Variety (Dec 1948)

S4 Wednesdaj, De««nber 1, 1948 Benny 'Supporting Cast' Jamup : Continued from paga Zir. low's Benny at 7, Phil Harris-Alice Fayo at 7 30, Edgar Bergen at 8 and A & A at 8:30, 'Sam Spade," cur^'ently In, the 8 o'clock segment, would be given the 9 o'clock niche, so as not to disturb the full two-hour, back-torback comedy se^ quencing. A & A Don't Move Luckman, however, told Variety on Saturday that it's no dice, so far as moving Amos 'n' Andy. Tiiey've already been yanked out ol one long-prevailing time period (Tuesday at 9 on NBC) and it's risky enough to develop a whole new listening habit without start- ing from: scratch a second time. Furthermore, Luckman argued that signing a new four-year con- tract with Columbia for continu- ing A & A under .the Rinso 'ban- ner entailed going out on a limb. • Luckman doesn't thing it fair that CBS should ask him to make new saci-ifices and feels somewhat hurt that he's "being made the villian of the piece" in refusing to move i A & A into 8:30. I Anyway,, Luckman goes along I with the general; premi.se : that a | "Benny at 7-A & A at 7 30" lineup , would be nothing short of terrific. ' Luckman, for one, likes it that i way. But it's a question whether ) Eexall's Justin Dart and Phil Har- iris like the idea of moving into 8 o'clock, the slot CBS originally reserved for Bergen under his new | Cora Cola "capital gains" sponsor- ship deal. j It ii: generally ^recognized ; that, I with Benny moving to CBS, Harris I couldn't conceivably stay put in I his 7:30 NBC time; For one thing i there's an. impossible physical [ hurdle involved (the Coast NBC- CBS studios are several blocks apart, and Harris, of course, is an Integral part of the Benny pack- age) That, of course, CBS is quick to point out, doesn't prevent Harris from going into the 8 o'clock seg- ment; rather than 7:30, for he'll stiU be riding, the crest of: a Benny- A&;V audience pickup. ; As though that headache weren't enough, tne question of whether Wildroot, sponsors of "Sam Spade," are willing to relinquish the Sunday , at 8 period, is still a moot point. At the last check, Wildroot was, still contributing towdrd the upset of the CBS com- ed\ apple cart, feeling "why should we move?" and pointing to an impressive 9.5 rating, even in the lace ot the present Bergen op- position on NBC. However, it's fig- ured the present odds are in favor ot ' Spade" eventually moving out «t the: spot and accepting the 8:30 segment. Newest CBS, blueprint is for Beraen to move into the 6:30 Sun^ day evening time, thus piyjceding Benny, A & A and Harris.' Tlve 6:30 time is currently occupied by the: Coca-Cola sponsored Percy Faith-Jane Froman "Pause That Refreshes" show, which the coke company.: has scheduled for caUT cellation because of its Bergen pickup. Thus coke would: stay put in Its same time period, but with a new cast of characters. Trammel! Sounds OfT No sooner had CBS gone-on the air last Friday (26) with station break announcements trailerizing the Jan. 2 preeni of Benny as a Columbia acquisition, than Niles Trammell, NBC prexy, came out with a statement precipitating a controversy with Paley over the legality of pacting talent to cap- ital gains deals. From Trammell-came the fol^ lowing, statement: "Until the U. S. Treasury says that such transactions, are lawful, NBC will continue to refuse: to purchase stock m socalled produc- tion corporations where the artists who control such corporations are performing on the NBC network. "Such arrangements are bound to lead to charges of discrimina- tion between: artists who are payr ing. income taxes at the higher regular rates and those- who are ])aying at the lower rates of only 25% based on so-called capital gains." Paley hit back with the assertion that Trammell was doing an in" nistice to '.'many creative artists." He said" "If and when: any deals are made for the purchase of radio producing companies or radio properties, all details of . such transactions. will be submitted : to the - Treasury Dept.. for approval or- disapproval. Therefore, how by any: stretch of: the imagination: can there be any question as: to the propriety of such transactions? "Trammell's statement lis unwar- ranted, reflecting:unfairly on many creative artists who have done no more than abide by our lax law like any business man or corpora- tion." , . --^ Qf $104,500. Agreement ends May 1, 1949, "unless extended." Opposing Southern Cal request for extension of time in which to file a competing bid, Thackrey- Warner told Commission "extreme inequities" will be caused both purchaser and seller if final action is delayed; Other applications in- volving sale of multiple broadcast properties for a single purchase price. T-W petition stated, "are currently being processed expedi- tiously and granted with reasdn- able dispatch." Nighttime Stars Continued from page 2S dio's nighttime mahatmas, already bereft of many of their listeners and threatened with a steadily di- minishing audience as tele ad- vances, muscling in on the soap opera set. This line of thinking is coun- tered by other theorists who point out that the existing pattern of daytime programming is based on years of audience surveys and re- search projects