Variety (April 1955)

44 RADIO - YIVFO - TV FIUMS Wednesday, April 13, 1955 i > TL_ 25th Annual Ohio State Institute Columbus, April 12. Silver anniversary’ Institute for Education by Radio-Television gets under way here tonight (Tues.) with a general session on. “Broadcasting Comes of Age." Entire schedule of events will show preoccupation with time and the passing years, including a list of awards to be given to 25 individuals who have made “outstanding contributions to the development of educational broadcasting during the last quar- ter century. The personal awards will be presented at the banquet Thursday evening (14). Commit- tee headed by Judith Waller, NBC’s public affairs and education di- rector in Chicago, have made the selections. Gold-plated lineup of speakers at Thursday's dinner includes George C* Connaughey, FCC chair- man, who will be on home grounds since he is a Columbus attorney: Davidson Taylor, NBC public af- fairs veepee; and David D. Henry, executive vice chancellor of N.Y.U., president-elect of the U* of Illinois and chairman of the Joint Commit- tee on Educational Television, During the four-day meetings, which winds Friday noon, there will be 12 work-study groups and 15 special interest -groups, besides three geheral sessions. Speaking tonight on. “Broadcast- ing Comes of Age” will be James C. Hanrahan; general manager of WEWS, Cleveland; The Very Rev. Celestin J. Steiner, S.J., president of the U. of Detroit and co-chair- man of finance for the Detroit Edu- cational TV Foundation; and Rob- ert Blakely, central regional repre- sentative for the Fund for Adult Education, Chicago. Speakers for Wednesday night’s general session on “Some World- Wide Aspects of Broadcasting” are: Eugene King, Voice of America program manager, Washington, D. C.; Alec Sutherland, former BBC program organizer for its tv serv- ice; and Burton Paulu, manager of the U. of Minnesota's KUOM, and former , senior Fulbright research scholar’with the BBC. Big 10 s 590G Tag Unwilted *Rpse* Chicago, April 12. Tenor William Berry put in his annual birthday appear- ance on WLS’ “Dinner Bell” daytimer last week, and per custom rendered “The Rose^pf Sharon.” Because uf his age, he confines his stints to a once-a-year basis. He's 103, Lion’s Share of Ohio Institute TV Awards To NBC Columbus, April 12. NBC copped the lion's share of the television awards in the 19th American Exhibition of Education- al Radio and Television Programs, the so-called “6hio State Awards,” although it and CBS came out even With two First Awards each. NBC rolled up four Honorable Mentions, one Special Award and a new and unprecedented “Special Unclassi- fied Award.” " - The list of winners was ..made public here yest. (11) prior to the opening of the 25th annual Insti- tute for Education by Radio- Television tonight. Both the Ex- hibition and Institute are sponsored by Ohio State U, NBC’s “Special Unclassified Award”, was presented for the color telecast of “Combat Television” from Fort George Meade, Md., and was shared in by the Army Signal Corps and RCA. The program was cited as “a dramatic example of co- operation between the armed serv- ices and the broadcasting industry in the utilization of new television techniques for military purposes.” NBC's First Awards were for “Mr. Wizard” and for telecasting “Frontiers of Faith.” Its Honorable Mentions were for “NBC-TV Opera Theatre,” “March of Medicine,” “Ding Dong School” and “Zoo Parade.” NBC’s Special Award was for its coverage of the Internation- al Livestock Exposition and Na- tional 4-H Club Coiigress.in Chi- Chicago, April 12. The Big 10, dominant midwest college athletic conference, has put a $500,000 price tag on tv rights to the five football games it can. ped- dle regionally under the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.’s 1955 tele program. Although the networks have al- ready been briefed generally on the Big 10’s package, the Specific schedule of games has been held- up pending NBC-TV’s selection of the three open dates in its pur- chase of the national eight-game ..NCAA slate. The NCAA tv commit- tee named five dates but gave the web the right to pick the other three. While it’s understood that all of the networks have expressed an interest, in the Big 10 bundle, it's figured that NBC-TV may make the biggest push, not only for the mid- west