Variety (Apr 1939)

Wednesday April 19. 1939 RADIO VARIETY 41 John Royal Among Speakers Set For Ohio State s 10th Aimi Meeting John Royal of NBC will tackle the hot potato problem at a round-table discussion in Columbus May. 2 at Ohio State University's annual (the 10th) Institute of Education by Radio. Royal will discuss Handling Contro- versial Issues.' This is the same troublesome theme that Fred Willis of CBS handled at last spring's session with some embarassment when Mr. Ford's Mr. Camieroii was mentioned. Other radio personages due to speak include Emerson Markham of WGY, Schenectady; Caesar Saerchinger, Neville Miller, Judith Waller, Sterling Fisher, Franklin Dunham and Joe Reis. Full schedule follows: Mondayi May 1 (AFTERNOON) 1, AfTloultural Bnadcasta, Room 1470 O. Bm«non ltarkti>m, In Chak-ge of Agricultural Br«adcuts, Station WQT, Sohe- nectady, Clialnnan 1. School Broadcaita, Room 1440 A. S. Barr, Proceraor ol Bducatlon, Unlveralty ot WlacoiulD, Cbalrman 5, Badio Oourecs In Oclt«(«a and UnlTCraltlea. Room 1437 H. I<. Bnbank, Department ot Epeech, University Of Wlicongln, Ctaalrman 4. ttesaarcb In Badlo Education, Boom 10S7 J. Wayne Wrishtstone, Aawclate Director, Bvalnatlon ot Bctiocl Broadcaata, Ohio State Unlveralty, Ctaalrmaa 8. The Educational Uaea of Facsimile, Ultra-High Frequency Statlona and Recording, Boom 1340 Bllaniorth Dent, Director, Educational Department, RCA Uanutacturlng Company, Chairman 6, Broadcaats tor Oeneral Education, Room 1640 Caeaar Saerchinger, American HIatorlcal Aaaoclatlon, Chairman 7, Broadcaatlng by Community Service Organlzatlona, Room 1379 Byron B. Wllllama, Program Supervisor, Station WOSD, Ohio State Unlveralty, Cbalrman Tuesday, May 2 (MORNING) Social Administration BulMing Presiding, Judith Waller Educational Director, Central DIvlalon National Braadcastlng Co. - DBMONSTRATIQN OF UTILIZATION OF A CLASSROOM BROADCAST Student group under the leaderahlp ot Mrs. Helen Uoore, Classroom Teacher, Detroit Public Schools . ■VALUATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION Bterllng Fisher, American School ot the Air, Columbia Broadcaatlng System Franklin Dunham, Educational Director, National Broadcasting Co., New York Joseph Rels, Nation's School ot the Air, Station WL,W Xiouls B. Fatha, Elvaluatlon, Bureau of Educational Research, Ohio State University (NIGHT) 1. Dramatic Programs, Room 1440 Earla McGllI, Casting Director, Columbia Broadcasting System X Forum Programs, Room 1437 . Alien Miller, University ot Broadcaatlng Council, Chicago 1. Handling Controversial laauea. Room IMO ^ John Royal, V. P. In Charge of Programs, National Broadcaatlng Co. 4. Fubllo Relatione Broadcasts, Room 1E37 Karl Bema, Assistant Secretary for Field Service, Ohio Education Association 0. The Radio Workshop, Room 1470 Larty Roller, Educational Director, Stations WHK-WCLB, Cleveland Training School Directors of Radio, Room 1370 William D. Boutwell, Director, Radio Project, United Slates Onice ot Education T. The Princeton Study, Room 1037 Paul tAzarsfleld and Staff •. The Wlaconain Study, Room 1048 Lester Ward Parker and Staff 0, Bvaluatlon of School Broadcasts, Room 1340 I. Keith Tyler and Staff Wednesday, May 3 (MORNING) Social Administration Building Presiding, W. I. Orlltlth Director of Radio, Iowa State College Effect of Radio on Listener Attitudes R. R. Lowdermilk, Ohio State University Professional Training in Great Britain Philip Cohen, Production Director, Educational Radio Project, United Stales Office ot Education How School Broadcasting Unlta Study Their Listeners Tracy F. TVIer, College of Bducatlon, University ot Minnesota eneral Discussion ^|en MORE LOWDOWN ON WAXES GIVEN FCC; CBS-WORLD DEAL SPARED PUBUCI1Y ■f- Rosenberg Condemns NBC Policy on Off-the-Line— Percy Deutsch Heard—Cyril Langlois Raps ASCAP—Non-Copyrights Hard to Sell Washington, April 18. More complaints about unfair NBC barriers in the way of off-line re- cording by independent disc-cutters, together with added appeals for pro- mulgation of quall^ standards and changes in the announcement rule, went into the FCC chain-monopoly investigatimi record last week as re- mainder of the transcriptipn makers took the stand. Anticipated airing of the CBS- World deal was blocked by stipula- tion of attorneys that confidential information should not be disclosed until the transaction is completed. The Commish added a bit, however, to its' gradually expanding knowl- edge about Transamerican and found out about the tax-free music efforts of NAB and Lang-worth. Complaints about the NBC policy were echoed by Emanuel J. Rosen- berg, Transamerican v.p. Terming the ban on indie recordings unfair, Rosenberg noted the web limits the use to which an advertiser can put his program and upsets caihpalgns by forcing them to obtain recordings from RCA. Although he offered to pay any extra costs, NBC refused to permit his firm to obtain indie platters of a program staged by one of Transamerican's clients. Per- mission also has been denied by MBS but has been granted by CBS. Did $2,600,000 BiE Rosenberg disclosed that Trans- american, buying its platters in the open market and mostly from RCA, did $2,500,000 worth of business Of alt kinds last year. Actual record- ing business was about $100,000 to $125,000. Spent $250,000 to $300,000 for talent used on its wax programs, getting performers through various agencies and experiencing no trouble in recruiting