Variety (Oct 1941)

VedBeeday. October 29. 1941 P^fiHEfr RADIO 29 NEW NBC STAHON NIB Reorg Goes On'-LaFount 'Chicago Group with .^Similar Name (Independent Broadcasters, Inc.) Won't Stop Older Body Washington, Oct. 28. The National Independent, Broad- ■ casters, which Is a separate organi- ffltlon from the group of affUiates that recently organized themselves jn Chicago • as the Independent Broadcasters, Inc., is proceeding with the reorganization and broadening oj the framework despite the cold- water tossed by pro-network ele- ■ ments and the National Association of" Broadcasters. State huddles will be held by the NIB to pick dele- gates for the forthcoming Chicago mceUng which will write the NlB's new constitution and bylaws. ' Harold LaFount, NIB prez, stated • last week that the meeUng held re- cently bx ("^c affiliated stations group, the IBI, should not be taken as a sign that the idea of expand- ing the NIB'S membership has . been abandoned. He said that the need lor a broader . NIB, including net- work affiliation, is greater than ever since the N. A. B. has again come out ' solidly behind the flght of NBC and CBS on the FCC's chain broadcast- ing reforms. The LaFount objective remains 'unchanged—to create a vehicle where the indies can express them- selves without being shouted down by the chains or some other nu- merically smaller but politically or economically .more- potent faction (like the clear channelites). With nmiwhat suspicious glances, ihey ■leflect apprehension the Chicago .huddles were at least in part for the purpose of whipping affiliates back in line and countering the move to iet'up an agency that includes both If. A. B. and non-member stations. F.D.R/s Audience 0, B. Hooper made a special political listener check Monday (27) on President Roostvelt's talk and estimated his audience at 01.9, or 45,000,000 persons. Check was made tor CSS. ' -President's high was his un- limited emergency speech in May, which rated TO. 200STATIONS COOPERATING WITHARMY Washington, Oct 28. War Department reports that It is receiving the co-operation of over 200 stations in arranging programs for soldiers, either from station stu- dios or camps. Also that 204 stations are receiv- ing weekly bulletins on army ma- neuvers from the department's bu- reau of public relations. SEEDS AFTER NEHl ACCOUNT ' Russel M. Seeds agency is reported . u pitching for the Nehl beverage account (Crown Cola) now held by BAD. & O. - Seeds has In the past two years chipped away from B.B.D. & O. practically all the radio business of 'the Browta & Williamson account. RJLF. Pikt From KIRO Wyi Supervise Seattle Gifts to English Kids SeatUe, Oct. 28. Members of KIRO'S morning Time Klock Klub have contributed more tban a ton of clothing and toys- to the Christmas of British children. One of the Klro^Klub's members, Ken Stofer, who la now an R. A. F. pilot, has lieen j;ranted. a three-day turlough to do the actual distribu- tion work In England in connection with the project Arrangements are also being discussed for a possible two-way broadcast of the doings by the British Broadcasting Corp., Co- lumbia and KIRO. In addiUon the Klub, under the ovection of Carroll Foster, will mail 1,000 two-pound tins of milk choco- late dkect to British children whose names will be supplied to Klub members by British authorities. SHIRER'S LECTURE OK B.C. t _____ WDEC Promoted Affair Which Gave Commnnity Chest (500 Hartford, Oct. 28. wDRC-promoted lecture of Wil- "am L. Shirer, former CSB foreign wrrcspondent who wrote 'Berlin "jary, was held at Bushnell Memor- 'al and netted $500 profit, which was contributed by WDRC to Hartford (-ommunity Chest. Shirer's fee for date was $1,000. KDAL, Duluth, Minn., became a CBS regional station (24) when it moved to the 610 spot on the dial and boosted Its power to 1,000 watts. m POP SETUP . FOR llfFILIIlTES Niles Trammell Invites 14 AffHiafes From Red and Blue Station* as Prelim- inary Step to Setting Up Permanent Station-Elected Advisory Boards HEAR McNUTT Following a weekend meeting of about 20 .NBC executives (see sepa- rate story) at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, for the pur- pose of canvassing trade' problems Niles Trammell is this week host to two groups of seven Red and seven Blue network affiliates in New York. Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be de- voted to the Blue and the following day to the Red. All 14 guests will gather Wednesday evening at '21' for dinner and to. hear a talk on na- tional defense by Paul V. McNutt Station BclaUona Although national defense and Governmental cooperation are prom- inent on the agenda of the gather- ings broadcasters are of the opinion that the move signifies a funda- mental change in NBC station re- lations. Permanent policy and . ad- visory committees for the Red and Blue stations are expected to de- velop. Potentially, such committees might provide affiliates with a voice in network matters not previously (Continued on n^ee 30) NBC Senior Execs in Three-Day Business Meet at Rural Retreat Pouring It On . Hollywood, Oct 28. Unorthodox procedure of NBC biiying time on an indie to plug one of its shows came to pass last week. Series of- spots on KFWB was to acquaint blue net dialers with a new show 'Breakfast at Sardi's,' weaned away from the Warners' station. INCOME TAX GUIDEUSING RADIO Seattle, Oct. 28. Edwin A. Kraft, manager of North- west Radio Advertising Co., is placr Ing a series of'five and 15-minute pe- riods for Simon Sc Schuster's new book, 'Your Income Tax,' on 71 sta- tions. Campaign began Oct. 20 and jviU run until March 1. An additional 100 stations will get the go sign on Nov. 3. LoD Cowan, owner of 'Quiz Kids,' will lecture and conduct seminar next week at Hamline College, Methodist Institution in Minnesota. YES, WE HAVE NO MARTYRS Radio came to grips openly and publicly with the America First Committee this -week. Displeased by the failure to get another free gift of choice nighttime coast-to-coast facili- ties the auspices for Thursday's rally at Madi- son Square Garden,' New York, sent sharp telegrams to the webs and to newspapers rais- ing the cry of 'censorship.' These replies from the networks were forthcoming: CBS—Saw no reason why private citizen Lindbergh was entitled to a nation-wide radio audience every time he made a speech. NBC—Regarded the