Variety (February 1951)

24 ItABIH Wednesday, February 21,' 1951 Washington, Feb. 20. ; A full-scale investigation of the ♦Voice of America,” With the view to strengthening its impact and at- tracting top men from radio, film and’other media to aid in its direc- tion, was called for yesterday (19) by Sen. William Benton (D., Conn.) and Sen. Alexander Wiley (R., Wis.). The inquiry, which would be conducted by the Senate For- eign Relations Committee, wou^d also determine whether the pro- gram should be taken out of the State Dept, and set up as a separate agency. Declaring the “Voice” is due for “a great further expansion,” Ben- ton told the Senate the project should utilize more professional talent to achieve the maximum ef- fectiveness. In New York,'Chicago and Los Angeles, he said, “there are hundreds of outstanding men and women in education, publish- ing,' journalism, broadcasting, mo- tion pictures, public relations, and yes, in advertising, who can con- tribute to this, enterprise, and who now only await the leadership. They would face unfamiliar kinds of problems, but under experienced direction they can learnjwhat they need to know about foreign rela- tions far faster than a foreign af- fairs expert can learn how to com- municate to large groups of peo- ple.” , '> The most important argument for taking the “Voice” program out of the State Dept., Benton said, is that it would offer a seemingly greater chance of bringing into the operation the best brains and talent in the country. The presently con- templated 13,000-man operating force, he said, “will be larger than the combined fulltime staffs of the AP, NBC and Metro.” - It’s inconceivable, he added, that any Asst Secretary of State could bring into his ranks the top crea- tive talent in these companies. But though Government can’t compete with, private business in salaries, he said, it can attract outstanding men (Continued on page 42) WHOM Preems FM Kirsner to Old Love. Ethel kirsner, one of the more hep operators among the femme contingent in the realm of publicity-public relations, is back at the Columbia web re- porting to George Crandall. Miss Kirsner checked out of the network several years ago to join the public relations staff of Margaret Ettinger. Last week she returned to the Crandall camp. FM for the Foreign Market is the slant of WHOM-FM, N. Y., which preems on Monday (26). Station was bought by Fortune Pope’s multilingual indie from WMCA for $7,500, and will take the air only 11 days after WMCA- FM suspended operations. New frequency modulator will aim for segments Of the N. Y. for- eign language market that until now have had little representation on AM. It will be Gotham’s first multi-lingual FM-er. Within one we€k the station will devote four hours daily to original programming, becoming the first AM-owned FM outlet 'devoting the major portion, of its sked to non- duplicated airers. From 4-8 p. m. programs will be beamed to the Negro-and Spanish markets and ad- ditional non-duplicated shows and extension of the FM schedule are being considered. Current plans call for the station to air six'and one-half . hours daily, starting at 2:30 p.m. During the first week the AM sked will be duplicated. Continuing its split down the AM-TV middle, ABC network has realigned its personnel setup. Web’s Gotham video key, WJT-TV, gets its first separate program man- ager, James S. Poliak. Burke Crot- ty has been promoted to assistant national TV program director and William Phillipson has been upped to assistant director of TV pro- gramming and operations. At the same time web announced the resignation of Murray Grab- horn as veepee in charge^ of owned- and-operated stations and national spot and local sales. Grabhorn has not yet announced a new connec- tion. Poliak, currently TV program manager for the Souvaine Co. and previously with WPIX, N. Y., will give WJZ-TV programming an identity separate from that of the network’s. He starts March 5, day after he finishes work on the NBC- TV tribute to Richard RodgerY 25th anni in show biz being aired March 4 at 9 p.m., which Souvaine Co. is producing. - Poliak, Crotty and Phillipson will report to Alexander Stronach, TV program veepee. With Grabhorn leaving March 