Variety (March 1944)

VeJiiesday. March 29, 1944 RADIO 29 LOCAL PROOAM SPIRALING Dies-Winchell—and Radio Now that Dies has spoken, what can ladio do? Thai's the vital question emerging irom the Winchell-Dics feud, so iar as radio is concerned. The charges hurled and the issues exposed, although oi" tiemendous portent, are not within radio's province to amend. The limitations imposed dn ladio in the airing of controversial issues have tied the industiy hand and foot. Until that day when it is relieved of these i shackles and can open the air lanes to pro,and con discus-1 sion on all matters that affect the ^)eople, regardless ot ho\Y I controversial the question, radio simply can't do anjthilngi about it. j The mere fact that Jergcns, sponsor of Wmchell, and the Blue Network were torced to find a solution to their imme- diate problem by giving Dies free time for rebuttal only points up radio's inability under its present setup to take its -place as a-serious mouthpiece in helping to solvcour national pioblems. An individual sponsor, faced with a situation that grew in magnitude until it exceeded the bounds oi person- ahties.'was obviously thinking on]V in terms ot an immediate remedy. As such, it has accomplished nothing in blueprint- ing future policy. When the networks and stations hit their j ban and agree to sell time to any accredited group to answer \ charges in a controversial issue, then, and only then, will radio be upholding the provision in the Bill of Rights, SPOT SHIES m Winclicll, in his blast against Dies, has indirectly taken up the cudgels lor freedom of the air. : In his answer last Sunday- night. Dies resorted to implications: and smearing without directly answering any of the charges made against him. Since freedom of speech—our inherent right—is at stake, the controversy has gvovm bigger than its proponents, and were the air lanes open, surely many an accredited or- ganization would rise to carry on the fight. As radio stands today, it is restricted to the entertainment and education fields. Nor do the educational aspects of radio enjoy free rein. Now, and even more so in the post-war eia, many economic and political issues will arise that may en- danger our fundamental rights of democracy. If radio wishes to maintain its existing status, it will still be a big industry from the viewpoint of financial returns, but will not be taking its rightful place as a power that can go beyond the press and other media of public opinion. Winchell-Dies Delayed Action Bomb; Air Freedom Issue Still Up in Air , One ol ttte .Hr.eatest boohis. id' local ■coiiTmereial'.' prA^i'ahti-ijiijg- V is' iiiti-i- cated' by;' the'. Jlghtfioss -'of '.'Jhe' ■(•ime situa.ttbtr on iM aiets.. and tiy,'iact that .Ideal outlets. lTa\iB i:E'aehecl' sd(uv,afib,^ jsDint for ;s;p6t^■.aWnouncemenl'i.■ .Wtt^^^^ Class '■ A> ,statiOlv5': jfo Idji^^^ acceptspot isales..backlogl of, a.p- plicatioi^s- for' such': tirti,e ih'ave . b'Gfeti, pllhig ' up. : As' spoiisors coiltiriuQ to ■pt'ess foi' air 'tim'e', agenciGsJare.Ghah- ilGji;rig' their clj6nt.5: Hitd-'spbni;0r?h.ip, of ■ ideal progfcarli^" iiii'' drtte,r . tov .'Kecp tfe,;elje;hfs hSBPyi.: with ■ a; reaaltarit 'spiralTng of Jdesir programlnirig.'