Variety (June 1942)

S2 RADIO Wedoesdaj, June 24, 1942 WHOM-WOVJomtly Produce Italian Tou Can't Do Business With Hitler; Turn to REX for Uteraiy Aii Improvements In the foreign lan- guage field are in prospect, Draw- ing upon the radio writers, radio directors, the language departments of universities and turning to P.E.N., the international literary association for volunteer writing talent, ■ the New York City leadership (largely WHOM and WOV apparently) has lined up a number of new under- takings for democratic programming In foreign tongues. - 'You Can't Do Business With Hit- ler' is to be produced ih Italian by New Code Seen Good Washington, June 23. Federal officials are watching with interest reactions to the new 'voluntary code' of the For-, eign Langyage Radio Wartime Control Committee which places responsibility for Unguals di- rectly' on the broadcasters. Though little response had been noted at the end of the first week of operations under the code, radio circles seemed satis- fled that the 10-point credo will siniplify the task of stations with foreign language broadcasts. Some squawks are heard that the new code will have the effect of 'gagging' broadcasters. Check on commentators and their pro- grams ; required Is plenty pains- taHing, but majority of'the trade believed station jnanagers will comply cheerfuUy with efforts to 'make this (foreign- language) channel <ft communication a posi- tive force in 'the Victory Pro- gram.' Chicago, June 23. George T. Case, of the Editorial Staff of 'Variety's* Chicago. office, leaves Friday (26) to take up duties as Program Director of WINO, Day- ton, Ohio. Case, before joining "Varie./,' was associated with numerous stations over a period of 18 years. It is a recall assignment for him, as he hrid a similar position at Vt* station la-1939. Case was Program-Produc- tion Manager of WCFL, Chicago, be- fore joining 'Variety.' •WOV and WHOM Jointly, Live tal- ent wiU enact the episodes and the Office of Facts and Figures, through ' its foreign language radio expert, Lee F^, will then arrange for re- ' cordings to be distributed to other language stations.'around th6 United States.. rAnothfer series. Inside Italy,' Vf ill b e similarly.exploited. . ' WHOM has -meanwhile consider- ably extended Its American history, naturali;tatlon and similar activities. As- a'by-product to Its recent United Nations 'Flag Day ceremonies, WHOlil established a contact with the Royal Norwegian Broadcasting Service of the consulate here for Norway and,, starting next Sunday (28), WHOM will broadcast 16 nilh- utes at 11 pjn. of news'in Norwe- gian. The .news is largely a .reca- - pitulatl^n. of data sent out regularr ly by shortwave WRXIL in Boston. Although New York City has 123,000 Norwegians, - and Jersey another 65,000, this la first program - ever heard locally in that tongue.- - - ^ - PRETINDINGTOBENAZI 1^ ERffiARRASSES SPIELER Lynchburg, Va., June 23. Because' of what he termed a 'Jest,' John. Everett Lindsay, Jr., 21, an- nouncer at WRNL, 'Richmond, spent an uncomfortable few hours in jail under suspicion of being a spy. - Lindsay said he stood at Meadow and Broad in Richmond joking -with a group of men, and in fun referred to himself as of Teutonic extraction. He said he spoke with a Genhan ac- cent, and shouted 'Sieg Heel,' which his audience evidently misunder- stood for ;sieg HeU' (hail victory). Cops picked him up a few minutes later. He was released when the' FBI faicT it didn't want him. WKRC Newsroom Moves To Cihcinhati Times-Star Cincinnati, Jiine 23. WKRC's newsroom was < moved last week from station's studios and headquarters in the Hotel Alms to the downtown buUding housing the .WTimes-Star, afternoon paper linked with .ihe Mutual affiliate. tlm 'Elliott has followed ffom McCarthy from yjCPO \a wifCRG, Latter recently became head of the "ration's news stafl. Elliott, like 'Carthy, casts news. GEORGE CASE AT WING Leaves Chicago Staff of 'Variety' For Program Directorship Maury Holland Succeeds Vick Knight Directing 'Command Performance' Hollywood, June 