Variety (Mar 1939)

44 VARIETY RADIO Wednesdajr, March 22, I939 CRAVEN DEFENDS PRESS OWNERSHIP; DISSENTS FROM NEW DISCRIMINATION' Allentown Stations Set for Hearing on Publisher Plea—Issue Long Pending May Be Forerunner of FCC Policy Shift Washington, March 21. Sudden revision ot long-stai-ding regulatory jMlicy and arbitrary adoption of principle of discrimina- ting between different types of ap- plicants was fieared In Industry and legal circles this week following FCC feud over newspaper ownership of radio stations. Issue which has provolced lively debate - for months Is presented squarely in order for hearing on. the applications for merger of WSAN and WCBA, Allen- town (t*enn.). Another Commlsh split over pro- cedure led to sharp criticism of the majority—Chairman Frank R. Mc- Minch, and Commissioners Eugene O. Sykes, George Henry Payne, and Paul A. Walker^by one of the two dissenters. Commissioner T. A. M. Craven. Other negative vote was cast by Commissloaer Norman S. Case, with Commissioner Thad H. Brown absent and not iiarticipating. Whether newspapers should be permitted to own stations in situa- tions which give them a monopoly on methods of spreading news and advertising Is the sole Important question Involved in the case. Matter comes up at a time when tlie Com- mish majority Is sidestepping a com- prehensive policy report—prepared by the rules committee of Craven, Case, and Payne—advising how the proposition should be handled in order to protect the public, the press, sponsors, and broadcasters. The l^e Is presented in .the ap- plication of the Lehigh Valley Broadcasting Co. for consent to ac' quire the license of WSAN and WCBA, two time-sharers operating en 1,440 kc. with 500 watts. New company would be owned by present proprietors of tlie individual stations, with the publisher 'of the Allentown YOV ARE INVITED TO LISTEN TO THE PREMIERE PERFORMANCE OP ARCH ObOLER'S PLAYS Saturday March 25th NBC Red, 10 P.M. (E.S.T.) First Performance: 'THE UGLIEST MAN IN THE WORLD" CaU holding 65% and B. Bryan Mus- selman, now manager of the outlets and licensee of WCBA, having the remaining 35%; Pointing to traditional position. Craven filed a long statement giving his reasons for voting against the hearing and charging that the pro- cedure is highly improper move in the direction of policy-making. Legal power to ban the press was chal- ienged. Craven remarked that 240 licensees are directly linked with newspapers, holding that every one is entitled to be heard in the event the Commish is considering a prin- ciple which would prevent publish- ers from having any stake in radio. Craven sums up: '1. Tlie Commission has no power imder the Communications Act of 1934 to adopt such a policy. '2. Even assuming the Commis- sion has discretion In the matter, such a policy would be contrary to public interest, convenience, or necessity. '3. A hearing -on particular ap- plications is not a proper or fair metliod of determining whether such a policy should be adopted.' In his discussion. Craven defended newspaper-owned stations for their contributions to the art and business of broadcasting, besides pointing out the inconsistency in procedure and the doubt whether the Commish has the legal power to adopt any prin- ciple ot this kind. If the govern- ment intends to discriminate against Individuals engaged in other busi- ness, Congress should lay down the rule, not the regulators, he con- tended, and all parties should be accorded equal treatment as long as the present law stands. In commenting on the previous policy, Craven remarked that 35 plants were owned by publishers when the 1927 Radio Act was adopted and the number has greatly In- creased, with the approval of the regulatory bodies. Latest count showed 238 press-owned stations, while three newspapers — Omaha World Herald, Phoenix (Ariz.), Re- Dublic and Gazette; and Newport News (Va.) Daily News and Times- Herald—have been