which are supposed to have proved that the backbone of the daytime audience was the housewife, who craved nothing but "John's Other Wife'' and maybe an unobtrusive organ recital while she vacuumed the rugs. If this is true, it's asked, how are you going to sell high-powered variety shows and other radically different daytime radio fare to the same audience? There will be a brief pause while the researchers figure out an an- swer to that one. }mk Stuff-Radio Tlie Radio Writers Guild will let down its hair at a cocktail party Iii New York's Hotel Astor Dec* 10, emeeed by Milton Berle and with Al Capp, creator of Ll'l Abner, as guest of honor. Two hundred prizes to be raffled off at the soiree, include a one-shot acting stint on a top ranking network show. Producers of several web programs have agreed to: write in a part: on one stanza for the; lucky number holder, even If he's an amateur. Other prizes, all kicked in by giveaway sponsors and valued at a total of $5,000, include a wire recorder, dinner at the Stork Club, the- atre tickets, and a baby sitter. As in past years, the Guild party !• open to the public, Fifty or 60 prospective announcers will be auditioned on Dec. 13 bv the New York Civil Service Copimlssion for 11 spieler jobs at WNYC, New York's municipal station. This number represents the survivors of more than 300. hopefuls who filed applications last February and took written examinations for tha announcing spots in May. The auditions will be judged by local and network producers and announcers. Results should be known in • week or two, according to Sy Siegel, WNYC head. Disabled American Veterans are distributing six five-minute record- ings, cuffo, to all American stations. They are entitled "Hero of th« Week," and each one features Sam Wanamaker. and General Wain- wright, who is the National Commander of the organization. They are stories of disabled veterans who have successfully rehabili- tated themselves. Music is by Hank Sylvern, and Irving Tunick wrot* and produced the series. ^ I •;.. ■ ■■; '■..•;:;,"• ' ■',', ",' ;:..:';r '- WORL Continued from page 2il Radio Reviews 5 Continued from page :Z4 ; Tliaclcrey Continued from page 25 i . policy requires - a further separar J tion of the price between individ- ual broadcast properties.'! Meanwhile, Thackrey Warner went on, more than six months have elapsed since sale agreement was concluded and Warners have already advanced to . Mrs;: Thack- rey more than $500,000^ in addi- tion to a: down payment last June WNJR presets THE JOHNNY CLARKE SHOW 9i05 AJ(*, to 12:00 Noon Monday Ihroogh Sa>urdqy Thr* outst«inditt9 ««tltn9 feom of Johnny Oarke ond WNJR will carj7 your mesjog^ to q mHlion North Jertty hornet «n« of the rfchatf markeH In the country. Represented by AVERY-KNODa, Inc. New Yorl< • Ailontn • San Frnndico Chicago , 1, - los Angelet are familiar;;to most New: Yorkers. Hence the program: offered little information to localites that isn't already known. Tape recordings ably caught the hubbub and flavor of the estab- lishment from a brief interview with a patient information clerk who's been answering questions for the past 15 years to the chief window dresser who handles a staff of some 20 people in order to con- stantly change the displays. Most interesting disclosure of: the layr out was that Macy's has five Santa Clauses because a "man: can stand only- so .much of' talking to little children." ; While portions of New York dialers are .hound to be well versed in some of their :local landmarks, it's logical to assume that listeners elsewhere on the ABC net will avidly absorb this partially re- corded "magic of Manhattan." For the metropolis has always been charged with a colorful aura to the hinterlander and this show points out that the glamor, after all, is: merely the sum total of the efforts oMots of little people. There are endless possibilities of a program of this nature (Henry St; Settlement is 'covered tomor- row (Thurs.) ) On the basis of the Macy sample, ABC can cull ample goodwill. Naturally the city itself is boosted by descriptions of its civic assets. And the net itself rates a nod for- its imagination' in conceiving such an airer: Nar- rator-announcer Ed Reimers helps weld the format into a fairly co- hesive unit. Cub. the radio station of the Newark 2 N. J. Wheeler Continued from palge 22 ards case although this cannot be done until a date, tor the hearings has been set. So far, the Commis- sion has only ordered that hearings be held; with Commissioner Webster designated to preside, and with time and place to be de- termined, However, it was learned, the hearing will soon be scheduled for probably late .lanuary m Los: Angeles. Other possibilities sug- gested are that Wheeler, with close contacts in Congress, might at- tempt through that direction to de- lay hearings on the Richards sta- tions;-.' Another sidelight on the case is that Fidnk K Mullen, former NBC ex-veepee, has been spending a great deal of time m Washington since he was made president oi the Richards stations. Mullen promptly issued a 'statement here, following the FCC order two weeks ago on Richards, expressing confidence that "at the hearing, which the Commission has ordered to be held, these