Variety (Aug 1940)

Wetlnesdayt August 14« 1940 ■r ,i . i ; ■ ;•); •f.-.v ■.i. ■ ■ •Alr^iHthm«tlc'-^Iii Us latest piece ,of promotion, ♦Air-rithihetic,* Mutual iises th^ index st6polt format to tell the story of the network's ne>v 'Vol- time Purchase Plan'. Examples are given for the costs ot yaripus time segrhents on the basis of from 26 to 52 weeks. The promotional^patter that accompaiiie'S each exampie^^n concise^ pbihted and well ;put,^ For a novel touch ther^ls" a pencil attached to the cover bf the Compendium. TliREfi vmrm JttE^ BUSINESS {For All Markets Regidarly Reported by 'Variety'} . Li in f -■f'ji. 1-I' REGENT BROCHURES, ETC. ' CBS : Forecast—Each of the 14 programs 'giving summer aiuditions publicly over CBS Monday nights has been the subject of an attractiv<e descriptivel folder maiied: just' ahead; of broadcast. ■ [ : /Grand Old Opry--Fburteeh-year old program of .WSM, Nashyille; gets a booklet with a calico clpth, cover crbss-stripped and stamped: in blue ' denim; . .Hailing hick classic in radio, programming. Scraipbook -- WSYR, Syracuse plugs its 'servicie department' and quoties' prbmiriehtly from the last Variety Shbwnfiansbip Survey.. Large mah. in .red flahnels-^But' red—is the device; of KFBI's; Herb Hollister tp get attention fociisSed oft coverage in. Wichita zbiie. '' Margaret Culkiii Banning, npyel- 3st newly turned broadcaster from, WESC in her home town, D.iiluth, • : the subject; of a;,brief public, service birochure .by NBC. Walter WincJieirs p^yn telegraphic style is employed in the text of a Jergiferil^ success story told by the xevitalizied Blue network. . Politicians, Please Nbte-^Stations b£ Washington state united in: a p^e^: tentibiis handbook on what time and' discs cost; what offlce-^seekers should, shouldn't do on aii?. . Moderii San Francisco, - Aug. 13. - Put 'em in front of a mike, and even four-year-olds will . talk .; politics; . At^ .:least, .:;that's Vi'liat JOrJo is finding ; buit at ^ ■ Treasure island.! KnoWri to thie : censusrtak^r aS : Hbwiard Rider, Jo-Jo handles a: daily interview with anywhere' from 20 to 40: moppets as Windiip for a 'Fairy? / land Fintasy/ one Of i various :: free shows In ..which clb\yps par-: ticipatcs. • ■.' One. lyke expr.ess.isd, desire to ;- ' ^recite?: Roosevelt's' speech,' and • . -before clown cbuld., ihterpose, kid: was. bellowing Vwe're hav-: • ilig a dam lot of trbubler--Boul- '■ ■der ..dam, eastern' dams, ' western . ...danisi;'/ ;.■:'.•■'';.,.•:.>,■ - . . • .Equally surprising are unex- pected retorts to queries, ^x^ . . ;ample: 'Are you going'tb )^ a ; politician when you grow up?' 'No, . I'm: ^ going to be a . pian.* . Asked how she knew the aniswer to question, 'one lass drawled,, Why, ,iny brains told; ihe/ . All of 'em want to sing 'God Bless America,' . v VARliETir, ISSUE ^UG, 4 KWKH, . SWeyepott^Plugged iS.OdO.OOO population within : 150-mile radius in world's greatest oil area, WLW, Clnclnnatl-T^Win! liexing-; ton (Ky.^). Women' is one iri series of Ci-osley statibn ads emphasizing the ■ coverage power Outside^; Ginpy itseliP. / ' .■. ■ ■:' '■ .'■■. ■;:■■ ;:... ■• ;■■■ WWL, Newi ::Orieans--'rhis .station hiss' a elever. association of ideas copy slant. 'When you think of New Orleans—it'is , (fill in^-^and WWL .(last week the eyercatclier was iani arbma-wiafting cup of Creole Coffee). WDRCj, Hairtiord Called the broadcast; advertisers attention to the fact that implbyment in Hart- ford ..County y/as 127.2% compared to peak 1929. « * Joe Weed-7fInstitutional 'copy for the radio station sales rep. . . WEEI, Boston—^'Sbme; time ago I heard, over ..VifEEI,' wrote in a- lady. That ''sbme time ago,' ; WEEI in- yestigatbd and found'out, was seven months before.. The lasting potency of; a :iliyeTminute spot! .• WSM, NashyHle--picture of com- pass, captipnt 'To plot your course for rhbre -sales per adVertisihg dolr. lar.'' . WFBR, Baltimore—Ten important factors in choosing / a. test.; - market. Recommending BaltiAnore. as such. KLz, Denver—-Stressed its new directive antenna and 5,000 watts.: ASCAP—Contrasted 'inusic cbsts to time and, talent costs. NATIONAL SPOT Week Endtria May 26.> June June 8v, June ,15 .. June 22.. June 29.. July July July July 6.. 13.