-' ■: ■ : , Agencies ha ye, 'ipeen 'reluctant ■ to, go. iiv.for:sUch'f)rosraiT!ming Ihej;' ■ realize ■ Jti'drd: h'om ■ spbt:, 'sale's than frpiTi produetion, of local .airers,'. wit.jioiii;'; th^ additional/headachfis ..of. 'contiitUouS:prodtictiori:; ^ Up to: no\y 'they,\'e gteertid^^^ :c(way from local; seisiyohs',,pre'fetring to tie them up (m .waitnig lists, Sta-. tions have :bee£'liiorti ;1:han .a' little, .miffed .at. this;/ i'eeiing.^i-tha.t;: tb'e' agehcies .have ■be'en preventing .them from : rriaking ■' hay.' 'whilp the; ' sua shines.: '.This . has,, been . .particularly' tuie of the indies, although the net local outlet heads leel that they Could probably; show -better. results by corraling som« of this; potential bu-sincss to replace tlie net sustain- ers they're now: carrying. . With the. solution for. the agencies .seen; lyingvalong the- local ■progra route, .they've. already taken up their Cwie. With industry circles pretty well agmd that the Waltei Winchell- :Mal'tin Dies radio "debate" Sunday night t26) on Blue netwoik tjme ■ paid for by Jergens failed to e-Nplode . as expected, the feeling: persists in .some quarters .that the incident, may turn . .out to . be a "delayed action bomb.''. Supporting • this is. a . report from Wa.shington tliat Congressional suppoUerg of Dies aie planning to print and circulate 1,000 000 copies of the Texas lawmaker s .speech. That Dies will be allowed to return ■to tile airlaribs.: under .'the same cliv , CiimstanGes; iri; the . near future was not^hought likely. Winchell's spoh- ;sors,:feel..fhat;they;had fulfilled what- ever obligations Rep. Die*, claimed ■nas owed him by ladio when they gave him the 15-mmute session fol- lowing Winchell Sunday night. Any future milte appeaiances by Dies oi other Conijressional opponents of the coluirnis,t, therefor, piobably will be raade on time donated by tlie nets on a public service basis. Dies and Winchell were heaid over 165 itations by what some ob- serveis claim was one of the largest •ur audiences of the season Prehm- Ulaiy fifeiiies compiled foi the Blue netwoik by C. E. Hooper however, fail to .bear out this, contention A quick Hooper check announced Mon- aay (27) shoA\ed Winchell talkinfito an audience {.lightly smaller than that reflected by the lating agency's March 15 figuie lur the coHimnist uies, Sunday night, fell slightly imdei Wmthell's maik, accoidmg to Hooper ^.; .?ur.t'her.'.':iiid'icatioiig' .as: to, ihc ..size /.<'!::thgi iatidieiiije,: Will^ »iei':':avaMable :iate -this^.v^eik :wheii..<jieKiiKs-^ a special Crossfey poll are due What- :, ^ver.:, the; .(juteome,: the' inttetty . is .agreed that, Dijc's .Was .:able- to'.p.i»oiect ■.ws,,message tovthe ■:sb-ca)lbcl, "Wi»- ;;-,Phell, audience" .of :yi.ilioiis without ; .Obstructions,, or: hamstrin«ini;. , ■ Hooper figmes ,\eie WjnbhcU, (Continued on page 35), BLOW, BUGLE, BLOW- BUT NOT FOR VIDEO New' York musicians Local; 802 'forced.a triGky,.Switch'rin;NBC « vision bro.adcastihg ; technique, at Madi^oh; Square Garden tw-o weeks ago when Golden , Glove.s: boxing toUrhameht \veiit :.on Oyer; .W.ifB,'^, A bugle call heralding entrance of boxers into the; ■ring preceded each bout but, because NBC had made no arraingemeiits with ;the,.: unioh,' :;tO: broadcast .'music ' h^om'v the' G the ' ta-ra-ta-tat-ta" biz had to be cUmlnated. ,.■"■...''■;■;;' >■■■■[ :':.