Variety (August 1950)

Wednesday* August 9, 1950 RADIO 27 The following represent the former legit houses taken over by the networks as the radio-TV studio space situation in New York : grows more and more acute: ■■■ NBC Belasco theatre, West 44th street (for radio). Hudson theatre, West 44th street (for TV). International theatre, Columbus Circle (for TV). Center theatre, Rockefeller Center, Sixth avenue (for TV). CBS . Hammerstein theatre (now Playhouse No. 3), 53rd street and Broadway (for radio and TV). Avon theatre (now Playhouse No. 2), West 45th street (for radio). Maxine Elliott theatre (now Playhouse No. 51), West 39th street (for TV). ' : New York theatre (now Playhouse No. 52), West 54th street (for radio and TV). ABC Vanderbilt theatre, West 48th street (for radio). Ritz theatre, West 48th street (for radio and TV). 58th Street theatre (reopens in Sept.) (for TV). ' MUTUAL Longacre theatre, West 48th street (for radio). Dumont Adelphi theatre, West 54th street (for TV). Ambassador theatre, West 49th street (for TV). WOR, N. Y. New Amsterdam Roof, West 42d street (for radio and TV). (CBS has also taken over the Town theatre, Ninth avenue film house* and also owns the Alvin theatre on West 52nd street, but under an arrangement whereby it remains legit and the Hammer- stein continues for AM-TV purposes.) Luden’s is coughing up $18,000 a week for time and talent for a simulcast pickup of a quarter-hour of CBS’ Saturday night “Sing It Again” giveaway show. That gives the program a sellout status on both AM and TV, with the Luden’s deal, effective Oct. 7* negotiated on a 30-week- basis (extending through what the company regards as the. seasonal stretch for colds), for a total CBS “take” of $900,000. (Time-talent rate for a 15-min- ute simulcast pickup of “Sing It” normally runs to $16,500 a week, which includes discounts for an- nual contracts, but Luden’s pays the hiked rate because of the 30- week deal.) Fact that “Sing It Again” is now sold out and brings in annual AM- TV billings for time and talent of approximately $2,500,000, repre- sents a major victory for board chairman William S. Paley, who initially projected the idea shortly after ABC’s “Stop the Music” hit the bankroll and audience jackpot. For a long period “Sing It Again” played the sustaining circuit and more than once the network was on the verge of yanking it. It Wasn’t until months following the preem that it *picked up its first sponsor—Arrid. Others followed. CBS then decided that, like Arrid; why play it half-safe? And it went on video, too. The old adage “scratch a major oil company’s bankroll and you’ll find a news commentator” was given further credence last week when Richfield Oil revamped its radio sponsorship plans. Richfield notified CBS last week that it was dropping sponr mrship of “Escape” to latch on to Saturday and Sunday news com- nentaries, the move reflecting mew the upbeat in sponsored lews programming in the wake of ;he Korean war crisis. Oil company Is buying the 6:45 ;o 7 p.m. Saturday time for a Larry LeSeuer news stanza, and Sundays 1 to 1:15 p.m. for Charles Collingwood. o' . Only the week previous CBS grabbed a second oil company lankioller for Ed Murrow, the Quaker State Oil Co. buying the (Continued on page 40) Stupendous! Dick Pack, program mana- ger of WNEW, N. Y., lays claim to the novelty of the year in radio. He’s gonna use a disk jockey for a disk jockey show. CBS’ Doubling CBS’ mid-year financial state- ment revealed at last week’s meet- ing of the board of directors re- flects generally the healthy state of radio, despite the ominous rumblings inspired by television’s* upsurge. While the consolidated income statement represents overall fig- ures embracing Columbia Records and other Columbia subsidiaries, the “blue skies” financial state- ment is attributed mainly to in- creased radio billings, although (Continued on page 40) By. GjgORGE ROSEN Radio and television are moving into the Broadway sector of New York at such accelerated pace that 15 legitimate theatres have already been taken over by the networks for AM and TV originations. Extent to which the radio-video sphere of show business are “spill- ing over” into the legitimate the- atre end is reflected in the fact that . the 15 properties represent practically half the number of the 32 theatres that will remain in the legitimate fold this fall, It’s anticipated that by the end of the year possibly half a dozen more houses will be leased or sold to the 'networks, primarily for TV, as the studio situation in N.Y, be- comes increasingly acute. As far as the Broadway theatre owners are concerned, the network deals in most cases add up to “manna from heaven” in