Variety (May 1946)

Wfdnewlay, M«y 29, 1946 RADIO 29 PETRULO OPENS WAR ON LEA ACT "Anioi icaiv Forum of the Air" (Mutual) proved something the night, of Mav 21. H was that careless questions making Democracy and Conv inuhism joint subjects tor debate result in exciting listening, but not good listening or good radio. Participants and audience (on hand or at home'i simply, cannot stand . the pressure. This translates into a'bitter brawl which leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Tlie "Forum's" question was: "Art Communism and Democracy Mutually Antagonistic?" The two teams comprised Mrs. Clare Booth Luce and William H. Chamberlin (Democracy); Dr. Harry F. Ward and W. Z. Foster (Communism). ■ Who won? Not either side, program, station or network. Is this Public Service? It's a cinch it was a lesson.for radio. . .'- Strike Coverage, Imagination Wanting When the two-day railroad strike t of last week was oyer, radio was ' found to have made only a slight contribution' 16 situation that excited the nation and stopped- wheels iroin rolling. On 'the whole, every web and local station around the country followed an old. well-grooved pattern in hews 'Coverage of the strike. Ir the remote pick-up 'wasn't' from the Zilchville Union Station, it was from' Zilch- burg Bus Depot, and it said the same thing: viz.. that there was a strike oh and somebody couldn't get home.. - Here and there, the unexpected happened. As on one net when a lady froni Toledo, stranded in Sail Francisco, assured the interviewer that she .'was' in total sympathy with the strikers. It took the giiy a full Sd seconds to catch his breath. Or the.'other not which broke into a Saturday broadcast with a bulletin that the strike had been settled. II was a clean boat—but the inter- ruption happened to come while the President of the United States was addressing Congress. Here and there, loo. some station programmer thought of something extra to do. of service to the com- fnunily. WWRL. suburban New York'City indie, tied in with, the Long Island Railroad to broadcast altered train schedules just before the strike broke. With tens of. thou- sands or Long Island commuters.] interested, that job was really holpr ! fill. I WHB. Kansas City, teamed with a ' local organization to help stranded j travelers reach their . (lesliiialions. \ Cutting commercially sponsored spot j announcements off on the hour and half hour. WHB broadcast the names Of motorists who were willing to Share their cars with riders. WWDC. Washington. D. C. had the same idea and connected many stranded travelers with motorists going to distant points.. Mutual put A. F. Whitney, head of one of the two striking railroad Unions, on the air Friday night within three minutes after the President had finished addressing the nation. KYA in San Francisco saved hours ot time gelling trains rolling again Saturday night by broadcasting the unions' code words to .strikers, and giving them instructions from their own leaders as to how to get back to work most efficiently. The railroad union heads came in for criticism of a kind totally differ- ent from that levelled against ihem by President Truman. With S47.000.- "00 in their treasury, it was pointed Out by radio laborites. "they didn't know enough to use. a slice of that dough to put their story over'on the air." But as far as radio itself was con- t ccrned. outstanding services and : "hagiualive usage of the air'during .• the emergency were rare. What was ■[ more frequent was the usual boast's i about vvho beat whom by 20 seconds ! with news that was public'property ! anyway. | And there were many bchind-the- scenes wisecracks and sua lues. Per- ' "aps most pathetic of all, which ■ •night shatter many a childhood illu- sion, was the rale that befell Super- | "Jan. Latter, played by Clayton 1 . Bud" Collyer. was finally slumped. I "e got stranded.in New York City j atlcr his- Mutual broadcast the first I «ay of the strike, and couldn't get I J^ck to his home at Pound Ridge. ! N. Y. J Asleep at the Switch Signals got a. little mixed at WOR. N. Y., Thursday (23 > night, as result of the railroad strike.'. '• At .'6:1* p.m., a newscaster made a lasl-minule news an- nouncement: that the strike was on. and all trains , had slopped. At 6:15 pirn., another announcer said: ."Attention, please!"'.and a train bell loudly sounded, as ' speaker added "the 20lli Cen- tury Limited, streamliner be- tween Chicago and N. Y„ is now on the hacks." Speaker vent on In describe train pulling out o£ station.- with the famous people on board, who would'be inter- viewed by Bob Elson. Airer was a platter show. "Bob . Elsun on Ihe'Ccnlury." with in- terviews of celebs who use the crack train. Next night.'