Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1962)

Shortwaving U. S. business globally ► Ralf Brent continues as WRUL president ► Mormons to carry on station's goals ► Shortwaver drawing more big business clients Latter-day Saints may have acquired control of WRUL, New York, the only commercially operated, international shortwave outlet, from Metromedia, Inc., but one thing the eminent Mormons apparently won't do is change its skillful helmsman. With the news that Metromedia had sold its shortwave station (subject to FCC approval) for the tidy sum of approximately $1,750,000 to International Educational Broadcasting Corp. of which the Mormon Church is principal stockholder, it was clearly indicated that Ralf Brent, president of WRUL, would continue in his present capacity. Brent is in thorough accord with James B. Conkling, president of IEBC. Conkling made it plain that the new owners would do their utmost to avoid being propagandistic. "While the Voice of America does a tremendous job, we believe there is a place for private enterprise in international shortwave radio," Conkling said. "Our purpose will be to show what the average American is like. We feel we can expand the time the station is on the air and contribute new programing ideas. We will try to be educational and at the same time entertaining." New projects. In keeping with this manifesto, Brent is hip-deep in creating new projects befitting a sparkling, forceful American shortwave operation. One of these proj Beaming programs to seven zones of world WRUL broadcasts eight hours a day to Europe and Africa, 12 hours daily to Latin America. Above: scenes from N. Y. studios, recording rooms and the newsroom ects Brent spoke of with enthusi asm: the unfolding of a Worldwide Radio Workshop which would un-| veil the dramatic works of talented r new writers, say, on a monthly basis J at the outset and later, perhaps, oin a weekly basis. These dramas would' concern themselves, Brent said.l with pressing contemporary issues.ti "The way to get people interested!! in world affairs is to dramatize^ world affairs," Brent said. "I also! think it would bring good will to] a sponsor underwriting such a se-i ries. He'd also get considerable! credit for restoring good drama to the airlanes." Time and again, Brent has presented cogent arguments to AmeriJ can advertisers, notably those doing business overseas, that they are missing an enormous opportunity by not availing themselves ol WRUL's numerous plus factors: He has said that the only direcl means of communication betweerj business and the public is advertisi ing. He is certain that only busi ness can tell the story of free enter prise to the people of the world. "We cannot leave this task t< the politician, the educator, or th editor," he told a sponsor editor "Business must tell its own story directly, forcefully, factually, an( repetitively." Ads communicate. Brent, whos career in broadcasting has covered many important positions incluc ing news editor, program dire< tor, sales promotion manager, sale director and part owner of st< tions, insisted that "if we believ that our freedoms are based on th free economic system which su: tains our social structures, those c us in business around the worl must do more than simply adve tise our products and our service We must communicate in our at vertising to people all over th world what we believe about 01 way of life. They must realize thj* the possibility of their own fre dom as individuals can best be a 30 SPONSOR/5 NOVEMBER 196