Variety (Dec 1944)

tB RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, December 20, 1914 CBS'TeoplesPlatform'JoinsWBTin Frank Discussion of Negro Problem Down Charlotte way. "Jess" Wil- lard's WBT, the Colunibia-owncd •latioii. for. some time has been waging a vigorous, campaign via a weekly program to foster racial goodwill and understanding. Even though North Carolina maintains that it is far advanced in its treat- ment of this vital issue, the fact re- mains that WBT has shown courage in utilizing radio's facilities to make known the contribution of organized Nesro leaders headed by Dr. J. S. Nathanial Tross, who conducts the show. It's a contribution that ha.'; produced fruitful results, with well deserved recognition for the station, including "Variety" Showmanage- ment plaques. To acquaint the nation with what N. Carolina has accomplished to- ward solving its race problem. CBS' Dept. of Education turned over its "People's Platform" program on Saturday (16) to present a fouv-way discussion on "Is the South Solving Its Race Problem?", the forum origi- nating from WBT, with Lyman Bry- Contlnalns to Stop Krery Show In K«n .MurrAV'ft ■ "BliACKOlil'.S'' RlCnpltAii 'X'hrnlr* llolljrvTOnil JAN RUBINI World famous Vlollaliit ft CMdactor BLACKHAWK5 HOCKEY W-l-N-D CHICAGO 560 Kc 5000 WATTS RAY HARVEY Author of Comedy- son. CBS director of sducalion. pre- siding. Participants Included N. Carolina's governor, J. M. Brough- (on. and D. Hiden Ramssy, editor of tlic Ashcville Citizen, along with two of the slate's Negro leaders. Dr. James E. Shepard, prexy of N. Caro- lina College, and W. J. Trent, presi- dent of Livingston' College. Although Charlotte listeners may have come to accept this weekly I'PU- tinc of Negro people discussing and trying to solve this far-reaching problem, as a network presentation it projected on a national scale the actuality of a lack of bias when Negro people are permitted to take up the cudgels on their own behalf; It is significant that radio, in this manner, is furthering the realization of how potent a force the Negroes can be if they unite, regardless of the fact that the racial issue affects all peoples. The round-table discussion in it- self was rather uninspired, with carefully guarded statements that played down the imRortance of whal the Negro people themselves ha\e done and sloughing off what WBT has contributed. Gov. Broughton spoke'in the broad gansrallties of a politician doing a drum-beating job for his state, which both mitigated N. Carolina's race problem and failed to place It as an integral part of the national picture. Concretely, his platform was evasive, with , repe- titious acclaim for his own state. Al- though he stated that N. Carolina was making advances in education and Negro health facilities, he went just far enough.to acknowledge thill a problem does exist but you can'l rush the solution. Dr. Shepard took the discussion out of the realm of meaningless statements by injecting the true cause — economic and social in- equality. He acknowledged that the war seems to have intensifted the realization of the need for a solution and that segregation and discrimina- tion, particularly on public carriers, Yvould be highlighted when the GIs return. It was principally Bryson s ability to draw out such responses by pointed queries that steered the discussion frorh generalities into positive statements. "People's Platform" session as such must'stand on the merit of intro- ducing the issue in such a maimer into the national audience sphere, and not on its factual or ovatoiical accomplishment: But if only for the fact that it has opened , up the air- lanes nationally to honest, able trcal- ment of the subject by qualified leaders, both white and Negro, it has served a worthy purpose. And that WBT story in pioneerins could well stand as an example tor radio in general to follow. Ro.sc. "IIALLS OF CONGRESS" With Joseph De Santls, Wendell Holmes, Stan PevUt, Richard Coo- esiu, Joseph Boland, Wm. Folan, iCrnesl Stone I'roilucer-Wrltcr: Joseph Gottlieb ,"D Mins.; Sun., 3;30>4 p.m. Sii'slalnlni WMCA, N. ¥. Since the' events which transpire within the U. S. Congress alTcct not only every American, biit will, espe- cially postwai", bear on a majority of the world's Inhabitants, a program designed to let radio listeners hear Congressional debates serves a laud- able purpose. Especially since radio editing means the drivel and pap will be sifted and listeners will be spiired the boresome chore of wading through the entire Congressional Record. Accordingly, "Halls of Con-, gross" should collect a ■ good seg- ment of the public. Program's text uses direct quotes from the legislators' ispceches, as re- ported in the daily Congressional journal, with actors impersonnt'ing the