Variety (Dec 1948)

Wednesday, December 1, 1948 Ex^a Wheder Enby As Ridiards Atty; Raises Several $64 Questions Washington, Nov. 30. T> When the controlling stockholder «t three 50kw clear channel radio stations gets in trouble with the FCC on charges, which if proved, may mean loss of the licenses, one can expect that all kinds of prcs.s- iires will be employed to w<trd off Zero Mostel as Disk Jockey Zero Mostel is tentatively set to do a five-weekly, full-hour disk jockey type series from indie sta- tion WMCA. New York, starting ures wui oe empioyea lo wa™ "u ^^ January. It's to be -.uch a danger. That's what is hap- eveninf- show, produced by Mendy Brown. ■ 'v. Deal, for six nionths^ w^^ (>1p' gsning in the case against G. A ichards, who has been cited for a hearing,' likely to be held within 60 days, in a rare FCC procedure, viz, to inquire into charges that he required employees of his station In Los Angeles, KMPC, ^;o slant news to reflect his private views. . The Commission has said- that its preliminary investigation raises ''substantial queslions with respect to the qualifications" as a radio licensee. Which means that, If the charges are substantiated, revoca- tion proceedings would be in order. . Also involved are stations WGAR, Cleveland, and WJR, Detroit. From the Washington end,. the tions, gives the comic the right to transcribe the series. MBS' $130,000 Natl Biscuit Deal National Biscuit Co. has just iiegptiated a deal -with Mutual for tliiB pUrcMse ' 6i " three half-h6urs a week, starting .■Feb. 1, for an. ad' pressure forces are now being lined venture type show, "Straight Ar- KLZ ANNOUNCER BOB DAVIS Bob Davis, a newcomer to KLZ's topnotch announcing staff, has been doing mike work for a dozen years—another example of the ex- perienced "know-how" that $tamps KLZ as "the West's first station." KLZ, DENVER. Variety learned yesterday row." It represents billings of lip. that ex-Sen. Burton K. Wheeler <Dem.) of Montana, former chair- man of the Senate Interstate Com- merce Committee, now in law prac- tice here with his son; has been re- tained, to defend the Richards sta- tions at the forthcoming hearings^ Wheeler will join forces with Louis G. Caldwell, one of the top radio lawyers in the business, who has been very effectively representing the clear channel stations for years In their long drawn-out battle with the FCC to retain their exclusive frequencies. The $64 question being asked, here is why Wheeler was retained. Inquiries to legal quarters con- i cerned brought out only that It is "a professional matter." It was pointed out in FCC circles, how- ever, that there is nothing particu- larly unusual for big firms to bring In legal name talent for Important proceedings in Washington.■ In the Oct. 19 hearing on giveaways, for example, ABC had Bruce Bromley, well known New York lawyer on loUery matters, handle its case .be- fore the Commission. One rumor has it that Wheeler may use his talents'in an effort to ' P0stpi>ne the hearings on the Rich-. (Continued on'page 34) $1,200,000 for the web, with the deal pacted through McCann- Erickson agency. Different installments of "Ar- row" will be slotted in each of the half-hour segments. One will be an evening period, still to be selected, and the other two in the afternoon; Biscuit company has decided to go full network after testing the show over Don Lee Network on the. Coast. Show will plug Nabisco Shred- ded Wheat. WEBS, RTDG WRITING NEW FREELANCE PACT The Radio and Television Di- rectors Guild found the door open towards an industry-wide code for freelance cueTthrowers when the ad agencies and packagers shifted the negotiations last week into the laps of the networks. After agreement by aU sides to adhere by the set- tleraenty the nets undertook the lob of writing a pact with the RTDG as the most feasible method Of Setting up a uniform basic agree- ■■m,ent. Question