Word: mbs
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Baltimore's WFBR and Pittsburgh's WCAE, MBS's two new outlets, were among the many stations being jogged around by NBC preparatory to selling its Blue network out of fear of FCC's frown. WFBR and WCAE had been Red network stations and chose to go Mutual rather than be put in the Blue package. Besides its acquisitions in Baltimore and Pittsburgh, Mutual will also take over next fortnight Buffalo's WGR, a CBS outlet, which decided to shift allegiance when its sister station WKBW moved to CBS. Next year Mutual will absorb three...
Mutual's method of operation is elementary, profitable and practical. Its member stations exchange programs and underwrite the network's wire costs. MBS needs only 72 employes (against 4,600 for NBC, 1,900 for CBS) to keep going. Its total operating expenses foot up to some $700,000. Its headquarters, on the edge of Manhattan's garment district, consist of a bleakly furnished floor in a dreary building which also houses its major Eastern outlet...
Unlike its competitors MBS started through necessity. Back in 1934 Gordon Baking Co., which was sponsoring the Lone Ranger out of Detroit, wanted to hit the New York and Chicago markets, with no stops at aerial way stations. Neither NBC nor CBS could render the spot coverage. But WOR, then of Newark, and WGN of Chicago agreed to provide a dual hookup. The Gordon method of radio advertising appealed to many another sponsor...
Shortly after it was organized, MBS attracted WLW in Cincinnati, went on to add John Shepard Ill's Colonial network and the Don Lee network on the West Coast to its chain. Big recommendation for Mutual with advertisers was the fact that it insisted only on the purchase of its three big units, WOR, WGN, WLW, with other units to be added at pleasure. Not until June 1936 did it reach a coast-to-coast status. That occurred when CBS offered to buy the Don Lee network, which turned to cooperative Mutual instead...
Last week, MBS signed up next October's worldseries baseball broadcasts (sponsor: Gillette Safety Razor Co.). If the FCC order goes into effect as scheduled, MBS will be able to buy time for the event on any station that wants to sell it. It may be the first big event of its kind to go on the air under the new regulations...