23. War Deparbnent's 'Command Per- formance,' transcribed leriea short- waved \o the armed forces' over^ seas, changed producers,.'with Maury Holland taking over from Vick Knight, who piloted the program from its inception 17 . weeks ' ago. Kni^t left for the East to make an- .other radio connection, Holland will, produce a n«miber of 9hows in the 'Command', series dur- ing his summer layoff 'from J. Wal- ter Thompson, duties. ^ MEXICO TELI5 PEOPLE ABOUT NAZI PIG-BOATS Mexico Clty,_Junc 23. First hand accoimtf of the sub-' manning of Mexico's two oil tank- ers,, the'-Potrero del Llutp; May 13, and the Faja de Oro, May 20, off Florida^, which precipitated this country's declaration of a 'state of war' against the Aids, by survivors, officers and men, are. being'featured on. thfc regular Sunday radio Na- tional Hour that t}i« '|overnment presents on a web of most Mexican stations. The first of these reportages was presented May 81, NOW IT'S CANNED ICE CREAM Ten-B-Low Product Ualng BUr'bs Threngk Bummer Cincinnati, June ti. Ten-B-Low, ooncentrated canned ice cream. Is using seven stations for airings of one-minute dramatized 'announcements,' once.and twice daily for 18 weeks, ending Aug, 81. Accounts, placed through the Ralph H. Jones agency's Clncy office, are with WLW la tU* olfar, WaZ and WNAC, Boston; 'W^AV, PhUadel phia; WOKO, Albw, Y.i WOR, New York, and WTAiJ, Cleveland. 'Comparitont Arc— Washington, June 23. Chairman James L. Fly of the FCC in his appearance before the Congressional committee conducting hearings on the Sanders Bill, contrasted the five billions of plant investment of the communications companies with the 40 millions of dollari in broadcastln,;, as such. Then added Fly: 'You can. takt the gold dust tJiat is inwoltied here, in the, broadcasting industrv, and blow it info the eye» of the A. T. & T. and it tpoutd never squint.' WAR PROBLEMS COURSE ON AIR Denver, June 23. Tacts for War,' weekly' series offering civille^ the same sort of 'orientation courses' given to soldiei: and sailor recruits, has been aired over KMYR by the University of Colorado shice May. •t'. Starting with a popularized- explanation of Hitler's 'geopolitics' theories, the program is continuing with discus- sions of war strategy, air and naval bases, supply' routes and all-arotmd United Nations' war problems.- Series will probably continue 26 weeks and will deal with the causes of'the war, how Fascism originated and came to i>ower, how it actually works, descriptions of war areas arid warring countries and propaganda at home and abroad. Broadcasts are give/> by the individual faculty mem- bers . who give the orientation coursed at the Naval Iladio Training S nool on the University's campus at Boulder. / Programs- are available by trans- cription through the Rocky Moun- tain Radio Council to KIUP, Dur- ango. Col., and KFXJ, Grand Junc- tipn, Col. K. C. Drive Kansas City, June 23. Victory CTaravan of KMBC is over half, way in its drive for $100,000 in sales of war bonds and stamps. Arthur Church, prexy of KMBC, an- nounced that'after last Thursday's show in Hamilton, Mo., seventh of the Caravan's once-weekly showings, $53,703.90 had been garnered for Uncle Sam. Caravan each Thursday night plays a two-hour rally' in a town of KMBC's listening area to which admission is gained only by' the purchase of stamps and bonds. More than twenty entertainers ap- pear on the show, all from KMBC'i artist bureau including performers of 'Brush Creek Follies,' Saturday aftemoon'CBS sustainer, and featur- ing stafl personalities such as John Cameron Swayze, news announcer; Phil Evans, farm service counselor, and Hiram Hlgsby, m.c. for the Fol- lies and other KMBC shows. JOPUN JOINS MUTUAL AS ITS 206TH LINK station WMBH, Joplin, Mo., be- come? a Mutual affiliate July 1. Will brln'g iiie network total to 206. Station Evolves Scavei^^er Hunt Idea Into a Rubber &dvage Stnnt Washington, June 23. SUtion WJSV, kraSl^S aiftuiate, is using a variation of we scavenger hunt game to hypo the (sovemment's scrapr. rubber • collection