Of Priority In Foreign Language Stations Posed To FCC Washington, Nov. 30. Should foreign language pro- gramming :'give::, onc applicant an edge over another in competing for a radio station frequency? This question was posed ■ to the FCC last week in a petition filed by the Rhode Island Broadcasting Co,, protesting a proposed decision to grant a construction permit for BMBTuningUp'BeMyBaby As New Theme Song to Stations Bess Exit Paves Way for Hartley, Weil WOV Buy In a sudden reversal of plans over the weekend, Herman A. Bess,. who presently manages Dorothy! Thackrey's WLIB, New York, with- , drew his application now pending before the FCC for purchase of the Bulova-owned WOV, N. Y. The move practically ^cinches acquisi- tion of the foreign«language sta-r tion: by the competitive bidder. Victory Broadcasting: Corp., com- prising Ralph Weil, gen. manager of WOV; Arnold Hartley, program manager, and N, J. Leigh; N. Y: business man. Since no other bids can be entered j - the eo-^day wait- ing period having elapsed, it auto- matically, eliminates a hearing un- der AVCO procedure and it's now up. to the FCC to: call the turn on ' (Continued on page: 32) Still smarting from industry needling. Broadcast Meastirement Bureau this week bc^an measuring itself in perhaps the most search- ing assessment' since its birth in 1945. ' Although reports of -the. impend- ing resignations of Prexy, Hugh Feltis and Research Director John Churchill were pooh-poohed, BMB announced an executive "realign- ment" designed "to assure closer liaison' with- the industry' and to streamline operations, within the organization." Cort Langley, former director of subscriber service, be- comes assistant to Feltis. He will' handle BMB's routine operations, coordinate its tele activities; and supervise the Bureau's, investiga- tion of new electronic and mechan- ical measurement devices., While admitting that this reshuf- fle was prompted by NAB becis Sun Sets on Radio Washington, Nov. 30." Decision; to concentrate on telcr vision and FM prompted the A. S, Abell Co. of Baltimore, publishers of the Sun papers, to request can- ceUation of an AM station permit granted by the FCC after a hearing. Company operateff, WMAR-TV and WMAR-FM, Dailies In Soutk Nixing Cuifp hags Washington, Nov. 30. Newspapers in the south are swinging away from the free pub- lication of radio station logs, on the basis of a survey recently I made by the Southern Newspaper I about the Bureau's operation, a Publishers Assn. The poll, which j bMB spokesman declared that sounded out member papers, from , there was no cause for anxiety : those under 10,000 circulation to the metropolitan dailies of over 100;000 circulation, discloses that the little papers are much tougher on the broadcasters; with the smallest sheets toughest of all. However, it showed that even some papers in the 100,000 and over circulation', bracket . charge regular advertising rates for In- (Continued on page 34) Sklar to CBS, Menkin Into WMCA Spot about; tjj0 BiiFeau's Goittihued eijci istence; "^Fhfe SAB has ^ asi^urecL us that it feias full conAdenbe iti BM3B'$ future-—though it may .have .beeta critical of our pa^t ;:aiid pfesent,*! he said. ■ Specifically, it ^as conceded th^^ fiMB, ; in its prebccupatiori: A^^^ *'(he:' overall picture,"' of industry-? ■wi^e ineasurenjieiiti! HSs b^en^^^ i clined to :i|Uff off individu^ station ptobleiWsi This provokeij, a j^ow- ihg choriiS '«if coinplaint^ froni^; a^^ grieved Station, subscribers.' Most recent and loudest of these Was the Birminghain rliubarb about al- iegedly glaMiig discrepancies be-; tween BMB .figures; on nighttime: audience and actual coverage, ■' This case was chiefly rijsponsibie for itiie: recent iecdmfii^endaition o:^- M >fAB b«iard thiitVBMB ta]E:e ih- pther. ionM.