permitted to ac- quire transmitters since the start of the year. If the Commish fears newspaper proprietors will not pay enough at- tention to their broadcasting obliga- tions, better way to make them toe the mark would be to require every licensee to incorporate separately. Rather than play fast and loose with the Federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Before applying any such fitness test, the FCC might con. sider whether it Is Justified In singling out publishers and not tak- ing action against insurance com- panies, automobile distributors, de- partment stores, and manufacturers who are active in radio. Mrs. Brown Takes Accts. To Barnes & Aaron Agcy. Philadelphia, March 21. Harvey Best agency here shuttered last week after four-and-one-half years' operation. Harry B. Schwartz was prez. Thre^ radio accounts han- dled by the agency went with Mrs. D. C. Brown to Barnes & Aaron agency. They are Dr. Locke's Shoes, Southern Fish and Conte Dina To- mato Paste. Wilen Wine and McDonald & Campbell accounts, handled by Wil- liam Delaney, shifted with him to the Carter-Thompson agency. John Petriclc, who handled Bruder Faint account, is still unattached. Spot Campaigns MobttgOM and Mobiloil set with WCAE, Pittsburgh, for daily lO-min- ut« newscast, In addition to four other flashes each day, over 13-week stretch. Announcers Bob McKee and Norman Twigger will do the report- ing, each taldng alternate items. Donald tfovis discs sold by KQV, Pittsburgh, to Sweet Clean Damp Laundry. KQV, Pittsburgh, has sold Johnny Boyer's 'Meet Your Neighbor' pro- gram to Liberty Home Science Bakers for 13 weeks. Quarter-hour daily will emanate from Rosen- baum's department store and -will consist of Boyer shooting humorous questions to lady shoppers in inter- view style. Fort Pitt Breuilnff Co. has renewed weekly half-hour Tap Time show on KDKA, Pittsburgh, for another 52 *♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦«♦*♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»» Magazine Stuff About Radio Heitzman Joins WCKT Cincinnati, March 21. Bill Heitzman has been added to WCKY's engineering staff. Formerly as chief engineer of WBLK, Clarks- burg, W. Va. //ef DlrMtlun I.OBD * THOMAS H!iii.min»iit EI) WOIT KKO Dills.. New York NBC has tabulated some 49 different magazines that carried articles directly or indirectly concerning radio during 1938. Greatest volume ot radio news appears (speaking for publications ot general readership) in News-Week and Time: Life, Scribners, Liber^, Saturday Evening Post and Stage are others to carry a fair amount on radio. Both NBC (Julian Street, Jr.) and CBS (John Lageman) have liaison officers who help magazines get material on radio. Some of the magazines remain steadfastly indifferent to radio, but In general there's a spreading Interest in the glamorous side of the trade. Among articles on radio last year were these: TITLE OF ARTICLE MAGAZINE Radio Quiz Programs Young America So You Want to Be an Announcer Young America National Religious Radio , Christian Herald Skywords '. The Churchman More Music, Please Saturday Evening Post Children Respond Woman's Day Issue on the Air Better Times High Lights '. Young America Radio's News Service Proves Efficiency Young America Television Invades Theatre Week^ Illustrated Classical Music Comes Into Own Young America Edward R. Murrow Scribners Radio Peddle Sex? Never ' Ken Frank Black Coronet Taking Parts Country Gentleman Sue for Yourself Cue Radio and the Monroe Doctrine Current History Jam Session—Benny Goodman Pictorial Yawn Comes In Like Thunder Readers' Digest Tune Up and Tune In ; Readers' Digest Radio Rescues the Musical Amateur Rotarian Photographing Radio Stars Popular Photography CBS Establishes First Radio Institute for Teachers....School Management Mae West . ; Scribners Jack Benny Scribners Boake Carter Scribners One Mirtute to Go , Saturday Evening Post The KiUer-Diller Saturday