television ahead, claiming that the livelihood of manu- facturers who are straining to keep up radio sales is in dire jeopardy. In this, moreover, they have support of the dealers in all parts of the U. K., and especially those outside the London television reception range, who see the customers hold- ing on to their old sets, preferring not to go to market for newer models in the belief that by next year they will be getting visio-radio instruments at the price they are now expected to pay for sound sets only. Still Several Years Off The ballyhoo that has culminated in handing over Olympia's annual radio exposition completely to the television interests has built up a facade which effectually conceals from the populace that all the fuss is premature by several years, and that those who anticipate a look-see ether service shortly on a national scale face disappointment. It is admitted on all sides of the industry that business needed a stimulant, and interest In the Radio Show had begun to nose-dive sig- "^"BLUE PENCIL •JpHE size of WSM's voluntary audience has been built not by net- wor shows which are available from many sources, but from the unique manner in which we handle the sustaining and commercial broadcasts originating at WSM. The continuities for all these broadcasts are subjected to careful scrutiny and editing. Unless copy is in keeping with the WSM standard it is blue penciled and rewritten by our own staff. Commercial copy must meet these standards: 1. Is the product meri- torious? 2. Are the claims for it truthful? 3. Arc tbey in good taste? This is the all inclusive test of a WSM broadcast. Is it in the Public Interest ? This self-imposed censorship lins a two-fold purpose—to justify the faith of one of the largest voluntary radio audiences in America and to protect the good name of the products wc advertise to them. jHIMIHIIM HEzna niBcantly in the last year or so. By swamping the exhibition with visio sets this year, and dragging in BBC to cooperate to the fullest degree, the promoters are certainly bring- ng the public back in, but in the final outcome it is doubtful whether they will be spending the money for radios tricked out with a multi- plicity of new gadgets while it is be- ing plugged on all sides that tele- vision is at their elbow. Via press statements, advertising, radio announcements by BBC's deputy director general, listeners are inevitably bolstered into belief that a national service is waiting at the door, when not only members of RMA, but BBC itself, knows it will be a matter of two or more years before there are transmitters for others than the citizens of London, At this time, research is going into possibilities of reaching the sticks by means of ultra short wave stations, which would pick up transmissions from Alexandra Palace and pass them to Birmingham or other key cities, where full size stations would then put them out for home viewers. Sequel to Cable Failure Such plan is a sequel to failure of the hoped-for twin cable pipeline service the BBC had hoped to op- erate in conjunction with General Post Office, but it must obviously be many months before any such net- work could be devised, even sup- posing it would operate, which has not yet been ascertained. Even were that situation not enough to slow down the rate of ad- vance, the attitude of BBC, and the Government behind it, is sufficient guarantee that nothing will be ef- fected in a hurry. With BBC itself split, although visio boosters are for a moment in the driver's seat, it is difficult to foresee direct progress, and the canny Government attitude, which is unwilling to commit itself without first deciding just how tele- vision is going to serve its particu- lar ends, further ensures there will be no hasty development. State's stranglehood on BBC be- comes clearer each day, and resigna- tion of Sir John Reith removed the last obstacle to its complete dom- ination of the air. Although Reith was personally opposed to giving television its head, it is known he did rule BBC according to his own regulations and refused to put him- self under the Government thumb. But with appointment, directly through the Government, of a suc- cessor, the case is altered. What will happen to television as a public service is a matter only for the Television Advisory Committee, a Government controlled body, to decide. Under the existing regime, the whels of national progress move with infinite slowness; whatever progress is made will be so gradual as to be almost imperceptible. With television under such control, the outlook is indeed bleak. Static Headache How to suppress interference on visio transmissions is a headache for BBC and General Post Office officials. Short wave transmissions used for visio admi'. forms of static unknown on normal radio medium and long wavebands, main sources of which are igniti. i systems of auto- mobiles and similar engines, small electric motors and electro-medical apparatus. First two can be checked simply and at small cost, but screening of medical plant is :o..ipIicated and ex- pensive; in any case, owners of sources of interference are expected to foot the bill. All the $et owner can do, meanwhile, is to use a di- rectional aerial, but without guaran- tee this will do the trick; owners living near heavily trafficked high- ways have no remedy, it seems, un- less resistors are fitted as standard equipment to