THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM Date: January 5, 1950 To; Alfred L. Bernheim From: Milton E. Krents Subject: MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT OF THE RADIO & TELEVISION DIVISION, DECEMBER, 1950 RADIO 1. Films Completed Arranged for Advertising Council News to carry special mention of the Film Catalogue in its December 1950-January 1951 issue. The circula- tion of this pamphlet is over 20,000 per issue. It is distributed to top people in the radio, television and advertising fields. 2. White House Conference Completed Produced a five-week series over NBC entitled "Listen to the Children." The National Social Welfare Assembly sponsored the series •which was tied up with the White House Conference on Children and Youth. The entire series was presented as part of the NBC "Living 195Ott prize- winning program series, Saturdays, 7:00-7:30 P.M. The final program on December 2nd was titled "A World I Never Made," and dramatized the problems and insecurities in which teenagers find themselves today as a result of the precarious world situation. The mail response was amazingly good in terms of quality aa well as quantity. Many requests were made for scripts and recordings and arrangements have been made by NBC to place recordings of the series with the United States Department of Education for lean to colleges and other groups which wish to replay the programs. Pending Station WMCA, New York, interested in rebroadcasting series. Ed Lukas arranging meeting with Henry Jaffe, attorney for AFRA, to secure possible clearance. Also trying to clear with AFM. - 2 - 3. Bill of Rights Day Completed Distributed the second edition of "'The People Take The Lead" pamphlet / to the following for reference on Bill of Rights Day, December 15th: NBC,ABC,CBS,MBS,WOR,AP, women commentators "Headline Edition," ABC, "News on the Human Side/ WOR A. Civil Rights Pending Brought to the attention of the Civil Rights Department the negative reactions rolling into NBC regarding the ACLU radio show on Bill of Rights Day. Got for them a copy of the script, so that a letter of praise could be written to NBC. 5. Religion Completed Rabbi Morris M. Goldberg of Congregation Shaare Zedek appeared on the "News on the Human Side" program, December ,27th, WOR, 6:00-6:15 P.M., to deliver a 30-second prayer. 6. Genocide Completed Arranged for the guest appearance of Roger Baldwin on "The Eleanor Roosevelt Program,n WNBC, December 29th, 12:30-1:15 P.M. He spoke on Genocide. 7. Chapter Program Pending Prepared a memorandum outlining plans of this division for local stations. These plans involve intensive use of chapter members outside of New York to build up local radio and television station relations. 8, Federal Aid Completed Arranged for AJC to get a transcript of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's statement concerning Federal Aid to Education, made on her program. — 3 — 9. Housing Pending Brought to the attention of "The Eleanor Roosevelt Program" that a guest, Mr. Levitt, misinformed her listening audience concerning interracial housing projects. He stated that ultimately they became all Negro or all White. As a result, "The Eleanor Roosevelt Program1* has arranged to invite Charles Abrams, well-known housing authority, to appear and discuss the situation in non-segregated housing. Interview to be recorded January 8th; broadcast shortly thereafter. 10. Brotherhood Week Pending Publicizing for Brotherhood Week the Bronx River Community Center, soon to be opened in a low-cost housing project. For the first time the YWCA and a Jewish organization (JANC) will join in servicing the needs of the community through this Center. 11, Intercultural Education Publicizing Freedom House exhibition of the Committee on the Art of Democratic Living. Met with Dr. Laurence Foster of Lincoln University to assist him on an intercultural radio and TV series. Set up appointment for Dr. Foster with Ruth Trexler of ABC network. 12. Publication Completed Completed the new Radio and Television Bulletin, 13. Richards Case Working on possible articles about the Richards case appearing in Billboard and Broadcasting Magazine. - 4 - Broadcast Music. Incorporated Pending Prepared a list of important dates for BMI for possible use in their Radio Library Service. Continuing to work with BMI on developing appropriate script material. 15. Youth Pending Arranged for Dr. Ethel Alpenfels to appear on Dorothy Gordon's WQXR "New York Times Youth Forum" on January 6th, 10:15-11:00 A.M. 16. American Heritage Foundation Pending Spoke with American Heritage Foundation about future cooperation. The Foundation definitely interested, and will hear from it shortly in this regard. 17. Labor Pending At Dave Sigman's request, will collaborate with Harold Franklin of ADL to place network broadcast of Morton Wishengrad's labor script version of "Unfinished Business."