regional games but others as well so as to give it a complete 13- week package that would blanket the nation. MPLS. ENLISTS PUBLIC FOR TODAY’ JUNKET Minneapolis, April 12. KSTP-TV is urging the public In this atea to help it bring the NBC-TV show “Today” to-the Twin Cities for one of its regular tele- casts from here during its current tour taking it to towns outside of “-New York. Participation in the show’s essay contest may help to accomplish this, the station is advising its audiences. In 100 words or less the writers are asked to tell why they think “Today” should visit their city. The best essay also wins a New York trip. KSTP-TV has lined up local firms and industries, schools, cham- bers of commerce, etc., in coop- eration. They’ll plug the contest. cago. CBS received its First Awards for “Adventure” and “The Search*” ABC got a First Award for “Dis- neyland.” The fledgling television operations of the 0 Canadian Broad- (Continued on page 50) WINS ALL-NITER GETS OFFBEAT SALES HYPO WINS, N. Y. radio indie, has been grossing about $2,000 weekly from its 1 to 6 ayem airtime and via a distinctly offbeat sales ar- rangement. TJie station, out to fill that time (“Stan Shaw Show”) with lots of small retailers, has or- ganized a second and basically au- tomonous sales staff headed by Perry Plager. Operating independently of other WINS salesmen, because they rare- ly seek out bankrollers through the usual agency routes, the four-man Plager team has gone mostly after restaurants and dance palaces that are open when Shaw is on the air. Though there are other retail- ers involved too, like, bakeries and auto supply houses, the main body of early morning sponsors are rep- resented by the likes of Jack Demp- sey’s eatety, The Turf, Headquar- ters Restaurant, The Palladium, Ebony Lounge, etc. WINS has only been in -'all-night radio for a few months, first with the short-lived “Birdland” stanza and now with Shaw, who gabs around pop music. To entice a quantity of small advertisers in order to make a profit Plager sells a string of sixspots for about $25. System garners about 40 spots nightly. A station spokesman explained that the independent sales org for the Shaw casing did not repeat the old time audio deal wherein an outside party ‘bought station time and then resold it to advertisers. Plager & Co. are station em- ployees, it was said. WLW-T'S 'SO SORRY’ TO CINCY AM-TV ED Cincinnati, April 12. A retraction by WLW-T is a tv first locally. It was made on the station’s !: From the Production Centres <> 44444444 - 4444444444444-444 ♦♦♦ 44444-44 4 44444444 4 44 44 - IN NEW YORK CITY . .* “Three City Final” 11 p.m. one night last week. Rhubarb was over the Ruth Lyons flareup about Paul Dixon going to join WLW-T. Apology was to Charlton Wal- lace, Times-Star radio-tv editor, for statements about him on the same news show a week earlier. It was by James t>. Shouse,. board chairman of Crosley Broadcasting Corp., which, his statement read, ‘Vishes to express regret at what apparently had been a complete misunderstanding” between the station and Wallace. Shouse further stated that the “station regrets any inference, that may have been drawn which in any way could be construed as impugning either Wallace's per- sonal integrity or his integrity as a journalist.” Tagged .to the item in the Times- Star about the apology was Charl- ton’s kissoff: “This tv editor deeply regrets this misunderstanding and, as far as he is concerned, is will- ing, in view of Shouse's statement, to consider the matter closed. I am sorry for whatever embarrassment has been caused anyone.” Cleve. Indians In r' Cleveland', April 12. Opening ball game today (Tues.) found the Cleveland Indians the loser of at least $100,000 in tele- vision fees since only 25 of its out- of-town games' will be carried this year by WXEL. j Abbreyiated telecasts resulted when WXEL, which earned all 77 out - of - town games last year, switched from “DuMont-ABC to CBS: . At one time, all three out- lets, including WNBK and WNEWS, sought to clear time for 77 tilts, but contractual commitments pre- vented agreement. Carling Brew- ing Co. has signed for all tv rights with Jim Britt and Ken Coleman as voices. Had all 77 games been cleared, Carlings would have shared coverage with a major banking company at a tv. fee of around $250,000. Reported tv rights