1, supervision of AM o-and-o stations and national spot and local AM sales*'will be handled by James Connolly, radio station relations v.p. Video o-and-o stations and national spot and local sales will be handled by Otto Brandt, TV station relations v.p. WJZ manager Ted Oberfelder and Earl Salmon, in charge of AM spot and local sales, will report to Connolly. WJZ-TV manager, Clar- ence Doty and Ralph Dennis, in charge of TV spot and local sales,, will report to Brandt. B’casting Wastry Aids Brotherfiood Week Fete With Kits, Cartoons, Copy Broadcasting industry is marking Brotherhood Week (Feb. 18-25) with, the aid of AM and TV kits* pre- pared by the National Conference of Christians and Jews and with two vidpic animated cartoons pro- duced by the American Jewish Comqpittee. , NCCJ radio kit, wrapped up by a committeeuheaded by ABC prexy Robert E. Klntner With the aid of Ted Cott, WNBC (N. Y.) manager, and Dorothy Lewis, of UN Radio, includes copy for live spots and a disk with transcribed spots by per- sonalities such as Groucho Marx, Edgar Bergen, Jackie Robinson, Lionel Barrymore; Jack Benny; Loretta Young and Gordon Mac- Rae. It also includes a list of tunes and disks on the brotherhood theine which local stations can use, and programming suggestions. NCCJ tele committee, of which DuMont network director Morti- mer W. Lo?wi is Chairman, issued a kit containing audio and visual material for spots, .suggested pro- grains, TV film spots and a list of films on brotherhood cleared for video. AJC has released “Sweet’n Sour” and ‘Three-Ring Circus,” one-min- ute-long animated cartoons with songs by Tom Glazer. They are the first of a series written and direct- ed by "Lynne Rhodes with anima- tion by Fred Arnot. Milton E. Krentz produced. Hollywood, Feb. 20. William Morris agency changed from defendant to plaintiff last week in a court action without pre- cedent in recent years. After being . sued, along with Irving Brecher, NBC and KFI, for $100,000 for al- leged plagiarism by Maxson Judell, which charge was later dropped, the Morris agency filed an action against Judell for malicious prose- cution, asking $51,000 in damages, Judell had charged that the origi- nal defendants appropriated his material for “$1,000 Reward,” aired last summer by Brecher oh NBC, When the suit was moved from Su- perior to Federal court, * Judell asked for dismissal, Two days later Morris instructed ..its attorney to one for malicious prosecution. World B’casting Disks Do $10,766,513 Annual Biz; ‘Dick Haymes Show’ Leads World Broadcasting System an- nual report reveals that $10,766,513 was paid by 15,426 advertisers to stations for use of the transcription library’s recorded programs and fcdturcs Of the; total, $7,823,983 was spent by 8,041 bankrollers for 30 quar- ter and half-hour shows in the li- brary. Remaining $2,942,620 came from 7,385 sponsors who used World's feature program themes and its jingles for weather, time, gift occasions and specific busi- nesses* Most-sponsored airer In the World stable is “Dick Haymes Show,” which is commercial on 537 stations. “Lyn Murray Show” is backed on 421 affiliates, “Forward America” on 432 and “Homemaker Harmonies” on 407. John L. Sinn, prez of the : Frederic W. .Ziy sub- sidiary, said that if material short- ages hit the record industry, World would service current subscribers and limit number of new stations. Whitney to KSD St. Louis, Feb. 20. Bradford Whitney, director of the St. Louis Community Play- house since 1946 last week resigned the job and joined KSD, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch owned and op- erated station as talent supervisor. Since eoming to this burg from Pasadena, Cal., Whitney directed the presentation of 25 plays. He has been succeeded by Don Loch- ner, formerly program director for radio station WEW. Chicago. Feb. 20. Despite the slowdown of automo- bile production due to the military effort. Windy City radio and tele stations are experiencing prac- tically no cutback in the coin be- ing spent by new and used car dealers. The steady pace with which the auto hawkers continue to use the two media has the time peddlers giving out with sighs of relief. At several stations the mileage merchants rank on top as