3 General News NEW YORK -Black radio's po- Market," a general session on in- tential for growth, and the problems creasing black music sales, with attending that growth, will receive Black Radio Growth Potential black radio to be a key part of the special attention at the fourth an- discussion. Moderated by Barry nual Black Music Assn. conference, Richards, program director of New which begins Thursday (3) at the Is Focus Of BMA Conference Orleans' WAIL, the panel will in- New Orleans Hilton. By NELSON GEORGE clude Pierre Sutton, president of In- Four of the panels will deal with ner City Broadcasting and of the black radio, including discussions ference's concern with broadcasting hamian music to the attendees. as to whether it can be applied na- National Assn. of Black -Owned about the survival of black-owned will lay the ground for a special con- This year's conference is divided tionally." Broadcasters; Joe Cohen, executive stations and job security for air per- ference on the subject in the near fu- into two formats, five "summit" ses- Preparations for this conference, vice president of the National Assn. sonalities. ture. sions and two working sessions. Ac- says Ware, started late, but he has of Recording Merchandisers; and The association's executive direc- Other highlights of the conference cording to Ware, "summits" are gen- been encouraged by response to the Wayne Cornils, vice president of the tor, George Ware, acknowledges will be: Georgia State Senator Ju- eral discussions of issues of national new setup. "If the momentum con- National Assn. of Broadcasters. that it is seeking to strengthen ties lian Bond's keynote speech; an over- and international concern. tinues to build, this could be our best Friday's activities will begin with with the radio community. "There is view of black music in the inter- He says, "The working sessions attended conference," Ware ob- working sessions on blacks in tele- no question that over the last nine national communications market; a will have more specific focus and be serves. "Because it is being held vision, the first career development months, we have sought to align our- panel of artists discussing black mu- held early in the morning, the goal down South, where there is the big- seminar, and Ted Hudson's black selves more with black radio both on sic from their viewpoint; the presen- of each to lead directly to BMA pro- gest concentration of black radio retailer seminar. the ownership and personality sides. tation of the BMA's black retailer grams. For example, at the black re- stations, we anticipate many late Later that morning, "There was a perception that the program by its designer, St. Louis tailer seminars, Hudson will outline registrants." "The Survival of Black Radio: Urban Contempo- BMA was more for record people wholesaler Ted Hudson; two semi- a program for aiding black retailers On Thursday, Bond's speech will rary and the Numbers Game, or than radio, and we wish to correct nars on career development; and a that he is already using in St. Louis. open the confab, to be followed by that." Ware anticipates that the con- special performance introducing Ba- We'll try to come to some consensus "Survival: Expand the Black Music (Continued on page 66) Argentines Atari Games Via WEA Singing Songs Of Patriotism Get Late June Bow By JOHN SIPPEL NEW YORK -"La Marcha De Las Malvinas," a patriotic anthem LOS ANGELES -Industry hopes phasizes. "Music will not suffer. The WEA would released by CBS, has topped the Ar- that distribute Atari music people will continue their gentine charts since the beginning of products (Billboard, Jan 16) will be beautiful job." the Falklands crisis, benefitting realized about the latter part of Droz says a separate force devoted from constant airplay in Argentine June. solely to Atari products will be or- radio stations. The 11- year -old national branch ganized by Mount. The financially depressed Argen- operation has been appointed a "With recorded music stores in- tine entertainment industry has also non -exclusive distributor for Atari creasingly involved with video responded to the war by sponsoring games and software. WEA president games, it was only natural for Atari a telethon and a rock festival with Henry Droz expects his branch to turn to WEA to help market and the proceeds going to a special gov- warehouses will be stocking the distribute these accounts," Michael emment fund to aid the war effort. GAP GALA -PolyGram recently hosted a listening party In Los Angeles for the hardware and games about the third J. Moone, president of Atari's Do- The fund, titled the Patriotic Gap Band's new album, "The Gap Band IV." The festivities were broadcast week in