charges (by the Radio News Club of L. A ), will be shown to be without foundation." latter case and won. In both'cases the - Commission ordered revoca- tion on findings of concealment of facts regarding, ownership of the stations. As a result of .the Court of Ap- peals decision, WORL is expected to continue in operation under its present ownership for at. least an- other six months and indefinitely if the Appeals Court ruling is sus- tained. The station will receive further temporary license renewal pending Supreme Court deter- mination. In reversing the FCC. action on WORL, the lower court majority (Justices Bennett Champ Clark and Wilbur K. Miller) took the view that the basis for the WOKO decision by the Supreme Court is not necessarily applicable in the order revoking the license of WORL The WORL case, Clark and Miller ruled, ■ differs from WOKO in that "no motive for con- cealment has been established . . . nor have we by'independent search discovered any-'such-portion Of the evidence." Justice Henry W. Edgerton, dis- senting, disagreed with the major- ity view that the Commission find- ing of willful misrepresentation by WORL lacked support in evidence. He cited a financial statemeht filed; by the station in 1937 showing a bank balance in excess of $25,000 when the actual balance. Justice Edgerton declared, was only. $362. WORL, the Justice .stated, "did tills consciously and deliberately. It does not claim to have believed it had the missing $25,000; either in banks or elsewhere, in cash or in any other.form." Upholding the revocation order, Justice Edgerton held : the Communications Act ' does not forbid the Commission (.0 regard ■ mere indifference to truth as contrary to the public in- terest." The case against WORL was in- stituted five years ago when the Commission charged that for six. years following acquisition of the majority of the voting stock by Harold A. La Fount, George Cohen and Sanford H. Cohen the station had filed''more than 16 reports "knowingly. - misrepresenting" the i-eal ownership. In a subsequent decision, the license: was- ordered revoked and a temporary- renewal given to: the licensees pending dis- posal of the property. La Fount was a former member of: the Federal Radio Commission, predecessor agency to FCC. Sam Pickardj . a major stockholder of WOKO, had also been a former member of the FRG and was charged with eoneealing owner- ship. stations that we would have to dis- continue free programs but plan hasn't been put into effect;"- ; Other highlights of the survey: 1. Small papers feel there It less demand among their readera for station logs than among the readers of the large newspapers. 2. Papers with aS:rauch as 80,000 daily circulation are contemplating the swing toward a "paid only" policy on station logs; 3. Programs are most often • printed free of charge where, the publisher also: -owns a . station. -- When he prints his own logs with- out charge;- he feels he must print those of the competitors cuffo also. - .4; In order to sidestep this, some newspapers have trade deals with their own stations and demand, similar deals to print logs of in- dependently owned stations. TV No Tlireat Continued train page 25 I the less time they thi nk about radio ! and its advantages. WMGM's vulnerability to TV competition because of - the local station's heavy accent on sport* coverage was ininiinii'.ed by Leb-, bar. Eventually, the station may be. put out of business or have te change its character, he said, but: right now there's no cause for alarm. The sports promoters will : have to slice their prices for AM ; rights to events which video is also; covering, but radio time costs will remain more or less stable during- the next period, Lebhar said. ' However.: despite the current; minimization of video as a com- mercial competitor, both WNEW and WMGM designed their newlyr constructed studios for quick co»" version: into TV:programmingi Cleveland—WSRS has sold two sports shows to East End Nash and Pepsi Cola. Nash takes home hockey games of Barons, and Pepsi moves into college basket- ball (•ii'des. Dailies Continued from page 22 sertion of the daily program loga The survey, which was made con- fidcntiallj for the benefit of mem- ber newspapers, turned up a num- bor of comments like these- "We are contemplating a cliarge but are uncertain as to the rate classifica- tion " "We are planning to dis- continue them entirely in the near future unless on paid basis." "Have been considering charging for this service" "We think a charge should be made but have not been doing so." "Served notice on the F.AMOUS OVER ^5 f ( , STEIN'S iVTHlATRICAL — TELtVISIOll AT lEADINO DRUG STORES AND DEALERS EVERYWHERI Three-quarters oi a century: of know-haw in the excluiiv* mcmu4^ .iactura ol line make-up for tha pro* lesaiou has made STEIN'S ptelenad by more ' theatrical, movior—cm4 now television people everywhera.1 ■new up* t-i»-lh».«;".:. i minute illust^ata<t booklet that telle at a glance exactly what make-up to UM I at all times and for all ports. In^ eludes special valuable hlnlll oit the new television make<ui>< lashion showsi photograph]^, ettt |i. Write lor your copy today! STEIN'S ^-^r 430 Iraame Sinaf, New Vetfc U N.V,i