Variety (Apr 1939)

Wednesday, Aprit 19, 1939 RADIO VARIETY 39 CBS SEESMAN-DOMINATED Radio DaffodUs « Hllwankee—A near-sighted youth, lugging a belated entry to t he "M a Perkins' annual spring seed offer, rushed breathlessly up to a WTMJ receptionist 'I wanta get this ia I hope I'm not late.' The beautiful brunette smiled assuringly. 'I'll take it' The lad looked quizzically through tUck glasses. 'Are you Ma Perkins?' Dnlatb-rWilllam Claybrbok billed as The Human Cork' gave a pool- —llde demonstration at the YMCA of how he was unable'to sink. A pseudo- human corjc was present to challenge Cliaybrook, but was showed up for an imposter. KDAL broadcast a gurgle-by-gurgle. Cbarlesten, S. C—Bob Leigh's Tood for Thought' program on WCSC had to be temporarily discontinued because the surge of tourist business in the Hotel Francis Marion's dining room where the stanza originates cre- ated a shortage of space. PUIadelphla^-Stan Lee Broza WCAITs program director and m.c. on its Eom & Hardart Children's Hour, was in the midst of his commercial on Sunday (2) when one of the smaller of the kids began to yowl. Broza paused, moved the mike nearer so the moppet could be heard more clearly and then, as its mother carried it out, announced: 'Even children cry for Horn & Hardart food.' Cleveland—A clerk in one of the Kroger stores approached a customer recently. 'What will you have, sir?' he asked. •Give me 2,500 eggs,' was th« reply from Sidney Andorn, WGAR special cventsman. The clerk called the manager, the manager called the' division office, the division office called Andorn. What did he want the eggs for? For racing purposes. He was having a mob of kiddies play hare and bound with hen fruit so that VGAR could broadcast the uproar. •We want to get in on this,' said Kroger. Upshot was the grocery chain sponsored the race and provided the eggs. BUnneapolls.—Seneca, Iowa, farmer who listens to WCCO's early pro- grams every ayem, heard announcer Clellan Card recommend installing radio sets in hateheries to make hens lay better. Clodhopper bought an $11 radio, installed it in the hennery, but when he spun the dial for the first number, an orchestra was blaring 'Hold Tightl' San Francisco.—^Distinction of presenting a horse on the air direct from the studio is claimed by KFRC, Mutual-Don Lee outlet here, which last wsek aired a 'Feminine Fancies' broadcast on which the guests included the race horse, 'Malicious.' OUT SELLING BIZ Responsible. for Network's Brilliant Deals but Sensed as an Organizational Weakness on Administra- tion Side—^Matter Now Be- ing Adjusted NEW POUCY DUE The Columbia Broadcasting Sys- tem is reported as preparing to re- organize - the administrative setup of ita sales department. The pur- pose Is to develop a more efficient co-ordination of its various selling components so that the frequent dilemma in which one division finds another division of the network competing against it for an account will be avoided. This waste of ef- fort and confusion is proving much too costly and embarrassing, and re- mains the outstanding -weakness in the Columbia organization. All sales ideas, plans and ap- proaches would have to clear through this chief administrator and all inoves in those directions regard- less of whether it involved network campaigns or major spot accounts on CBS-operated properties would be checked with him at all times. To the trade Columbia has always figured as being topheavy on sales- men in both the official and .-the executive brackets. William S. Paley does no small share of sell- ing on his own. Edward Klauber, the executive v. p. has continued to maintain some of his sales connec- tions despite his administrative bur- dens, while Paul Kesten, who ranks third in the official roster, person- ally handled the deal which brought Amos 'n' Andy over to CBS. Wil- liam B. Lewis, v. p. in charge of. programs, devotes much of his time to direct selling. Even Mefford R. Runyon, third rating v, p., has a finger in on sales as the official whose duties include the super- vision of Radio Sales, Inc., national spot selling outfit for the CBS man- aged and operated stations. About the only CBS v. p. that os- tensibly stays away from selling or hasn't his pet accounts is Herbert Akerberg, who has charge of station relations. Lawrence W. Lowman, who holds the title of v. p. in charge of operations. Includes a sell- ing organization, Columbia Artists, Inc., within his sphere of super- vision. Recent splash of $6,000,000 in new accounts at CBS proves the salesmen get results. Columbia figures that It's business In May will be around 50% better than it was for the like month of 1938. The estimated weekly new and renewal business for this May is $35,675 as compared with $18,- 611 for the average week in May, '38. This represents a ^oost of 91.7%. The weekly cancellations last May came to $36,890. -For the average week this May it Is estimated they will be $22,890, or 37.6% less than they were in 1938. FRED THOMPSON BUSINESSMAN Henry OToole at WTAG Worcester, April 18. Henry CToole was added to WTAG staff to have general super- vision of announcers and program activity. He was with station a few years ago as conductor of a shopping mart. Washington, April 18. Frederick Ihgate Thompson, Mis- sissippi newspaperman. Inducted into office as a member of the Federal Communications Commission, Thurs- day (13). Appointed by President Roosevelt to fill the vacancy caused by resignation of Commissioner Eu- - gene O. Sykes, Thompson will top off a long career as a newspaper publisher and shipping man with at least two years in which to find out If he cares to continue In the tur- bulent- post of FCC Commissioner. Will serve out the remainder of Judg6 Sykes' term, which expires in July, 1941. New Commissioner was born at Aberdeen, Miss., and became editor of the Aberdeen Weekly at the age of 17. Newspaper publishing experi- ence Includes: Chief ownelr and pub- lisher of the Mobile, Ala., Dally and Sunday Register, 1909-32; owner and publisher of the Mobile News-Item, 1916-1932; owner and publisher of the Birmingham Daily and Sunday Age-Herald, 1922-27, bnd a director of the Associated Press for approxi- mately 10 years. Since 1922 has owned and published the Montgom- ery, Ala., Journal, an evening ^eet Ray Linton Back in Biz Chicago, April 18. Ray Linton, who recently returned from a journey to South America, is setting up once more in the general station rep business here. Has negotiations on with several stations and expects to be organized in a week or so. NEW YORE 154 W. 46tfa SL CHICAGO 54 W. Randolph HOLLYWOOD 1708 No. Vine SL 1,200 Pages 2/3 Actual Size LONDON 8 St. Martin's PL Trafalgar Square The 1939-40 VARIETY RADIO DIRECTORY, now in editorial and advertising preparation, is an ideal advertising medium for stations and talent. Consider the value of this PAID CIRCULATION: AGENCIES buying 96.5% of oOl national radio time, both network and spot, eaoh purchased from one to ten copies of the Radio Directory. SPONSORS whose budgets total well over $65,000,000 annually, not including spot radio, each purchased from one to three copies of the Radio Directory. • ADVERTISn^G RATES FuU page $175.00 Half page 90.00 Quorter page 50.00 Bleed, per page, extra... 25.00 Color, per page, extra... 25.00 (These rates are net)