- 20.. 27 3.. Aug. 10. Units , . 61,407 . 62,049 .61,153 .62,101 . 62,595 .62.145 61,217 . 62,054 . 60,556 56,646 . 56,588 . 54,599 LOCAL Week Endina May 25.. June 1 June 8 - - June 15.. June 22_. June 29. . July 6- 13.. July 20.. July 27.. Aug. 3.. 10.. Units. . 9a,822 91,559 . 89,536 89,130 . 89«996 . 90,375 . 89,334 . 90,015 . 88,582 . 87,309 . 87,745 . 86,147 NETWORK Week Ending May 25.. June 1. June 8.. June 15.. June 22.. • ■ Units ..95,160 ..94,493 .. 93,339 .93*619 /. 94,666 29 ... 90,034 July 6 ... 92,641 July 13.. 89,929 July 20. . :. 85,031 July 27.... 87,240 Aug. 3. . . . 87,756 Aug. 10...V87,387 TOTALS Week Endlnp Units May 25... 248,007 June 1... 248,211 June 8. . . 244,028 June 15. June 22. June 29. July July July July, Aug. Aug. 10 6.. 13.. 20.. 27.. 3.- 244,850 . 247,227 . 242,554 - 243,222 .241,998 . 234,169 ^231,195 . 232,089 . 228,133 JOHN LOESCfttBS VETERAN, VERY ILL ; John Loesch, veteran CBS pro- ducer, is critically ill at his .New York home with a blood., clot in a main artery near his heart. One side is paralyzed. [" Fbrmerly a chief assistaht on re- cording ■ to the late Thomas Edison, Loesch is widely, known and liked in the trade. BALTIMORE REPORT National Spot Units Up Maryland pity 5.1% In Canberra, July 24/ Wartime edict by the Australian government prohibits any radio sta- tipn allowing visitors into . studios, near mikes airing apparatus, yiolatiori of: edict will bring heaivy penalty including license Cancella- tion. ■■ ■ ;..;,•■; ■ special censors now .look ■ over every script before ■ etheredi and there's a possibility that birthday announcement^ used in PRISONERS CAN TUNE OUT WARDEN DOWD kiddie . -. • "I sessions will be wiped from the lair lanes, as it's believed that such cisills could be used as code to convey information to the enemy* Ministry . for: Information has icaken control of national,-both A, and coni- mercial ; B,\ stations' time. every week night between 7 and 7:30' and 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sundays to air special .sessipns.cP.yei'ing .war .ac- tivities. Comirhercials have had to rearrange programs to fit these times, but the governmental move has been backed by the Federation of Commercial Broadcasters headed by Frank Marden. At 9:30 each night, the nationals and many com- mercials also rebroadcast BBC news, and this, for commercials in particu- lar, has also meant the. rearrange- ment of prograifis. Lambdin Kay Partfcipates In West Pointy Ga , Stairt ■ l^ West Point,. Ga., Aug. 13. Civic leaders, business officialis and notables participated in christen- ing, bf WDAK Saturday (10) evening from stage' of Ri'Viera theatre here. Lambdin Kay, public service direc- tor of WSB, Atlanta, took part in opening program; festivities. 'Valley Broadcasting Co., of this city, is licensee of AyDAKy a 25O-:\0'atter with unlimited time and- 1,310-kilocycle frequency. WDAK's staff , is headed by Thomas C Phillips, formerly of WTFi,' Athens; J, X. Williams, for?, merly with WCOS, Columbia, S. C, is chief engineer, assisted «by G. C.. Hunt, Jr., formerly of WCRA and WMGA. Bob Hess, Awell known At- lanta theatre organist, is mill's musi- cal director. immediately following dedicatory broadcast WDAK transferred to Lanett theatre, j ust across Chatta- hoochee River in Lanett, Ala., where inusical program was aired by Louis Armstrong and ork filling a. date there. Formal, full time operation, of WDAK started Sunday. L, J. Dun- can, Avhp operates string; bf theatres in this section of Georgia and Ala- bama, is owner of station. WDZ'S SOFT BALL TEAM - / ■" Baltimore, Aiig. 6. . : Not. much change all around here. Rather satisfactory however, ■['. is steadier seasonal market comr pared to last year with future pros- pects inclined- to, look rather r«sy also.: Station execs quite bullish about general radio ^et-up.. ' WC3M: Signed a major network program on recently confirmed Mu- tual tie-up with McFadden Publica- tibris' -'True Story' 15 min. weekly airing. ; ' ■■r WFBR: American Chicle with six announcements a \y6ek lined up through Badger, Browning & Hersey. Miracle Rub, renewed four ah-' nouncements a week for a year via Ybung & Rubicam. Iowa Soap, through Weston-Barhett,, participa- tion announcements in 'Every .'Wo- man's Hour and. Studio Party.' Aug. 3 Coibpared to July 27 Network Units 7,075 7,035 .