speakers. Obviously, much of the Ijrogram's worth will depend on tlie I urns. Teeoff sesh on Dec. 9 had good questions before the houses. Slanza cau.ciht Dec. 10 had three hot pola- tocs—the war powers bill, the Social Security freeze and above all. the conlhmation of FDR's Slate Dept. appointees. Sound and ofl mike conv nients added authenticity. Nevertheless, "Halls of Congress." in its present shape, did iiol click as it should and could. The excerpts from the record are not enough. The importance of what the legislators say should be made more dramatic, mainly via the opening nnnounce- nicnt. There should also be a sort of '"blow by blow" caller—an announcer to identity each speaker—hi.s full name, political affiliation and state, etc. Done unobtrusively, it will ,^dd dimension to the program. By tlie same token, some personalization of each i.ssiie, by explaining its beiiring on the individual li.stener's owii life, could be added. AH of these steps can be be taken ^vithout interfering with the flow of the program: actu- ally, they'd add to it and at the .same time permit WMCA to'*fali'/.c fully on a worthwhile public service vcn- Uno. iMei-r. Laredo, Tex.—KPAB has ap- pointed Mrs. Doane Chapman as sta- tion mgr., replacing Rupbert S. Dougharly. She's the first femnie station mgr. in the state, ^Itho'ugli several are owned by women. -One^JepiiEtiiieiil Stora In QiHcifuuUi Broadcasts 30 Programs Per Week Over WSAI Thh is just one of 4 leading department store clients scheduling top programs on WSAI. PAUL H. RAYMER CO. NprMMtotivM "CAROLINA HAYRIUK" U'itli Tennessee Ramblers, Lany >V'.ilker, Rangers Q'.iai'tel, Kred Kirby, Arthur Smiln, Whitey ii lIoRan. Southland Jubilee Sin|;ers, The Briarhoppers, Ma. Johnson's Family, Claude Casey rioiJiicer: Charles CrulchHeld ::0 Mins.; Sat., 2:30-3 p.m. SuslMining: WABC-CBS, N, Y. From the program slaiidpoinl.-lhis is a better than average cornfed stanza, originating at WBT. Char- lotte, and using standard hillbilly tuni'^. Teeoff sesh Sal. 19.) had good pace and variety. With the pcrform- ins laurels equally dislribulcd among •|hc rather lengthy list or nasologisls and instrumenlalisls, Oulslandcr w;;s Arthur Smith's guitar specially. However, more important than program quality is the question of whether a ridge runner hocdown of ihis nature does justice to Ihe limt- C3S is giving it. Latest surveys -Show (as per fiec. C "Variety') lhat Sat. afternoon listening has zoomed lately, hittine a peak of 19 for sets in use at 3 o'clock, just when "Carolina Hayride" signs o(1". It would seem indicated, under these cn cumstances, that the time could be used lo better advantage by focussing on a new talent or new program ; venture, than by this whifT of radio :.a la 1932. Mcrr NEWSPAPER GUILD FORUM With Wendy Barrle, Anne Seymour, Frail Corwin, Jlmmle Johnston, Hazel Scott, F.d Sullivan, Earl Wil- son, John T. McManns, George Wlllard Oirerlor: Joe Gottlieb' 41 mins.; 9:04-9:43 p.m. Tuct WMCA, N. Y. (Metropoltt(iH) It sub.sequont programs in this series come up us lively and as fast moving as the' premiere, the Newspaper Guild, with its sponsor, the Modern Industrial Bank, should carve out a large segment of the upper I.Q. radio audience. First program was both provocative and illuminating in the divergent opinions offered on a top- ical question, "Should the stars (the- atrical performers) remain neutral"" —in other words, should pei'formers stay out of politics. Forum differs from the usual pro and con sessions in that in addition to offering proponents on both sides of the question at hand, it has two "press box interviewers." top news- papermen who are called in to ques- tion the speakers to see if they can adduce additional comments, .It's a good device, and showmanly. Open- ing ni.uhf, however, the press box men. fO;n-l Wilson and Ed SuUivan;. went o(f the impartial angle to take sides themselves. Both of them, espe- cially Sullivan, contributed healthy, punchy arguments, but it served to give the program too much emphasis on the stance that performers are people and as such have a political responsibility comparable to all other Americans. "Ivory tower" adherents, in this ease Aime Seymour, top iadio ac- tress, and Jimmie Johnston, light promoter, took quite a shellacking not only from their foruin adver- sari< s but from the studio audience, which .seemed, from its questions, to favor Wholeheartedly political eiiroL. paigning by performers of all ranks. Barra.ye of questions popped at Miss Seymour during the program linally led her to lament, "Why did I ever cOnic here?" Point made by Miss Scyinour and Johnston was that actors should not u.se their histrionic ability to cajole voters: while Hazel Scott. Wendy Barric. who did a Uilu of a job. and Eniil Corwin. pinchhitting