Evening star., 1949-09-04

With the coming of fall. there's
a general reawakening in the
radio industry, as vacationefs
flock back to their homes and
settle down with an unspoken de-
mand to be entertained.
This means the usual furry OF
activity in the radio world--most
of it, as in the past, limited to
the resumption of old, established
programs.
What few newcomers there are
on the fall and winter radio
schedules appear to be based on
old formulas. old ideas.
Not so with television, however.
Set owners can look forward to
the brightest season in the history
of the young entertainment me-
dium. Not only will many popu-
lar radio programs be duplicated
on television. but many new pro-
grams are in the planning stage.
For instance, NBC is planning
to televise operas in English this
fall and winter. Four will be
given before Christmas.
Among the operas already
chosen are Die Fledermaus," by
Johann Strauss; Tales of Hoff-
man." by Offenbach, and Down
in the Valley" by Kurt WE'LL. who
did the music for White Horse
Inn" and several other Broadway
productions.
The operas will be in English
and singers will be dramatically
and vocally-and. it is hoped, Wis
ually-appropriate to their roles.
Unfortunately, the operas will
be condensed to an hour. the pro-
ducers apparently feeling that
operas on a mass medium such as
television will be better received
If they are not full length.
A three-hour Saturday night
program embracing different kinds
of entertainment also is in the
planning stage. This production
will be presented by NBC and will
run from 8 to II pm.
The package will include
movies, live drama, dance bands
and night club acts. Titled Sat
urday Night" it will be tele-
visions answer to the American
desire to go somewhere that
night.
1t will also be part of MICS
answer to the Columbia Broad
casting Systems high powered
build-up of it's AM programs.
AS many as IL sponsors will be
asked to pick up the check for
the program.
The National Football League
and the American Broadcasting
Co. have worked out a mutually
satisfactory agreement concern
ing the televising of league
games. 1t promises some exciting
Sunday afternoons for set owners.
Under the plan, IS regular
league games will be televised on
the ABC-TV network. The tele-
casts will be relayed to II nom
league cities and to cities where
no league game is being played.
The games will not be received in
any city where a National League
game Is being played.
As 1t stands now, WMAL-TV,
the local ABC affiliate, will not be
part of the football network. The
station will, however. televise six
home games of the Redskins.
The NIL owners hope that In
this way they can get some rev.
enue from television and still pro-
tect gate receipts.
* X
Sports reminder - The first
broadcast of a Redskin game Is
scheduled at 4:10 o'clock this
afternoon. The 1949, or reju-
venated. edition of the Skins will
meet the Chicago Bears at
Memphis.
TeleviSion Notes.-The Voice
Of Firestone" will make its debut
on the NBC-TV network at $50
pm. tomorrow. The regular
broadcast and telecast will be
simultaneous and NAV he seen
locally on WNBW and heard on
WRC. Soprano Mary Van Kirk
will be the first guest soloist on
the new program series. Others
slated to appear include Eleanor
Steber, Christopher Lynch. Helen
Traubel and Thomas L. Thomas.