Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1949)

experience and reputation for lively, amusing material of universal appeal made big promotion stunts unnecessary. The only publicity given the show was a comment once or twice in the Dialetter, an advertisement written by the station about its schedule of programs. Director of Women's Programs for this station, Mrs. Baum pens a Sunday radio column in the local News and Courier. In a sense, this was additional publicity for the new show. The program in its present form went into production in September of 1947. Immediate sponsorship was obtained. Beginning at 10:15 A. M., Mrs. Baum and her assisting announcer talk for fifteen minutes in light or casual style or seriously and with authority When the subject so demands. Always, Mrs. Baum's statements are succinct and pertinent to the events of the day. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the broadcast periods devoted to the participating sponsors, who are mostly national. Avoset, Fleischmann's Yeast, Tintex Dye, and a local sponsor, Houghton Appliance Company, furnish the advertising for those three days. Until they bought time on the Pearl Baum show Houghton Appliance Company had not been happy, did not feel they were getting their maximum in advertising efficiency with radio results. Since the inception of the program, however, they have had a definite increase in sales. Avoset representatives have written to WCSC, commending the program for its excellent air checks and script material In a letter to WCSC from McCannErickson, Inc., representatives for Avoset, they say ". . . the air check and the scripts of the first Avoset participation on your station have arrived and we have checked them carefully. We think the air check was fine and the script material was excellently done. If future broadcasts for Avoset on your station are as good as these, we shall certainly be pleased. Will you please compliment the writers on the fine job they are doing . . . " Tintex had used WCSC time for a number of previous years with a series of spasmodic announcements campaigns. The new show, they have found, is 'the ideal medium for winning over doubtful listeners to their product. • Tintex sponsors have written to Mrs Baum and said ". . As you know, sponsors and agencies sometimes do a great deal of complaining and it is, therefore, only fair that with the good job you have done, we should let you know about it . . . We are very happy about the announcements you have been making for Tintex and know if there are any doubtful listeners you will surely win them over ..." Format for the Tuesday and Thursday shows varies to some extent. These days are sold to one of the South 's most prominent and reputable jewelry firms, James Allen and Company. The Tuesday show differs in that Mrs. Baum, instead of talking over various subjects, reads plays, stories, poetry, letters, essays, and other appropriate material. Her choice of reading matter is made in connection with the day, week or season of the year. On Thursdays, Mrs. Baum interviews some outstanding person in Charleston. Since she has had requests from New York and Washington for interviews, she does occasionally interview some celebrities who come to Charleston on some other day if necessary. James Allen and Company has used radio for approximately ten years, attempting a number of program ideas, chiefly classical music in the evening hours, but they have found Mrs. Baum's formula more resultful than any other feature. Sponsors of almost any product could be well-satisfied with a show of this type. Mrs. Baum's past experience as a teacher, librarian, secretary, writer of fiction, and translator, have given her a wide background— -a ^acjcground fwhich enables her to speak authoritatively and convincingly on any topic. Part of her education was received abroad in England and France and she has also taught at the University of Porto Rico. With that kind of diverse, action-packed career behind her, Mrs. Baum can talk about just anything to just about anyone. So the program gets (Continued on Page 32) FEBRUARY, 1949 17