THE WORLD'S FOREMOST AMUSEMENT WEEKLY EDS TAB STEM NITERY FLACKS GENERAL NEWS Travel, the Coming Big Biz; Airwaves Skedded To Sell It RADIO Post -War Regional Nets - - - Bonanzas or Busts CAB CALLOWAY His Hi -De- Highness' Big Year (See page 4) LEGIT AIDDLEBROW $$ FROM LONGHAII www.americanradiohistory.com Not With a Horse BUT WITH PLENTY OF Horse Play and Horse Sense k k STAR OF STAGE, SCREEN and RADIO * thanks to the officials of Republic Pictures for the thousands of dollars paid me for permission to use my name for their cowboy star. 5 -2614 BOOKINGS: JOHN SINGER -BEN SHANIN, 701 SEVENTH AVE., N. Y. 19, N. Y. LONGACRE www.americanradiohistory.com Vol. 56. No. 36 September 2, 1944 The World's Foremost Amusement Weekly Airwaves To Sell Travel Post -War Important NAB Decisions Amuse. Ad Lineage Up Despite Paper Showbiz Aids Not Skedded To Be Made in Shortage Aches Wanderlust in Meet NEW YORK, Aug. 26.-Local newspaper Open Sessions Chi amusement lineage for the first six Wall Street backs plans to months of this year shows about 4 per cent increase over the corresponding make loose feet pay off at Nets and Stations Doing Plenty of Horse -Trading period last semester, with only two of the nine largest metropolitan journals the B. O. CHICAGO, Aug. 29.-With gripes by was Clarence Menser who talked on this showing a drop in the total showbiz the hundreds on why an NAB conven- favorite subject - programing. space used. tion was necessary this year, together Getting right down to cases, Menser By Lou Frankel with the customary telegrams of greet- stressed as did Bill in opening the line- Oddly enough, Media Records, Inc., re- NEW YORK, Aug. 28.-Strictly a dark ings from Generals Eisenhower, Marshall up, that "When the program is right, ports amusement space upped while the horse in the post -war biz winter books of and MacArthur, the broadcasting indus- radio is right." He also reminded his over -all retail ad -space upped while the the stock and bond boys is the travel try gathered in Chicago yesterday (28) listeners that network programing and the January 1 -June 30 period. A total industry represented by trains and and the official meeting got under way affiliate programing are supplementary - decrease of 688,295 lines was noted in steamships. With attention fixed on this day, with President J. Harold Ryan's one does not replace the other. He let the retail classification, while amusement metals, plastics, planes, first personal report to its membership. down his hair when he slapped home advertising added 148,970 lines, making autos and sundry other While his opening speech contained the his statement that the belief that "Any the six months' total for this year read fairly obvious industries usual generalities his report was a specific program is good if it is commercial must 4,012,218 lines as compared to only figured to pulmotor the committee -by- committee report. High- (See FLY & MENSER on page 21) (See AD LINEAGE UP on. page 4) transition from war to lighting the report was the rarity of ac- civilian production, the tual NAB committee meetings during highbrows among the the year. Vital segments of the indus- bulls and bears are try, the post -war planning committee for AFRA. quietly stacking their instance, not having a single meeting Convention Tackles Chips on travel in the in 12 months. One meeting per year wad -maker futurity. And was credited to code compliance, labor, the bankers and brokers smartened up by program managers and the audience Three their experiences as directors of corpo- measurement groups. Major Issues and (Travel to Use Broadcasting on page U) Other committees such as retail pro- motion, legislative research, sales man- agers and music were naturally more aC- tive. Actually the Ryan report was Without Any Factionalism Amusement Taxes notable because it did not say anything important but closed sessions were given 50 Mil. the actual low -down on what was taking FCC Comm. Fly Address a Highlight Up for Year place in every branch of NAB operations. Ryan is said to be interested in re- CLEVELAND, Aug. 26.-American Fed- delegates to attend this convention; and Ended June 30 election in 1945 for another go at the eration of Radio Artists yesterday got of this number 66 showed. Last year under way with their annual WASHINGTON, Aug. 28.