Variety (Apr 1947)

Wednesday, Aprfl 23, X947 Germanf«»pleDuetoGet Radi^ System in ll.S. te, Soon as Possible: Tyler • Columbus, April 22. The German people—not their government or commercial interests —are eventually going to run the radio system in the American zone, asserts Ptot I. Keith Tyler, of Ohio State Univ., just returned from abroad on an Armysponsored trip. Prof. Tyler said it was American occupational policy to turn the re- built radio system over to the Ger- man people as fast as possible. Re- sponsibility would rest with organ- ized gtoups like trade unions, cul- tural groups and civic associations to provide proper leadership. "Commercial radio—U. S. style- early was ruled out as not in keep- ing with European traditions," said Tyler. "Radio has become the No. 1 tool for entertainment, news dis- semination and education today," he added. "The shortages are so great in other lines, like newsprint for papers, ink and pens for schools, that radio is the only answer." Tyler, who spent 10 weeks abroad, said the Americans had done more in turning radio back to the Ger- man people than any other occupy- ing power. He returned to the states earlier than the other half- dozen educators in order to whip into final shape the Institute for Education by Radio, May 2-5, of ■which he is director. BMBNOWOMCIA!^ iUX MElHii0)bOR$E IT Blessings on the Broadcast Meas- urement Bureau are now threefold —and official. Outfit, which cleared its first and most fearsome endorse- ment hiu-dle at the NAB convention last October, picked up the adver- tisers' okay at the ANA meeting in Chicago early this month and added the agencies' stamp of approval at the 4A's annual meeting in N.Y. last Thursday (17). While broadcasters alone pay ■BMB's way, the-bureau is generalis- simoed jointly by NAB, ANA and the 4A's, and is dependent on the goodwill of all three. The 4A's unanimously urged BMB to continue its "regular nationwide audience measurements" and said member agencies "will make exten- sive use of BMB material to in- crease effectiveness of radio adver- tising and further. the welfare of radio broadcasting." Pitch for BMB was made to the admen bj Carlos Franco of BBDO, D. E. Robinson of LaRoche & Ellis, and Linnea Nelson of J. Walter Thompson, all 4A's reps on the BMB board., iiiiiiio 8S Wisconsin leagie fids' - •Lsaphier as Mead Milwaukee, April 22. Wisconsin League of Radio Sta- tions had the biggest turnout in its 15-year history when more than 35 broadcasters gathered here last week for the annual meeting. NAB di- rector Les Johnson of WHBF, Rock Island, addressed the group. The broadcasters voted to hold quarterly meetings; news clinics and program conferences also were skedded. Charles -J. Lanphier, veepee and g.m. of WPOX, ' Milwaukee, was elected president. Others chosen were Howard Dahl, WKBH, La- Crosse, vice-president; K. F. Schmitt, WIBA, Madison, secretary - treas- urer, and . ex-president Harry Le- Poidevin, WRJN, Racine; Ben Hovel, WSAU, Wausau; Lynn Fair- banks, KFIZ, Fond Du Lac, and Rev. J. A. Wagner, WT'kO, G'-ffn Bay, direqtaii-- ' ' Detroit—With the appointment of Russell Edsall as sales director, WTCB, Flint, has completed the staffing for its opening April 27. Texas State Network, Roosevelt's Baby, In Reorganization Fort Worth, April 22. Reorganization has been com- pleted here of the old Texas State Network which was founded by El- liott Roosevelt. Under the new setup the web takes over complete control of KA>BC, San Antonio and KFJZ here, which is key station of TSN, and half interest in WACO, Waco and KNOW, Austin. Principal owners of TSN are Gene L. Cagle, prez, who has 10%; S. W. Richardson, 18%; Charles F. Roeser, 13%; Ruth G. Roosevelt Eidson, 16%, and same amount held by the Con- tinental National Bank in trust for the children of Mrs. Eidson and her former husband Elliott Roosevelt. Application filed with the FCC specified considerations of $168,238 but spokesman for the web ex- plained that instead of actual cash outlay the transfer involved the trading of stock in the individual stations and iii the old Texas State Network;. a Texas corporation for stock in the new corporation which has been organized under Delaware state laws, but still using the name Texas State Network. ConipIaiitsRoiin onFI 3-Mii. Freeze on AM Broadcast Bids Washington, April 22. FCC is still undecided whcthet or not to extend its three-month freeze/ on standard broadcast bids past its self-imposed deadline of May 1, it was learned today. Although the Commission has cleaned up tough engineering conflicts on over a half- dozen radio channels, applications on a round dozen other channels aje still unresolved. As a result, complaints are rolling hi from counsel of several applicants who now fear FCC won't reach their cases hy May 1, and after that date new bidders may come in and tie up the works. Commission men are still working against heavy odds in effort lo act on all the bids for fulltime and regional channels by May 1, but frankly admit there is no chance of completing action on over 200 re- quests for local-channel and day- time stations. Legality of extending the freeze without 30-day notice is worrying some FCC'ers, while others take view so long as Commission works off the tough cases by May 1, there's no obligation to prolong the freeze to protect the local-channel boys. As one FCC oiHcial explained it, the three-month moratorium was imposed "for administrative con» venience, not as an umbrella to pro- tect applicants from "competition." He went on to say that Commission has no particular desire to protect those 325 bidders who jammed in applications in the week before the freeze began, since purpose of the freeze was to break logjam on bids on file from nine to 12 months. Also radio-wise ops may have filed sev- eral out-of-town bids in hopes of sneaking through grants before the local towns people cotild form their own groups in competition. In the meantime, a legal test of FCC's right to put bids on ice may reach the courts, if FCC okays a grant to former ABC veepee Keith Kiggins and Donald Reynolds, mid- west newspaper publisher and broadcaster, for a new station in Erie, Pa. This bid was filed in the week before freeze ■ opened Feb. 8. It is now being challenged by WERCi Erie. has more listeners* in the NRI Chicago ion area between 6:oo a.m. and 12:00 noon \ any other Chicago station, ilies listening'a minimum of six minutes per week. md Station. .. he Middle West MBS Chicago 11 Illinois se.toowatu 720 On Your Dial Ka«tern Sales Office: 220 Eaat *2nd Street, New York 17, N. Y. 'West Coast Repre««ntativcii: Keenau and Elckclberft 235 Montgomery St., San Francisco 4 . 4U W. fifth St., Los Anfteles 13