attack as 'unfair, un- reasonable and unjustifiable' and had not re- fused time. Mutual—Had not refused time but Amer- ican First delayed accepting the- half hour made available, one-half of which in interem was sold commercially. America First scorned the 15 minutes remaining available. Niles Trammell'B reply deserves to be quoted, at length for the light it throws upon the methods of this committee and because Trammell alludes, with obvious penetration to the core of the matter, to the America First's eagerness to play the role of 'martyr.' Says the NBC president (in part): 'NBC did not refuse time to your commit- tee for Thursday's America First rally. With- out giving due consideration to the fact that NBC has long had a heavy schedule of com- mercial and public service programs on Thurs- day nights, your committee set this day for your America First rally. Nevertheless we offered you the only 30-minute period we had available—10:30 to 11 p.m., EST., on a net- work of 62 stations east of Chicago. This offer was declined by Senator Wheeler. 'Your charge that we habitually infringe on commercial time for so-called war speakers, is utterly without merit. Everyone on your committee knows or should know that the es- tablished policy of NBC is to give equal op- portunity and time to both sides for discussion of any important controversial subject, and this is a cardinal rule to which we adhere. 'We feel that your demand for'a cancella- tion of programs previously committed and \yidely advertised is an unreasonable one. Net- work operations cannot be conducted on such a basis. Groups interested in broadcasting .their views should, it seems to me, make every reasonable ei^ort to adjust themselves to the problems and prior commitments of the broad- casters. 'NBC-does not have to be reminded of its obligations to serve in the public interest. Our position in the industry and the esteem iii which NBC is held by the American people is due to an ideal we have never lost sight of —to serve the public first. And, if your com- mittee has any doubit on that score, then we beg to remind you that to date, during 1941, NBC has carried 15 America First Committee broadcasts—more than any other broadcasting service. Senator Wheeler has broadcast eight times, Mr. Lindbergh four times and former Ambassador Cudahy twice. Your charge that the air is' being floode(i with international propaganda at the expense of anti-war groups is equally without foundation. Thus far this year we have aired the talks of 70 self-styled anti-war speakers as agjainst 56 speakers whom you are pleased to' designate pro-war advocates. 'I trust you will forgive the length of this communication, but it did not seem right to permit your committee to assume a martyr- dom which the facts do not justify.' American Firsters are notorious among broadcasters as probably the most consistent- ly ungrateful body of free time-grabbers in radio history. Adherents of this group have not only resorted to blunt intimidation and all- out pressure but have had unconscionably short memories for favors and quick accusa- tory tempers. It is no secret in or out of the trade that the networks have done plenty of wincing under the shin-kicks and screams. Amidst all the worries and anxieties of its present troubled existence radio does have the self-confidence, born of carefully kept records, that the America Firsters can only deal in glittering generalities. They have gotten more than their share at all times. NBC's president and vice-presi- dents, and various department heads gathered - at the Greenbrlar hotel. White Sulphur Springs, West Vir- ginia, over the past weekend to dis- cuss various intra-organizational problems. The network may make this sequestered huddle an annual event Oiie of the sequels to the weekend meeting will be the assembling to- day (Wednesday) and idmbrrow' (Thursday) in New York of Red and Blue station affiliates in separate groups to go over problems affecting the relations between themselves and their particular network. NBC of- ficials view such gatherings as giving them an opportunity to confer directly >yith their affiliates, since in dealing with the Independent Radio Network Affiliates NBC obviously is confined to treating with problems that are common to both itself and Columbia. At White Sulphur the NBC execs talked mornings and evenings, golfed afternoons. The two RCA public re- lations counsel, Roy Norr and Shel- don Coons, were also present. It was a stag gathering entirely. Harry Kopf of Chicago and Don Oilman of Los Angeles came east for the meeting! FREE LUNCH FORCLUB GALS Salt Lake City, Opt 28. Gilhnan AdveiHising Agency Wed- nesday (20) starts a- ;iew series on KSL for the American Packing Co., using Bill Sears, GlUman radio di- rector, as emcee. Series Is a com- bination party, free luncheon and musical, quiz for the various women's clubs of the city. Throughout win- ter months American Pack, In K3L studios, will thrice weekly enter- tain one complete women's club with an hour of entertainment; luncheon built around American Pack products; followed by a 1S-- minute broadcast on which four members have a chance at making money via correct answers to ques- tions. Show Is joint bjain child of Bill Sears and Glenn Shaw, production manager of KSL. N. A. M. Dee to Close Dispute whh Hammond By FuD Salary Payment The National Assn. of Manufac- turers has decided to abide by tht recent American Arbitration Assn. award to Laurence Hammond in ful- fillment' of its contract for the 'De- fense for America' series. Full amount of $6,175 Is to be paid this week, through Hammond's attorney, Paul D. O'Brien, of O'Brien, Drlscoll it Raftery. Court action called oft. Case Involved Hammond's con- tract with NAM to produce 'De- fense for America' on NBC-Red. When he was replaced on the show, which he had originated, Hammond sued for breach of contract. Al- though the AAA panel gave the NAM property right to the show, the trade group was ordered to pay Hammond's salary in full for the time jie was replaced as producer. 'Arbitration' Deal Cold Macfadden Publications has gone cold on the Idfa of spotting A. A, Alexander's 'Court of Arbitration* on one of the networks for True Story magazine. The mag has cut Its price from ISc to 10c, making quite a differ- ence in the margin available for advertising.