are “about $150,000,” based on Weekend as well as key games to be covered. WERE will carry radio coverage of all games. This year’s tv coverage has brought protests from City Coun- cilman Harry Marshall who has called for both a FCC and council- man probe , of stations that have by their action, alienated public opinion and good will” in shorten- ing the • television schedule. “It may” said Marshall, “mean that this area, should have four tv out- lets,. not three!” Last year, ball club," under pol- icy established by George Med- inger in charge of radio-tv, initi- vising only out-of-town games to ated first league program of tele- •aoyjoxoq ( saiue3 auioq pje Chet McCracken Quits Biz; to Teach in Vt. Chester MacCracken has ankled as veep in charge of radio-tv pro- duction at Doherty, Clifford, Steers & Shenfield to ship out for Vermont. He expects to teach there, after a year of refresher Courses at the U. of Vermont. The MacCracken move calls to mind a reverse of the agency-to- school switch this week by Ever- ard Meade, ex-Young & Rubicam, who left the U. of Virginia, where he was mentoring, to take up as an exec on NBC’s new “Monitor” show* KOLN Sold Omaha, April 12. Sale of KOLN, Lincoln radio outlet, to the Frudeger Broadcast- ing Co., subject to FCC approval, was announced last week. The buy- ing firm is headed by Robert W. Frudeger of Galesburg, 111. John E. Fetzer, Kalamazoo, Mich., is prexy of the current owner, the Cornhusker Radio and tv Corp., ■ which also, owns KOLN-TV in Lin- I coin. Mary Margaret McBride gets 'd-Con Co. (insecticides) as the new Saturday morn NBC bankroller . . Now the four radio webs are junketing to Chi to continue the joint sales promotion pitch in behalf of audio. The “let’s work like brothers” phenomenon that doesn’t even push network radio, rather an all-industry spiel, is booked into BBD&O, Leo Burnett, Fpote, Cone & Belding, Earle Ludgin, McCann- Erickson, Needham*, Louis & Brorby, JWT, Tatham-Laird, Geoffrey Wade in Chi this week. ABC’s John Curtis, CBS’ Frank Nesbitt, Mu- tual’s Hank Poster and NBC’s Howard Gardner are oiling the agencies on the jaunt . . , Millicent Brower'into running part on “Helen Trent” . , . Len Cane with WEAV, Plattsburg, N. Y„ as sports chief . . CBS Radio program' veep Lester Gottlieb staging the entertainment for annual Four A’s powwow this month at Boca Raton, Fla., General Tel’s Herb Bice dittoing with Brand Names show . . . Harry Wismer is, in addition to being a sportscster, a “Lt. Colonel” hereafter on the .Staff of Georgia Gov. Marvin Griffin. It was as special aide-de-camp in. ceremonies last Saturday (9) for the Masters’ Golf Tourney he got the “military” nod.. Ballet Theatre director Lucia Chase, lutenist (singer to the lute and player of virginals”) Suzanne Bloch and Benny Goodman, who has his own virtues, guesting on WQXR’s “Music Magazine” show, on subsequent Fridays of this month'. . . CBS program promotion chief Murry Salberg on Calif.-N. Mex. respite , . . A1 Schacht, baseball’s “Clown Prince,” guesting on Galen Drake CBS Radio stanza Saturday (16) in plug for new book, “My Own Particular Screwball” . , . CBS Teddy Wilson casing expanding from 15 minutes to 30 . . , George C. McConnaughey, FCC chairman, guested on “Capitol Cloakroom” Sat. (9) . . Patrolmen’s Bfnevolent Assn, of N. Y. cited CBS’ “21st Precinct/’ series for “outstanding public service achievement.” Anatole Broyard added to Radio Advertising Bureau as local pro- motion scribe . . .-Mike Jablons, WLIR. flack, back from extended jaunt through Europe and Near East . r . Jane Pickens, back from two weeks in Nassau and Aiken, S. C., lined up for personal ap- pearances for Cerebral Palsy and Salvation Army. Joining her in the C.P. lineup, at least in a batch of recorded radio spots, for the charity are Bob Hope, Jack Benny, MacDonald Carttey, Glenn Ford, Imdgene Coca, Bed Buttons, Dennis James, Geraldine Page? Ella Raines, Tyrone Power, June .Havoc, .Esther Williams, Celeste Holm, Ralph Edwards, Gene Raymond and Jeanette MacDonald . . . WINS jocks Bob & Ray, Brad Phillips and Jack Lacy appearing at Macy’s to- judge a “Junior Disk Jockey” promotion . . . WLIB moving headquarters from 30th St. to the Hotel Theresa in Harlem . . . N. Y. Practising Law institute to hold a series of six Thursday night lectures at NBC beginning to- morrow (14). ’ Tom