time purchasers. And a mass with- drawal would deal a serious blow to local billings, particularly at tha video plants. Chief reason that the car dealers are sticking by their radio-TV ad budgets in the fact of a continuing falloff of s new car production is the" resultant upbeat in the used car market Nearly all of the car peddlers are joint dealers, selling both nt*w and used cars. One of the best indications that the major motor men are sticking around was the renewal Roy Mc- Laughlin, WENR-TV chief, came up with last week from Jim (Continued on page 42) AFRA to Consider Revamp Of Upped Boston Platter Boston, Feb. 20. Beefs by local advertising agen- cies and transcription companies regarding the newly-upped tran- scription rates, which went into ef- fect recently, were given an airing at a luncheon meeting with AFRA representatives _ last week. New rates, which are retroactive to Nov. 1, are $15 for spots plus $8.60 for hour’s rehearsal, as compared to old rates of $7.20 for spots plus $7.90 for rehearsal, a tilting of $8.50, which account execs and re- cording companies are finding dif- ficult to pass along to local adver- tisers. Account execs pointed out that the new price is reacting unfavor- ably to radio stations, forcing ad- vertisers to employ other media at a critical time in AM history. As a result of the meeting, AFRA has agreed to consider revamping of prices and will act on the measure at a meeting skedded for this week. Result is expected to be a lowering of rate for use of transcriptions in the Boston market only. Bill Stewart, local AFRA topper, and A. Frank Real, national exec secretary, presented AFRA’s side of the story, with reps of majority or agencies volubly protesting. 1 Nets Hull Baseball Couuter-draws; Gaynor, Farrell Comeback To tie in with “Academy Award Week,” Janet Gaynor .and CharleB Farrell are com- ing out of retirement to star in a “Lux Radio Theatre” revival of “Seventh Heaven.” They copped the first Academy Awards for their work in the film. Revival has been £ct for a March 26 broadcast, and it will mark the first time in about 20 years that they've done a radio show. Farrell now runs the* Racquet Club in Palm Springs. Miss Gaynor is a housewife. Minneapolis, Feb. 20. The state legislature is moving to tighten up the state’s fraudulent advertising law to include products offered for sale over radio and TV stations. Rep. Sheldon Beanblossom of St. Paul, the measure’s chief spon- sor, explained that “too often un- scrupulous individuals have bought radio and television time and gone on the air making claims for cer-. tain merchandise articles that are untrue, deceptive and misleading/’ Beanblossom says he has had complaints from the Better Busi- ness bureau which has had numer- ous calls from persons who assert they’ve been bilked into buying articles that turn out to be worth- less. “Other advertising media already are subject to the law and I see no reason why radio and television stations should not be included under its provisions ” he declared. Stations themselves have re- ported they've been embarrassed on several occasions by claims made by some, of their advertisers and that, in at least one instance, an advertising contract had to be canceled because of the material offered, according to Beanblossom. WFDR, N.Y., Into Packaging Biz With Its New Airers To Add to ILGWU Income WFDR, New York FM indie, is entering the packaging business as a means of getting income to sup- plement its financial backing by tha International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Program topper Lou Frahkel feels that the indie can develop new airers, give them a showcas- ing on the station and then peddle them to other AM outlets and net- works. WFDR would take a per- centage of the package price, the rest going to the staffers; who cre- ate and work on the stanza. Aside from bringing the FM-er additional coin, the system is ex- pected to help its staffers by giving them art outside source of income. While they would be free to make the rounds with their own shows, the WFDR packaging operation gives them a workshop in which stanzas can be tested, a sales force and on-the-air auditions. If the purchasing network or station wanted • the property. exclusively, the FM outlet would yield It. Otherwise/ it would continue on WFDR. . . 