The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

330 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 4, 19?/' How Radio Takes "Metro'' Message To 20,000,000 Major Edward Bowes, Managing" Director of the Capitol, New York, Is Responsible By Charles Edward Hastings .^f^NCE EACH WEEK Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer chats, via radio, with nearly 20,000,000 men, women and ■children throughout the United States and Canada. Tlys number does not include nearly 7,000,000 enthusiasts who "listen in"' as integral factors of "the Capitol Family," over which Major Edward Bowes, Managing Director of the Capitol Theatre, New York City, presides. By and large, then, approximating only the possible total, it seems very safe to say that during each week more than 27,000,000 and upwards of 30,000,000 persons, are reached with music and chat.s that feature not only M.-G.-M. product, but the pictures and personalities of other companies as well. This strikes us as being the outstanding exploitation "stunt" of the era. That ih€ powerful influence of the radio is being felt by theatre owners everywhere, is cheerfully admitted. And it is due to the foresight of Major Bowes, who, in addition to being the guiding genius of the famous Capitol Theatre (the world's largest motion picture theatre), is also a vice-president of M.-G.-M., and who, from the inception of the radio division of M.-G.-M., some ten months ago, has watched it grow, from one and two stations to its present size, embracing twenty-four leading broadcasting stations Bowes Saw Future It was the fixed belief of Major Bowes from the first, that, rather than in any way seek to obstruct the onward moving, evergrowing colossus, it would be infinitely better to meet it in the fairway, greet it as a friend and brother, and strike up a mutual acquaintance. Frankly, it was the educational advantages of the radio that appealed to the Major. Briefly, if M.-G.-M. were to furnish these broadcasting stations with FACTS regarding motion pictures, personalities, and interesting matter regarding this great amusement enterprise, the listeners would welcome the innovation. The responses flooding the broadcasting stations fully substantiate every deduction of the Major and his associates. During the first months of 1926 the radio division of M.-G.-M. began to take shape, fathered about the table with Major Bowes •were Howard Deitz, director of advertising for M.-G.-M.; William R. Ferguson, director of exploitation, and George L. Fecke, appointed director of radio for the company. Mr. Fecke tested the idea in Boston, and it worked like a charm. WHN, on the Loew State Building in New York City, swung into the circle, and thousands of letters reached the officials from enthusiastic lis TJOWARD DIETZ, Director of Advertising, M.-G.-M., who directed the expansion of his rajiio service. TlfAJOR EDWARD BOWES, Vice-Presdint of M.-G.-M., and Managing Director of the Capitol Theatre, New York City, a firm believer in the influence of radio. teners. No time was lost. Mr. Fecke started on his cross-country trip, after perfecting plans for weekly "chats" to be received by stations as rapidly as he signed them up, and, after a tour that took him into every exchange center, he returned to New York City last week and reported to his superiors on the minute details of his adventure. QEORGE L. FECKE, Director of Radio for M.-G.-M., is back at WHN after a ten months tour of the United .'States, during which he signed up twenty-four broadcasting stations. U/ILLIAM R. ''^ FERGUSON, Director of Exploitation for M.G.-M., watches 24 radio stations click. The idea behind the M.-G.-M. weekly broadcast was not, we think, at all a selfish one. The idea was broad enough in scope to embrace good pictures made by other companies, and the splendid stars, under whatever banner they were to be found. Then, the need of bringing the people into closer touch with their local theatres, loomed as a vital issue. The result of this broad policy has been felt by the little theatre as well as the big theatre. It has always been a perplexing problem in the motion picture industry as to the best method to be employed to reach the folks in the small communities. There are just as many receiving sets, proportionately, in little hamlets, as in the big cities. Whole families listen in on the programs broadcast from their local stations. Manufacturers of receiving sets note a great increase in sales this year, over last, with a large volume of business lying just ahead, and with Christmas approaching. It has been the wish of the broadcast authorities, everywhere, to maintain the best possible programs. M.-G.-M. started at the outset to furnish interesting, newsy chats, and to this fact alone is due to the instant compliance of one station after another to broadcast the "chats." Mr. Fecke has the support of thousands of enthusiastic radio fans. The most recent figures were forwarded to the Radio Chief of Metro as he went from one city to the other. His total, finally, looms as ".staggering, with the (Continued on page 336)