-Amusement prexy sob. sixth con- the Chicago gathering, the largest up to taxes reached a record 6205,289,025 for clave. It was the second such wartime that time, notched up 49 present out of Lovett Luncheon Guest meet for AFRA the fiscal year ended June 30, 1944, and the largest, as to an authorized strength of 159. This year Bureau of Internal Revenue revealed Guest of honor at the opening lunch- delegates and representation, to date. the deliberations once again were para- yesterday. eon was Assistant Secretary of War With 18,000 members to represent, an gons of unity and stability. Delegates Lovett, who after a few sweet words increase of 3,000 over last year, APRA came well instructed and versed in their Increase was $50,838,303 over previous about radio went into his favorite sub- locals around the country elected 189 (See Conclave to Tackle on. page 21) year, indicating that II. S. is still taking ject, aviation and stayed with it prac- its mind off war worries by relaxing at tically to the end of his speech. It al- theaters, movies and clubs. most seemed to have been written for Cabaret taxes for the year were almost an aviation Chamber of Commerce. Fol- NAB double the previous total, breakdown re- lowing the luncheon there was a busi- Greetings veals. Collections from clubs for '43-'44 ness session under the direction of Edgar totaled $30,039,170.58 as compared with Bill of WMBD (see the story of WMBD (From the President) (From the Candidate) $16,396,834.44 for 12 months preceding. on another page in this section). Only I send my hearty greetings to From the commentator who speaks network exec skedded session Cabaret figures show April, May and for this members of the radio broadcasting with mental caution into his micro- June, when 30 per cent tax was on, as industry phone while under fire on the bat- best of the year. Figures who are conferring in Chi- tlefields of France, to the hard- for July, when cago on the wartime functions of tax dropped to 20 per cent, will not be headed salesman who sells his client available for several weeks, hence effect Cuffo Talent Still broadcasting and on post -war plans. a War Bond appeal announcement of drop cannot be determined yet. Certainly broadcasting is to be con- instead of a regular commercial ap- peal, you have all held the industry Treasury makes no breakdown of legit Sought in Detroit gratulated on its contribution to the high. and movies, so comparison in these fields DETROIT, Aug. 26. -There may be a winning of the war, and I know that Your war service has been given is not possible, but officials say collec- war on, but a lot of trade groups, clubs you will not diminish your efforts in under the banner of free radio and tions were up in both fields and over-all and whatnot don't realize it, as far as radio in America must always be figure proves it. even the slightest degree until the Breakdown of cabaret tax by months radio goes. They're still asking the sta- final victory free of unnecessary governmental tions for talent on the cuff for the is ours. domination. Particularly your in- follows: "great prestige" of having some young Careful planning, too, will ensure dustry must be free of admihistra- July, 1943 $1,725,547.23 talent appear before their various groups. a future for broadcasting as bright tion interference so that you may July, 1942 1,278,855.19 Typical was the letter received over at as its past has been distinguished. carry out the modern form of the August, 1943 1,747,350.61 WXYZ the other day from a local mer- traditional town meeting. Just as August, 1942 1,336,179.38 chants' group, whose members are, in Out of this war has come technical political questions of the early days improvement now were settled at town meetings, so September, 1943 1,590,114.35 many individual instances, ready to being utilized by September, 1942 1,371,908.73 ascribe their own lowered standards of the armed forces, which win most the political questions of today must have full discussion on air. October, 1943 1,880,174.51 service to the war, asking for some talent favorably affect the peacetime broad- the to appear at their party, "for the pub- To that end, the Republican Par- October, 1942 1,547,500.72 licity it will give your station. Any good casting of the future. FM, television ty, in its platform adopted at Chi- November, 1943 1,710,379.23 amateurs anxious for a showing will be and fac- simile broadcasting offer cago last June, stands for freedom November, 1942 1,291,149.97 welcome." great fields for development of radio. December, 1943 1,638,295.80 which That plank in my party's platform Aside from the fact that such book- will enable your industry not merely December, 1942 1,367,187.11 ings would probably compete pro- I heartily endorse. with to hold its own during the period of On the occasion of your war con- January, 1944 1,912,518.99 fessional talent agencies, Lambert B.