+0.5% Local Units 4,696 4,888 -3.8% National Spot Utilts 2,314 2,195 .+5.1% Total Units 14,085 14,118 —0.2% (Included: WB.\L. WCAO. WCBM; WPBR) LESS TIME, MORE PAY MAKES WAGA GRINS TIME PLUGS'RAMPARTS' ON KDYL, SALT UKE Salt Lake City, Aug. 13. Network and national spot busi- ness istays on the heailthy even-keel - tirend, but hot weather Is really ' raisin* cain with local stuff. Next couple of .weeks s? ould see local pick up quite a bit. of political cpin. ; KDYL:; Johnson & Jphnsbn (Tek toothbrushes), through i'erry-Hanly, 26 announcements. Associated Hptels, . • announcements.; Time Magazine took a block of announcemehtsi to plug its . first feature length film, 'Ramparts.' We Watch^V " ^-r' KSL: International Harvestery through ■ Aubrey, Mbore & Wallace, bne-min. spots. Union Pacific States, through Beaumont & Hohman, 15" announcements. Henry Stampede, announcements., Four quarter-hour; political broadcasts set for the next. two weeks. KUTA: Covey Investment Co., 300 announcements, Weiss Jewelry, 300 announcements. Forty; quarter-hour political programs are under con- tract.; ■ .'■ I Aug, 10 Compared Aug. 3 | Michigan City, Ind., Aug. 13. An added 2,601) listeners can now be marked up in this area by the three networks, NBC, CBS and Mu- tual, with the installation bf 2,000 head-phphe sets and a master three- station receiver in the Indiaila State Prison at Michigan ;City. Besides. being able to hear their preference of programs over the three! networks, prisoners 'can . hear the warden' by means of a micro- phpne in the prison office. 'That may not work entirely,' Dowd said, •You see, arty; inmate cbuld flip a switch and tune me out.' Newspaperman at WAKR In Head Sales Role ; Akron, O., Aug. 13. Kenneth keegan has been named : commercial .manager. ' !for Akron's third radio station, WAKR,, by Bernard Berk, owner. Keegan, for- mer advertising director of the old Akron Times-Press, already hag taken over the new post. The station is now constructing a transmitter, south of the city and is planning .on downtown studios. Meantime William O'Neil, general manager of WJW, is negotiating for « Mutual network outlet at ; Philadelphia, Aug. 13. KYW studio guides, elevator operators and- mailroom. staff : go Roxy usher this week. Swank hew uniforms consist of military type shirt , of airplane cloth, ' navy ' blue coat with powder. blue trim, ■ navy blue 'pants also With light trim and a pialr of powder blue pants' with dark blue tirim.. Coat and. pants are of tropical worsted. Coats have gold buttPns and gold KYW insignia. . Regulation^ uniform will be as follbws: light, trbusers and shirt fbr. summer, light trousers and coat for fall and dark coat and dairk trousers for winter. A navy blue tie also, is regulation. Draws More people. to Game Than* .Live in Tuscola . Tuscola, 111., Aug. 13. Staff of local statibn WDZ recently formed a softball team and pro- ceeded to lose' its first few , games with rival putfits from around town. Boys were taking a irazzing about their loW CA B. rating, so they held some strenuous practicfe ; and -man- aged to win their next contest. Now they're expecting sponsor. . >« Station has; plugged the games on. the air, urging local residents to come out and watch their favorite entertainers and announcers cut up Pn the ; diamond. Attendance was about 600, 1,000 and 3,500, respec- tively, fpr the first, three games. . FiriaV turnout .was grea^^^^^ the tpwn's population. ; . Atlanta, Aug. 13. : Howard Donahoe, former program director for WLOK, Lima, Ohio, last week assumed similar ■ post at W AG A, here, vice Paul Oyerbay. Donahoe was with WWVA, Wheel- ing, arid WMMN, Fiairmont, W. Va.,' and has been with Fort Industry Co., which recently took over AG A, for 10 years. i'-.