Variety (June 1942)

18 RADIO "WtdnesiAjt June 24, 1942 Watch Thurman Arnold Discussions On A.P. Denial of Chicago Sun; See Pos^ble Influence on Radio Also Various broadcasters are watching with much Interest the discussions row going on between the direc- torate of the Associated Press and Thurman Arnold, assistant U. S. at- torney general In charge of-the anti-trust division of the Depart- ment of Justice, These broadcasters ere wondering what future bearing Arnold's legalistic moves in the AP might have on network operations •with regard to exclusive station-af- filiate contracts. It is understood that the Depart- ment of Justice is seeking to com- .pel the AP to revise its membership 80 that' any newspaper financially capable of performing a contract would be entitled to the AP service. Concord on that thesis would elimi- nate the. AP policy of granting fran- chises or membership on the basis of a vote J)y the membership. The incident which aggravated the De- partment of Justice's Interest In this feature of the AP's mode of opera- tion occurred at the last convention of the news association". With Arch Ward, sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, leading the opposition, the AP members voted down the bid of the Chicago Sun (Marshall Field) lor the AP's afternoon service. The speoulation within broad- casters ranks is whethef Arnold will, after he has disposed of the AP situation, attempt to extend a like •theory to network and local station relations. Whether he will advance the contention that the networks, functioning a£ public utilities, must abrogate their exclusive relations with a particular station In a com- munity and make their services available to others in the same com- munity who want the programs and can lulflU the necessary require- ments, as provided for in the radio law and FCC regulations. FIVE GAGMQ( BACKING TOMMY RIGGS'SHOW Muster 500 Hogans Chicago, June 23. ■ WGN. premiered Its new pro- gram 'Chateau Hogan' Wednes- day (17) with a Mutual network feed attended by 500 local Ho- gans, Invited for the occasion. New show will have a weekly airng over MBS and WGN for summer season. Time la 9:30 p.m. CWT Wednesdays. Hollywood, June 23. Five -writers are assigned to turn out gags for Tommy Rlggs and his Imaginary partner, Betty Lou, who wHl replace the Bums & Alien pro-, ^am for the summer, starting July Scribes are Sam Perrin, Jack Douglas, Bill Danch, George Balzer and Al I^win. Also on the program are Jimmy Cash and Felix Mills' orchestra. WRITERS IN PARTNERSHIP Peter Lyon, Bob Btohards, Bob Tall- man Merte Talents P^ter iyon, Robert Richards and Robert TaUman, all three free-lance writers, have formed their own package production firm, Playwright Producers, and are dickering, with a prospective client for a weekly half- hour dramatic series. The show, tlUed Tor Us the Living,' is a semi- patriotic stanza suitable for guest star, appearances. Lyon now scripts 'Board of Miss- ing Heirs' for Sterling Products (Ruthraufl Si Ryan),'while Richards and TaUman do free-lance- assign^ ments for 'Cavalcade of America' for Du Font (B.B.D.&0.). All three formerly wiote for the original "March of Time* series. They plan to continue their present free-lance writing assignments when and if they sell 'For Us the Living.' They will produce-direct the ■eries themselves. GENERAL MILLS DEEPER INTO RADIO General Mills Is expected to de- cide momentarily about the purchase of a new daytime program to go into Its morning block of shows on CBS. Product wlU probably, be Cheerloats and Blackett-Sample- Hummert, Chicago, the agency. However, if some other' brand gets the series it may go to the Knox Reeves agency. Addition of a fourth show will give the milling account a full hour in the morning and, with Colgate- Palmolive-Peet dropping. 