Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

,1 il4n Ultra Modern Plant for Broadcasting By DEANE S. KINTNER WHK, Cleveland New Home of WHK Replete With Innovations Designed To Make the Most of Programs and Attract Visitors Harry Howlett ESS than five years ago Cleve-ind's pioneer broadcasting' station, ;7HK, occupied one small studio, smaller reception room, and a sifnore diminutive office, with half a ozen persons comprising its perDnnel. Today a staff of nearly 100 is i^ccustoming itself to quarters so mgnificent as to be almost dazzling. Twenty thousand visitors ;assed through the new broadcast;ig plant during the August open: lg week, and daily hundreds more -• ontinue to inspect the offices, reeption and operating rooms, and Bo throng the main studios for pecial programs. So cordial have been invitations ■ om WHK to its listeners, and so eneral their response, that the tanagement has been almost emarrassed to find room for all de;3ite the extent of the new station, top the new Higbee store in the erminal group on Public Square. Accordingly, tentative plans are der way to present, within a few onths, several of the more amitious broadcasts in the new Higee auditorium, which will seat ,500 persons as against the three r four hundred that can be acommodated in Studio A after per>rmers, instruments and microhones are in plaoe. They Come To See j HE CHIEF reason for the influx rf set owners doubtless is the newless and fineness of the sixth home |j hich WHK has occupied since it las founded as amateur station |ilACS back in 1921. Another cause, Imost as important, was the desion to costume such productions as Seth Parker's Old-fashioned Singing School, Chuckle Hour, Mose Cleveland, etc., so that there may be something to see as well as to hear. And while the television studio, one of six in the" new plant, is not used for these staged programs, the staff believes a start has On either side of an information desk are archways labeled "Offices" and "Studios." These lead into parallel corridors. Opening off the lobby are the program departments, auditor's office, sales and conference rooms, while the office corridor takes visi Studio A, Showing Organ Console and Grille, Control Room Window and Ventilation Inlets and Outlets in Ceiling and Baseboards. Accommodates large Orchestra and Audience of 300 or More. been made toward visual radio by dressing up the audible variety. Indeed, the whole new establishment shows evidence of having been planned with a dual purpose — first, that of handling the business of broadcasting efficiently, and second, bringing the listening public into as close and favorable touch with this intriguing business as possible. During the day, one may enter the WHK plant either through the Terminal Tower, leaving elevators at the thirteenth floor, or through the Higbee Store and a private elevator lobby at the eleventh (top) floor. Thence a winding staircase leads directly to the public reception room. Visitors who use the Terminal entrance (it alone is available after business hours) find themselves in a large triangular reception lobby. Eric S. Howlett tors to working quarters of the three Howlett brothers, who manage the station, and to the haunts of public relations director, chief engineer, continuity writer, etc. — and then to the audition sales room. Atmosphere of Home THE LATTER is singled out because of its distinctive character. Designed for presentation of specimen programs to sponsors and agencies, it is fitted with luxurious furniture, electric grate, special loud speaker, etc., to simulate home M. A. Howlett atmosphere. Programs come to it usually from Studio C, which has no public observation and is intended primarily as an audition and rehearsal room. Those who enter the archway labeled "Studios" traverse a lengthy corridor, passing the music library and musicians' lounge (the latter acoustically treated like a studio) and emerge into the large reception room already mentioned as just above the Higbee store elevators. To the right, beyond the stairs, is a passageway to Studios A, B and C, with observation windows looking into A, which is the show place of the new setup. Finished in ivory, silver and blue, it is of spacious dimensions. The raised control room at the farther end is in turn surmounted by a loft in which pipes of the special Austin organ are located. This is operated from a movable electric console in the studio and from a player attachment which permits use of paper records made by great organists. Later it will be possible to play this organ from a duplicate console in the Higbee auditorium and to reproduce its tones there through loud speakers behind dummy grilles. Audiences are to be invited to special recitals in both studio and auditorium. So perfect is sound insulation in the new WHK establishment that a person standing outside one of the observation windows cannot hear anything from within even though full orchestra or organ is being broadcast. Chiefly responsible for planning and building the new studios and offices was Edward L. Gove, tech )J1 December I, 1931 . BROADCASTING Page 11