NBC v. Boston

Boston was not amused last week when NBC decided to rebroadcast Assignment: U.S.A. The city had heard all it wanted to hear last February when the program first went on the air (as one of an NBC series, Words At War--Tues., 11:30 p.m., EWT). But Variety, radio columnists, trade journals, etc. protested that the program said something important and, since NBC put it on at a late hour, without advertising, listeners should be given another chance.

Boston's station WBZ declined to join the 80-station rebroadcast* on the ground that this radio dramatization of Selden Menefee's book Assignments: U.S.A. (a critical survey of wartime America) was more inclined to promote intolerance than tolerance. It was certainly bad advertising for Boston. Said the script: "Nearly every Bostonian you speak to--those who will open up at all--is conscious that something is radically wrong behind the scenes. Isolationism, antiSemitism, pro-appeasement are more rampant in Boston than in any city in the land. . . . The Irish are an absolute majority and run the city from top to bottom. They are predominantly anti-British, anti-Russian, anti-Semitic and anti-New Deal. Most of it goes back to Father Coughlin's paper Social Justice, which was sold every Sunday in front of the churches and subway stations till it was suppressed. . . ."

The script went on to consider such matters as "white supremacy" in the South, factory morale, manpower shortages, inflation, political "fiddling." Radio dramatization sharpened a book which was itself not very interesting. NBC, which usually avoids a controversial subject had been persuaded by the press & public opinion to rebroadcast a program not originally considered worthy of radio's customary ballyhoo.

New Eye on Washington

Ever since Munich, U.S. radio has steadily expanded its news coverage. The networks still count on the press news services for the bulk of their news. Last week, however, a new tendency was visible.

To get special regional news not obtained from the press, a West Virginia radio chain had set up its own bureau in Washington, D.C. The chain is the four-station/- enterprise of John A. Kennedy (now in the Navy) and Howard Leonard Chernoff, a pair of ex-Washington Hearst men.

West Virginia Congressmen might well tremble at their plans. They intend, for instance, to broadcast not only how the West Virginia delegation splits on controversial bills, but also an intimate, behind-the-scenes analysis of the reasons involved. Says Chernoff: "We have absolutely no ax to grind. We only want to ... review the activities of prominent West Virginians in national service."

The man who will be chiefly responsible for the success or failure of these agenda is the new bureau's head, Raymond Zoller Henle, longtime Washington correspondent and a Blue Network commentator. His one assistant so far is Malvina Stephenson, Washington reporter for the Kansas City Star and Cincinnati Times-Star. Henle must make records and ship them to West Virginia for broadcasting until the network feels it can afford a direct wire. That luxury awaits the verdict of the state's 325,000 radio families.

Henle has thus far made a beginning, no more. But Henle may be right when he says: "I'm willing to predict that within ten years no radio chain or big individual station will be without its Washington bureau or representative."

Love and Goo

All the world loves a lover, but Latin Americans idolize him. They also make it difficult for him to pursue his appointed way: there are barred windows, chaperons at the cinema, other formidable barriers. This frustrating setup has proved a gold mine for Mexico's favorite radio program: El Colegio del Amor de Glostora.

College of Love sizzles out of Mexico City's potent station NEW (100 kw) every Thursday night at 9:20. Its theme song is Liebestraum and it is all in keeping with that aching melody. Four love-tormented contestants bray their romantic declarations into the microphone for their intended and all of Mexico to hear. They are male & female students, store clerks, soldiers, industrial workers. Most of them keep their anonymity, save for their initials, but a few brave ones do not hesitate to say, for instance: "My name is Juan Perez. This is for you, my love, Carmelita Gonzalez."

Vehemence, Authenticity and a prodigal use of adjectives usually determine the winner, who is chosen by audience applause. The master of ceremonies for female contestants is Alvaro Galvez y Fuentes, popular Mexican radio actor. Males get a warm reception from sloe-eyed, lute-voiced Adriana Lamar, one of the stars of Mexican cinema. The winner gets 50 pesos (about $10) for his declaration. The losers and the entire studio audience get a bottle of Glostora (hair goo) with the compliments of the sponsor, Sterling Products, Inc., largest U.S. drug maker.

Well-Built and Pro-Ally. Many things can and do happen on College of Love. Recently young Estela Ruiz stepped to the microphone to describe her ideal lover. Said she: "He must be tall and handsome, with a liking for sports and literature, a good dancer and a hard worker." Up from the studio audience rose one Mario Paredo Delgado, shouting: "That's me!" The young couple will marry soon under the auspices of Sterling Products.

Last week Miss Lamar encountered an intense young contestant named Edeloiro Cano.

Lamar: "What's your type of woman?"

Cano: "She must be small, well-built, home-loving and pro-Ally."

Lamar: "Why pro-Ally?"

Cano : "Because I don't want political discussions at home."

Married Mexicans sometimes take to the air with their troubles, which occasionally sound like the unmarried Mexican senorita who appealed to her absent (four years) lover. Said she: "Doubt is beginning to gnaw at my heart. You said when you left that you were merely going around the corner to buy a package of cigarettes. Now I learn that you have married and have three children. Time is passing and my heart grows suspicious.

But I am a weak woman and I forgive you. However, if I do not hear from you before next Christmas, I will begin to suspect that you no longer love me." One contestant had the audience in tears over his "dead love" until it was found that he had been on the program thrice before.

No Rub In. After 156 programs College of Love can boast that it has promoted about 300 marriages. There are no figures on how many it has retarded. Sterling Products took a dubious view of the show when it began three years ago, but booming Glostora sales have greased away all doubt. Now Sterling sponsors the same type of program in six other Latin American countries, and a seventh (Brazil) will join them this month. Asked how Colegio del Amor is going in the six, a Sterling official exulted: "We don't know, but sales-wise it's wonderful! Everybody understands love."

*Stations WBZA, Springfield, Mass., and WALA, Mobile, Ala., also rejected the rebroadcast.

/- WCHS, Charleston; WBLK, Clarksburg; WPAR, Parkersburg; WSAZ, Huntington.

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