\JlQi;lE:, lit jte method's. lof determiiiiitiEi^^ttiine audiences. The NAB recommendation in tu which was granted, an AM station was taken up at a special meeting after competitive hearing, was re-I Friday night (26) in New York of quested by Northwestern yester- | the BMB research committee. CoiU' day (29). . Skyway had charged mittee is made up of D. F. Robin Northwestern Asks More Time to Answer FCC On Skyway Quick Sale Claim Washington, Nov; 80. ' Request: for additional time .to respond to petition flledv by Sky-» way Broadcasting Co., asking FCC to revoke license of Northwestern. Ohio Broadcasting Corp., Lima, Northwestern with ■, attempting to sell the station within three weeks after receiving the permit. Northwestern said- it received: I the Skyway petition late "due to Michael ; Sklar,. script eiditor at indie WMCA, N. Y., has switched I '^"■^^"^ i--;-.!.."" lu , ama ooara nas aireatiy ap- an FM station in Providence to ' to writing staff at CBS. Sklar the fact that Insufficient postage proved the appointment of a spe- son, of C. J. LaRoche & Co., chair- man; Hugh Seville, NBC reseai'ch director and Albert DempewolfF^ of the Celanese Corp of America. BMB: board : has already the Inter-City Broadcasting. Go. The Commission proposal is "against the law ; and : the evi- dence," said Rhode Island; FCC failed to recognize the need for foreign language pror gramming which Rhode Island pro- posed to provide, said the peti- tioner, and to deny it preference. starts in next Monday (5). He and Irve Tunick -will do the scripting of "You Are There." Larry Menkin will replace Sklar at WMCA. He'll be script editor, and also do producing chores. He's set to write and direct "Inside New York" and will also handle the "Adventure and Industry" show. Menkin joined WVNJ, Newark, two months ago, but station hasn't got- was placed on the envelope"; that the charges are "serious" and re- quire, a full, inyestigation before it cial engineering' advisory com- mittee to study all aspects of the nighttime measurement problem. presents the facts to FCC, and that bmb hopes this commitlee will It must visit Columbus and Lima i come up with an answer eliminat to interview witnesses. It said 30 days is- barely sufficient to file a "responsive pleading" to the "very serious charges" by Skyway. Although the pact will directly stations in Providence, Involve onl. the nets and 1he t,, j ' r , j , i, , . Guild, the agencies, .■■poiisoi.-s and' . ^^1^"* thouglit the packagers wiU send obseivers to, p""™'?s'°" ^ave too much impor on this ground "would be to deny .,^a^~ i,^^-;_ n/r i ■ . the radio medium 1o a substantial, \^^^^^^'' ""^^ Menkm's number of potential listeners" in • the area. Rhode Island declared that Inter-City proposed no pro-' gramming substantially different I from that now provided on present the negotiating sessions to pro- tect their interests. AU possible objections by the latter to abiding by the networks-Guild contract are being headed off via advance con- eideration of their propo.sals. Formal opening of the code talks have been deferred to the middle of this month to give the various groups time to select their repre- sentatives. The RTDG negotiating committee,-;however, is already set up with George Zachary and Ted Corday as co-chairmen ol a group including Ed Bvron, Ernie Ricca, Mitchell Grayson, Carl Kastman, Carlo DeAngelo and Marx Loeb. 