Evening star., 1952-03-19
On the Air:
You Wanted
Steve, So He
Will Be Back
By Harry MocArthur'

unlike the old radio audience.
which took what was given It.
sometimes grumblingly to be sure
but never with any display Of open
rebellion.
The comparatively higher cost
Of . teleyision set may have had
much to do with this new audi
ence attitude. A man who buys q
TV receiver expects more for his
money than he expects Of q 1850
radio. Or 1t may be that people.
through the years, have been
made aware more and more that
IL Is their air the broadcasterS
use and the full realization Of
this may have arrived at the same
time television did.
Whatever the reason, the tele-
viewers are no passive lot given
70 quiet submission. They are
ready at any time to rise up and
smite broadcaster with the pub
Lie VIII. And the broadcasters.
knowing it Is In their best interest
to keep the customers happy, ac-
cede whenever possible.
The latest victory for Washing
ton viewers is the return Of Steve
{ Aliens Songs for Sale" which is
scheduled TO be back on WTOP-
Nv on March 20.
= \ + 4
Several weeks ago it was noted
here that 1.-THE only hope for the
Steve Allen fans is q arm protest
registered with WTOP-TV." This
was In answer to the aroused citi-
zenry who thought q time for
action had arrived when the sta
tion substituted q pair Of mystery
shows for 'Songs for Sale" on
Saturday nights.
: At the time. John S. Hayes,
WTOP general manager, was only
doing what any man in his po-
sition would do for the stockhold-
ers. Songs for Sale" on the net
work on participating basis.
wasn't bringing in much, If any
thing, In revenue. There was q
possibility that the filmed shows
might attract local sponsors.
He was not prepared, however,
for the deluge which followed.
Hundreds and hundreds" of let
ters and postcards arrived, some
from as far away as West Vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania. A Lam
ham (Md) housewife sent along
o petition bearing S6 signatures.
Any doubts about Steve Aliens
ability to build up q loyal follow
ing in competition with "Your
Show Of Shows" were effectively
removed.
Around WTOP-TV they're
pretty happy about this example
OF democracy at work in tele-
vision, even though it means Jug
Cling the schedule again. When
the viewers demand q program
you don't have to consult q sur
vey to know that it has an audi
ence. Mr.. Allen has one, all
right, and one not willing to ac-
cept substitutes.
So Does the Bishop-A loyal
audience is what Bishop Fulton
]. Sheen (WTTG - Tuesday. 8
PM, has. too. Letters Of ap-
proval are pouring in at the Du
Mont Office In New York at the
rate of six to seven thousand q
week and it's estimated that at
least 5000 more are sent to the
Catholic archdiocese. One Of the
rating services measured Bishop
Sheen's New York audience as q
shade more than 10 per cent Of
sets-in-use the third week he was
on the air. For q new program,
against Milton Berle, In New
York, this is . rating to be proud
Of and DuMont is not likely to
drop Bishop Sheen's haif hour
because Of lack of interest.
OF Local Origin = Washington
win be sending the Nations tele-
viewers another program as Of
April 2, when "Crossfire" will
make its debut on the ABC-TV
network (WMAL-TV here) !.
"Crossfre" win be an interview
session somewhat in the manner
$of "Meet the Press" with Q Diff
ferent slant Of its own.
f II win present each week o
Government official. legislator or
military or public figure. who win
be questioned by a panel Of ABC
commentators. Its variation viii
be to provide each weeks guest
interviewee with the last word. q
closing period In which he can
analyze the line the questioning
has taken and sum up or restate
his position.
The permanent panel Of inter-
viewers on "CrosSfire" win In
tiide Elmer Davis, three time
Peabody award winner for his
news commentaries: Bert AN
dfews, head of the New York
Herald Tribune Washington bu-
feau, who has his own ABC radio
program, and Martin Agronsly,
ABC Washington commentator.
The moderator will be Gunnar
Back. The guest panelist win be,
whenever possible, an expert IN
the interviewee's particular field,
chosen from Q list which includes
Bryson Rash, special events di-
rector and Presidential announcer
for WMAL radio and television:
Pauline Frederick. Henry ]. Tay-
lur and others.
The first "Crossfire" guest win
be selected shortly before the
broadcast day, "in order to bring
ABC listeners and viewers q fig-
tlre whose name and work win be
closely associated with the top
news Of that date" As that in
Inmates, 'Crossfire" viii be q
1imulcask. ON both radio and TV
networks Of the ABC.