'Step'- mother* (at 10:30-10:45 a.m.) and "Woman of Courage' (at 10:45-11 a.m.), will probably Involve a minor realignment in the CBS morning schedule. GM is expected to give up its present 9:45-10 a.m. spot now occupied on different days by 'Har- vey and Dell' and "Thus We Live.' By . taking over the vacated 10:30- 10:45. and 10:45-11 a.m. .spots, it would thus have a solid hour block 10-11 a.m. Shows fllling that period would probably be the present mom ing trio, 'Valiant Lady,' 'Storids America Loves' and the 'Harvey and Dell' and "Thus We Live' combina- tion, plus the new one. However, the account might elect to inter- change some of the above, programs with ones from Its afternoon hour block of four on NBC-Red. Latter are 'Light of the World,' the forth coming 'Lonely Women,' 'Guiding; Light' and' 'Hymns of All Churches.' For more than a year General Mills has been working to expand its daytime schedule to two full hours, one on CBS and the other on NBC, Cancellation of .the two' morn- ing shows by C-P-P- gives. GM its hoped-for chance for a fiill-hour on CBS and purchase of the new serial will thus complete the plan. ~ Reber Reports Observers h Wasliington Favor Crosby-Like War Points Hollywood, June 23. Washington observefs favor Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall program as an ideal example of what radio can do in aiding the war effort, ac- cording to John. U. Reber, v-p In charge of radio for the J. Walter Thompson agency, who is visiting Hollywood this week on general gander of JWT's local radio setup. In the opirtion of Washington offi- cials, said Reber, the Crosby pro- gram ranks first in an over-all ap- praisal of all media fostering the Government's vital war messages. He opined that messages hold more weight when not slugged out as such but, rather, astutely worked into the continuity. Announcements remain as such, normally resented and leaving audiences unsold, unless they are presented in such a manner that listeners are Jcept reminded of the war effort without having it forced upon them with a push rather than the potency of careful story weaving. It's the policy of the agency to handle all- messages in that way, stated Reber. Martin Block Gets Busier Martin Block takes over the m.c. Job on the Lucky Strike Hit Parade July 11. Record-spiAner is cur- rently doing the commercials only on the Saturday evening program, as well as handling them on Kay Kyser's Wednesday broadcast' for Luckies. Block, who does the Make-Be- lieve-Ballroom record program on WNEW, N. v., also does the com- mercials on the 'Pepper Young' broadcast for Procter & Gamble, on NBC daily, and wHl do them for the same show when It begins a .dally repeat.pcilonnance on CBS ^iine 20. PEPSI-COLA GOES LATIN V. S. One-Mlanto BeoordJngs Central, Sonihem Markets for Pepsl-Cola is- extending its radio campaign of one-minute musical blurbs to the Central and South American markets. The recordings are being made in the United States. Curtailment (rf Electricity to Stations Seen by broadcasters as Most Frightening Form of &ns(Hrslup Fake Radio Heroics Fiction writers for radio who want to utilize the melodra- matic undercover 'freedom sta- tions' are learning that the Gov- ernment cotmsels against such glorification. It seems too many of the freer dom stations are fakes set up by the enemy to increase con- fusion; if possible. (The Blng Crosby program was one of 15 oduertistng-supported pro- grams atoarded Scrolls of Honor last week by 'Variety' at the conclusion of 'Variety's' spedat'toortime'radio shotoTJuinship survey of war mes- sage-carrying commeTcinls— Ed.) EDNA MAE OLIVER GETS SPOT AS BENNY LOLLS Hollywood, June 23. Contracts were' finally signed Friday for the new radio comedy drama, "Private Life of Josephine Tuttle,' in which Edna Mae Oliver stars for Rinso, Lever Bros, product Show moves- into the Jack Benny' spot, starting July 5 for 13 weeks, and originates from here for the East at 4:00 p.m. on Sundays. Coast re- peat is heard at 8:30 p.m. Having waited in Hollywood for concliision of the deal, Pete Barnum, supervisor of radio - production for Ruthrauff & Ryan, left Saturday (2D) after signing Miss Oliver, Lillian Randolph, and Leith Stevens who will direct the music:' Martin Gosch and Howard Harris are writing, the script (nd Murray Bolen will, pro- duce. • The Benny spot Is currently occu- pied by 'Victory Parade* but latter will be moved t» the 'Gjreat" Gilder- sleeve' groove, a half hour eairlier, with the summer layoff of the latter. Bob Hawk to M.C. Camel Event in Cleveland Arena Cleveland, June 23.