Evening Post Dogfight on the Air Waves Saturday Evening P'ost Who Knows What Is Funny? W. C. Fields Saturday Evening Post Mahitaining Radio Interest ' .Etude Hour ot Charm ; .Etude Radio Flashes Etude Toscanini on the Air Fortune Sarnofl ; Fortune F. C. C..,.. —Foftune Radio II—A $45,000,000 Talent BiU Fortune Two Million Words—Ima Phillips Fortune Radio I—A $140,000,000 Art Fortune NBC Studio Tour— Mademoiselle The Voice—Lowell Thomas ; Mademoiselle Exclusive—HuBhes Flight Modern Mechanix Education on the Air Parents Outstanding Service to Children iParents Ethereal Taboos New Yorker A Cigarette by Any Name Nation 'Radio Comes Through Nation Let There Be Light-M. H Aylesworth iNation Toscanini Broadcasts ', Nation Toscanini : ,.; ; .CosiiiopoUten Choosin? Your Career ..Cosmopolitan No Rustling Programs Harper's Bazaar Business Finds Its Voice Harper's Magazine Music for the Million Ladies Home Journal Heavenward Ascending Ladies Home Journal Television Vogue Futurist (Betty Goodwiri) American'Magazine It's the Way You Say It ... ; Collier's Open Letter to Rudy Vallee .■.■.■.Commentator Stopwatch Music _ Commentator The Private Life of Baby Snooks. ;. .. . Liberty Quiz Crazy ; iLiberty CanYouTakea Joke—Jack Benny Liberty The Stroud Twins ; Liberty The Private Life of Betty Lou Liberty weeks. Includes Maurice Spitalny*! band, Billy Sherman, Faye Parker and Martha May Briney. Jack Graney'a baseball resumes for coming season, IS-minute shots seven nights weekly at 5:45 over WHK, Cleveland, bought by P. Loril- lard. Lubecfc Beer also Is taking on Pinky Hunter's baseball finals, 15- minutes on a six-arweek sked, over W(XE, Cleveland. Durfcee-Motoer, Inc., I<ynn, Mass. CMarshmallow Fluff') extended cur- rent. "Fluflerette' musicale series on Yankee Net for four more 15-min- ute broadcasts, to April 30. Contract also signed for series ot 34 IS-mih- ute live programs with, same talent, beginning Sept 10, 1939, ending April 23, 1940 . (Sundays, 6:45). Through Harry M. Frost Advertising Ageiicy, Boston. . John Morrelt &■ Co. (Ottumwa, Iowa) CE-Z Cut Hams')^8 par- ticipations In Gretchen McMullen program, starting Feb. 21, ending July 27, 1039. Tuesdays and Thurs- days. Tuesdays, WNAC and WEAN. Thursdays, WNAC, WTIC, WEAN. WTAG, WICC, WCSH, WFEA, WSAR, WLLH, WNLC, WLNH, WRDO, WHAI, WBRK. Through Hurst & McDonald, CHiIcago. WLBZ, WNBH, WCOU, Henri, Wm. S. Scull Co. (Camden, N. J.) CBosco Milk Amplifler*) — 26 par- ticipatlons in Yankee Network News Service, starting Feb. 22, ending May 19,1939. Wednesday and Fridays on WNAC, WEAN, WICC^ WCH, WLBZ, WFEA, WSAR, WLLH, WNBH. WNLC, WLNH, WRDO, WCOU, WHAI, WSPR, WTHT and WATR. Through Kenyon 6 Eckhardt, N. Y. C. Lindsav-NUe, Inc. makers of Queen of Sbet^a Carrot and Beet Juice, testing five per week IS-min- ute program, 'Interesting to Women,' with Cathrync Carlyle. KTUL, Tulsa. MnOMTUNUUIIUIVES : HUM— PCTWr 4fc Ctt = ON THE NBC RED NETWORH TO COVKB GREAT BRITAIN TOU IIDST DSE RADIO NORMANDY Foil PartlcnUin ot Air Tlma aad Talent trom InteiBational Broadcaiting Company, Ltd. 37, Portland Place, London, W.I. W0AL Ut'Scdtuncte -Newspaper, Radfo In Glass Brick Building Charlotte, N. C, March 21. WWNC, Asheville, is in a brand new home, built in connection with its parent, the new Asheville Citi- zen-Times building. Architect made it all look like one new structure, but radio and newspaper buildings are entirely separate and divided by a wall of air, designed to eliminate vibrations from tlie heavy printing machinery in the daily's end ot the business. Its a glass-brick building. Terrific in Texas ! •^H PAULWHITEMAN AND HIS AIX-AMEBICAN B.UID • Broke all Attendance Records at the South- west Exposition ond Rodeo, Fort Worth, Texas, doubling into the Round-Up Club. Booked Exoloslvcl/ by ARTISTS MANAGEMENT, Inc. IT EASf 43th STREKt MEW VOBK Telephone—MDnar Hin .Z-188S Tane In CHESTKBI-JKLD PROOBAU CBS, Coast-to-Coant - Wed. 8>S0 PJtl.. EST