drive In Washington, Series of-four programs Is being aired ynder the title, 'WJSV Rubber treasure tttint, with prizes of four $2B'war bonds being awarded to the people who turn in the most old rubber. ' -One winner is announced on each program, and is then iirought to the mike to tell how he gathered his prize collection.. In adlltloia, prizes of $2 in war stamps are given for the most unusual rubber article turned In, for the largest collection of the same type item, aad for the largest single rubber:article.. Second prizes In each category ^re a' pair of tick- ets for the Earle theatre, local War- ner theatre. Cancel Duz Spots Procter Gamble has Issued wholesale cancellations on the an- nouncement campaign for Duz (brough the doraptdn agency. In some spots the Duz blurbs E^e being replaced by plugs for Oxydol. Accotmt will probably resume the Duz campaign on a IfsQ. scale in the early fall. ■ ■ ^ Dick Dunkel's Guesses Dick Dunkel will distribute his football forecasts for the 1942 sea- son through Radio Events, Inc. Last season Dunkel had a tieup with At-^ lantlc Refining lor his' forecast sheets. Dunkel is Currently in Donohue It Coe's-radio department % Space' Held As Mam Reason Why Most N.Y.Dailies Don't List fOV WAAB'S REAPPEARANCE Move to Woreester DllflenU Under War Delaya Boston, June 23. WAAB will return to the air in six weeks from Worcester, but will use 'WNAC's Boston studios because of priorities that are delaying the conatruction of new ones in Worces- ter. Upon resuming operation, WAAB will increase its power from 1,000 to ^,000 watts, and its new transmitted wl)l be Itfcated at Holden. The sta- tion will become a. Mutual affiliate. Personnel dropped when WAAB signed off on June IS, will be largely absorbed soon. Publicity Utilization of Visiting Bands Figures In WTMJ-Union Talks ' Milwaukee, June 23. Negotiations for a new contract between WTMJ and the Milwaukee Musicians' Association, Local No. 8, AFM, struck a snag this past week when ieuding between the union and the Riverside theatre was Injected into the proceedings, at least tem- porarily sidetracking the primary issue of a general wage inT:rease sought by the musicians and bucked by the radio station. With name bands playing the Riverside almost every week, it was customary until a few months - ago for the visiting l eader s to partici- pate in various WTMJ programs, giving the station live name talent and giving the theatre publicity. 'When. Russ Morgan's band played the theatre in April the Musicians' union sought to have it appear at their annual Easter ball, but . Ed J. Welsfeldt, manager otthe Riverside, objected to his headliner being ad- vertised as an attraction there, al- though willing to have it put in an appearance. Union heads felt that If they couldn't publicize the band it 'was of no use to them, so it didn't appear. VoUmer Dahlstrand, the 'union chief, then stopped the practice of 'visiting band leaders from the River- side, participating In local radio sta- tion programs, and none have been on the air here since. With a new contract In process of negotiation between the music men and WTMJ, the radio station execs attempted to Insert a clause permit- ting them to use- visiting bandsmen as they formerly did, but DaMstrand nixed the idea pronto, and conver- sations looking to an agreement are deadlocked. . ' ■ ' Incidentally, Dahlstrand, increas- ingly prominent in labor ranks, was brought out this past week as a candidate for lieutenant governor and running mate for William B. Rubin, labor attorney oh the Demo- cratic ticket HAL RORKEjNTO ARMY Steve Fold Dun In Coast Gnard— Sommeri to Texas Hal Rorke has left CBS to assume a captaincy in the U. S. Air Force. His position as assistant publicity di- rector under Lou .Ruppel may go to George Crandnll. Two other CBSers going into uni- form are Steve Fuld of station rela- tions to be a coast guard ensign at an unknown date, and Frank Som- mer5, .of engineering, now at Corpus Chrlstl, Texas, as a lieutenant in the Navy. Cecil Brown Vice Davis; Sevareid for