Variety (May 1946)

WVilnrsdaj, May 15, 1946 BAMO 27 A WASTED OPPORTUNITY I RPJir cpnjc STEAL SHOW Compromise is a necessary component of progress. Irr no field, does anyone work alone. Whenever two.persons or groups work together to achieve a result, differences of opinion will inevitably ensue. To adhere rigidly to an opinion does not lead to a solu- tion or to growth, and without a basis of accord all progress is halted. These supposedly oft-proven facts, the abe's of har- mony, don't seem to enter into the broadcasters' lexicon, however. The attitude he assumes—first, against being taught anything; and second, resentment against anyone not directly in broad- casting having anything to contribute that could be of any pos- sible value to him—these, to a large degree, are responsible for the sense of futility that characterized this year's session or the Ohio State Institute for Education by Radio.■ . . The Columbus panels offered a stimulating and provocative list of subjects, yet little satisfaction was afforded an earnest and interested segment primarily concerned with elevating, the educational aspects of radio! To the educator-in-radio it was obvious that he was being given the brush—even though with kid gloves. By once more having theory poohpoohed when it tried to bid against working experience, a stalemate was affected. No attempt was made for an honest endeavor to accept the theory of statistics and classroom, or with an open mind to accept the workable contribution and go on from there.. The same diehards that scorn the FCC also resented the "intrusion" of the educator element. It all boils down to the basic difference between a communica- tions medium and a business venture. Broadcasters and net- work officials knows it's a business, and a mighty profitable one. which they operate very efficiently.-On this premise they resent anyone coming In to advise them, or the fact that anyone can so presume in view of their own financial success. Neither harmony, nor progress can result from this know-all attitude. Yet the need to answer many questions and thrash out many problems must have been evident to many, as proven by, the record Columbus turnout this year. Among the many newcomers who attended the first postwar discussions, there are bound to be those who will assume it was a cut-and-drled affair of benefit to no one. They aren't likely to try it again. ABC Isn't Kidding About Its New Bldg. Plans; $8,000,000 Project Seen The ABC network, still housed in ♦ the same building with the parent NBC net, and literally beholden to tli* latter for everything from studios and office to mikes and mix- ing panels, is at last ready to strike out on its own. RIDE IRKS CAB.'s Interim Rating Setup If—But Question Is Who Will Ante That 60G? By. GEORGE ROSEN Some' of the important bankroil- ers who for years have been sugar- ing the networks' billings are squawking out loud these days over what they term the "station break- evil."' Specifically, their beefs rave to do with the "runaway" practice of the affiliate stations in wrapping up a local spot commercial within the allotted station, break timj be- tween network shows. Some of the top 'coast-to-coas! pro- gramming, bankroilers jre now say- ing they don't like it. They claim il lessens, the impact of '.heir own com- mercial pliig. They're protesting that frequently they're wrapped up in such a way that, to all intents, Fleigehneyer's . Department, Store, paying a few dollars for a 30-second plug, is getting a free ride on the.tail end of the national sponsor's heavy coin outlay for a half-hour of net- work programming. To the local list- ener, they say. Fleigelmcyer it gel- ling in the last word. A number of the affiliated station managers recognize the evil that exists. But to them it's a necessary evil: and one which must continue unless something can be done to make it worth their while to drop the practice of selling station break time. 11 Counts I'p For a number of the local station operators, the sale*of such time rep- resents anywhere from 25%'to 30 1 :;. ot their total income. Thai's big money when spread over a year. But they can't afford to drop the' pr'ac'-' Pabst'* Ripley Here's - one for the books. . Pabst, which sponsors, tlie Danny Kaye Friday night show- on CBS, is relinquishing the half-hour in order to permit the" network to carry a public-service feature. Sponsor is helping foot the bill' Friday (17) for the 30 ! minutes, paying off Kaye and the rest of the cast. Herbert Hoover goes into the spol to report on the Emer- gency Famine Relief Commit- tee's progress. .That's the 'outlit that put the kibosh on beer pro- duction. Was WCAU Sold That Man Again Plans for the ABC. move to its ■ s i H sc own quarters are actually being! blueprinted at the present 'moment-. It's all in the hush-hush stage. There is excellent reason for the secrecy, since: the network cannot talk openly about ils moving plans until its pub- lic slock issue is okayed by both the Securities Exchange Commission and the FCC. Board Chairman Ed Noble's, an- nouncement of the forthcoming P.Ublic sale of network slock: two weeks ago. said nothing about the Lalcsl in the Bing Crosby sweep- stakes: Reynolds Pen is angling for him and the deal reportedly involves Crosby inheriting a large chunk ot show ~ as was done - the company, slock. Still in the talk exact sui if> to Expense Accounts To Romance the Groaner Cues Agency Groaning ] Chicago, May 14. Upwards of $250,000 has been spent I so far in "romancing Crosby." ac- cording lo a conservative estimate 'made by one agency here. be raised thus or about Ihe specific purposes for which" the new money will be used. j But il was indicated last week tnat, ] when the. stock issue is okayed by the proper federal agencies — audi there is little reason to expect a nix- ! itig^-lhe new building plans will be i made public. . Architects and draftsmen are at . work on the plans for the ABC's new studios to house both radio and tele- vision. There is still said to be dis- agreement among net -execs about the exact location. Some, would like, a site as close as possible to Radio Cm Groaner checked off Hie Krafi Music Hall Thursday 19'. but the bait was out long before that, or course, midwest execs of one agency alone having to dale turned in ex- pense accounts .totalling $35,000 for Hie sole purpose of tracking Der Bingle from coast lo coast during the past few months, in'an endeavor lo snag him for a slot next season. On thai basis, a qUarter-ol'-a-mil- lion outlay so far is considered ullra-' consevvalive. inasmuch as at least a dozen sponsors are aflcr him. and if they each have spent $35,000 on liquor bills, hotel suites and enter- iHiimienl as well as trying every which way to reach Crosby through etc., it's closer to lice on the basis of the amount of coin that accrues to them for carry- I ing the network show. if. some say. the networks can work out a read- juslnien! of the program rate, they -might'be willing to erase Fleigel- meyer's Department Store from the cream "bel ween-shows'' time. Some of the affiliate station man- agers agree that the ideal solution would be to sell the 30-second break to the same .national sponsor who just signed off with his network for instance, with Textron, which deal! directly with the individual affiliate stations in connection with its recent Helen Hayes CBS dramatic series. Meanwhile, the squawking bank- rollers are of the opinion that the "high-wide-and-handsome'* sla- tion-break spot announcement tech- : nique just doesn't make sense so far I as they're concerned. TN.*y feel | that, in terms of dollar-roi-dollar i value received, they could probably | do a lot better through the printed '• media, •'where nobody else is getting ; a free ride on our money." Last Friday's UOi frce.-for-aH membership meeting of. the Coop- erative Analysis of Broadcasting re-' solved itself into an agreement to provide an interim rating service until Nov. 1. while a tri-partite in- dustry committee conies up with a plan io.set r up standards. But there's- a joker to the resolution that was ■ o passed which, it's seen., paves the way for a quiet and much more im- minent killing of CAB's whole rat- ing operation. It all depends on whether $60,000 can be raised in order to finance the: interim service, and that means increased dues for the agency-ad- vertiser members lonly Mutual'' among the four networks has stayed in. and the webs were the main financial support of CAB). In the event the coin isn't forthcoming, the CAB board has> the right to sus- pend the rating service "and lake whatever steps they deem neces- sary!" There appears to be some doubt as to. whether the ANA-Four A's con- tingent will hold still for the $60,000 contrib. despite the announcement that the balloting to date on the CAB" special/ committee report, showed; 68 voting for continuance, and expansion of the service, as opposed to 22 favoring discontinu- ance. ■ It's reported. some of the larger agencies favor bowing out now and letting the C. E. Hooper outfit carry on for them. Resolution says the interim period is to "enable a task force to be ap- Record to Levys? The Philadelphia Record—WCAU deal announced a week ago. where- by the Philly newspaper owned by J. David Stern takes over the CBS outlet in-thai city, is looked on in trade circles as a case of "the dog wagging the tail;" „ No secret is made of the interpre- tation that, under, a financial setup that alters appearances. WCAU has l in fact taken over the-Stern news- : papers—instead of the other way , around. ! Sale of WCAU lo the Record in- volved S6.000.000. the price and the! pointed by the NAB. Four A's and sale itself, ot course, still subject to j ANA lo outline the steps, determine FCC okav. The price includes the costs and specify the type or or- $3,500,000. worth or real estate and ganizalion necessary to attain the i securities owned by WCAU. so that! objectives set forth in- the CAB | the radio transmitter, good-will and • special committee, report." Number, of those approached to serve on the ."task force" have re- portedly ducked it. Meanwhile activity has heightened on both the Hooper and A. C. Niel- sen fronts. Hooper announcing a subscriber meeting for tomorrow (Thurs.) at the Hotel Biltmore in N. Y. to inaugurate a plan for pro- ducing nationally "projectable" rat- ings on network programs and Niel- sen blanketing the industry with ex- pensive 3G-page booklets pointing out how its service not only meets CAB specifications for the "ideal rating service." but in many ways surpasses them. Others feel that ABC's com- „.. plete divorcement from its old par- I |jj s _ brother ent "Red" network of NBC would be $450,000. more complete if the move was to a : Another Coasl exec, lo cue the location rarlhcr away. Some think !heHvy spending on the "Gel Crosby!" that the television studios should be '; crusade- advised his office staff here located on New York's West Side, in j last week that he spent $10,000 in cheaper-rent area, while others are 1 just three weeks of trailing Crosby for lumping' radio and video inlo the same location. Regardless of the incompleteness of the plans, the plans are being drawn 'or the-Interior at least. In this in- stance-, the interior is being blue- printed before the exterior of the building—which depends chiefly''on location—has been dcunitclv decided Upon. 