Re: CBS was making $3 million a year in 1939 per US Supreme Court.
Why don't you recognize that there is a disagreement between very credible but different sources here?
You claim the Paley "notes" indicate losses at the "network." You do not define whether that includes or excludes the O&O stations. You do not indicate sources. You do not describe context.
I believe that my references to 3 trusted magazines, the annual reports to shareholders and other data show that CBS, as a total entity was profitable from 1930 on.
Based on that PUBLIC data, I believe there was profitability. You believe differenty. Instead of suggesting this as an interesting topic for further research, given the disagreement between personal notes and published data, you beame hostile.
To which I replied.
And those who disagree are misinformed gringos...
Those who disagree can consider the facts. The statement was made here that CBS(sic) did not make money until about 1941, just before the war, when they signed some NBC talent.
Please take this up with the United States Supreme court, which, in a decision in 1942, shows that the Columbia Broadcasting System was profitable prior to this date (in fact, profitable since 1930, but this decision only covers 1939 and 1940.
Quote from the decision:
U.S. Supreme Court
COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM v. UNITED STATES, 316 U.S. 407 (1942)
316 U.S. 407
COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM, Inc.,
v.
UNITED STATES et al.
No. 1026.
Argued May 1, 1942.
Decided June 1, 1942.
Appeal from the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.
Mr. Charles E. Hughes, Jr., of New York City, for appellant.
Mr. Telford Taylor, of Washington, D.C., for appellees the United States and Federal Communications Commission. [316 U.S. 407, 408] Mr. Louis G. Caldwell, of Washington, D.C., for appellee Mutual Broadcasting System, Inc.
Mr. Chief Justice STONE delivered the opinion of the Court.
The Federal Communications Commission, by its order of May 2, 1941, as amended by its order of October 11, 1941, promulgated regulations which purport to require the Commission to refuse to grant a license to any broadcasting station which enters into certain defined types of contract with any broadcasting network organization. These regulations, it is alleged, affect adversely appellant's contractual relations with broadcasting stations and impair its ability to carry on its business in maintaining and operating its nationwide broadcasting network. The regulations as amended on October 11, 1941, together with a supplemental 'minute' promulgated by the Commission on October 31, 1941, are set forth at the end of this opinion. The question for our decision is whether appellant is entitled to secure a judicial review of the order by a suit brought under 402(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, 48 Stat. 1093, 47 U.S.C. 402(a), 47 U.S.C.A. 402(a), and the Urgent Deficiencies Act, 38 Stat. 219, 220, 28 U.S.C. 47, 28 U.S.C.A. 47.
Pursuant to 402(a) appellant brought the present suit against the United States in the Southern District of New York, to enjoin enforcement of the Commission's order as contrary to the public interest and beyond the Commission's statutory authority, and on the further ground, if the order be deemed within that authority, that the statute is an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power by Congress in violation of Article I, 1 of the Constitution, and operates to deprive appellant of property [316 U.S. 407, 409] without due process of law in violation of the Fifth Amendment. The case was heard by a court of three judges, which permitted the Commission and the Mutual Broadcasting Company to intervene as defendants. It granted appellees' motion to dismiss the complaint for want of jurisdiction, D.C., 44 F.Supp. 688, and stayed the operation of the Commission's order pending direct appeal to this Court.
In 1938 the Communications Commission authorized an investigation 'to determine what special regulations applicable to radio stations engaged in chain or other broadcasting are required in the public interest, convenience, or necessity'. Extensive hearings were held by a committee consisting of three members of the Commission, at whose request the national networks, including appellant, intervened. In June, 1940, the committee made a report, on the basis of which briefs were filed and oral argument was presented before the full Commission by the three national networks and other interested parties. In May, 1941, the Commission issued its 'Report on Chain Broadcasting' and ordered the adoption of the regulations which, in their amended form, are the subject of the present controversy.
The relevant facts stated in the bill of complaint are as follows: Appellant or its predecessor has been engaged in the business of nationwide network or chain broadcasting since 1927. It has a large amount of physical property used in the business and has built up a valuable goodwill. For its broadcasts it maintains a staff of employees and expends large amounts for musicians and broadcasting performers. It has commitments by long-term contracts aggregating more than $4,000,000 for broadcasting expenditures, including those for the use of land and buildings and for the furnishing of news and broadcasting programs in the next few years. Appellant's total property devoted to its broadcasting business exceeds $18,000,000 in value; [316 U.S. 407, 410] its earnings from the network exceeded $3,000,000 in both 1939 and 1940