view of the dearth of suitable legit attrac- tions. From the standpoint of the networks, there’s a growing rec- ognition that it’s a makeshift, albeit costly, arrangement that may tide them over for perhaps several years more at the most. Meanwhile radio-TV Has become the most sprawling industry in N.Y., lacking any boundaries or point of concentration as with other major enterprises. In addi- tion to acquisition of the 15 legit houses; (see adjoining box for breakdown), studios are scattered in such off-the-beaten path off- Broadway areas as 106th street and Park avenue (the ex-Pathe studios taken over by NBC); ABC’s con- version of the former fashionable stables on West 67th street; CBS’ Liederkranz Hall on East 58th street, etc. Chief objection to the current piecemeal buys of legit houses is that, in' each instance, it involves costly conversion undertakings (in the case of NBC acquiring the Center Theatre, for example, it’s estimated that an approximate $3,- 000,000 will be spent alone on con- verting it into plush studios). More important, it means separate stage and technical Crews for each of the houses in complying with union regulations and demands. While there’s been agitation for some time over the need and in- evitability of a Television Center which could serve the combined networks’ purposes, such a move has never. ventured beyond the talking stage. Even if the Webs should agree on such a plan, how- ever, it’s estimated that two or three years more would elapse before a Television City could be- come a reality. Pending such time, video’s pro- continued on page 38) Stark Reality Wilbur Stark, of Stark-Lay- ton Production, and ABC are jointly wrapping up a science fiction stanza; “Tomorrow on Mars.” Task of finding a writer was given to Jack Mitchell, chief of the web’s script department. When Stark walked into the first story conference last week he was introduced to the head writer—Sheldon Stark, his brother. Let NBC Switch NBC has made a recommenda- tion to the Catholic Archdiocese that it move its “Catholic Hour” out of the Sunday 6 p.m. network time into an early Sabbath after- noon period. The web is still awaiting a reply. NBC, in requesting the move, cites the fact that, with the trend more and more toward afternoon listening in view of video moving in on the early evening-nighttime segments, “Catholic Hour” would today command a more respect- able rating, in contrast to its pres- ent 2.0 or so audience pull, if switched into the Sunday at 2 period. Perhaps less Implied, from a strictly trade standpoint, is the fact that the opening of the 6 o’clock time for a popular-type show would be more conducive toward inviting a tune-in on the upcoming 90-min- ute (6:30 to 8) big talent showcase designed as ammunition against CBS’ heavy guns. “Catholic Hour,” in the approx- imate 15 years it’s been on NBC, has been a. “must” on' the web agenda, with any attempts to in- fringe on time or program format strictly verboten. Happy Felton’s New One ABC has scheduled a new au- dience participation show called “Talk Back” for the 3:45 to 4 cross- the-board afternoon slot, effective Sept. 11. This one will have Happy Felton as emcee. Persons writing in anent personalities will get transcribed answers from the , personalities themselves. Washington, Aug. 8. Sick and tired at the'way FM has been kicked around, FM broad- casters, at an all-day open meeting held at NAB headquarters here, decided yesterday (Mon.) to do something about it. Recognizing the limitations of action by NAB, because of its composite member- ship, the broadcasters organized a five-man action committee, com- posed. of both members and non- members of NAB, to start function- ing immediately to carry out a series of resolutions to get FM out of its doldrums and push its poten- tialities. The meeting was marked by heated discussion of the FM re- ceiver problem, with names of manufacturers mentioned openly in criticism of lack of cooperation With NAB in its efforts to de- termine whether demands for FM sets are being met. It was charged that in certain areas market re- quirements are being ignored and that the “whole attitude doesn’t jibe with the economics of the situation.” For the first time in a gathering Of FM broadcasters, there was recognition that there was but one real problem confronting the in- dustry, beside which other issues are subordinate. The issue, it was realized, is receivers. It was up to the broadcasters, it was decided, to find out why the sOts aren’t being marketed and, if it should be found that there is a deliberate obstruction On the part of manu- facturers, to bring the problem to the attention of the proper agencies. Decision