Evening star., 1948-09-05
F or Radio Listeners
BY Harry Macarthur

Macarthur
many a radio performer with fright
at the mere mention OF 1t Is Mr..
Godfrey's own secret. Radio is
better number of hours per week
because he does manage it, though
Televiews:
Video set owners in range of
MICS East Coast network sat in
last Sunday on an experimental
telecast showing of in fine style
television's progress and full of
promise for its future. Task Force
Television was considerable tech.
nical achievement. Only when it
got on the air did 1t become certain
that it even was possible. AS 1t was,
the broadcast from the flight deck
OF the U. s. S. Leyte came on the
air late because the signal could
not be picked up at the Empire
State Building in New York until
the Leyte steamed from so miles
out to within 25 miles. When
Task Force Television did get under
way 1t brought WNBW's viewers
here a closer picture Of life aboard
an aircraft carrier than many Of
them ever have had. Commenta-
tors Bob Stanton and Ray Forrest
and the cameramen did a top-notch
job, sending out clear pictures of
pilots being briefed in the ready
room, Of planes taking OF, Of a
simulated attack on the ship and
finally of the landing of the
first returning planes. The pic
ture deteriorated about this point,
but only after television had spent
more than an hour and half show
ing off an exciting new trick. The
picture was better than the sound
throughout, as a matter Of fact, but
the interference came In the ship
to-shore transmission on AM and
was not video's fault.
George Burns was tracked down
in New York the other day by As
sociated Press Columnist Wayne
Oliver and turned out to be one of
the radio stars taking the nom
panicky, or wait-and-see approach
TO televiSion. Mr.. Burns stand at the
moment is one which indicates that
he can cope with the new medium
as successfully as he coped with
vaudeville, motion pictures and ra-
dio. Sensibly, he does not 60 along
with the contention Of some in the
business that television is just an
extension Of sound radio. He and
Oracle Allen have no immediate
plans for video, he said, but If and
when that develops it will be a
show designed for television and not
a telecast of his radio show. Tele-
vision is a separate medium, he
thinks, that requires different ap-
proach from either movies or radio.
Starting from there. Mr.. Burns is
on the right track, as any one watch
ing a video screen very long will
discover.
The Washington Television Cir
culation Committees latest survey
shows $500 receivers in operation
in the local Metropolitan Area as Of
September l. This is an increase Of
1,10O sets during August.
Stop the Telephone Gong Depart
ment: Lou Brott, the man from
Three Star Extra, who gave up try
ing to find out the name Of the
mystery melody" from us, set out
to try to find 1t for us. Well. this
friend OF his in Chicago flew into
town the other day and he says
there is a man on the Chicago Sum-
Times who has had every one OF
these things right so far. Lou says
his friend says the Sun Times man
says the current mystery melody"
is why, Oh, Why Did I Ever Kiss
That Grip" We say the Mutual
Broadcasting System never looked
more like our favorite network than
on the day 1t announced 1t was CIV
ing up the give-aways.
X + *
Miscellany Department: Jody Mil
ler leaves for the Miss America con-
test in Atlantic City tomorrow and
WWDC, which sponsored the Miss
Washington contest. will broadcast
daily reports on her progress. Life
down on the farm Is examined
weekly on Doug Birgfeld's Farm
Family Hour (WGAY-Sunday, q
PM. His guests today will be
Buddy Barnley and family, inter-
viewed on their farm at Olney, Md.
-. WTOP starts it's football play-by-
play season September 18, with an
account OF the Louisiana State
Texas game in Austin, Tex. CHS is
planning to use that dual coverage
system again this year. broadcasting
two games at the same time. when
there are two with sufficient interest
to warrant it. :. The Theater Guild
on the Air returns next Sunday to
the spot into which it moved last
season, $3.50 pm. on WMAL. The
Hallmark Playhouse (WTOP-I
Thursday, 10 p.m) seems to have
picked up an audience while sum-
mer experiment. It starts new fall
season this week, with Irene Dunno