^. Don ; loset, general manager of WAGA, is preparing. to move his family here from Lima, where he was general manager of WLOK be- fore moving to Atlainta. One of loset's first moves Was to reorganize hjs staff and put station's personnel on fiye-day week and fur;-, ther .bringing. smiles to. faces - of his announcing staff with general. pay raise. . WAGA, KBC Blue outlet, bears down on sports and broadcasts home and road games of Atlanta Crackers, Sputhern Ass'n entry, under ■ spon- sorship of General Mills (Wheaties) and Goodrich Hubber Co, (Tires). Station has United Press for its news service. ' Safford, Ariz.V on NBC station KGLU, Safford, Ariz., joins NBC red (WEAF) Sept, 1 as a bonus outlet for: sponsors using ,KTAr, phoenix;, .a supplemetital station of the California network. New affiliate is owned by ^Gila Broadcasting Co. and operates oh 1420 kc, with 250 watts power, Op- erates on unlimited tinf^.; NBC cut-in announcinien't rate will be $6 at night ajid i A day. . Bond Buys Transradio Bond Clothes signed a hefty tract Monday ; (12) for three,; pro- grams, to run 52 weeks over WOB- Mutual, New York. Deal • was through Neff-Rogpw agency. Two of the pacts were renewals. Company starts Sept. 9 to bahk- i-oU 'Confidentially Yours,' Trans- radio stiint with' Arthur Hale, 15 minutes Mbhday, Wednesday and Friday nights. Prbgram has had several sponsors in the past, the last being Pa-Pi-A. Renewals, both also for 52: weeks, are the 45-minute John Gambling musical-chatter series Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting Sept. 16, and a 15-minute stanzia of Transradio news Sundays, with Frank Singiser. Minus Sign Up in Cihcy - Cincinnati, Aug. 13. . Start of radio's bog month finds time sales of Cincy stations holding up. satisfactorily arid better than a year ago. ^-'y':.. '-., ■ .;: WKRC last week added 45 minutes for Mutual-fed thrice-Veekly 'I'll Never Forget* series for Macfadden publications' True Story niag.; Placed through Arthur Kudner, Inc., New York; On spot biz, WKRC took on Wiedemann Brewing Co. for nine minutes weekly, via Straucheh & McKim, Cincy agericy, and five one minute . announcements . ■ on' the Woman's Hour for Eda E. 'Thomas Candy Co., local, through Swaffprd & Koehl, Cincy agency. f August 3 Compared to July 27 | Network Local Units Units 4,470 0,457 4,500 8,454 —0.6% +0.03% National Spot Units 5,477; . . 5,482 -0.6% Total Units 18,374 18,436 —0.3% (Included* WCPO, WKRC, WLW, WSAl) Golden Gate Quartet frpm Cafe So ciety, N. y., on CBS Forecast next Week, also; for the Lanny Ross Franco spaghetti show. Network Local National. Total; Units Units Spot Units Units 6,140 1,846 1,194 9.180 •6,110 2,066 1,182 9,358 + 0.4% -r-10.6% +1% —1;9% Uncluded: KDYL, KSL, KUXA) The Story in San Antonio . San Antonio, Aug;; 13. . With- state political ruri-offs slated next month, local as well as state candidates will take to the air here, helping to bolster sagging; local and. regional biz. Network continues strong. WOAI: Brown & Williamsbn (Big Ben tobacco), through Russel M. Seeds, 'Renfrp Valley Folks' 30-min. weekly. American Chicle Co., an. nouncements. Johnson & Johnson (Tek toothbrushes), through Ferry- Hanly,. 26 announcements. 'Welch Grape Juice, through H. W. Kastor, renewal of Irene Rich. Political talks; include I ierce Brooks, Olin Culberson, Judge Lattimbre and Judge Lattimbre and Judge Alexan- der. Republican state convention will be carried next week. KABC: Double Danderine, through Blackett - Sample - .Hummert, tri- weekly quarter hours on Texas State Network, 'Short, Short Stories.' St. Louis Cleaners, announcements.' Milam Chevrolet Co., five quarter- houif newscasts weekly. , Joske Bros, announcements. Owl Radiator Co., daily ahnouhcement. F. E. Mueller Co.j two annpuhceinents Weekly. Olin. Culbertson, quarter-hpur po- litical talks. • : Aliffi 10 Cpnapared to Aug. 3 j Local National : - Tibtal Units Spot Units Units 7,471 1,939 14,358 8,224 :2,2i4 15,220 .—10% —14.1% . —5.6% (Included K.\BC,. KMAC, KONO, KTSA, . ■■ :■' WOAI) ■ . ■ Network Units 4,948 . 4,782 +3.4% WCAU With AFM 'Til M2 : Philadelphia, Aug. 13< WCAU has extended its year agreement with the musicians' union to rim for a second year until 1942, doing the additional binding to get additional rehearsal time for Joey Kearris' staff orchestra. Coritra.ct is retroactive as of Jan. 17, 1940. Kearns getting CBS shots now, sta- ;-- tion sought better woodshed sessions for the iband, but union nixed the re- quest. Ilalf hour granted is restrict- ed to preparations for local shows 1