Variety (Nov 1944)

26 RADIO Wednesday, November 1, 1944 Frazier's Figures to FCC Show 540 AM Bands Will Reach 54% of Home Radios Washington, Oct, 31, About 54'; of all existing home radio receivers are capable of pick- ing up a standard broadcast at 540 kc. and 1 -l can probably pick up AM broadcasts in the 530 kc band, Howard ; S. Frazier, chairman of Panel 4 of the Radio Technical Planning Board, reported to the FCC last Thursday (26). Issue came up at the beginning of current hearings on frequency allo- cations, because FCC has under con- sideration a proposal to add. the 540 and 530 bands to standard's share of the spectrum, in order to provide channels for more AM broadcast stations. ■ Witnesses at that time estimated that a "substantial" share of the receivers were equipped so that they could pick up 540 kc. but that probably less than 1% could tune in lower than that on the spectrum. Frazier. appearing again at a fre- quency allocation hearing, presented these facts after a survey made dur- ing the past two weeks: 1. There are about 46,275,000 sets in operation* exclusive of automo- bile radios, v 2. Of the sets built since 1939, about 71?; can tune in on 540 kc. Of all sets, about 54 percent can pick up the 540 band. 3. Of sets built since 1939, about 18.% can get 530 kc. and about 14% of all sets, including the pre-1939 models can get that frequency. 4. There are about 9,000,000 auto- mobile receivers in the hands of the public and all built and sold in and since 1939. can pick up 540 kc. About 62 percent of all automobile re- ceivers can tune in on that fre- quency. Frazier claimed that because of many homes having more than one set, it is likely that the large ma- jority of homes have at least one capable of picking up 540, *'I am confident." he concluded, "that most, manufacturers will pro- duce sets capable of tuning the ex- tended band if such action is taken by the Commission prior to the re- sumption of broadcast receiver man- ufacture." Kobak Continued from .page-, %\ not to mentioii resentment among a number of affiliates- who question the wisdom of a N. Y. affiliate (WOR) playing a dominant role, in network policy that must affect their own stations., These affiliate station men feel that perhaps in Kobak may lie the answer to Mutual emerging as a guiding network spirit by eradicating the "misplaced dom- inance" between Mutual and WOR, with the network "merely acting as a buffer between stations," as one affiliate member put it. All has not been harmonious be- tween the sales and program de- partments, it's known, with Jess Barnes, who succeeded Ed Woods as sales manager, on more than one oc- casion" having it out with Adolph Opfinger, who heads up the web's programming. Concensus in the trade, among those who have had dealings with Kobak during his ad agency and net- work careers, seems to be that it's very unlikely he would accept the Mutual offer without an advance un- derstanding as to the method to be pursued to bring MBS into the radio advertising Held as a major factor. Among things undoubtedly discussed, it's presumed, were the Don Lee and WGN situations in addition to a long- range plan through which the chain would be whipped into an entity more closely resembling its national rivals. ■ • One thing is sure, all industry eyes will be on Kobak in his new position with most viewers feeling Mutual will be a hotbed of. news develop- ments in coming months. That some of his former associates at the Blue will be making the. trek to join Ko- bak is considered by some in the trade as a certainty, Unusual stipulation in McClintock's original contract, it was learned, pro- vides that when he steps out as prexy he'll be retained for a period of two years in a consultant capacity. Reported that he'll receive $15,000 a year from Mutual for the two-year stretch: It's expected that McClin- tock will resume activities in con- nection with his real estate project in Scarsdale, N. Y„ as well as step- ping into other consultant jobs, a role in which he garnered a wide reputation before going with Mutual. Begina, S»sk.—Flt.-Lt. Jack Hill, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, re-* ported missing April 27. after air operations over enemy territory, is now reported safe in London. Prior to enlistment he was an announcer with CJRM, Regiua, now CKRM. RADIO EXECS INVITE CONFUSION TO LUNCH .Radio Executive Club of N. Y. is running a strictly come-and-be-con- fused luncheon Monday (6) in con- nection with the Presidential cam- paign, with Milton Berle, Zero Mostel. Jimmy Savo, Henny Young- mari, Harry Hershfield and Harry Savoy being set up as a special panel of election commentators. They'll offer a "frank appraisal" of the cur- rent political scene. Affair is skedded for the Hotel Roosevelt. N Y. Spot Gil Newsom In 'Spotlight Band' Spots Following * search of several months by Sonny Werblin, head of N Y. office of Music Corp. of Amer- ica, who hires talent for the show, Gil Newsom is new permanent m.c. in the east for the Coco-Cola "Spot- light Bands" stanzas on the Blue. Newspn, who recently was dis- charged from the Navy, succeeds Mike Roy, who resigned the job two months ago to accept a film acting contract in Hollywood. Prior to join- ing the Navy, Newsom was a regular m.c. on the same series. Between the time Newsom took over and Roy's departure, Blue staff announcers handled the m.c. chore. Video Series to Train War Bond Salesmen Treasury Dept. will debut a tele- vision series tonight (Wed.) over WABD, N. Y., object being to train bond salesmen for the forthcoming Sixth War Bond Drive. Marks the first time tele has been'put to such use. '' Crosby Vs. Voice On Level-Hughes St. Louis, Oct. 31. ; •„"'•;•' Because of beefs that he selected Crosby discs in preference to those made by Sinatra because he al- legedly was paid to do so, last week resulted in Rush Hughes, conductor of the "First Five" program over : KWK, local" Mutual outlet, offering a standing reward of $1,000 to any- one who: could prove the charges. Hughes also said he will pay the • same sum to anyone who can prove he has taken money or anything else, from anyone, at any time, to give preference to any record or any company.' ■ ' f ••. Hughes said he felt Crosby pre- vailed because a majority consider him the best ballad warbler' and be- cause of his overseas trip to enter- tain men and women in the service which apparently has boosted his popularity with tuners-in, . I Boff Selling 1 1 Continued from page 21 assai l premise back of the LaRoche policy. Affiliates headed by Allen Camp- bell of WXYZ, Detroit, felt, how- ever, that members of the advisory board were taking all the heat in the changeover because of their to- tal ignorance of what LaRoche was doing and that all the affiliates in their respective territory were look- ing to them for information they could ,not supply. - WOR has a rare assortment of sales-proven, audience-tested shows open for immediate participation or sponsorship. Is it a high-powered woman'* show you want? There's WOR's MARTHA DEANE and BESSIE BEATTY. ALFRED McCANN, JR. will be glad to talk for you, too. We might also mention astute news analyst SYDNEY MOSELEY, and a gem of a news spot at 2:30 in the afternoon. There are other great shows, of course. But this sampler gives you a good idea of the kind of things WOR is aide to offer. Get in touch with us now — today! ; MEMBER OF THE MUTUAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM A H0USE-FULL OF HITS CALL OR WRITE