Quink Cecil Brown has taken Elmer Davis' place Ii> the .8:55-0 p.m. news spot on CBS, Monday through Friday. Johns-Manville pays the freight for this nightly period. Brown came to national attention through hia eye-witness accoimt of the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse off Singapore. Parker Pen has bought the Satur- day and Simday ptriod, vaiag Eric Sevareid to plug Quink. In both cases iVa 66 stations and the agency is J. Walter Thompson. New York City. Editor, Variety: In answer to your question con- cerning 'Why inost newspapers do not list WOV the foUowlng, to the best of my recollection, were the answers I received: New Tork Times (John K. Hutch- ens). No space...Editorial policy does not permit additional listings. T^ey do give us occasional hlghiiglit listings when we have an outstand- ing feature. Herald Tribune (Airs. Elizabeth Colclough). She said she was not Interested in WOV. She also said 'station was not worthwhile.' In addition she felt "That there were a lot of fascists around . WOV,' though as you know, our station is completely clean and absolutely all- out anti-fascist' Mrs. Colclough is no doubt thinking back about six or seven years and does not want to hear our story concerning our pres- ent fine-aetlvltles. ^ . New York S'nn (Ed'Bragden). Says managing editor won't -give any more space to radio. They re- fuse any listing other than - those already in. Dally News (Sid Shalit). They give us occasional highlight listings but won't carry regular listing. Their reasons are vague... Both Shellt and Gross say they like us. We are O.K. but they won't list us. Dally Mirror (Nick Kenny). You probably know Nick. - ■ 'World - Telegram (Alton Qo.ok). This is the toughest nut to crack. Cook holds to his set formula and refuses any kind of listing for WOV. The only time he mentions nis in his column is when a mutual friend asks him to do us a favor. New Tork Pest The many changes in. personnel and policy on this radio page makd it hard.to get anything de^nite. The standard ani- swer, however Is lack of space. FM (Judy Dupuy). PM has been kind to us in the matter of high- light listings but claim they cannot give us regular Ustings because of space. Brooklyn Eagle (Jo Ranson). I have never discussed this with Ran- son. . He does, however, run some of our news releases. We do not .get any listings in the Eagle. [Ranson is now with the NBC publicity., de- partment—^Editor.] AU in all, the general reason given Ip 'no space.* As to the listings that we do re- ceive—through an arrangement with the Journal-American whereby we carry a transcribed program which they produce, we are in turn given full listing every day. pur listings are also carried by the Bronx Home-News, MorristoWn. Record, Jersey Journal, Elizabeth Journal, Sussex Independent. The latter few, of course, are small news- papers but as you know, every list- ing helps. ■ It does seem very strange, in view of' the fact that WOV is carrying on one of the most intense anti- fascist and Americanization drives, that newspapers refuse to cooperate. I have been hammering away as much as possible to try to get the newspapers to see our side of the picture. So far, aside from occa- sional features, the results have'been negligible. I Herhert Ltmdon, Director of Publicity. JANE ARKIN SUES CBS, Blow, PHILIP MORRIS . Hollywood, June 23. Jane Arkin- has filed suit against- the Columbia Broadcasting System for $50,000, alleging plagiarism. Miss Arkin charges she originated 'Mini- ature Playhouse' on a small local station and that CBS picked it up without her consent. Action also involves - Philip Morris and the Blow Company. Frank Mason Sells WMRN Morion, O., June 23. The Federal -Commuiiicatlons Commission consented last week (1$) to the voluntary transfer of control of the Marion Broadcasting Co., operators of WMRN, Marion, O., from Frank E. Mason and Ellen Mason to Howard F. Guthrey <md Florence Guthrey for $13,000. Mason, who is now a special as- alstant to the Secretary df the' Navy, Is also a vice-president of NBC