6ne of the shows Frankel is now ^pitching is “You Can’t Scare Me,” a panel series in which supersti- tions are explored. Others are “Iron Curtain Forum',” which fea- tures refugees and exiles from the Soviet sphere; “Measure for Meas- ure,” music, and “Jazz Saga,” with Rudi Blesh. Operation as a farm for the radio major leagues will also be a pro- AhHA J 'm ■» tlon since June of 1949. With the baseball season due to start within two months, non-base- ball stations and network! are mull- ing methods to combat the Inroads made by broadcasters airing dia- mond games. Traditionally, the lindie kllowat- ters who give their skeds over to play-by-plays of the national pas- time show strong rating increases during the April-October period. This year baseball's air following is expected to be even larger, with the Mutual web reprising the co- op “Game of the Day” It incepted last year, and the Liberty network expanding its daily diamond hook- up. Additionally, with the growth of the television audience, viewers watching the diamond contests are also expected to cut Into non-sports listening. ABC, to compete with ballcasts, is considering a big Saturday after- noon show, which will last a couple of hours, designed to latch onto ball fans. Projected series, which would take over the Saturday aft- ernoon lineup when the Texaco- sponsored Metropolitan Opera broadcasts end in the spring, would combine a baseball round- up with giveaway elements. Format would be along the lines of the web’s “Stop the Music,” in that prizes would be awarded to dialers who are telephoned and asked questions on strategy of the sport and the last minute news re- ported on the show. Airer, as projected, would give inning-by- inning scores on sill the major league games, highlights and fea- tres.etc., with occasional record- ed tunes. One call would be made in each quarter-hour period. Idea is that, aside from the lure of big prizes, fans would stay tuned for the scores and chatter. While one school ot. thought es- 1 (Continued on page 26) CBS’ 30 Shows For Sommer Ride Hollywood, Feb. 2& Biggest replacement order in CBS history is confronting Hub- bell Robinson and his Hollywood aide, Harry Ackerman, for the up- coming summer months. Total for radio and television will push 30, equally divided between, the two mediums. Definite hiatus ■ sched- ule will be drafted in Chicago next week when Robinson and Acker- man trim down the long list of available*. Most of the replacing shows will be network packaged, with Holly- wood supplying the bulk of the radio programs. In the tentative lineup are George Raft as “Rocky Jordan” In both the AM and TV versions “Great Grandfather,” with Edmund Gwenn pencilled as the lead, and David Niven as pos- sible choice for “Mr. Aladdin.” Also on the list is Parke - Levy’s “December Bride” and a series starring Claudette Colbert, being set up by Frank Galen. Emphasis Is on situation comedies and dramas. Cy Howard, creator and producer of. “My Friend Irma” and “Life with Luigi,” also has a new comedy in the works. Other staff producers, including Jess Oppen- helmer and Larry Berns, are work- ing on hew comedy formats. Mehria Parris New Prez Of S. Carpfina B’casters Greensboro, N. C., Feb. 20. Former G-man Melvin Purvis, of Florence, was elected president of the South Carolina Broadcasters Assn, last week at its annual two- day meeting. An attorney and gen- eral manager of WOLS, Florence, • panel discussion ofscrio^^f* S i . and “Jazz Ka<.»" *<». n..ait rurvl * is credited with trapping LI CMUCU WIUI gangster John DUlinger when FBI agents shot him down outside a Chicago theatre* ' Wallace Martin, of WMSC, Co- tions. Wflg UgUlgU V /1 “land T. Doug Youngblood, WFIG» Sumter, is secretary-treasurer, Out- golng president, Dan Croslana, Greenwood, became a di- Hartford—Mikeman Jim Strong WCRS, Greenwood, became a di of WTIC is the first member of the rec t*r along with Frank Best, of station’s staff to be called Into WRNO, Orangeburg. Holdover service during the current emer- jlirectors are Raymond Caddeii, gency. He bad been with the sta- WHSC. Hartsville, and Rogert Shaf- fer, WSPA, Spartanburg.