Evening star., 1942-09-18
PetriNo Ban Perils
40 Pct. Of Radio
Programs, Fly Says
Tells Senate Probers
Plan Would Silence
Many Small Stations
BY the Associated Press,

Chairman James L. Fly of the
Federal Communications Com
mission testified today that
James C. Petrillo's ban on music
recordings threatened to dry up
more than 40 per cent of the Ma
tion's radio programs.
Many listeners, he said, might be
left with no stations to tune in.
Mr., Fly testified before a Senate
Interstate Commerce Subcommittee
on resolution by Chairman Clark
of Idaho for a full investigation of
the ban.
Opposed Canned Music"
Mr. Petrillo, president of the
American Federation of Musicians,
saying canned music" meant Toss
of work for live musicians, has de-
creed that no member of his union
may make records or electrical
transcriptions for broadcasting.
I'VE must recognize the vital con-
tribution of the musicians to the
radio industry and the compensation
they receive should be commensu-
rate with that contribution" Mr..
Fly said.
But just as the musicians are
vital to broadcasting. the broadcast
stations are vital to the country.
They are performing a really great
service, a service of great impor-
tance to the. war effort, a service,
therefore, we must make every effort
to sustain unimpaired.
Cites Personnel Shortage.
ALREADY these stations are con-
fronted with a shortage of the
skilled personnel and certain criti-
cal materials and items of equip
ment necessary for continued oper-
alton. An industry struggling with
these difficulties is now faced with
the drying up of the source of over
40 per cent of its programs. This
presents a serious problem which
not only must be solved but must
be solved quickly"
Mr.. Fly presented charts, compiled
from questionnaires returned by 796
OF the Nations 800 stations, to show
how extensively the radio broadcast
industry is dependent on phono-
graph records and electrical tram
scriptions.
IS Per Cent Music.
The charts showed that 76 per
cent OF the total broadcast time of
the average station is devoted to
musical programs. OF this musical
time, $50 per cent is devoted to re-
corded music and AL per cent to
live music, which means 1926 per
cent of the total broadcast time is
devoted to recorded music.
The figures clearly show that if
the ban on recordings continues,
1t Will not be long before the radio
broadcast industry is very seriously
affected" Mr.. Fly declared.
True, the stations have a supplv
OF records on hand, and they also
nave available to them the services
OF the transcription libraries. But
this doesn't solve the situation. Re-
cordings will wear out. And of
immediate Importance, stations will
lose their audiences if they can't
get new tunes"
Blow to Network Stations.
Mr.. Fly said that whereas a
goodly number of network stations
will be seriously and in some cases
srlevously affected by the ban, the
great bulk of the non-network sta
tions face the drying up of the
source Of most of their program
material"
AS the composite picture of the
station that is going to take the full
force of this blow" Mr.. Fly said:
He is the fellow who isn't on a
national network; his power is 500
watts or less; he is located in a
city which has a population of less
than $4,000; his total annual time
sales are less than $4,000; and after
he pays his expenses he has either
lost money or has a net income for
the year of less than $4,000, and he
still has to pay his taxes"
Needed Service to Small Areas.
All but six States have at least
one such station, Mr.. Fly said.
About 46 stations render service
to an area which receives no other
primary night time service" he said.
and approximately "a stations serve
areas receiving no other daytime
primary service.
THUS" he said, many people in
this country face the very real
prospect of losing the only satisfac-
tory nighttime service which they
now have and being altogether de-
prived Of daytime service"