Variety (Aug 1940)

Wedhesday, August 7, 1940 RADIO 31 SPEAKING OF RADIO EXECIinVES (Odd bits • of infDrmation extracted from biographies of radio inditstry personages as • compiled for Vol: iy/ VARiETv. Radio Di- rectory, now 6n the presses and soon to: be published.) ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ b^ Knim Thql-^ Andres W, .Bennett, special copyright counsel pf the N.A.B;, \vorl{;ed Ipr Ihe^ British Embassy in Washington irom 1916 te 1918; that he served With an insurance conjpany in Bulgaria— • : Phillips Carlin originated the JIBC^^ Frank Chizzini, assistant manager of the NBC ,re^ to be an official of Lily Cups— " . Sterling Fisher, .Director of Talks' at CBS, used to 'teach •English at the ^University of;.Western Japan-^': .' pn Augii'stin Frignpn, assistiant.gene^ Broad- casting'Corp.; Was educated at Massibhusetts Iriistitute - of; Technology iiid the Sbrbpnne, Paris-r-, ■ v' -^' v ■• Earl Gammons,: general manaiger of WCCO, Minneapo^^^^ bnce'i edited 'The Watch pn%the Rhinc,Va military, p the A.E.F.=— : Gilson Bj G^^^ commercial editor of CBS, .Went to Phillips Exeter and Princeton— F: Melville Greene,, sales traffic mahager of NBC, ownied ah amateur broadcasting station in 1918—^ ' • ' ■ ■ ■..^^ ■■ ■ ; Jap Gude's fight name is John and he was Ph.B., Brown, '26/ before XBS—■■■■■■ Afthur Hayes, sales manager WABC* New York, used to ;bi» with' the Detroit'News-r-; . •\:'v^ :.■ ^'-./V-^ ■ " .Willii>ih Hedges of NBC was a radjlp editor for nine/years- '. Hortpn^^ H^ manager of the RCA Department of InfpirmatiPn, waii once, ah associate editor of New Yorker Magazine—- ' Guy Hickpk, Director of Shortwave Programs, for NBC, was ship hewsv .r€jporter for the Brookiyn . Eagle, and editor .for the lamehted 'Literairy DigestT- ' /.r^ \'--^•■''■■■";:r O:v-.^-\ ' Jirnmy James,, adyertising miahiager pf NBC, is more correctly, identified; as EJdgar. P. H., -thiat he was born\in LondPri; that; his father waf a famous English. cartoPriist:: who .later founded; his own Advertising- agency,^t^ Jimmy is active in the Amateur Cpmedy and Mendelsohn Glee Club— . Ed Kirby* trouble shooter of the N.A.B., built up the stamiria for the job, at NeW, Yprk Military Academy later the Virginia Militiiry CellegeT-. , "Willijim Kostkia, manager of the press :division, NBCj. was niahagihg iditPr of Fawcett Publications, 1933-36^ / : v Leon LevinCi assistant director of educatipnal broadcasts, at CBS, ■^as i newspaper.-repprter-T-;. William 3. Miller, night manage^ of . NBC, won the Pulitzer Prize ,in. ■1925--.■ v.":'"- V■ . . Claylahd T. Mcrrgah, Director pf Public. Relations at NBC, attended Jersey City .public schools en route tp Columbia— ^ : ' Alfred (Doc) Jklortbn, NBC televisipri chief, once supef-vised the building of radio stations in Rpnie ahd Mil^ . . . Frank Mullen, newly elevated v.p. and general manager of NBCi was once editor of The Swirie World, a trade: paper (Harry. Butcher, CBS Washiri^dn v.p;, once edited the Fertflizer Review)—^ ^ • William S; Pafey, tUler of CBS, giraduated from Western Military Acad-, eniyi Alton, Illinois^ In 1918 and Went -to Chicago and Pennsylvania uni- ■ versities; he. hai two childfen> Jeffery, two; Hilary, one—■ ; . . William CJ. Prestoti; assistaiit to the NBC v;p.. in charge of prpgrarhs, is i leader in Yale alumiii iTioveihents a^ be executive assistant to, Robert Hutchins, president of the University pf ChicagOp-^ ; yic Ratner, Difectpr of Promption at CBiS, is the hU55and of Letitia Ide, ■ ihc ditnccr:—■'■ . Jphh Roy.aC NBiC showman v.p.i ran theatres for Keith from 1919 to 1929 . ■ : John Shepard, 3d, president of the Yankee and Colonial networks and FM Broadcasters, is the father of three daughters--, .. . . Young NBC Execs , Apppihtment laist Friday (2) pf Frank, Mullen to be NBC vice- preddent and general manager at the' age of 44 tcall? attention to the youngish age aVefage of " :J«IBC officialdom. Niles Tram- melli the new netwofk presi-: dent, is but 48/ David Sarnoff is ■49. ... . Typicial pf: the aige levels, of NBC executives are these taken at random from biographical . data in the ; Variety RAbio Dir. RECTORY, Vol IVj which: is now vbh the. presses: ■ .' v,^ ;Fttink Rujecii^. 45.r. . Sidney SirotZi 42. Lctois titterbn, 40. Rudolph Teichriefi 42. John Royia,l,: 5'i. ., ' ■■ -Dtdight Wallace^ 49. i'Mark:Wobd«,.39. •: Phillips Ccrlin, 46. Willtflm Hedges, 45, ' Williarii Kostka, 35. , ^ .Wil/red Roberts, 36; : Clay Morflarii 46, ' Al/red Morton, 43.: :-W; B;.Miller, 3e.-.