* 18, Miscellaneous Completed Arranged for rebroadcast of recording titled "Panel of Americans," Station KXOK, St. Louis, Missouri, December 2nd. - 5 - TELEVISION 1. Weekly AJC Television Program Completed Presented the following "Morning Chapel" programs on Dumont Station WABD, Fridays, 9:15-9:30 A.M. Rabbi Morris N. Kertzer interviewed the following; music was provided by cantors from the Hebrew Union School of Sacred Music. December 1 - Special Hanukkah program with Mrs. Temima Gezari, Director of Art Education for the Jewish Education Committee. December 8 - Lou Goldberg, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Israel Community Center of Levittown, Long Island. December 15 - In honor of Hadassah Week and the 90th birthday of Henrietta Szold, the guest was Mrs. Rose Halperin, President of Hadassah. December 2? - Rabbi David J. Seligson of Central Synagogue discussed new trends in Reform Judaism. December 29 - Judge Jonah J. Goldstein of the General Sessions Court discussed the work of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Pending Planning ttMornlng Chapel" programs for the month of January. Spot Announcements Completed ECP's department prepared twelve more spot announcements for the Dumont Television series "Captain Video," Mondays through Fridays, 7:00-7:30 P.M. These spots are constantly used by the "Captain Video" series, as well as "Magic Cottage," Mondays through Fridays, 6:30- 7:00 P.M., and others. 3. Bill of Rights Day Completed . / Arranged for Bill Stern to do a special Bill of Rights Day program on v/ his NBC-TV show "Remember This Date," December 19th, 3:3O-4.:OO P.M. - 6 - Bill of Rights Day (continued) Completed (continued) Sent second edition of "The People Take The Lead" pamphlet to the following for reference on Bill of Rights Bay, December 15th: Dumont Television "Headline Clues," Dumont Films Pending Met with Ted Cott, Manager of Station WNBT, about presenting a film series on this station. Mr» Cott accepted series idea; making arrangements for the series to be started early in 1951. Trying to line up name personality to introduce the series and appear on each of the programs. Will also line up guests for interviews where length of program lends itself to such an interview. Intercultural Education Pending Attempting to line up some appropriate American Jewish historical figures for possible use by NBC's children's Western series, "Gabby Hayes," Sundays, NBC-TV, 5:00-5:30 P.M. 6. Television Cartoon Films Pending Art work, copy and music have been completed for the three one-minute television spots. Filming and recording, which were to have been completed during December, have been delayed, and we are now attempting to get this work done in time for distribution during Brotherhood Week. Prepared copy for publicity brochure. 7. Brotherhood Week Pending Through Will Katz of our Chicago office, suggested program idea of "The House I Live In" song for the Dave Garrovi/way TV program which originates in Chicago over the NBC-TV network,, 8. Miscellaneous Pending Through Will Katz's contact with the "Stud's Place" TV program, attempting to develop program idea - NBC-TV network. THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM To Richard 0. Rothschild Dafe From Milton Eo Krents Subject MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT OF THE RADIO & TELEVISION DIVISION FOR FEBRUARY, 1950 RADIO I. PROJECTS A, Completed lo Franklin D, Roosevelt, Jr., recorded a one-minute spot announcement for Hadassah's program "Storyteller1s Playhouse,* NBO, February 13th. He spoke on World Jewish Child's Day and the need to help Israeli DP youngsters. 2. Arranged for Dr. Bernard Bamberger, President of the Synagogue Council of America, to appear on a special NCCJ Brotherhood Week program and present the volumes "The Jews* to Rev. Everett Clinchy, February 19th, NBC. 3» Bill Stern read "The Two Fighting John L, Sullivans" during Brotherhood Week, NBC, 6i 3O-6i 1£ P.M. 4* Arthur Mayer recorded an interview for the "Hi Jinx" program, February 23rd, He discussed the German situation. Date for broadcast will be set shortly. 5* Secured a recording of Elmo Roper's program of February 26th, CBS, Mr. Roper discussed the FEPC bill. Arranged a meeting to listen to this record with Alfred Bernheim, Sonya Kaufer and Theodore Lesces, 6. Morton Wishengrad's script, "Young Man In A Hurry," was presented by the "Cavalcade of America* program, NBC, February 28th, 8»00-8i30 P.M. The story was told of Joseph Gerber, young Jewish DP of Hartford, Connecticut, who invented a most important new engineering device. Met with John KLoppman of Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn, agents for "Cavalcade of America," to discuss publicity for the program, 7. CBS included material about discrimination in housing in several programs on housing - one with Charles Abrams, another with Congressman Javits, It also plans on doing more on middle income housing. It will not, however, do a complete network program as suggested for the New York State Committee on Discrimination in Housing. Also checked NBC, ABC, and MBS, Each network interested, but concerned about the reaction of its Southern stations, 8.