Variety (Aug 1939)

so VARIETY RADIO Wednesdtkj, August 2, 1939 Lasky of KSFO, San Francisco, Chides Health Groups for Inept Use of Their Air Opportunities Collapse at 90 Degree* Boston, Aug. 1. I( it's 90 degrees hot with 35% humidily NBC's WBZ staff KCU oft and only a skeleton ciew has to sufter. Previous threshold of collapse WHS 95 degrees, y San Francisco, Aug. 1. Belief that organized groups pre- senting health programs on the air have missed their mark to a great extent, and that medical ethics has hampered valuable and constructive work, was expressed by Manajjer Philip J. Lasky of KSFO in a talk last week before a meeting of the Western Branch of the American in Oakland. Lasky voiced the per- sonal opinion that of all the educa- tional programs on the air, health subjects are the least represented, and that, in the main, groups which have broadcast health programs have conducted publicity campaigns for themselves, instead of instruct- ing people how to live better, cleaner, and how to avoid disease. He deplored the fact that trained doctors, who are best qualified to conduct and supervise health educa- tional programs, are not permitted to become active unless anonymous- ly and under restricted circum- stances, usually under the domina- tion of the medical societies. Only a few, Lasky said, have risked the displeasure and ostracism of organ- ized medicine to do outstanding work in radio. 'Health education on the air can- not be founded upon an occasional talk or lecture," the KSFO manager told his audience. 'It must be built DAYS No change in piograinimnq or policy. Better service to Met- ropolitan New York including its 6,982,635 foreign citizeos. l!^ct.,>uJL^ UfByy IE* mm Mr ui nan nDIIA 1 llll upon a well developed platform, directed by capable and trained peo- ple, who have the blessing and back- ins of organized medicine." Lasky stressed the importance of fully understanding the need for specialized training before seeking to broadcast, and suggested that the National A.ssociation of Broad- casters' booklet, 'How to Use Radio," tje studied. He emphasized the im- portance of quality, rather than quantity, in radio educational pro- grams because of the tremendous amount of competition for the listen- ers' attention. Said Lasky: 'The listener is hard- boiled. Because a talk on preventa- tive medicine is announced, is no reason why he will listen. There are too many other things on the air. Your presentation can be made com- petitive, if you will make a profes- sional production of it. Make it an important part of your work instead of a sideline. This may take money, but it radio is important to your work, then money should be found lor it, just as it is for other activi- ties. Remember, the time will be gladly donated by the broadcasters." Labor Board Will Look Into CIO vs. KY>V, Phila. Philadelphia, Aug. 1. National Labor Relations Board last week ordered a formal hearing on complaint of the American Com- munications Association, CIO, against Wcstinghouse Electric in re- gard to a contract for panelman at KYW. ACA maintains that West- inghouse refuses to bargain collec- tively in the spirit of the Wagner act. Dr. Leon Levy, prez of WCAU, in- dicated his willingness at an initial meeting with ACA reps to accept a joint contract for dial twiddlers and spielers. Latter just Joined the ACA, while termer of the former group expires Oct. 1. SUNKIST'S COAST SHOW UNDER JIM FONDA Hollywood. Aug. 1. It will be a new Hollywood show on CBS in late October for the Sun- kist account. That much has been sot since last week. Also that Jim Fonda will produce for Lord 5: Thomas. Program formula still not set. KABC's New Directorate Beaumont Laboratories has con- tracted for 15 spots per week for 22 weeks on WMCA, N. Y., starting Oct 16 and continuing through to March 15^ 1940. Four-Way Tablets Li the product. H. W. Kastor agency. San Antonio. Aug. 1. At meeting of stockholders of KABC. R. Early Willson, former vice-president, was elected president of the company. He's principal stockholder and replaces Henry Lee Taylor. Taylor's stock has been sold to Mrs. Elliott Roosevelt. Other new stockholders include Elliott Roosevelt, Harry Hutchinson, vice- president of the network; Charles F. Roeser and Sid Richardson. Officers of the Alamo Broadcast- ing Co. now are: Roeser, v.p.; Roose- velt, treasurer; Hutchinson, secre- tary. These and Willson comprise the directorate. Station personnel will i-emain the same with Cliff Tatom continuing as manager. Station is asking for in- crease in power to 5.000 daytime and 1.000 watts nighttime and a new frequency of 630. Lum & Abner Educate Hollywood, Aug. 1. Chester Lauck and Norris Goff fLuni and Abner) are vacationing in Pine Ridge, Ark. Recharging their twang. They return their rural dialect to CBS ia September. Fletchner Wants |130 Dallas, Aug. 1. Fred Fletchner, WRR employee who uncuccesstuUy sought the post of station manager of the Dallas municipal - owned outlet recently, filed suit with the city Wednesday (20), seeking $150 back pay. Suit alleges Fletchner was dis- charged without reason. • In a market of 219,007 pfoi)Ie wlio spind nearly No one knows tliis belKr llian llie 12^5 local $34,000,000 a year in iTieir rcljil storf j ... a sponsors wlio Iiave put KVOR'a men, nictliods and market walled in by mountains, isolated liy miles, niacliincry to work Tor tliem si> far in 1939.' that no outside station lias foiiml a way to picrre elTeclively . . . KVOR is ii real liiinian (irrionaliiy, an entertainer, educator, iiiri>riiier and adviser. The important and iiiliniair part KVOK plays in the everyday lives of tlie.'