(Fri.) program was off. To Control Shows With Walter I.urie. now head - of Blaine-Thompson agency radio dept., and formerly with Biow; coming to Mutual as ■ executive producer on .June 15. the iiel has completed a production .reorganization which is expected to result not only in show hypoes for next season bul. in the creation of new stall jobs as well. Lurie's addition to the staff, under programming veepee Phillips E. Carlin. completes the top-layer re- organization. Bob Novak, director or production development and tal- ent, leaves 'this week to handle his own packages. Nick Keeslev' has been brought from CBS as manager of program sales and Herb Rice is in charge of creative, production. With addition of Lurie. plans arc under wa.Vto develop new shows for possible fall sponsorship and also to out producers and directors in charge'of Mutual shows—a step by- passed at this net until now. The Mutual practice has been 'to let a producer or any rfew show joining the web take care of his own pro- duction.. Under the new system, the net itself will assume production responsibility. 'Sack' Replaces 'Voice' On OG Summer Show Hollywood. May 28. 'The Sad Sack." a William Mor- ris agency package! was bought over weekend by Old Gold as summer .replacement for Frank Sinatra pro- grain. Scriol show debuts on .June 12' over CBS. produced by Ted Sherdeman. Herb Vigran. who here- tofore has played bits only, will essay title role, built around char- acter created by car! list George Baker in Yank. Army weekly, which ceased publii-h.ing last December. Scripts prepared by Charley Isaacs and Art Slander will present character as a civilian :'iid the pro- grams as situation-comedy:. Louis Kosloss will supply the music lor "Sack." Chicago. May 28. .James C. Petrillo, proxy ot the American Federation of Musicians, threw out-and-out defiance at the Lea-Vaiidenberg Act today (Tues.) by calling a strike at WAAF. local 1.000-watt indie. To press the point or his defiance home, he gave as reason lor the strike the fact that Ihe station has refused at his request to double (he number of musicians on its staff. The legislation specifi- cally forbids stations to accede to such a demand. The move against this small sta- tion, licensed for daylight operation only, is the beginning of Petrillo's march toward the Supreme Court and a challenge of the anti-Pctrillo bill as unconstitutional. When reporters reminded him., as he announced the strike, that he was violating the Lea Act. he said: "1 am ready to face the music, gent- lemen—rtiid I don't mean amateur music or foreign music either:" In a formal statement, Petrillo declared: "The union (AFM) appreciates that, its action is contrary to the restric- tions ot the Lea Bill. However, as president of my union. I . am—upon the advice of able and experienced legal counsel, and the statements of learned lawyers iii both Houses of Congress—proceeding oh the firm and sincere belief that, the Lea Bill is in violation of the fundamental law of the land, the Constitution of the United States." Petrillo asserted he expects tp be prosecuted, but declared that "Coh- »ress is working for special in- terests." Among the latter, he said, is the National Assn. of Broadcasters. Actually, the next step now is up to the U. S. Attorney in this district. But Petrillo seems ready. Taken by CBC, Other Frequencies Hepping His Honor . U. S. State Supreme Court Justice Morris Eder received a new lexicon, for free on' Mon- day (27), when' Herbert L. Pel- ley, exec director oX WHN, N. Y. indie, submitted a Varietv re- view on the station's "Books on Trial" show as part of his an- swer to charges placed .agaihsl him by Martin Stone, producer- owner ot "Author Meets ihe Critics." As Peltey's attorney read the review, written by Cars. Judge Ederjs ears were seen to perk up at such terms as "sock ma-' terial" and "preem." The learned justice was especially amazed when Cars was quoted as haying termed Sterling North, emcee of the show, as "hep in letters." ' • Noble Wing To Be Noble to Money But He'll Run Web i Washington. May 28. Ed Noble's holdings in ABC will shrink from 14.01% to only 35.5%, company informed the FCC in a letter forwarded In conjunction with [the web's plan to put 1.500.000 ' shares of ABC stock up for public ! sale. Shares of other principal slock- ' holders will be slasheJ down ac- cordingly, the ABC letter declared. ["While theoretically." ABC told the 'FCC. "Noble's reduced holdings | might be looked on as rclinquish- j mcnl of control, it is generally 'Author-'Books' Decision This Week Radio's battle of the book clubs looked headed for a final'showdown this week as N. Y.' State Supreme Court Justice Morris Eder "on Mon- day (.27) decided to postpone his de- cision until later in the week over whether to grant Martin Stone a temporary injunction against WHN's (N. Yj new."Books on Trial" show. Program, meanwhile, was aired at its usual 8 to 8:30 p.m. time on Mon- day (271. Stone, producer-owner of "Author Meets the Critics."