for his brother Norman, argued that,citizens, whether they be actors or shoe- maker's, have an equal responsibility in a democracy.' Moderator on the show is John T. McMaiuis. film critic of PM and N. Y. Newspaper Guild president. He's the only permanent member of the set- up and exhibited good ability at keeping things rnoving. Production on the first night was poor. Opening speeches ran too long, for one thing, and pickups on audi- ence questions were inaudible, since apparently no mike was set up among the studio chairs. Bank's commercials were all dig- nity, opening with a quote from Ja- cob Leichtmann. Modern's president, oil the importance of free speech and closing with a short pitch on busi- ne.ss financing.'Midway plifg was for War Bonds. Merr. "SPRAGUE ON PARADE" With Larry Madison, Charlotte Lasher, Deac Rossell, Others Mus ic an d Comment "i'S" Itlins.; "Weif.7"3:3«-T(Tffi; SPRAGUE ELECTRIC CO. WTRY, Troy Sprague Electric Co.. winner of four "E" awards for war production, recently started this half-hour mat- mee over WTRY, originating in the ballroom of Hotel Richmond in North Adams, Mass. It's the -first time a local sponsor in the area has crossed state lines with a. program, and one that sells nothing. Sprague oucrating two plants in North Adams, airs the show by and for the personnel and as a gooii-will builder in the immediate neighborhood. Of- ficers voluntarily approached WTRY. management, after program had been broadcast ,over WBRK, Pittsfleld, Ma.ss.. for a stretch. (North Adams is 50 miles from Troy.) Show, above average for area matineers, is something like the Whe-3ling Steelmakers, long a net- work feature. A mixed chorus is the backbone of the program, with Larry Madison (personnel manager) doing tenor solos and duets with soprano Charlotte Lasher. A male quartet, and other performers, occasionally, outside talent—specifically from n North Adams Youth (ienler—is heard. President of company some- hmes is spotted for brief, shrewdly- slanted talks on Sprague policii!s and plans, including postwar. Local orojccls. including a nurse.s' home tor a North Adams hospital, arc plugged. Madison and Miss Lasher handle themselves rather well. Miss Lashcv ratine a bigger spot. Deac Hos5,ell. star WTRY announcer, emcccs. H" Is best In. the serious, dignified mood. ..... . . . Jaw- Regina. Sash.—Musical scholar- ships will be given by CKCK to six young southern Saskatchewan music students who show the most promise in radio broadcasts to be conducted weekly in the studios. Broadcasts begin Jan. 4 and will continue for IC weeks. "NEW YORK IN THE PHILIP- PINES" With Sgt. Bill Berns, others 15 Mins.; Fri,, .10:45 p.m. Susialnlnr WNEW, N. Y. Heads-up programming .by this indie station in the largest metro- politan area in the country has re- sulted in still another scoop, i.e. first program to originate in the Philip- pines since Pearl Harbor. And it's another audience catcher bcoftu.se it features anecdotes and the voices of fighting men from N. Y. Sgt. Bill Bern,', whd before the war miide wilh (he chaltcr aboul pictures on WNEW. interviews 10 metropolitan area soldiers in rapid- fire fa.shion; with plenty ,of human interest angles and comedy, too Each fighting man brought before the mike, in this specially short- vVuvcd s.taiiza which will be a rc;;u- lar feature, is a tyi)ical GI Joe wanting to .,i,'cl home as quicklv as possible, having certain gripes about the GI life, and giving out with post- war ambition.s. Entire stanza moves along swiftly, and must of necessity since 10 interviews in IS-minutrs requires a quick pitch and o(T. How- ever, none of the -Tuys are sloughed off. Each is completely at case, and Bern.s' personality does much to put them in that frame of mind. On program heard . Friday (IS^ four mikcrs were from Brooklyn three from the Bronx, two from Manhattan and one from Fhi.shin" Guys from down the block who (Continued on pa.ge 37) Overseas for USO Since Jan. '43—Now In Germany FRED LIGIITNER Dir.: PHIL COSCIA BEARS FOOTBALL W-l-N-D CHICAGO UK KEY 7/)c (OWB()Y(AKIJS0 from Teuu—Toeallxeii F iiboTe lA|h C on* hundred tlmex In one hour dally fortlnitlm* —before practlclug the Mml-ciastilefi. Cynkn-^rltlc*—Promoter*—and epon^ •ent—WELCOME. Don't rail, write. IIIOKEY, Ml W. BSTH ST., N. Y. O. The largest amount of produc- tive time for the least amount of money? then pull in your line... you've caught o real, live whale with fly-boit! Yei, indeed ... a large and varied listening audi- ence keeps tuned to 930 oil day long, and they like what they hear. The stacks of letters in our mail room prove that. And one look ot our rate cord will show, you the kind of low-cost radlo^ Jtory you've been angling for.; SeH yo«r a/enfi WPAT ... »he fattest growing tiation in Iht nmfropolHan area. WPA