sparkplug leads of all autos. Washington Lobby Washington, Sept. 6. Covering politics has become a steady nightmare for Washington pro- gram planners. Newest example of criticism growing out of well-inten- tioned scheduling is a newspaper-column attack on CBS for offering fret time to Representative John J. O'Connor, running for re-election in New York's silk-stocking district in the face of personal denunciation of Presi- dent Roosevelt. Unfriendly point was made that two web bigshots (Paul A. Porter, Washington attorney, and Judge John J. Burns, special counsel for the monopoly probe) are ex-New Dealers. Laugh is on the Democratic strategists who were so alarmed about radio coverage of President Roosevelt's holiday invasion of Maryland in behalf of Representative Davey Lewis, favorite New Deal senate.candidate. After an administration legman left for Denton, small eastern shore community where F. D. R. talked Labor Day, to see about wire lines, web officials revealed they had arranged telephone links a week or more previously. The New Dealers became frantic upon learning only one long-distance wire hooked Denton to the Bell system, visioning diabolical plot by sup- porters of incumbent Senator Millard Tydings to tie it up while the Prez was spieling. Echoes of the Anning S. Prall regime at the FCC .were heard in District of Columbia courts this week. Appeal in the delicate Black River Valley (N.Y.) case, due for argument in the fall, and in the Hannibal ( o.) case, also on October docket, both grew out of intrigue while the late Staten Islander was heading the commish. In the New York case, gossip was that Democratic fixers induced FCC to grant application of a corporation said to be angeled by the power trust, in disregard of the White House anxiety to put over a treaty providing for American-Canadian exploitation of the St. Lawrence River's hydro-electric possibilities. The Missouri matter has been accompanied by whispers that the commish followed advice of a state relief boss in deciding which of two rivals should get a grant. Political cat fights—besides causing pain to broadcasters who operate in political 'purge' areas—last week accounted for much of the picayunish business of the FCC already groaning under the handicap caused by the absence of vacation-minded commissioners. To Commissioner Eugene O. Sykes, old-line Democrat of Mississippi, fell many odd chores, such as okaying, for WMAZ, Macon, Ga., special temporary authority to clear the way for extra-curricular operation in behalf of Senator George, who is spotted for political extinction by the New Deal. Sen. George will keep WMAZ working overtime on Sept. 13 to broadcast another blast at the administration. Already has utilized the station for an anti-Roosevelt squawk (31). WMAZ also was privileged to stay awake Sept. 13 to air the election returns. Sykes also gave WFMD, Frederick, Md., the right to emulate King Solo- mon,, in permitting both anti-New Deal Sen. Tydings and Rep. David J. Lewis (White House favorite) an equal opportunity to take their cases before the knob-twiddlers last week. Besides acting as impartial ump in many pre-primary state squabbles, Sykes must see to it that the Kentucky State Softball Finals and other sports events are carried to the radio audience. Defeat of Congressman William D. MacFarlane of Texas cheered broad- cast representatives. He was driving spirit behind the movement to put both the industry and the FCC on the pan during last two sessions of Congress. Ed Gossett, his conquerer, is not known to have any special interest in broadcasting, but political snoopers wonder if he will stir up trouble over that Wichita Falls matter, where the company launched hy MacFarlane's father won the nod. CBC's New Link Montreal, Sept. 6. New link to the CBC basic net- work, station CHGB, opens Thurs- day (8) at Ste. Anne de la Pocatiere. New station has 100 watt power and will be fed NBC programs through CBC. Zenith's Profit Zenith Radio showed a profit of $124,806 for the three months ended on July 31, after charges but before federal taxes. Company had $1,122,184 profit in similar quarter of 1937. Ex-Scribe Gets New Post at CKAC, Mont'l Montreal, Sept. 6. Henri Lelondal, former newspa- perman and radio producer, has been appointed artistic and musical di- rector at Station CKAC, a newly cre- ated position. Letondal was director of the Pro- vincial Hour for several years. Be- fore that he was on the editorial slaff of 'La Patrie,' 'Le Canada' and 'L'll- lustration' at various times. TAKE A CHOICE CUT ... in. this Billion Dollar Market Southern New England, with its consistent billion dollars of spend- able income, offers a juicy piece of business to any advertiser. And it's a matter of record that the surest way to assure a really choice cut in this responsive market is through this area's most popular station—WTIC. Here is the way WTIC rates—with listeners and advertisers— Transradio News NOW AVAILABLE on WTIC 15 Minute Periods 8 A.M. 1 P.M. 6 P.M. 11 P.M. DAILY FIRST IN LISTENER POPULARITY by more than 2 to 1 IN NUMBER OF NETWORK ADVERTISERS IN NUMBER OF NATIONAL SPOT ADVERTISERS 50,000 WATTS WTIC HARTFORD. CONN. THE TRAVELERS BROADCASTING SERVICE CORPORATION MEMBER NBC RED NETWORK AND YANKEE NETWORK Paul W. Morancy, General Manager Representative!: Weed i Company Jamee F. Clancy, Bustneil Manager New York, Detroit, Chicago, San Franelieo