Evening star., 1934-03-18
BY THE RADIO EDITOR.


TIME big-wigs of the entertain
ment realm-movies, legitimate
theater and radio-are get
l. ting together under N. r. A.
auspices in an effort to work
out their mutual problems relating
to talent, audiences and employment
conditions.
Called together by Sol A. RoSen-
blatt, NJ r. A. division administra-
tor In charge Of amusement indus
tries, during the general code con-
ferenceS last week, select committees
representing these industries agreed
to tackle their problems and to try
to evolve means of eliminating what
ever unfair competition may exist.
Resolutions were adopted under which
the code authority for each industry
would make its own study.
Whereas at the outset, 1t appeared
that the sessions would be acrimon-
ious, it developed that the three COM
petitive entertainment mediums are
pulling together, at least for the mo-
ment. The theatrical and movie
groups hit the N. r. A. warpath
against radio on the ground that free
admissions to radio studios were put
ting crimp in box Office receipts
and provided unfair competition with
legitimate and motion picture houses
which depend on ticket sales.
Talent Is Competed For.
They insisted that N. r. A. should
outlaw such free shows. They be-
came even more insistent. moreover,
when Columbia Broadcasting System
q few weeks ago announced it had
leased a Broadway theater to put
on It's gala radio shows for the pub
he to watch as they were being broad
cast.
Drawn into the controversy also,
Is the question of competition be-
tween the industries for talent. The
shifting of many luminaries CT the
stage and screen to the radio had
much to do toward injecting this
question into the discussions.
These tri-industry deliberations,
however, represent only one phase of
radio-artist problems affecting radio.
The other involves the status of the
artist and the radio performer under
the wage and hours Of labor pro-
visions of the broadcasttng industry
code. Actors Equity Association has
insisted that minimum pay should
be given artists not only for COM
mercial and sustaining performances
but also for rehearsals and additions,
for which they do not now get COM
penSation.
Sponsors Give Tickets.
In the broadcasting code, approved
last December, there Is a proviso for
q study of this question. 1t is not
involved in the tri-industry COM
mittee negotiations, but is being han
died separately. Questionnaries soon
will be sent to all radio stations by
the BroadcaSting Industry Code Au-
thority and upon the replies will be
based report to N. r. A. Broad
casters in the past have held that
radio artists, except in large talent
centers, engage in radio work as a
sideline, and that minimum wage and
hour provisions are neither necessary
nor desirable from the performers
standpoint.
The studio audience issue, accord
ing to broadcaSters, actually Is not
their problem. In practically every
instance, the program sponsors, rather
than the networks or stations, pass
out the free tickets for the radio
shows, it is maintained. Moreover,
there is the testimony of majority
Of the performers that they do bet
ter entertainment job when facing a
visible audience.
The Broadcasting Industry Code
Authority decided it would inquire of
all 500 stations in the country about
the studio audience matter. Ques-
tionnaires will be sent out to ascer-
tain Just how guests are invited, who