Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

rhe Value of Agricultural Programs Broadcasts Popular Even in Highly Industrialized Areas; Farmers Use Market Reports, WBZ-WBZA Finds By E. J. ROWELL THE MAJORITY of radio programs seem to be presented for the purpose of entertainment and, in many cases, as a means of selling a commodity. Many of the proMr. Rowell grams, specifically directed to 'omen or to certain other groups, re of an educational and informaive nature. Agriculture programs all distinctly into this class. The rverage farmer is not the type to lake any show of what he hears r what he likes, but five years' exerience in agricultural broadcasting has clearly demonstrated to us t WBZ that the farmer makes ontinued use of radio programs ,;or his particular benefit. "The proof of the pudding is in ie eating," but with agricultural roadcasts the proof is not in their antinuance but in their disconnuance. Stop giving certain reorts and you will hear plenty of Dmplaints! Two well-known radio tations felt the service was not ing used and so ordered those ograms cancelled. They had been ff but 24 hours when mail began >ming in large volume inquiring hy these programs had been "copped and asking that they be Restored. The result is that these ograms are broadcast at a time at is satisfactory to the listener, ,;nd now there is not the most reote possibility that they will be oved or replaced. Even in highly industrialized Jreas, agricultural programs have eir place, for there is always !he market gardener and the backard farmer who is a ready and ger listener. There are two bher groups who listen but who } not make much use of the marial; those who used to live on farm and those who hope evenlally to live on a farm. Ask your friends whether or not ey come in the latter group. You ill be surprised at the number Iho say that they hope some day have a place in the country and tat, regardless of business condipns, they will be able to live com»rtably, even though very little oney is coming in. Mark of Popularity NOTHER proof of the fact that .e farmers are eager to have rricultural programs is shown in nnection with programs over BZ-WBZA. When these were arted as a regular feature, it was ' ther difficult to obtain speakers r each of the five weekly noony programs. After two years, I kinds of agricultural organizams and community groups, such :Mr. Rowell is jointly retained by the ited States Department of Agriculture, ; state Departments of Agriculture of ssaehusetts, Connecticut, New Hampre, Maine and Vermont and Westinguse stations WBZ WBZA, Bostoniringfield. as fruit growers, poultrymen, dairymen and others ask that they be allowed to participate because they feel that information can be given to the greatest number in the shortest period of time. Farmers, like almost everyone else, do not like to feel that they are being lectured, but they do like to feel that the speakers are paying a personal, friendly visit. They like to know that the speaker really knows what he is talking about and is not just reading a talk prepared by someone else. Market information must be reliable. Thousands of farmers listen daily and use the information as a basis of their market activity just as the stock broker watches the activity and quotations on the stock exchanges. Usually the programs presented to the farmer are of two types, one being market information and the other talks by leading agricultural authorities on a wide range of subjects. The subjects cover every phase of the agricultural industry, naturally featuring the products of the section covered. It has been interesting to note the comments which have been received from the farmers in various occupations. Recently I received a letter from a man in Maine asking that additional market information be presented at a particular time. This man said that he and many of his friends were there at the loud speaker regularly and considered the service of great value. A poultry man in the western part of Massachusetts said that he listened to the noon programs regularly, but as it was impossible for him to be in the house at 5:30 o'clock every day to get the Boston egg prices, his wife listened for him. Sometimes it seems as though we who have charge of agricultu VOICE FROM ABROAD WOR Sends Narrator to Europe — For Daily Sponsored Talks SPONSORED by L. Bamberger & Co., Newark department store, Katherine Tift-Jones, heard every morning in the Katherine 'n' Calliope program over WOR, Newark, has been speaking to her usual morning women's audience over WOR in a unique series relayed by transatlantic radio-telephone from European capitals. She has been touring Europe and she recounts her impressions, particularly of the merchandise she has viewed. This is believed to be the first time an independent radio station has sent its own narrator abroad for a sponsored program of this character. Miss Tift-Jones spoke from Paris on July 26 and from Berlin, July 29, and is scheduled to be heard from London, Aug. 4. In each case her talks are carried