- Camel' Is Importing Bob Hawk to m.c. the iCaravan' show which wiU be staged at the Arena Saturday (27) .with the co-operation of the local American Legion. The pro- ceeds will be used to buy smokes for all Cuyahoga County's men in the service, both in the U. S. and overseas, for six months. Also for Cleveland inductees and USO sta tions in this territory. Herb Miller's orchestra will fur- nish the music. The. unit for the occasion will consist of DoUy JXeaz man, dancer, Kay Carlisle, Golden West Cowboys, San Antonio llose, Camelette Trio, Fiddling Red, Pee- Wee Kii)g and Minnie Pearl. $UOO,000 FORD CONTRACT TO BLUE Ford Motor Co. has given the Blue Network an order for seven quar- ter-hours a week starting' in July, but the exact date won't be set until the account has untangled it- self from a commentator situation. The report around- is that it gave its original choice a contract and later changed its mind. On a 62-week basis the contract, for time alone would amount to $1,200,000. The period is 8-8:15 p.m., dnd Maxon, the ■ agency. Two reported candi- dates for'the commentator spot are Earl Godwin and Morgan Beatty. Bidding for th$ business has been bitter'among the four national net- works, with the Blue doing a bun»up when it heard that a CBS sales exec had wired Detroit urging the account not to buy elsewhere even if It couldn't get the time it wanted on CBS, but to wait until such time became available on Co- lumbia. Broadcasting Magazine Denounced By Office of War Information Washington, June 23. ■Broadcasting' magazine has been denounced by th$ brand-new Office of War Information, Elmer Davis, director, for use of a secret Govern- ment documeht. Official statement from the War Information Office as released June 22 reads as follows: PBESS BELEASE In today's (June 22) issue of the radio trade magazine 'Broad- casting' appears an article in tohich ore reproduced portions of the report of a survey made by the Intelligence Bureau of the Office of Facts and Figures, now part of the Office of War Infor- mation. This report, which deals with 'Ameriian Attitudes Toword Wor Niwt,' i» a secret document of the United States Government and is plainly so designated, It is clear that the document could have been ob- tained only in an improper, and possibly illegal, manner. Publi- cation of excerpts from the doc- ument was without authorization from the Office of Facts and Figures or the Office of War In- formation, which alone could give authsrizatton. The fact that the document was quoted only in port, ond the further fact that extracts were selected with the apparent purpose of serving the magazine's ielf-interest result in giving an Incomplete and mis- leading picture of the contents of the report. PEARCE-CAMELS PART; AGENT QUERIES FOOD Hollywood, June 23. Camel clgarets burns out its Al Pearce series ^with the broadcast of July' 2, leaving Pearce with two more programs before being re- placed by. Bob Hawk's '*How Am I Doin?'- Deal for Pearce to emcee the tobacco firm's hour -variety show from New York also went by the board. It's understood that Peiarce's agents are talking a fall deal -with a food account. Meanwhile, Marvin Fisher and Stanley Davis have been assigned to write an act for the Pearce radio gang for a summer theatre tour. WRITERS, DIRECTORS MEET They See Pretty Mach Eye-to-Eye On Mntnal Problems and War Officials of the Radio Directors Guild and the Radio Writers Guild have.reached a broad agreement of cooperation. Leader^ of the two groups met last week and discussed mutual problems and aims. Although no specific working pact was set, Ijie discussion Was entirely in accord on general matters. Another session is tentatively slated for Friday (26). Besides the organizational topics discussed, the director and writer officials also talked about plans for collaboration on ' war programs. Further confabs will be held on this matter, also.. Washington, June 23. Danger that broadcasting stations in . areas dependent upon hydro- electric energy may be forced to curtail operations this summer and fall seemed more imminent last week when the War Production Board told the National Association of Broadcasters that 'non-essential'- radio operations cannot be given special consideration If power ra- tioning becomes necessary-. Federal authorities fear the low--water sea- son will compel sharp restrictions on many consumer's, especially in the Southeast, upper New York State, and parts of the Far West. Emphasizing that no curtailment has been ordered yet, J. A. Krug, chief of the W.P.B.