■■■''■[■-'^•'■■'.r'}; ■.'Result was that a blank screen and. no .sound .sequence greeted video audience at the eonclusion, of each thiec-roundei. Blank screen was .ocCasibneS,;by (loasiirfc Of ■ a^^^^^ to heighten dramatic effect .of. bugle, calls Absence of sound came be- cause 802 forced NBC to cut thtir transmitting:' switch as sOoiir as the bugler .started bugling. .■ ;.: ; :;. , "vAftei? ';;th4ti-:' tele ' sjhOw :rewfned shbvvihg;: contesfarits halhed(;iiV;:spotr light in; their;,corners Whiltii Sarden aiiitouHce^'bboawed'^htrpes.;;.':. v.';\^ Writers Guild, Nets In Compromise Protracted differences between the Radio Writers Guild and the Blue Network, CBS and NBC, ueie ad- justed last: week, with both sides eomprom ising, on issues that had stymied .negotiations. : , :Alfhoiigh ,the. :Guild had ihsislcd on- a contract terminating at the end of the yoar.i Which, in effect,would have been ot;10-months duration, the wiiters finally agreed to a thiee- year pact In return for other con- ceisions, including the right to le- open salary negotiations on a:-yearly teaSis.,'.'..;,:;.. :■'..; •:,..:■':'•■'■:■';./;.:;:■ . Contract provides for pay mini- rinim. of $7.5 for staff ;script wrriters! Previously no minimum. .scale had been in force. The Guild withdrew its hbUrliy. m.ihim.uM';demahd.s. ■.. 'ThS: establishment of a Guild "-hop and othei basic working conditions aic carried over into the new contract. Roche Leaves Ayer To Produce 'Duffy' Airer Jack Soche leaves the N W A>er Agency this week fo take o\ei the prod:tictibn.;'&i 'ttte '^d^ieiirdh^r'iWbW: which leaves, for the Cooft today. ■ 29). Roche replaces Joe H:li. who will .fill ■ An: Ea.sl(irn. a.-'isignmcnl [Isfe ■youiig & H.aiSeafe,' age^^ account;.. v:.,:^;^".'^' ;,'■':":■ , 'M- / ■ RQohe's;Spor''at,;,H,. Wi: A'y(»r;«ill bo (llled..i}y^;Lott:'S;uIfnn;:^ whtt .■^Titinfi.'^the laite'r.^; agei;H'y!s .:.^M'.es Boer-Hoiace Hoidi show. Archbishop Spellman's Anti-Bigotry Plea Given Stations Gratis By WOV " stemming: from its "tolerance" .campaign,.: .WOVi .N.'..^:, is di.stribirt,- ing special Easter, ;l3rograin, gratis to • other Italian-language .stations. Quarter-hour l-'session,; based' on:. :a:ii article by ArchbishopV. &a.ncis , J. Spellman bntitlejd: .''.fiigbtiiy ;;is . uii-, AnVoriean.'.'. will, .be '':aired. bvc-r; WOV lociay. at 2 p, mr- and: will immediately be raacie. available , on' transcription to ■;.':tations .ijoast tb -coast; ■ ijari'ying': ,italiari^languag:e,.progranis.:. If'iguring .'that ■Xrchbishbp Spolimaii'^'';mes:sage i.s' important boost fp,r' :.raciai' gpodr :VVillf: 'VV.OV. wants ,to: give. It v.^idest .p£i.s.siblc' eiroulatioii and;, is; under- ■Avrfting:; entire cost o! discs , a'h.d' ^mailing. ■.. ''i. .'':. '■ ';'i..^ ':;,.;. : ;:^.l?r,o^gram coh'sists>Qt:ft^ .■excerpts.: ..of ".' Aineri^^^ .aiag';' - piece' ;ti'a,nsiafed ; into.. dramat.i^ ;f;orno,' with ■; babkgrouM: of' .tenteii ovgaii'! .m tii^ic. . pianfl Bal.di, ■: indie's '^''ft..:,.I.talian-1'»riuuage;^:'W 'liicnfcitor.•:W!ill"he hai'i'alojt^':' ■ Benny Switch Has Further Kickback In Jamming NBC Program Skeds Page Jimmy Valentine ■ Unusual.:.d.femaiid.for.. dttcats': ; foi^ .'the : Vihims-Ifl;a.^^i^■^■'.■,S^ '. show*,' which. has ..iti.sf :-m'ovcS'^^p^^^ .. .aild: 'eniaiiateSrfrbin-N. ,y'.':t'oliigjit; 129), has put the pasteboaids at a piemium. In lact, at CBS, :^'where .