people managed by net work bureaus. Warner Bros., which Is interested in Associated Music Publishers as well as owner of KFWB, Los An- geles, holds all but a minority portion of Transamerican stock, Rosenberg admitted. Of the 1,000 shares of no-par common, the film company has 650, John L. Clark has 175 and Rosenberg has 175. All of the 2,500 shares of $100 par preferred held by WB. Deatsch on Stand Doubt about policies which will be followed after CBS gains control was voiced by Percy L. Deutsch, presi- dent of World. No discussions yet whether the web will foUow NBC's example and restrict privilege of making off-line recordings and plat- ters of studio shows to Its subsidiary. He termed the off-line business ot relatively minor importance (rom World's point of view and ex- pressed belief unions will boost the cost to the extent it will become increasingly less significant to the trade in general. With a gross of $1,500,000 in year ended AprU 30, 1938, World gets the bulk of its income from the manu- facture of discs, Deutsch testified. About $1,100,000 from this source last year, chiefly from the library. Production averages 12,000 pressings a month, with 160 stations subscrib- ing to the library service, 64 of them indies, 38 CBS, 31 NBC, and 17 MBS. World does not try to prevent sub- scribers from buying other services, although there is exclusive provision in its pacts, Deutsch maintained. Restricting the library to one station in each market does not prevent the outlets from rounding out their pro- gram structure with waxed enter- tainment from other sources. Networks aiid transcription firms are not competitors, Deutsch main- tained. Seasonal and distribution angles encourage wax commercials and attract advertisers who would find It unprofitable to buy network time. World gets a 7%% cut from sta- tions on sponsored transcription pro- grams and a commission ranging from 15% to 25% on the commercials where it doubles as agency and sta- tion rep. Only fee for use of library discs on commercials is a talent charge applying solely to national accounts, company head stated. No charge to stations who build local sponsored programs around the World library. Despite the impression given mem- bers of the trade body, the Langlois b Wentworth agreement with Na- tional Association of Broadcasters does not require an increase in (he supply of 'public domain music over the Initial 100 hours unless there is sufficient demand in advance, prob- ers learned from Cyril O. Langlois, who told of the difficulty In selling stations and the public on the idea of imcopyright times. Under the agreement by which NAB unloaded Its white elephant, Lang-worth will round, out the first 100 hours by adding 80 hours of its own to the 20 hours previously canned by the trade org's Bureau of Copyright, he said. But another 100 hours will be recorded only if there are 150 additional subscribers and the other 100,hours—giving a max- imum of 300 hours of tax-free music —will be produced only when 200 additional clients are signed up. So far, Lang-worth has received renewals of the prior agreements with NAB from only 35 broadcast- ers. ' Originally 100-odd were com- mitted to the Bureau of Copyright The cost of platters, iBxed in the NAB agreement, probably will rise because of higher talent charges, Langlois warned. Pointed to the scale of American Federation of Musicians —which now gets $18 a side instead of $50 for six hours as formerly— and the probability American Fed- eration of Radio Actors will make demands on the disc manufacturers. Song PHigging The two separate corporations did $100,000 worth of business last year, Langlois told the FCC committee. Hard time getting across the idea that music on which copyright has expired or which never has been protected is worth using or listening to. Song-plugging, particularly to exploit forthcoming films, is a major obstacle. He pointed out there has been very little new music for many years, with popular tunes pretty pat- ' ternlzed, and protested against un- fair use of phonograph records with name bands. Unscrupulous broad- casters misrepresent their programs, making listeners feel they are heai:- ing live bands. The ASCAP practice drew con- demnation from Langlois. Little"Eta- tlons are injured particularly, while the newspaper-owned plants have a particular advantage through ar- rangement waiving the fee on pro- grams where music is not used. Langlois was particularly tarked that stations pay the copyright pool a slice of what may bfe received for programs embodying his firms' pub- lic domain tunes. Denial that WOR discriminates against indii recorders was entered by J, R. Poppele, chief engineer of Radio Quality Group, which makes platters for the Bamberger outlet and is owned likewise by R. H. Macy & Co. The Newark station has never restricted the right to make off-Une discs or can studio presentations, but imposes a nominal charge to cover additional expenses and requires out- siders to pay wire costs. Explained the fee of $10 per program—with a $200-a-month maximum, which en- ables any recorder to can the entire WOR output—is applied impartlali^. Station has put in $16,000 worth of extra equipment to care for feeds to other recorders, he said, and is en- titled to a return on this investment Total business of Radio Quality Group last year was only $25,000. 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