Variety (May 1941)

Wednesday, May 21, 1941 RADIO 29 JULIO BARATA OF BRAZIL INU5. Julio Barata, who beads th« radio section of Brazil's Department ot In- formation, Is in New York City on a visit accompanied by his wife. He arrived by Clipper last week, jolng directly to St. Louis from Miami to be the guest at the convention of the National Association of Broadcasters. He made a short talk in English at an N.A.B. luncheon, a fact made re- markable by the fact that he only began studying the language three months ago. Barata, a doctor of philosophy, Is a linguist. He has lately translated from the ancient Latin a play •Menaechlnl of Plautus' (B.C. 200), which Is now running in Portuguese at the Copacabana theatre tn Rio de Janeiro. Among his hosts In New York have been William S. Paley, presi- dent of CBS. Donald Wlthycomb, aide to M. H. Aylesworth at the l>an-Amerlcan Cultural Relations Committee, escorted the Baratas back by train from St. Louis to New York. A special program of macumba music (native sorcerer's chants, etc.) arranged by Barata before his de- parture for the U. S. A. was ihort- waved up from Brazil Saturday (17) and broadcast over Columbia here. NBC execs honored Baratta at a luncheon Friday (16) In New York's Hotel St Regis. David Samofl, RCA president, presided. Otberg attend- ing, among the acore of guests, were Major-Oeneral James O. Harboard, John' B. Royal, John EIwoo^ Don t^anclsco and M. H. Aylesworu. CONSTRUCTIVE' CRITICISM OK CUBAN'S N. Y. VISIT Marians Onastclla Set Radio De- tails in New Tork Mariana Guastella, operator of an Havana advertising agency, sailed Saturday (17) for Cuba after a visit in. New York. He was primarily coa corned while in U.S.A. with setting up detalb of various radio accounts for sununer campaigns. His Publlcidad Guastella reps Frig idalre. General Motors, Bacardi Rum, Corona Cigars, Farnsworth Radios, Free Rotary Sewing Machines. Toronto, May 10. lubjett to the existing lules of •eoiorshlp with respect to the di- vulging of military teorats, eto., to tiie enemy, the Canadian Broadcast- ing Corp. has lifted the lid on poli- tical speeches via tiie ether by leed- ers of the various parties. Hence- forth, there may be criticism of the Canadian Government of • 'con- (tructtve' character. Nor will party leaders be asked to submit advance copies of their speeches to the CBC for pencilling as has been the cus- tom In the pest. Time sought by party leaders wUI be granted gratis but will be allo- cated equally among Canada's three major political groups. 'Hernandez' at XEFO Mexico City, May SO. Col. Alfonso Hernandez has as- sumed his duties as auditor of local redlo sUtion XEFO. (10,000 watts), mouthpiece of the Party of the Mexican Revolution, domlnator of ine government and politics. He succeeds Elias Campos who has ^een transferred to the Party's treas- ury department. WJTN Reduces Stock Albany. N. Y., May JO. . James Broadcasthig Company, Inc., J'hich owns and operates WJTN, amestown, has decreased Ity eapltal (took from |40,000 to $20,000. Hugh N; Bodlne, Jamestown at- torney, filed the papers with the Secretary of State. MEXICO COTS PROPAGANDA Mexico City, May 20. Propaganda broadoasts,' which were numerous and Intensive during the early months of the war, have been cut to a minimum In Mexico through the co-operative action of radio stations, tba Ministry of Com' munication and Public Works, and the Confederation of Mexican Work- ers. Stations included the largest and most responsible broadcasters In the country. Ministry of Communi cations regulates the broadcasting Industry. Confederation Is the re- public's strongest labor organization. At the start of the war, both sides deluged Mexican stations with prop agenda, gnd since many of the larger advertisers were German, Frehch, Italian and English firms, greet diplomacy was necessary In handling the situation. However, the Govern- ment, the more Important broadcast- ers, and labor combined to S(&ve the problem tor a large extent Othbn velez, manager of XEW, local 100,- 000-wetter, played an Important role. Soma trouble was caused by wild- cat stations. In most cases operated by Nazis or Fascists, but most of fhem have been closed or frightened out of existence. Only two sizable stations are now broadcasting propa- fanda. One is German, the other 'rench. Figured the I6rmer'« days are numbered. Latter airs father mildly colored material, so it Is caus- ing little attention. Brinkley Trustees Want to Sen His Personal Property San Antonio, May 20. Trustees of the estate of Dr. CDoc') John R. Brinkley have filed an application for an order to sell Brlnkley's personal property, ac- cording to R. O. Hufl, United States referee In bankruptcy here. The property. Huff said, would Include stocks and bonds anoountlng to $17,949.16, and a number of guns, one of which Is used in deep sea fishing. Application will be heard in court here, after which an order will be issued by the court fixing time and manner of the sale. Brinkley was once candidate for the governorship of Kansas; for sev- eral years he maintained an airplane, specially built limousine and a yacht. He' also buUt a palatial home at VUla Acuna, across the border from Del Rio, Texas, where he operated, for a time, the world's most pow- erful radio station. Bankruptcy proceedings were con- eluded in Del Rio last month against Brinkley. Hugh Feltis In N. Y. Hugh FelUs, of KJR, SeatUe, is in New York City lor • fortnight's visit Came via St. Louis convention and Washington. A LOT OF CHIPS WBMS «POTS €OlO 7 70I4S OF Potato Chip*.for KUEHMAKIN^ THAfs A LOT OF CHJPS BUT V3U GETAIOTOF RESULTS WBNS ITLET A9K AW eiA/R MAIJ Oft Mf// War Delays Completion Of XEB'S 100 Kw. Plant Mexico City, May 20. Difficulties be(etting deliveries of mechanical equipment due to war preparations conditions in the U. S. have been overcome at lest by local radio station XEB (50,000 watts) owned-operated by the Buen Tono Cigarette Co., a French enterprise. This station is to put into service in September apparatus it purchased in New York City, to raise its potency to 100,000 watts and expand its broadcasts. Equipment was originally Intended to be ready this month. Power boost wiU give XEB as much wattage as the current strong- est Mexican station, XEW (100,000 watts), owned-operated bytheEmillo Azcarrga interests. MEXICAN GIRL STAYS HOME Amateur Winner Eschews N. T. For Cash and XEW Job Mexico City, Mayj 20. Blanca - de la Fuente, wiiming amateur In two station XEW (100,- 000 watts) contests Is a business- woman. She takes $4,000 (Mex) in cash in lieu of a round trip to New York City by plane, with all ex- penses paid. Girl is also in line for a contract as a singer on XEW's permanent staff. She figures it better to stay here and give attention to her career rather than to go stepping in Gotham, until she has built up a rep. Gladstone Murray's Scope Limited Augustine Frigon Moves In From Montreal—Murray Confining Self to Programs and Tublic Relations' Toronto, May 21. Recurrent rumors, impossible to confirm because of closely clnmped censorship, that an executive com- mittee has taken over several of the duties of Gladstone Murray, general manager of the Canadian Broadcast- ing Corp., were clarified over the week-end when it was disclosed by C. D. Howe, Minister of Transport and Communications, that impor- tant changes have been made in the executive direction of the CBC. Murray will now give all his atten- tion to programs and public rela- tions. Augustine Frigon, transferred from Montreal to CBC headquarters here as new assistant g.m., will now be responsible for the internal man- agement of CBC, including appoint- ments to technical, commercial and business staffs. An executive com- mittee, members of which have not yet been appointed, will supervise the Murray-Frigon activities, this committee answerable to the Board of Governors. In answer to publicized questions by Major J. Coldwell, leader of the Opposition minority. Howe alsb dis- closed that, during 1940, Murr^iy re- ceived $10,479 on expense accounts In addition to his salary of $13,000; that Frigon was paid $12,000 plus ex- penses of $2,024. Expense allow- ances had been placed at $4,800 to the general manager, $2,000 to his assistant. Howe stated that 'mat- ters re£eri-ed to had been adjusted to the satisfaction of all concerned* but gave no details. Mexican Hams to Meet Mexico City, May 20. Mexican radio amateurs and air experimentors are to hold their lOlh annual nations! convention in Guad- alajara, Mexico's second largest city, May 22-25 for the discussion of vari- ous matters and the adoption of reso- lutions calling for better coordina- tion of the activities of these ether fans. Leading technicisns are to read papers and high government officials will attend the meet which is ex- pected to attract about 500 delegates from all parts of Mexico. Spartanbarr, S. C.—Walter Brown, vice-president and manager, WSPA and WORD, named radio relations director for Spartanburg area in na- tional defense bonds sales. Vrogram testing saves money, too ! mmond the Colvmbia Pacific Network If bott for a to$t Before going coast-to-coast, you can make sure oiF your pro- gram by first testing it over Columbia's 7-6tation Pacific Coast Network. Only on the Pacific Coast—only on the Columbia Pacific Network—are all these important testing conditions available in one package: low cost. A 13 or 2 week campaign on the Columbia Pacific Network —which coven all the 33^3 towns and cities In iti night- time primary area at a time-cost as low as 11 cents per town*—U ample to test out your program, as did Postum and Wrigley and many others. Or to latiefV yourself of the sales Impact of one of our Columbia- perfected shows, as did Richard Hudnut with Hollywood Showcase, and Campbell's Soups with Fletcher Wiley, ' Regular coast program ratlngi. C. E. Hooper "Pacific Ratings" measure the rela- tive popularity of your program as it goes' along, to show you exactly how many pe9ple listen month by month, Nielsen % Fads Consolidated test cities. Separated from the rest of the nation by the Continental Divide, sales on the Pacific Coast are easy to check —either from your own records, or from Nielsen or Fact* Consolidated sales reports^ A roglonal nolworfc of "basl("tta1lonf. All seven stations of the Columbia Pacific Network are "basic"—all broadcast the full CBS Khedule, In no other section of the nation can you so perfectly duplicate the network bracketing and competition of a coaat-to-coast show. Hollywood production. Then, when all the "bugs" are out of your program —your perfected show with the identical cast, tech- nicians, and producers can go coast-to-coast at the flip of a switch... from Hollywood, West Coast production headquarters for CBS transcontinental shows! *By day it is 2256 towns at 14 tents. Columbia Pacific Network A DIVISION OF THE COLVMBIA BROADCASTING lYSTEM Columbia Square, Los Angeles-Palace Hotel, San Francisco. Represented by Radio Sales with offices in New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Charlotte