'Mayor' Vice 'Front Page' On MBS for Mutual Benefit Chicago, Nov. 80. "Mayor of t|iie Town," vhich bowed off ABC In June, resumes via MBS Jan. 2 as Mutual Benefit's replacement for "Behind the Front Page.". Latter show moved from New York to Clii Sunday '28), with Clifton Utley taking over Gabriel Ileatter's spot on the last five broadcasts. Heatter was set to finish out the news dramatizing series but line charges from his home in Florida prompted the switch to Utley. Itutbrauff d Ryan is the agency. tanee, in deciding who gets the li- cense, to its failure to propose more than six hours of FM opera- tion. Pointing out that six FM channels have already been as- igned in the area, Rhode Island asserted its "distinctive service" of foreign language broadcasting' would make the station different from the others;;. , Ruysdael's Luckies Exit Hollywood, Nov. 30. : After 10 years, Basil Ruysdael has ended, his announcer associa- tion with American Tobacco, due to picture commitments. He's'been sharing announcer duties on Jack Benny and "Hit Parade" shows with Del Sharbut. His successor is Prank Martin, who doubles with Sharbut on the two nighttime Luckies programs and also handles commercials on the, Don; Ameche daytime strip, which tees off Dec. 6. Dual Sponsorshiji on ABC Pro Grid Playoflf its findings at the BMB executive ing, any need: for- the Bureau to measure and report on areas smaller than counties. Latter coui'«e has been urged by the NAB but BMB has opposed it on the grounds of prohiliitive cost: The research . committee is to report General Mills and Wilson Sport- ing Goods Co. will share sponsor- ship of ABC's broadcast of Na-' tional Pro Football League cham- pionship playoff from Shibe Park, ; Philadelphia, Dec. 19 or Dec. '21. Harry Wismer will describe the game, which matches the Philadel- phia Eagles against either the Chi- cago, Bears; or the Cardinals, who: are still disputing the Western Division title. Bates Dissolves the Inc. Nielsen s Latest Top 20 Proeram Lux Piadio Theatre Godfrey's Talent Scouts Mr. Keen Mr. District Attorney .. Duffy's Tavern ..,. Inner Sanctum . ... . . ,. Phil HarriS'Alice Faye.; My Fnend Irma FBI in Peace and War. Jack Benny Fred Allen Rusjpense . . . , Original Amateur Hour. Amos 'n' Andy..,...*,. committee meeting on Tuesday (7). : BMB's current soul-searching is expected to. result in even more' barnstorming by its president^ Hugh Feltis, who already spends' much of his time spreading BMB's gospel in cities and. sticks. . While under the new setup Feltis will be responsible for gen* eral policies and management, -sub* scription sales, and industry rela- iions, Cort Langley's buffer post; it is hopedi will free the boss from much administrative detail work. BMB brass feel that one of their biggest and continuing problems is education, i.e , briefing station sub- scribers on the proper use of BMB data, explaining what it will do for; them and what it won't do. I Ted Bates, Inc., was dissolved as of jesterday ^30), and supplanted I by a 15-member partnership doing business as Ted Bates & Co. .Following are members of the i new agency, partnership: Theodore L. Bates, Joseph R. Busk, Thomas | J. Carnese, Walker G. Everett, Clinton S. Ferris, Thomas F. Har- rington, Edward P. Hudson, V/iV- ham H. Kearns, John M. Lvden, D. f„^c''''^^i™''S',*^""'"'l ^'i'P'"'- WNEW. N. Y is asking for It.; ^ Ji; •^"'i^'" Peterson, T. Rosser, xhe enterprising indie is holding ^Tl • T S 1 ^-^^^^ I"'""}}- I auditions at 3 o'clock Friday after- Evels n T. Bates is a limited part- noon (3) for New York hack driv-^ eri In the ■vvdri;S is a' qiiiz^^s^ Know-It-All Cabbies To Get Innings on WNEW KOHLER UPPED IN PHILLY Philadelphia, No«. 30. George Kohler, former publicity and special events director of the Philadelphia Inquirer Stations, WFIL-AM, TV, FM and FAX, has been named assistant director of advertising, promotion an^l public relations. Ben Martin, former free-lance writer and playwright, has been named head of WFlL's continuity department. using cabbies as an experts' panely which will exploit their w.k. pi-op- ensity for dispensing information. The motorized sages who get the nod at the auditions will form a board which will deal with ques- tion sent in by listeners. Idea is that the hackles must know all the answers on any given subject, since they're always sounding off. Jerry Marshall of the WNEW staff will referee the show when it's jelled. Starting date hasn't yet been set