-as. - \yitK;"'.the: ■■.6th'e'i.."i"icls,^ ■. ..there's .ustially; a '.'hel^^^ youiselt" ,. .■poll'cy'for eittployee's, tIfC ti ckcts; ;.'.have be'eii locked, iii. a safe:' ■ ; ''; And the only or.os Willi the ■ oonikinatign . i;are_^ {irexy .. Brl] _ Palqy, who's in Europe, and tlie guy in charge of the tickef!. Dizzy Now Real University Dean Via Suds Sponsor Dizzy; Dean who last year made ;profs put'.around St; Louis .tear: their hair because of the way he mur- nored the; King's Knglish and had Joung.^ters bonowing fiom his col- orful .lexicon of hill-billy and dia- mond phrases, is going on. the. air this year over the St. Louis Uiii- \eusity station, WEW. Not known whether purists on the; faculty raisefj any objections when they heard. Jay Hanna had been signed to broadcast baseball ovei the \aisity station but deal was set through Fal^taff biewery and KWK, Mutual affiliate in the Mound City It's also understood some eyebrows are being raised over suds being plugged on educational outlet, .but diamondca.sts have been accepted re- gardless. Johnny O'Hara, ot KWK's sports staff, will woik with Dcin on home games of both Caids ami Browns. Only the- afternoon games will be aired by WEW, with WTMV, Ea<:t St Louis, stepping into the pic- ture to handle 44 arclight contests ckedcied by the two cltibs Fal.stafl has an ■* exclusive with Cards and Browns to spon,sor the games but was unable to find time on KWK's heavily committed sched- ule for the (Jaily. airings. Hence , the tContinued on page 32) It's Nice to Feel That The Bible Has a Pretty Good Crossley Rating Reaction to "Light of the World," NBC series dealing- with tiie Old Testament, sponsored by , General IWills ; and currently in itS; fourth year, ha^ cued; thefdccisibn. of; Trans- ameribap, ...wh.lbh packages the ,sho\V, to Av.hi,p;^ togbther ..a, seri'e,s ba.sed -011, the New Testament. New progiam is being planned as a half-hour, sij£-times-a-week night show, with possibility that Ctncidl Mills may again sponsor. "Light of ■fhe.: World,". wiHltcn by;. .Katheri/ite Seyriibur;; has had. a:, consistently' favorable :rating: .and : rathery thrm break':.up ;the continuiti^: of . the.'.Ojd :Tesiaftibirt;:i^rl^s,iit ■waS:';d:e;cidc(;l to do a scpaiate show on tnt >,uw Testament. V.The': Ja.ek.Benny divfir.be trora. Gen- .; ei:ral:.:FoodS. aii'd;' sub^ .mfiht .bJ the 'George ..'VVashiltglon Hiil,;. (/Bbhuy^s Mjy.Sponsor'); IVBC 'sd^ed:-.';' iile last .week found NBC c.kccs iit- : ,.'ej;ally.;.lire4.1i4n.g iuto a! sweat.': in . '': .an;|ltt.(?nipt . to ...straight^ oVt in; a\v.kf'', waid situation. As was expected. Hill announced h?:; .iKas.'giyihg;'''up: the' jSrlday' Mights/' §-S:30: ,spbt;.on the.het, :s;tncc.'. HeHvas. [ tr.kiii.g over the Bonny San'iay i:i.t;,t;': 7-T::i0 time .segment. .'Xs far ss ITiil '\/as coi;cerned. it was a good out. ;li.is '. Frida y' night "Al: Time Hit Pariule" never quite rcgistering .as '■ a ;top-rat-'.