-- Walter Preston, 38> Hugh BevillCi 32. ^mmmell-Mullm - Seattle,-Auig; 8. . Probably .unique in broadcasting history. ' the. cflaibcirate fully doicu- mented handbppk just issued Tiiere under : the impetus of KQMb-KJR, j but iriciusive of other stations in the state; for the i.nfprniation of office - seekers that wish to use radio time. Celluloid, painted ^y.ith rings tp mark each station's coverage areia, overlays a map. of the state. Full data on rates, oh line charges, on special transcriptions (eyen the . - press crharges are itemized) plus popUlatibn breakdowns are:included. There is also included advice on how ip 'streaml.ine a political cam- paign' and the N.A-B. booklet on mike conduct for politicians is folded into the front" coyer. . Hugh, Feltis is credited for idea/ a onerparty-no-pplitics regime.' ' Fa- vorable pmens in this, direction are that (a) Tramnvell picked Mullen as his chief of '.staff and (b) Mullen advocated abolition of the executive vice-presideincy as having hlstorical- iy had a bad influence at NBC and as, moreover, being too clpse. in irn- plication pf authority to the presi- dency itself. > Mullen in. getting this important appointment at the; age ! of 44 will' siirve under another young ihan, Trarhmell prily being a couple^ of years older. Also seen as a happy hint is the fact that for the first; time the network has veteran broadcast- ers as humiber one and' number two Continued from pac^ 20. men. Lilce Trammell the .pew NBC general manager dates back to the early days of broadcasting. Al- FIRST in PH ILLY C E HOOPER SURVEYS AHdltPlMs af Philadelphlii Net«r«rk SUtloilt 9:3<i.J;« A.Mi. Vktn. , rrl.i-4 Me. A^r WFIL WGAU KYW 19.9% 17.0% % VIlttMri Uintlfyliti StatlM antf PMgranl FIRST. WITH 48- OTHEB PItOaRAMS ' For LOWER COST Circulodon BUY WFIL Music for ELLERY OUEEN .Composed ahd Conducted ' LYN MURRAY Mflt. CQLUMfilA ARTISTS, Inc: Organized Oiiurit^ Not Pleased as WHO • - • to owa Wayne Survey WEAN, Proyidence, to modernize its Crown Hotel studio. Wprk started this week. 'X Continued from pay* 27 each . for 2,391 fam ilies covered in. the survey. ; Of the total of 2.391 families re- ceiving the listening tables through school children, 1,988, .pr 83%, were returned. "The number of families reporting listening by some member of the family, during the day sur-- yeyed totaled 1.799, or 75?i • of total! ;Sex and Age In addition to facts on phone and hon-phpne families,. which alone :is extenisive, 'the Wayne survey also gives detailed itiformatipn on listen- ing habits Of sex and age groups. It is to be hote4 likewise that this data was not gaithered at various times by separate surveys, but simiultaheously so that comparisons of preferences may be ■ made an analysis of what the makeup of each audience is in terms of these groups. Proportion of telephone families to non-phone families, covered in the survey, was. 44.7% with phones and 55.3% without phones; The six Detroit, stations contributed . mod- erate sums of money oh a coopera- tive basis to-help pay for incidental expenses of the survey, w.hile. Garri- son's NYA office staff tabulated the data. As an incentive.for-individual station showmanship, a study- of the detailed quavterThoiir results reveals that listeners twist the .dial often to get the program they want. 'There was wide divergence in the preference of phone and non-phOne families for evening programs. Phone families listed the'r" first five favorite evening programs ' this order; ■ Charlie McCarthy, Jack Benny, Lux Radio Theatre, Fibber McGee and Gang Busters, while non- phone families: preferred evening programs in. this order: Gang Bust- eirs. Jack Benny,. Charlie McCarthy, Major Bowes, 'One of the Finest' Breakdown of the favorite day- time programs, phone nid hbn-phphe families combined, show the follow- ing hve most popular programs: The Shadow (CKLW), Jack Armstrong, Children's Theatre (WXYZ), Girl Alone, and .■ 1 Want. a vDivorce.' Women's day time preference is shown as follows, phone and. non- phone families combined: ' Kate Smith \ (noon),. 'Our Gal Sunday,' 'iSachelor's Children,' .C. C. Bradner Des Moihe.s, Au^. 