Remotes Banned

No group turns so jaundiced an eye on radio as the American Federation of Musicians. Large scale dispenser of music, relatively small-scale employer of musicians, the industry looks to organized musicmakers like a mechanized monster which sent battalions into unemployment. Three years ago the Federation's New York Local 802 attacked dance-band programs piped into the studios from outside and then broadcast. They argued that musicians on such programs were doing two jobs for the price of one, demanded a fee ($3 per man per broadcast on network stations, less on local stations) to be paid for remote control band broadcasts into the union's unemployment fund. After a battle, the union won.

Last week the Pittsburgh Musical Society ordered its members to cease playing remote control dance broadcasts for the five Pittsburgh radio stations, informed broadcasters that remotes would be permitted on payment into the union's unemployment fund of full union wage for each man before each broadcast. This fee would approximate $10 per man per broadcast. Pittsburgh stations responded by picking up out-of-town bands. Co-signer with local union officers of the Pittsburgh notice was Music Federation National President Joseph N. Weber. Union President Weber left Pittsburgh the day the union served the notice. At week's end broadcasters speculated what city he would visit next.

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