Angry Small Fry

Back in 1932, in the course of a reallocation, the old radio commission assigned stations WWRL, WCNW, and WMBQ, a trio of aerial small fry from Queens and Brooklyn, to the same spot on New York's crowded band. It suggested that they split up their time as fairly as possible. Promptly the trio began to squabble, resorting to any device to make their chunk of time more profitable than their rivals'. Jam-packed with advertising, loaded with corny stuff, their programs brought little pleasure to the listening public.

When FCC succeeded the old radio commission, it did its best to straighten out the tangle in Brooklyn, recommended that they merge. But the three operators--Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp. (WMBQ), Arthur Faske (WCNW), and Long Island Broadcasting Corp. (WWRL) --had long since given up speaking to each other.

First break in the case came in 1936, when WMBQ plopped into receivership. Thereupon the fight between the survivors got really hot. While they squabbled along, FCC tried to figure out which station was best equipped to take over, discovered that WCNW was continually wobbling off its frequency, was operated as haphazardly as a Model T. Thereupon FCC decided to give WWRL sole right to the frequency it once shared with the others.

No kick had anyone with FCC's engineering findings. But papers like Manhattan's New York Post screamed long and loud against the squelching of WCNW. Pointing out that WCNW had broadcast Chinese and Negro programs, while WWRL was busy airing Father Coughlin and similar stuff, the Post demanded that the case be reexamined. Last week WCNW's Owner Faske followed suit, requested FCC to reconsider its decision. Although Owner Faske is no chum of FCC, the Commission at week's end wearily prepared again to try to clear the cluttered air around Brooklyn.

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