to name the five-man “all-industry” committee, although obviously a behind-the-scenes ma- neuver, came after Harold Hirsch- mann, of WABF, . New York, emphasized the importance of hav- ing a group which had freedom to act speedily, He told the meet- ing he had conferred with FCC chairman Wayne Coy who gave him assurance the commission would be receptive to any pro- posals to aid FM. Novik as Chairman Hirschmann was named a mem- ber of the committee which has as Its chairman Morris Novik, who represents FM station WFDR, New York, and four other FM outlets owned by labor unions. Other members of the committee are Elliott M. Sanger of WQXR, New York, Raymond S. Green, of WFLN, Philadelphia, and Ray Furr, of WIST, Charlotte, N. C. A smail fund to finance initial operations of the committee was subscribed by the 28 broadcasters attending the meeting, iri advance of contributions from other FM stations who were invited to send $10 checks to acting chairman Ray- mond Green, c/o WFLN, Philadel- phia 28, Pa. Of a series of 10 resolutions voted at the meeting, two were left to the all-industry committee alone to carry out. One of these provided that all FM stations, after a meeting with the manufactur- ers, “immediately join in an or- ganized campaign to promote FM by broadcasting slogans like ‘If y6u buy a new radio or XV set without FM, you are buying an obsolete radio,’ or (‘a set without FM is only one-half of a modem radio’).” The other resolution requires that individual stations “call upon their Congressmen and the FCC to (Continued on page 40) The International Ladies Gar- ment Workers Union has decided it’s losing too much money on its FM labor stations, notably in the operation of WFDR in New York, and WVUN in Chattanooga (situa- tion 'as regards its third station, WKM in Hollywood, is not as dras- tic, with an AM application for a Burbank station now pending)^ David Dubinsky, ILGWU topper, has been reappraising the union’s financial stake in FM. Apparently Dubinsky and the ILGWU board of directors aren’t too happy with the picture at it presently shapes and have passed the word along to Morris Novik, the union’s radio consultant, who masterminds the three-station operations, to in- augurate an “austerity policy” de- signed to eliminate all the frills. As result, Aug. 28 will be D— for Decision—Day when ILGWU Board meets to vote on Novik’s recommendations to pare WFDR's operation to keep the losses down to $75,000 a year (instead of about double that amount). It’s figured the ILGWU can sustain it at the 75G figure for the next five years or so. WVUN in Chattanooga has been losing $60,000 a year, and Novik recommends that savings be af- fected to pare the loss to $30,000. Similar retrenchments will be put into effect, on the Coast. In its revaluating of its stake in radio, the ILGWU reportedly has abandoned all plans for acquisition of WINS, the Crosley-owned 50,000-watt operation in N, Y. Charles R. Denny, NBC’s exec veepee, and Ben Duffy, prez of BBD&O agency, were scheduled to hop to Europe last week for huddles with Phil Harris and Alice Faye on their upcpming NBC pro- gramming plans. Trip was put off at the last minute, however, with Harris due back in the next few days, when the three will sit down to resolve the stalemate. Apparently everything’s in a state of flux regarding the Harris- Faye show, both as to the client and time. BBD&O has had first refusal on the show in view of the recent Rexall affiliation, since the agency reps the drug company. Fact that Duffy was slated for the overseas hops would indicate that BBD&O may still have a sponsor- ship stake In the team. Meanwhile, the Harrts-Faye time slot pn NBC (they’re both under contract to the web), remains a big question mark. They’re obliged to exit the 7:30 Sunday period be- cause of the network’s upcoming 90-minute “salute” series covering 30 weeks (see separate story). NBC had hoped to slot them Tuesday at 10 to follow Bob Hope and Fibber McGee & Molly, in a bid to strengthen the Tuesday night com- edy lineup, but this plan went awry too, when Lever Bros, refused to have “Big Town” yanked from the 10 o’clock segment. L’ville Indies Signs On Daily With a Prayer For Duration of Crisis Louisville, Aug.- 8. WKYW, live local daytime indip, has come up with a reverent and timely idea, which is finding much favor particularly among church groups. Station has daily “prayer for the day,” which is aired right after sign-on at. 7 a.m. Custom will be followed during the cur- rent war emergency, and; will probably be a permanent feature. Prayers are contributed by pastors who are members of the Louisville Council of Churches, and are non - sectarian in char- acter. *