.e 2l'),nnT persoiis lias made it the most efferlive and (ler.-iij^ivo iiilliienco in Southern Colorado on llu.'ir btijiii; lialiiis. KVOR C c-'/L'td.t.' ':=>^XinLji ( l!< l.'.i'i' n „,,. I nll l,mr \IHIIVIII' Willi WK'I, IlKIMIn.Mv (;iT> \MI I HI dkl Ul.iM \ riMI^IIIM. ( iiMP\>N lil nil ~l > I I II 111 llll k M / M ^ , I M New Orleans Stations Doubt Court Has Right to Sweepingly Forbid All Grand Jury News Mentions New Orleans, Aug. 1. were represented at the meeting Fn- Threat by Federal attorneys to; day except WSMB. Harold Whceb- hold radio stations arid newspapers han, of Jhe latter station, walked, in contempt of court it they men-] o"' on the conference before It w.i:. tioned the names of any witnesses! even started, saymg 'I walled l:i summoned befora Grand Jury I minutes for Mr. Viosca. My time U stirred up much discussion here last: valuable.' week as to whether the threat wasi Headlining by tht local papers ot in itself Illegal and amounted to aii| Viosca's statement condemning what attempt to impose censorship. Tra-1 he termed 'offenders,'—radio sla- ditionally, the right of " right or newspapers to say 'soandso was today sum-1 moned to testify before the grand | jury" has been accepted, although: what goes on inside the grand jury; room is never privileged. In this j case the case at issue Is the Louisiana < political corruption investigation. It's hot news here. I A meeting was called Friday (28),' at which Federal attorney Rene A.! "Viosca laid down the principle that nothing must be printed or broad- cast on penalty ot contempt pro- ceedings. When , queried by ■Variety's reporter he denied any de- slro to impose 'censorship,' saying it was entirely a matter ot preserving jury secrecy. ^Vhat Started It Tho conference was a result of use this week by three New Orleans radio statioru of the fact that Wil- liam Rankin, resigned conservation commissioner ot the state, told re- porters ha had been summoi.ed be- fore the jury. 'Viosca immediately hopped on the radio station oper- ators with a stern warning that an- other revelation would result In Federal action against offenders. The following day, however, he himself, revealed that former gover- nor Richard W. Leche and J. A. Shaw, head ot the minerals division of the conservation department, had j been called before the inquisitorial body. Ha mada this fact known to: the newspapers, without informing j the radio newsmen, apparently in i an effort to balance'the scoop radio scored on the papers with the Ran-' kin revelation. { Newspapers and radio in New Or- ] leans for years have jumped at every opportunity to knife each ' other, and this is only one instance' where tha rivalry in news has i reached a peak. Radio has con-! sistently scored beat after beat over [ newspapers, some ot them running; into hours, during the current i Louisiana political graft scandal. | Accept the Rule | While tha ruling that nothing con- | cernlni proceedings could be pub- : lished was meekly accepted by local ' dailies simply with a 'yes sir," Ray- | mond Daniels, ot tha New York | Times, and Tom Stokes, of the ; Scrlpps-Howard syndicate, frankly ! questioned its legality. | ■Viosca refused to cite cases or I give any reference to the law upon | which the order i; based. Instead he referred tha questioning news- men to their attorneys, and .ui- nounced that similar orders have i been upheld by the courts: He an- i nounced also that he would gladly j welcome a test case if the gentle- ! men of the press stiU had any doubts. | All radio stations In New Orleans ' tions WDSU and WWL—apparently did radio here more good than harm. Virtually the whole town was talk- ing about how the papers admitteif the radio broadcast a news item 11 tu 15 hours ahead ot them. ■Viosca's statement specifically named WDSU and WWL and two news services as having sent out the story. He failed, however, t.> mention WNOE, owned by stata senator James A. Noe, which carrie.l the identical story as did WWL. Radio station operators accepted the ruling, but apparently with n grain of salt. They, as well as out- of-town newsmen, question the Fed- eral judge's authority to control usj of quotations of persons miles away from the Federal building and grand jury meeting. Although tha Federal attorney'.! office took no action in this case, the incident was apparently not closed. One station rushed to ■Viosca"s office the day of the first order with their attorneys, and an- other was believed preparing with its legal advisors to fight the ban ot jury news. Waymond Ramsey, former KOMA, Oklahoma City, manager, and moia recently with KTOK, has resigned to accept an announcing-sports position on the staff of KARK, Little Rock. UlUIJ i)etnmt\ 1. In Listener Interest, 2. Advertisine Preference, 3. In Community Service, ncrica's Pioneer Station YORK We c\uoxe ■■- shavd 26,«3 te»egr»^» 7, Relieve. Telegraph, „ot con- <or '^'^^ con,- nected ^^^^ » pany • RE dent ASON ey' '"r'-ntn-'^" ""fori: EiMAMBP^ HOURS 1^