^ Power Branch, said It is not contemplated that power deliveries will be eliminated entirely to any users but in case of shortages only the most essential consumers will get preference. He asked station owners to cooperate in se.elng that plants turning out war supplies get all the juice needed.. The reply to the NA.B, protest raised the spectre of an. entirely new type. of government checking on the broadcasting Industry. Never before has any Federal. authority uhd^taken to specify' what pro- grams or stations are 'essential' or even hint that anything short of a military emergency — either an enemy attack or imdenlable Army or lisivy need for a frequency or a plant—would result In telling an op'erator to shorten his schedule or go off the air because he Is 'unnec-- essary.' While the' WPB undoubt- edly will consult with the FCC and the D.C.B., the eix>ergency agency In actuality would exercise unpre- cedented censorship powers. Radio's Part In War' Effort To the extent that radio broad- casting forms an Integral part of the war effort or essential civilian ac- tivities, ''our regional curtailment schedules will permit continued de- liveries of power to jadio stations,' Krug told the trade body. 'Where, however, the broadcasting Is of a non-essential nature, there seems no less reason to curtail such broad- casting tiian to curtail the aotivities of other Information and advertising media. ''fflien curtailment appears neces- sary In any 'particular area, we would expect to - consult with the War Production Boturd Communica- tions Branch and other agencies concerned with radio as well as with the stations themselves as to. any special problems -which should be ^ken into account with regard to broadcasting la the affected section. 'Complete public ' cooperation Is necessary to assure the success of , any- curtailment program and the'- radio Indu'stiT' can be of the great-- est^ uAfulness in gaining popular support for power conservation pro- grams In shortage areas. We trust that.we will be able to count on the assistance of broadcasters in helping to make the maximum supply of powei^ available for the use of war producers.' Krug specifically suggested the possibility statioi^ in shortage areas may be required to operate fewer hours. Total consumption may. have to be reduced by - fixed percentages, 'which could ordinarily be' achieved by decreasing the hours of radio sta- tion operation,' he noted. B.B.D.&0. Man Inducted Klrkland Alexander, of the B.B.D.&O. production staff, was in- ducted Into the Army last week. He was the contact on "Bright Horizon,' Lever Bros, serial which the agency shares with 'young & Rublcam. His wife is a model. * (Not to be Confused with Alex- ander klrkland, radio actor and legit actor-producer.) ASTAIRE, HAYWORTH, JEPSON FOR COCA-COLA Lowman May Join Up Lawrence Lowman, CBS v.p., was in Washington at press time yester- day (Tuesday) conferring with authorities. - - He may wind up as an officer in the army. Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth will guest on the Coca-Cola show July 13, when the Jerome Kern score .for their forthcoming Colum- bia picture will be performed pub- licly for the first time. Selections fro m the K ern score wlU be sung iiy'TCenny" Baker, also guesting on the prograffi. Helen Jepson wiU guest on the series next Sunday (28). Frank Parker will get the call the follow- ing week, July 5, featuring 'Song of the Free,' new selection with score by Kurt WeUl and lyrics by Archi- bald MacLeish. George Zachary dWects the pro- gram and George Faiilkner writes the continuity. D'Arcy is the agency. Eddie Anderson . (Jack Benny's 'Rochester*) will guest on Eddie Cantor's 6h0w over NBC June-24.