-sponsored by the Book of the Month Club, last! Wednesday (22) had the court serve the Marcus Loew Booking Agency, : owners of WHN, and Herbert L. Petley, station's exec director, with a summons, alleging that the WHN ^wallowing into its system private stations in centers where the CBC Is already, 'established." Montreal. May 28. Fears on the part of indie ops that Ihe Canadian Broadcasting Corp. might at •any time step in and take over privately-owned stations' were confirmed in the House of Commons last week with Reconstruction Minister Howe's announcement that CBC had applied for permission to take over the frequencies how used by CFRB, Toronto, and CFCN. Cal- gary. NO sooner had Howe made his statement, and as though anticipat- ing the squawks that were bound to arise; A. .D;'Dunlon, CBC's chair- man,, added that, in applying for permission to lake over the fre- . quencies used by the two indies. CBC "had asked for nothing that belongs to any private interest." . Dun ion said that the.stations had in 1941 been given permission to use the'frequencies only oh a temporary basis, and that the '"national'system'* (CBC) had told them.they would be taken over when building conditions permitted, said Dunlon. "The commercial stations con- cerned will be able to carry right on with their operations on other fre- quencies available." Dunlon added. . The Purpose What Duntoiv did not make clear was what the actual purpose was In taking over the frequencies of the two stations. Revenue Minister Mc- Cann. minister responsible to Parlia- ment for the CBC. has had his hands full during.the past few weeks try- ing to soothe frayed tempers ot members who did not receive satis- factory answers on CBC questions hi the House. Meanwhile, the beefs arc spread- ing across the country on the CBC behavior both in its attitude to Parliament and to its unexplained activities, such as the taking over of private frequencies. The Montreal Gazette, for example, pretty well summed up the collective gripes on the part of many Canadians by. claiming that "it remains unclear whether the CBC is, in fact, moving to broaden its monopolistic domi- nance of broadcasting in Canada, by show constituted an "appropria- tion" of the idea and format he had Hist introduced with his VAuthors'' show on the station. Latter, after being aired over WHN for three years, was shifted'to WQXR Thurs- day (23) night. Stone charged WHN with an "obvious attempt to confuse the public" by broadcasting so sim- ilar a program from the same time and place as his show. Peltey declared that the "facts overwhelmingly demonstrate" lhat the defendants were not endeavoring to pass off "Books" as "Authors." Programs have different titles, are sponsored by competing firms, are aired over different stations and their permanent casts are different, considered that a stock- interest of i he said, from 15"f to 25% represents effec-j p e tiey pointed out that Stone's live control of any corporation, the ; con i, a et wth WHN ran to Jan., 1947, to be terminated only if Stone re- "Outrighl Confiscation" Toronto, May 28. Outright confiscation of private property is the label applied by Harry Sedgwick, president ol CFRB, Toronto, 'regarding the announced intention of CBC to take over the station's frequency as a unit In CBC's proposed trans-Dominion web of high powered radio outlets. With the Canadian press whipping Up strong public opinion against the seizure of CFRB, and other stations in the west, Sedgwick announced his intention of using every legili- . (Continued on page 43) of which is widely j capital slock i distributed." As protection against concentrated holdings, no one company will be permitted to purchase more than 10.000 shares ot the public issue, to he doled out at approximately $15 a share. | ABC expects to realize S14.000.000 j additional capital from the public ' sale. About $3,560,000 or this aniount : will be used to underwrite purchase , of the King-Trcndle Broadcasting i properties. Another $0,350,000 will : lie added to Ihe company's general •.funds or used to support construc- tion .of the web's FM and tele sta- tions. Dillon. Read & Co. is han- dling the financing. ceived a bona-fide offer from a net work. WHN let ..him out of his con- tract when he received a better offer from WQXR. Peltey said, because it. was to Stone's best interest lo do so. evCn though WQXR is not a net- work station. Titus Quits Y&R For Indie Package Setup FM Rule Switch; CBS on D.C. list Washington. May 28. As the FCC today changed FM classifications, and took the 10 Area If facsimile channels away, turn- ing them over to FM. CBS entered i | the lists for a station here. The new- commission rules eslab- Hollywood. May 28. ! lisn 'only two FM classifications: Dave'-Titus. • vvho has been pro-! Class A. tor ' what was known as ducinu '•Duffy's ' Tavern" and Joan ; community stations:' and Class B, Davis program for Young & Rubi-I for what was known as metropoli- inilir 'la.ii . and rural stations. The 10'chan- nels taken from facsimile will en- able more broadcasters to go iiiti> the. cheap and easily-attainable .community FM broadcasting. cam. has quit lo become an program-packager. First ileni will be a psycho-mys- tery thriller. Titus has been pro- ducing for about 12 years aiid prior io Y.& H affiliation did Billy .Burke , show. "Cavalcade" and ' This . Is My Best" for BBDO. Production reins ' KEYSTONE'S 'CHIQUITA' BIZ . BBD&O's "Chiquitu Banana" spot : ■ gntv out on 210 stations of. Key-. : stone Broadcasting Corp.. with ' famine emergency, relief, plea in- : '. stead of the original lyrics.' slarl- !ing:Junc 10. This is in addition to i soots on 150 live network stations, j on "Tavern" and Miss. Davis' layout j I ■ .\' ( ,cl Rhys handled deal for Key-, will now be .handled, by Walter \ apolis,. and has FM operating now CBS; application asked for an outlet in Washington. The web al- ready, has applications in Tor Boston, Los Angeles. St. Louis and Minne- j stone. i Bunker. in New York and Chicago.