from a radio studio to the A. T. & T. transatlantic radiotelephone circuit, which relays them to the WOR switchboard. ral broadcasts should be "agricultural encyclopedias." The questions asked, either in person or in letters, range from "where can I sell my rabbits?" and "here's what I feed my chickens every day — Why don't I get more eggs?" to such questions as "what are the regulations for shipping apples to Czechoslovakia ?" In spite of the fact that the questions and requests have been varied, I am still at loss to explain audience reaction. In the fall of 1931 I asked a man to talk on "Rabbit Raising." I knew that he was capable of doing it, because he took an active part in the management of a large rabbitry. What I did not know was the fact that he is a large manufacturer of patent medicine and a director of several banks. He proved willing to talk and gave as excellent a discussion of the subject as possible in ten minutes. In connection with his talk he mentioned the fact that a bulletin was available upon request. For some unknown reason he received about ten times as many letters as would have been expected on such popular industries as poultry or\ dairy. Since that time we have presented several talks on rabbits and found that there is a responsive audience and that it is not made up of children who are interested in rabbits as pets. The weather report, issued by the United States Department of Agriculture, is possibly of more value to the farmer than anyone else who listens to it, but if business men are wise they will likewise profit by the weather forecast. For example, the department store will follow the weather forecast. "Rain tomorrow" means advertisements of raincoats and rubber boots. In other words even the merchants will plan their advertising to conform to what the weather will be, rather than what it is when the copy is prepared. New Radio Syndicate FONTENELLE FEATURES, offering "tested scripts" previously produced over KOIL, Council Bluffs-Omaha, and other leading stations, has been organized to serve radio stations, agencies and advertisers, with offices in the Brandeis Building, Omaha. Its offerings of radio continuities run the range from commercial sketches and blackouts to heavy dramatic plays. The syndicate is managed by B. A. Fennder, assisted by C. F. Williams, both writers of wide experience in radio. It is meeting with considerable success with mystery thrillers. Paris Radio Shows PARIS is having its fill of radio shows this year. Besides the official exhibition of the RMA, a smaller display, international in scope, is being sponsored by an independent minority group of manufacturers. Mr. Weiss Lewis Allen Weiss Quits Don Lee System to Join WJR; Tyson Successor LEWIS ALLEN WEISS, for the last two years manager of the Don Lee Broadcasting System, with headquarters at KHJ, Los Angeles, has resigned to become vice-president of WJR, Detroit. His resignation is effective Aug. 1. His successor is Leo B. Tyson, formerly advertising director of KHJ. No changes in the WJR organization are anticipated, according to Leo Fitzpatrick, general manager. Mr. Weiss, he said, succeeds to the position vacated by John F. Patt, who formerly was Mr. Fitzpatrick's assistant and who was sent to Cleveland as manager of WGAR, owned by the same interests that own WJR. Mr. Weiss has achieved great success as manager of KHJ and the Don Lee system and is an outstanding figure in national as well as Pacific Coast advertising circles. He was graduated from the Kent College of Law in 1914 and practiced law until 1927 except for the two-year war service as commander of the famous Black Horse Troop of the Fourth Cavalry. In 1927 Mr. Weiss enrolled in the University of Southern California to major in advanced economics of merchandising, marketing and advertising, and he holds the only diploma of its kind ever issued by that institution. He also is holder of the Alpha Delta Sigma key, fourteenth American advertising man to be awarded this honor. He is a director of the Advertising Club of Los Angeles, a member of the Jonathan Club and a member of the speakers bureau of the National Association of Advertising Clubs. Mr. Tyson, like Mr. Weiss, is nationally known in advertising circles, both having formerly served with the Hearst organization as advertising and promotion executives. Mr. Tyson was with Hearst for six years. He was in the Navy for five years. In 1922 he was Herbert Hoover's representative in the American Relief Administration in Danzig, having charge of food shipments into Russia. In his new capacity Mr. Tyson will have charge of business administration for the Don Lee System from San Francisco south to San Diego, with headquarters at KHJ. Mr. Tyson Radio Going Up PROFESSOR PICARD, who recently set an altitude record for balloons with his invasion of the stratosphere, plans to take a 50watt radio transmitter on his next trip. He will send messages from the balloon on a wave length between 40 and 80 meters. ugust 1, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 13