June, after the CES show, mestic Consumer Electronics divi- Fund of the Malvinas Islands, has live on KGFJ. Pictured during an on -air interview at the party are, from left, where WEA officials will confer sion, adds. raised $20.6 million dollars, three Charles, Robert and Ronnie Wilson of the Gap Band; Lonnie Simmons, presi- with Atari manufacturer reps. Mount will liaise with Bill So- million of which were raised by the dent of Total Experience Records and the group's producer; and George Warner Home Video national bieski, Atari vice president of sales, telethon. In addition, the May 8 -9 Moore, KGFJ program director. sales manager Dave Mount will add in establishing the marketing pro- 24 -hour broadcast by the Argentine the responsibility of heading the gram. Droz says he expects WEA to government television network ATC WEA Atari marketing effort, Droz conduct a series of conferences and raised donations of jewelry, art states. "There will be complete sepa- training sessions nationwide to works, automobiles, and other prop- Birch Gaining Ground On ration of sales management and sell- speed the program's entry. erty to be auctioned off. Among the ing responsibility between our music auctioned objects were memorabilia In and our Atari business," Droz em- donated by famous Argentine art- Arbitron Ratings Field ists, including an accordion donated By DOUGLAS E. HALL by noted composer Astor Piazzola. NEW YORK -Arbitron is facing ice-which sees the Mediatrend in- In This Issue The climax of the telethon came its first serious rival in the radio rat- formation incorporated into Birch New Piracy Bill CLASSIFIED MART..._ 46A, 47 on the afternoon of Sunday (9), ings field in more than five years, reports -but Birch himself claims COMMENTARY 16 when the gathered artists and tv per- and the battle is intensifying. that growth has come not only from COUNTRY 49 sonalities joined Is Now Law With GOSPEL 48 the public in the The challenger is the Birch Re- the acquisition, but also as a result of INTERNATIONAL 59 ATC in studio singing the Argentine port, formed four years ago but dis- radio's increasing resistance to Arbi- JAll . 41 national anthem for the 35 stations playing significant growth only in tron price hikes. Reagan Signature PRO EQUIPMENT & SERVICES 38 of ATC plus a special connection recent times. One year ago, accord- RADIO 20 with If the challenger's market pene- By BILL HOLLAND RETAILING 18 television stations in Latin ing to president Tom Birch, it had VENUES.._ 35 tration continues, it will have a sig- America, the U.S. and Spain. between 250 and 300 clients among WASHINGTON- President Rea- VIDEO 59 The rock festival, which played radio stations and advertising nificant effect on the measurement gan has signed into law the Piracy for a capacity crowd of 80,000 at a agencies. Today, he says, it has 1,300 of AOR stations, since the format and Counterfeiting Act of 1982 tends to show up more favorably in FEATURES stadium in Buenos Aires, is another stations and 400 agencies. (Billboard, May 22), increasing the Chartbeat 6 Birch than in Arbitron. sign of the patriotic feelings among A number of these (150) came The former penalties for those convicted of au- Executive Turntable 4 Argentines of all ages stirred by the through the company's recent acqui- uses phone retrieval methodology, dio and video piracy and counter- Industry Events 15 conflict. the latter uses diaries. feiting to a maximum fine Inside Track 74 sition of the Mediastat ratings serv- of Lifelines 72 Arbitron has held a virtual mo- $250,000 and up to five years in jail. New LP & Tape Releases 19 nopoly in the ratings field since The White House said that the New On The Charts 30, 44 Pulse folded more than five years President signed the bill Monday Rock'n'Rolling 15 Stock Market Quotations 9 ago. It currently has 2,000 sub- (24) "late in the evening, at the resi- Court Orders ABC TV The Rhythm & The Blues 10 scribers in radio and 2,900 in agency dence," bringing it into effect at Vox Jos 30 subs. 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday (25). YesterHits 32 To Up ASCAP Payments But what's considered a signifi- Rep. Barney Frank (D- Mass.), who introduced the House version CHARTS By IS HOROWITZ cant number of broadcasters are saying "no" to the company's higher of the bill, which went to the Presi- Hot 100 68 NEW YORK -The ABC tele- rights society, the court rejected dent for signature after passage on Top LPs & Tape 71, 73 fees and expanded services. More Bubbling Under 72 May 10, said was vision network has been ordered the $5 million figure as inade- importantly, the first signs of slip- he "extremely Soul Singles, LPs 44, 45 by the U.S. District Court here to quate.