'A.- for total expenditures for Hie new quarters. I hut's again something Ihlit won't be discussed until the Mock notation plans arc official. But rnr-nti,,,, h ;<s been made or the p<»- . .Nihility that the network niav spend "bout $tl.(i(ni.(i00' Cor a now loc-ilion. around. N. winter. Y. on his li'ip east last General Mills Stands Pat First cheerful 'bit ot news to hit the networks in sonip time is Gen- eral Mills' decision to continue spon- sorship of the two ■ daytime CBS .-Hips. "Lighl or'lhe World" and "Valiant Lady." '. Sponsor "came through wilh word ibis week In reinstate the stiows GPS ALDRICH* NOW A TWO-AGENCY BABY An unusual switch has been made in the agency handling "Aldrich Family" for General Foods, the show going out of the hands of Young & R.ubicam. into Foole-Cone & : Beldihg as far as billing is con- cerned, but-with Y&R continuing tu , produce il. Reason is that, with fats' and i grains being short. General Foods. ' bankroller ot the stanza, wants to • switch the plug Horn Grape Nuts to salt. Salt account is handled by FC&B. Sponsor. Jiowever; wants the pro- duction setup to continue. The bankroller. therefore, fnsislcd on the unusual deal of one agency placing Ihe business while the other produces the show. The two agen- ' cies will split the account's commis- ■ SK'II. license arc apparently valued at '! $2,500,000. Catch is. however, thai Dr.. Leon : Levy and his brother Isaac, among ! the principal owners of WCAU. go ion the board or the Record. Thus', j while ownership is ostensibly trans- ! rerred to a newspaper corporation, i the Levys* are slill very much in the picture. Nothing was said about the (Continued on page 46) 'Sanctum' Dropped As Appetite Killer, Lipton Switches to 'Vox Pop "Inner Sanctum." CBS Tuesday night mystery with a consistent Hooperating or about 13. is going off the air June 25 for Lipton Tea. I Young & Rubicam. agency on the! account, will replace it at the end or \ August with the old "Vox Pop" show j which was last on the air for Emer- ; sou Drug. Y&R has bought " Vox 1 Pop"' rrom Parks Johnson, owner j and originator of Ihe package. i Reason lor the switch of shows ; il was said, is thai Lipton firm has ; tound '"Sanctum." despite its hefty rating, does not sell either lea or ■ soup, products plugged. .-Whodunit j -forma 1 , is not ciinducive to the appe-! tile, one exec declared. Non-food: bankroilers. however, are understood lo be interested in the "Sanctum": package, which is producer by Hi Brown. Johnson, and Warren Hull willbe on "Vox Pop" when it returns. Show ■ has been on Hie air a total of 14 . _ r» i ' r i years since Johnson first 'brought it I Kenny BaKCr tOl* ArqUClte to radio »j>on^«r_Hrsl^in/. ^uxas |.Q n p^Q's 'GlaillOr Manor' . " " 1 Hollywood. May 14. •Kenny Baker replaces- Cliff Ar- GF in No. 1 Spot On Exodus Parade The General Foods cancellation dirge has gotten another .reprise. That probably puis GF in the No. 1 spot on the Exit Parade. Latest half- hour show to be scrapped in the wake of the food production snaTu is the "Thin. Man" Sunday night show on CBS. GF drops the show permanently on June 16. giving'up Ihe segment as well. Moving into the opposite-Benny slot Will be the . Gene Autry Wrigley-sponsored show, currently heard Sunday afternoons. Previously General t-'.in i.. had dropped the Dinah Shore show and the "Hop Harrigan" ABC program. ABC Wants Fulton Lewis For 7 pjn. Co-op Spot Templeton Into Bergen Spot ABC is reportedly making over- tures to Fulton Lewis; Jr.. wilh an .attractive co-op coin deal to move over rroni Mutual. uilhoul a lapse. A couple ot weeks | Lewis is also heard co-op in Ihe hack il had served tentative noiire j 7' p.m.- Mutual slot and ABC would o> cancellin;: out because of the | like In, spol him in the same lime wheal situation. period, quelle as lWadlincr of the "Glamor Man/ur" show. Inking took place yesterday for comedy and musical chores on'live timc> per week-show. I'rnclor- ami -Gamble is sponsor of the airer «hiil. is on ABC. Eddie Dunn has the l'<0 summer ■spot when Ariiuclii- leaves June 28 and show originates in c.'.-l. Orig- and Tcmiileloii will emcee > ination will-ivsnnic in Hnllyyvooil in the autumn when Bakei takes over. Alec Templeton replaces Edgar Bergen, when the latter starts on his siiniuiei hiatus, the blind piimi.-i iak- ing o\'ei June 2. 'Templeton show will be of a variety .formal, wilh Ben.l.Liil! r.v as choral director and arranger. 'Latter, arranged the music for the legit hi'. "Call Me Mister." Vocal group or nine will be supplemented with guc.-l .vocali.-l the sliu