•;: ing .''how;. Hill announced he was. ■ ■ moving "All Time'' o\er as the Benny summer rcplacemcin. Geii- f ral Foods, losing the vaiuabio Sti'i'i-;.; d'iiy : spot which Bonny took i;;r.'ng ; with h.im in the switchover; , Wii.s ■ given first crack at tiic open Friday '.' time., ,. However, the situation de- \eloped wheie GF, needing a half- hour spot fOi- its new Frank Morgan' ;'. sh'ow^. fpUnd'- ;it-self ;'wi.th :36''jhiiiiu.ti^s':; diicctly opposite -ts own Kate Siriith piogiam on CBS. . In an attempt to .satisfy one of .it's :"■ top-spending clients, NBC went to woik trying to reshuffle its piogiam- ming schedule " In the hopes that it could spot the new General Foods show into the Thursday night time now occupied by Bob Burns, NBC came up with a suggestion 1n.it Burns be moved over to the Fr iciay night 8-8 30 slot now held by Cities Service. Going a .step fuUher it sought to advance "Amos 'n' Andy" into the spot being vacated by "All Time," thus giving Lever Bros. th« full hour stretch and ;the benefit. Of -'- the network discount. That left Cities Service m a tough .spot, however, since it would force its Lucille Man- ners concert program back to the 10 O'clock "Amos 'n' Andy" spot Cities Service reportedly nxed the idea, leaving GF with the original open half-hour opigosite its Kate Smith show, where matters now stand. Revise N. Y. Scale For Air Musicians Coincident with the completion ot new contracts between WABC, WEAF, WJZ and WOR and N. Y. local 802 of the American Fedcia* tion ot MusicanSi the local advLscd , of a new radio scale tor musicans, effective April 1. New rates, call for $14 per man for a program up to 30 minutes and $18 per between 30 and not over 60 minutes, Rehearsal pay remains as is, $6 eacli hour. Difference between the old and- new lates isn't actually as much as It sounds Previously scale calied for 5)12 per-man for anything up to and not beyond one hour, but regu- lations demanded at lea.st two hours ot ieheai.sa1 This rule has been diopped, %vhich means individual musiciiuis may or may not cam ir.ore on lull Iiour shows, depending on Mil:, ix-hearsii! necessary. Minmcapolis—Hale B\cis, \eteran :m(*ijitecr. <ii WCCO:^>jtart,.'has shifted .to ■ .riicU.o .adveftisiitTg'>: section ■|^ot' Mmncapolus o(I ce Klose Quits Y&R For Fulltime Farming Woody .'Ktpsei-:;di;t'e.ctor (it- dtiyfinic:, radio for Young & Rubicam, .is turn- ing fulltimc farmer at his dany f,um in Dutchess Coiihtyi X. Yi>,;H;i:s..wit.h;:: (iraw-al from Y; & R, into; .the-j.uillinie.: ianr; operation -gives him a' 2C status, .as:esseiHialbto, t)i;e':;^Var. efl'ortv^' ,■;..; .. . Frank Telford,' wtib.; direetett' ■tiic- CBS ■■Vi.Jiant ;;Lacly';.:;>eri;:h- ::;-lias ji.i:ied the Y & II produwio!! st;tfK, .S..'.-cetdinH him on; "Lady." is Eddie Ritca. who comes fiom W'vS J Detroit. -'.S;; ■■.'.i;';'-.';-^-.-",' ,v ;.■- NBC Going Whole Hog On Symph Series Via 'Orchestras of Nation' Chicago, March 28 • A rx-\v concert .series to be called "Orciiestras of.the Nation" is plar.ued by NBC following the five Saturday ; fit'tenu-ior. programs being given . by ' lire Chicago Symphony ■ orchestra. !.:.-tter made its debut last week..This Wii> ic\ealed by .Samuel Chot<iino(J, VBC director of music, while hefe. While definite arrangements ha\e not yd been completed, it i.s planned to pick up .major .itvmphony cpiwei't?;, li.vroug'h:Out th.e: country ■ for ^■^ tiuy afternoon broatica.sts. ■'';.•/.)/ ■, .';■: Ir.iiiai Chicago Sy.Tiphony Orciier-' ti'.a concert. was. broadcast over : tl:».. entire network, al.so shortwaved to Central and South America, and v. as rained by the Canadian Bioadcast- :ilig,;Company. .;' ,■' .iO:'<:- ■'.' : ?■ -; '^.^':■-'