6. .. WHO, Des Moines, Iowa, went on the air almost immediately after a torhadb and hail storm destroyed 100,000 acres of fine farm land in two western Iowa counties recently and led job of getting contributiphs. for the stricken area. Tenant farm- ers in this area around Portsmouth had gone through several seasons of drdught and their credit was sp ex- hausted they couldn't even buy feed for livestock let. alone reb.uild their ■ demolished homes. ' . • Although organized charities took exception to WHQ's. prompt activi- ties,'they are now iable to care fc^^ some of the needs of the community, but if it hadn't been for the prpmpt . humanitarian work of the radio sta- :tion much livestock would have per- ished. ■ Combining with the Harlan, Iowa, Commercial - club, a 'Portsmouth benefit show* is being. given at the Shelby County fair grounds! tonight to raise: funds for the stricken area. AH. talent for the show is being do- hated by radio stations in the mid- west and every penny of the pro- ceeds will be turned over to the destitute;-farmers., .Cbbperating with WHO in the project are stations KSO-kRNT, Des Moines. KFNF, Shehandoah, Iowa, WOW and KOWH, Omaha, KM A, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, and WNAX, Yankton, S. Dakote. Fifty-six artists are giv- ing their services gratis and &o many .organizations are contributing to the show it will doubtless proVe the big- gest benefit show ever staged ' the- state, . WHO has put in lines to Harlan and will carry a part of the two and ohe-half-hour show, rebroadcastihg it td KSO, KMA, KFNF, WOW arid KNAX. (WWJ), The Goldberg?, Stella Dal- las, Helen Trent, 'When a Gin Mar- ires,' 'Big Sister,' Aunt Jenny. The Top Ten. evening . programs, compared according to makeup, of audience, is shpwn by the survey to be as follows: ■ , : ;P.er«<»nt--- • Men'Women B«j-N CIrl». Chorlle McCarthy... 21 ■ 2fl iffl 2» Jack Benny........; 22 . 23 2C HO Qanr Bustera....... 18 14 !« 82 Lux Radio Theatre;. IT .-80 20 . 82 •One of Finest' (Thura.) U 18 85 82 'I,Love a Myeteo''--. U 22 ' 31 33 Major nowes........ 24 ,10- 18 20 Kirat NlKhter....... 17 18 'fit 4S Mr. District Attorney in . 21 . 82 ^ 32 One Man'B Family ; . 21 20 22 28 though he has been With Radio Cor- poration of America since 1934 he has never lost contact with broad- casting and the return to, NBC of which, from .1926 to 1934,. under Trammell in (Chicago, he was direc- tor of agricultufe,-is a natural intra- family. transfer. . Spokeiman Role The Trammell-Mullen regime takes over the operation at a time when mahy changes within the or- ganization' are already under way and others likely. Notably the seg- regation. of the Red ahd Blue net^ works IS prominent on the agenda of things in progreiss of development. Roy Witmier for the Red and Edgar Kobak for the Blue will, it is hoped, increasingly relieve Trammell of the sales burden altogether so that Trammell can specialize more and more in his public appearance, spokesman for NBC, major policy moulder tasks; ~ Mullen's, duties will be brOad, in line with the general managership and Mark Woods is a possibility for the' title, now non- existent, of assistant. general Man- ager. ■ Two general objective.'; are ap- parently : under way at NBC with the TYamniell-Mullen set-up. :. ... 1. The presidency 111111 be pro- tected, as never before, f.ro.m poli- ^ tics, sniping, coniusion: of authority. With this will go a. conscious, de- .Ubcrate. policy 0/ destroying in ad- vance the seed^ of■'exccutive^jjoliUcs.;-;; of the weed-like kind that have : been noted in the past. ' ; | 2. Trammell and Mullen, individr ;v •uoUy and :jointhj and echoing David , Sarrioff, appreciate .: the - ;: groiuing' ' ^complemiyL:j_pf network operation^ and the fp.ct that mere interndr'ad- 'ministration dnd, salesmanship, is not - , the full story today. ' Both, vten- are . . expected to stress ■ 'public- service':. : 'nnd:to.'<:it.ltivate .that 'kind..of-:'c^^ : (as. distirict from advertisers). in the . interest of broadcasting as an inst.'- tutifin. , I. iUNEl^ AT FEOPtS AWII POCKETBOOm • KLZ's new directive antenna concentrates it« power . output in a northerly arid southerly direction. This is done to eliminate interference to stationt oh the West Coast and in the East But in directtohalizing its signal'. strength^ KLZ has likewise turned, its full force on, the. buying power of the Rocky Mountain region. . . on Cheyenne, Boulder, Greeley, Fort Collins to the north on Canon City, Cripple Creek, Colorado Springs, Pueblo to the south. In short, this new directive an- cation of what may be expected is to be found in tests in downtown Denver where KLZ's signal has increased about 156% in the daytime, 350% at night tenna, the mpst modern known to engineenng science, combines with KLZ's new 5,000 watt authorization, full time,, to make KLZ the best buy in the Denver region today. Actual measurements of this improved coverage are. now being made. Findings will be made available to advertisers within a month. But ah iodi^