Variety (May 1946)

44 Wednesday, May 22, 1946 CIRCLING THE KILOCYCLES Wheeling—William E. Rine has boen appointed managing director ot WWVA succeeding the. late George W. Smith. Rine was named by Commander George B. Storer, president ot the Fort Industry Co., and Rine appointed Paul J. Miller as assistant. Cincinnati—Claimed . as the na- tion's greatest spelling bee partici- pation, WCPO. aired students from 182 elementary public, parochial and private schools in Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky for the annual national competition sponsored by Scripps-Howard newspapers.. WCPO's part in the proceedings called for 17 contests in 11 weeks, time of separate airings ranging from 30 minutes to two hours. The contest spread to 62 cit- ies, finals to be held in Washington late in May. Cincinnati — WSAI's talent staff has been bolstered by the addition of Jack Gibson, cowboy ballad singer, and Jack Smith. Gibson, who hails from Boston, has been with various stations in the midwest. Smith, a newcomer with promise of climbing in radio, was scouted by James Leonard, program director of WSAI, at the Univ. of Cincinnati, which Smith is attending. house all operating and broadcasting facilities for the station, the two- story structure is scheduled for com- pletion in eight months—with the usual "its" about materials, etc. Building will have a 120-foot lower, and will contain six studios, one of which will scat an audience 'of 200. New Orleans—Jack Bottger, who recently rejoined the WNOE an- nouncing staff after serving in the armed forces, has resigned to join KMOX. St. Louis, in a similar capacity. Bridgeport—"Breakfast with the WNAB Staff." coffee-and-toaster in- volving any local station's- employes who happen to be around, teed off yesterday (20) as a Bridgeport varia- tion on the pajama broadcasting idea. No sponsor as yet. but a bake shop is supplying free breakfast in return for the plug. Seattle—New building for KOMO, local NBC outlet, has been set for Denny Regrade site. Designed to EILEEN BARTON Currently EILEEN BARTON SHOW NBO Network Coast to Coast MERCURY RECORDS Personal Mgr.: George B. Evans Dir.: William Morris Agency New Orleans—Famine relief got a 48-hour plug from New Orleans out- let WDSU, and the ABC affiliate isn't stopping there.. Following a Satur- day and Sunday hypo April 27 and 28 in which every hour carried an announcement or program devoted to the food; emergency; WDSU re- peated the performance last Satur- day (18) and Sunday (19), and will continue each weekend in May. Out- let, meanwhile, airs daily food sav- ing announcements and a five minute food economy menu. No Francie Pants Kansas City, May 21. President Truman's junket to William Jewell College at Lib- erty, Mo„ brought a set of new instructions from the White House as to microphone setup for the broadcast covering grant- ing of an honorary degree. Orders called for only two mikes on the'stand, and "no la- bels" (aprons with call let- ters.) N. Y.Trib Picks Up Tunes' WMCA Newser The "'five-year, news contract on WMCA, N. Y., being dropped Nov. 1 by the N. Y. Times which is mov- ing the hourly, throe-minute news spot to its own station, WQXR, has already been picked up by the N. Y. Herald Tribune. Official announcements, involving both stations and both newspapers is expected this week. Pending formal word, none of parties in- volved would discuss details. The new. news provider on WMCA, however, is understood to be planning to use similar periods used by the Times and to- hypo the newscasts with remotes from its own foreign . correspondents. Herald Tribune contract understood to be for same length of time as Times', five years. San Antonio—Charles D. "Bud" Lutz, sales promotion-merchandising manager for the past five years at KTSA, has resigned his post effec- tive Saturday (25). No replacement has been announced. Lutz takes over duties the following Monday (27) as head of radio department of San Antonio Express and San Antonio Evening. News. San Antonio—First of a series of programs designed to inaugurate 50kw operation of KABC, "Young America Answers," preems Wednes- day (22) airing once a week, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Show originates from lo- cal campus club, gathering place for teensters, and is sponsored by Junior League in conjunction with other civic organizations. Program will be conducted by high school students from the San Antonio area, under moderatorship of Tommy Reynolds, outlet's chief announcer. Problems will be those of teen-agers, New York—Mitchell Ahrons, for- mer director at WOR, has. set up his own packaging firm. Initial show is "Easy Listening," a variety layout, with Ireene Wicker, Dan McCul- lough and Milton Rettenberg. Ahrons is also working on a children's plat- ter show based on Thornton Burgess' animal stories. Wood-Rankin Continued from page 39 NOW THE FIRST MAJOR IMPROVEMENT in radio facilities in years FOR MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL 5000 WATT DAY and NIGHT WL0L MUTUAL-BASIC air." Legislation of the kind sought by the gospel groups would be con- trary to anything Congress has ever considered, and would run counter to the fight for more freedom of the airwaves. Meanwhile, protests from Bap- tist, Presbyterian. Methodist Gospel and Fundamentalist groups who have had their paid slots cancelled have mushroomed to the point where FCC now has a form letter reply to send them. Over 200 let- ters reached the commission on the WNOX cancellation alone. Similar kicks from church-of-tho- air Fundamentalists have hit FCC about cancellations on KVI, Tacoina; WBAL, Balto.;. KJR, Seattle; KFAB, Lincoln, Neb.; KGGM, Albuquerque; WHCU, Ithaca, N. Y.; WG..OV, Val- dosta,. Ga.; WIP, Philadelphia; KGHI and KARK, Little Rock; KGRH, Fayetteville, Ark.; and a host of others. By Carload A carload of protests swamped FCC last year when Mutual tem- porarily took off its "Old Fashioned Revival Hour." Georgia stations got in a similar hot-seat last year for cancelling paid time to the Rev. J. M. Hendley and his Sunday Bible Hour. Although FCC is known to