O’Neil,. General Teleradio topper, to be announced as chairman of the exec committee of.Brand Names Foundation tonight (Wed.) at the annual dinner . . . WMGM’s Ted and Rhoda Brown in Bermuda with Red Benson subbing on gab stanzas. . .Ed Kobak back from Nas- sau and Georgia just in time to hang out grandpop shingle. IN CHICAGO Frank Schreiber, treasurer of WGN Inc., and manager of WGN and WGN-TV, among the group of longtime Chicago Tribune execs who received a $1,000 honorarium in Col. Robert R. McCormick’s will . . . Chuck Wiley rejoined Zenith’s public relations staff last week after a three-month sabbatical during which time he handled the press relations for Republican mayoral. candidate Robert Merriam ... Vet scripter. Art Thorsen is WBBM’s. new continuity editor vice Joe Strader who shifts to WBBJM-TV as engineering Schedule manager. Paul Con- dylis fills Thorsen’s writing post ... Carle Rollins Jr., ex-space sales- man, added to the Chi NBC network radio sales crew . . . Dick Bing- ham has resigned the WBBM announcery to share mike duties with Bob Prince ou the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball broadcasts Via the Steel City’s WWSW . , . Chi NBC news chief Bill Ray vacationing this week on the Gulf coast ... Mary Ann Pasternak new WBBM promo- tion writer . .•. NBC newsman Alex Drier to Cover, the Yucca Flats H-bomb tests skedded for April 26 . . . Roy Danish, assistant to Mutu- al prexy Tom O’Neil, stopped off at the Windy City offices on his cross-country swing ... WBBM’s ‘Seventh Continent” documentary produced by station’s education director Virginia Renaud being re- aired by Chi board of education’s WBEZ . . . Don Ross and Dick Schutte of CBS Spot Sales San Francisco office due in later this week for conference. IN WASHINGTON . . * Henry Salomon, chief of the NBC Television Film Documentary Unit, here past week to present the French Ambassador with prints of “Three, Two, One-Zero” and Victory at Sea” for use in training French military officers . . i. Alexander Sheftell has left WTTG-Du- Mont to join sales staff of WMAL-ABC ... A new weekly CBS radio show, “White House Report,” narrated by Charles Von Fremd, web’s reporter on the Presidential beat, debutted past week . . . M. Robert Rogers,* prexy of WGMS, currently holding huddles with industry reps on a proposed plan to "turn, future’ Hi-Fi Fairs, held past two years under station operation, on a cooperative plan for all-industry, partici- pation ... A special program of entertainment and sightseeing is in the works for wives of delegates to the NARTB convention May 22-26, with Mrs. Harold - Fellows, frau of organization’s prexy, and NARTB flack Frances Riley, in charge of details and hospitality . . . Pat Priest, daughter of U. S. Treasurer Ivy Baker Priest, currently spending her two-week school holiday doing daily stints on the Mark Evans (WTOP-TV) show, pinchhjtting for the vacationing Angela Bayer. IN PITTSBURGH . . . ✓ Bob Lintner has joined the announcing staff at WICRZ in Oil City ... Jerry Landay, Paul Long and Jim Snyder have won for KDKA first prize for general news excellence among radio outlets of 5,000 watts and over in the Perinsylyania-Delaware AP Broadcasters annual awards. Seventy stations competed . . . Abbie Neal and her Ranch Girls have signed for a weekly hillbilly show on WTRF-TV in Wheel- ing, W. Va. . . . Paul Papach, of WMCK staff, named president of newly-organized Junior Chamber of Commerce in Glairton . . . John Roberts, Channel 2 announcer, and Carol D. Cole, singer who was on the road in “Wonderful Town,” took out a marriage license . . . Mrs. Davy Tyson, wife of the WCAE waker-upper, recovering from major surgery .. . Kaufmann’s department store has renewed Beckley Smith’s daily newscast on KQV for another year , . . Evelyn Gardiner has re- signed from KDKA staff after 25 years and she and her husband, Victor Saudek, musical director and father of Boh Saudek, will make their home in San Diego, Calif. IN DETROIT... Storer Broadcasting Co. has signed a contract with United States, Canadian and Detroit public health officials permitting use of the top of WJBK-TV’s 1,057-foot antenna for a study of air pollution . . . WJR reelected all officers and directors and prexy John F. Patt re- ported to stockholders that the station has done 45% of the total (Continued on page 50)