smile on stations' push to handle all church programs on sustaining ba- sis, the Blue Book makes it clear that the commission "has never set forth and does not now propose to set forth the particular types of programs which must remain free of commercial sponsorship: It does, however, recognize along with the stations and networks themselves that there are such programs." FCC goes on to say that public interest requires that sustaining time "be kept available" for such broad- casts, but is silent on the subject of religious slots. The commission's form letter to Fundamentalist protesters declares the "broadcasting of religious pro- grams" has been recognized as Im- portant to a diversified program structure, but adds that it has no authority to compel a station to carry or to refrain from carrying any particular program. Located befween NBC and CBS on f/ie dial NORM BOGGS * CP granted, in operation in May, 19461 General Manager L A. Video Hearing Continued from pace 3J material of the type in the film "The Outlaw." Hughes- resentfully shouted "no" to that question. . Hughes outfit has spent $140,000 preparing for video, It would be ready to start operating in Janu- ary or February, 1948, and be on the air with fulltime video schedules by the summer of that year: Short Session It's hoped that hearings will last only a week, though all are pre- pared to go'to May 31 it necessary. After grants are made, there will be no more experimental stations. Those winning put' will go into 28- hour weekly operation, commer- cially or otherwise, by July .1, or as soon thereafter as it is physically possible.. Naturally, those already equipped arc expected to go imme- diately. . Par and Don Lee are in latter' category, and stand better chances for reasons of already, hav- ing operating investments, program- ming experience, etc., with respec- tive W6XYZ and W6XAO. Paramount may suffer from re- cently publicized anti-trust involve- ment with scophony. Par and NBC are only two applicants with a re- ceiver manufacturing affiliation, through Dumont and Radio Corp. of America. Others are on their own, relying on their presentations. It's known that all have tried for some cinching tack. There was hope still shining in the orbs of all that another would pull out before the deadline was actually reached. Hughes outfit was the only one hot heard from as returns for final staging was sought. Last jninnte haul would leave seven asking for seven available outlets, which would resolve situation to a review ralher than a contest. Color was the bug- aboo given as reason for most re- treats, but the spectre of fabulous losses contributed with approach of the stay, play and pay stage of video. Many were quick to grab up CBS' rose-tinted pince-nez as an alibi. Adding its own .not-so-little oar to the troubled waters, CBS Satur- day (18) tossed in a final warning to all. Though addressed to NBC here (no name, just NBC), it's presumed missive went to all parties, and said in printed form signed by veepee Laurence Lowman: "Whatever your television philos- ophy, we think you will be interested in the attached report of a very Im- portant prophecy by an outstanding figure on the American manufactur- ing scene. "Color television will be in 'rela- tively widespread use' within the next 18 months in the opinion of Western Electric Corp.'s Walter Evans, v-p in charge of the com- pany's radio activities." Foregoing arrived at NBC offices late in the afternoon, and just in time to cause the interruption of big- wig conferences. Its arrival at that particular time caused some humor. Newspaper Favored Commission is said to favor the granting of a license to at least one newspaper in each locale. Here it would be the Times. Local situa- tion also finds NBC competing with its independently-owned outlet KFI but they don't talk about that, either one of them. Up to last minute all were being cagey about their prospects, their plans, names ot those attending—and still hoping there was the Sunday punch. Mutual is known to have a good programming tie-up with Pasa- dena Playhouse, plus investment" experience and reputation assisting It's been in the picture for 16 years' Paramount has been active for about 10 years, and is reportedly most heavily programmed in recent years KLAC (Thaekreys) is known to have put considerable time, effort, coin and thinking into its presentation, in addition to having good reputation and experience before commission KFI stands similarly in good repute with FCC for its operation and acknowledge top handling of clear channel operations. Hughes interests have been mysteriously silent, lack- ing even in a going-through-the-mo- tions routine while others have been ballying and very apparently, plan- ning. Latter would make, no state- ment, and was reluctant to even tell given names of those known, etc. Battle opened with usual pre-trial conferences of attorneys and com- mission reps to determine time necessary for each, matters to be admitted as evidence, arid to estab- lish other .agreements between all on the million dollar question. Schenectady—Al Zink, first lieu- tenant in the Quartermaster's Corps, has rejoined WGY, Schncctady, as a special events announcer. •4 , .'/. ///■'/ ''. ■', '/ ONE OF AMDICA'S OUTSTANDING MEN LATEST SONS HIT "YOU STOLE MY HEART* PUBLISHED BY HARMS. INC DX ; Continued from page 36 ; next few years, large capital invest- ments in the fields of television and frequency modulation." "I am convinced," Reed wrote, "that our country must maintain ade- quate foreign information broadcast service. I believe that the operation of an international broadcasting service should be in private rather than in governmental hands. The immediate problem appears to be that the private owners of interna- tional broadcasting facilities would be unable to render anything like an adequate foreign broadcast service without incurring very large oper- ating deficits." Earlier in the week the Washing- ton chapter of the American Vet- erans Committee went on record in 'W»w! I*re been asleep for 20 years. Bring me 7,306 bowls of WheaUe*."