Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

We Pay Our Respects to — E. L. "TY" TYSON TWELVE YEARS AGO, on Aug. 20, 1920, Station WWJ, Detroit, went on the air to furnish those owners of catwhisker crystal sets the results of the primary election returns as gathered by the Detroit News, whose publisher had the radio hobby. Antedating KDKA, Pittsburgh, by more than two months, WWJ lays claim to being the oldest broadcasting station in America still in existence. Had it remained on the air continuously after its inaugural date, as did KDKA from Nov. 2, 1922, forth, Station WWJ could justly call itself the pioneer regular broadcaster of the world. For ten of those years E. L. "Ty" Tyson, now assistant to Manager Jefferson B. Webb, has been with the station as its chief announcer. Fresh from his home town of Phillipsburg, Pa., whither he had returned after serving in Uncle Sam's khaki during the unpleasantness of 1918 in France, he came to Detroit at the behest of his old fellow townsman, Bill Holliday, then chief announcer, entertainer and general factotum at WWJ and now well known in advertising circles. That was in May, 1922. The radio idea appealed to "Ty," and WWJ got a new announcer. Today "Ty" shares with Lambdin Kay, of Atlanta "Jaw-jah," Leo Fitzpatrick, of WJR, and a handful of others the distinction of being the oldest of the announcers on the air. Always interested in sports, especially after his days on the Penn State campus, "Ty" immediately set about the task of broadcasting athletic events. He has had the University of Michigan games on the air for eight years. Since 1927, he has also been reporting the ups and downs of the Detroit Tigers at all their home games. Working closely with H. G. "Sal" Salsinger, the brilliant sportina: editor of the Detroit News, "Ty" has made his station one of the country's outstanding in the handling of sports events — but never has he been able to persuade the able Salsinger, one of sportland's greatest raconteurs, to come before the mike. That, perhaps, is the only major disappointment in Tyson's radio career, for Salsinger has all the makings of a great radio sports commentator. Like many another newspaperman — though most of them finally capitulate and "go radio" with a vengeance — Salsinger probably has an unaccountable fear of the microphone which he masks under the guise of sophisticated disdain. It has been Tyson's lot not only to make hosts of friends in the sports realm but to bring before the microphone numerous celebrities in many fields. Many of the "firsts" in radio were scored over WWJ, whose management has seldom in the last dozen years taken the opportunity to exploit its own accomplishments. The station, as Paul Hale Bruske, well known Detroit advertising man, wrote in a recent issue of the Detroit Saturday Night, "enters another year of service next month without any aim to be anything but a 1,000watt station, broadcasting from its present towers, to its present audience— at which decision it is probable that few listeners will complain." On its anniversary program last week, WWJ carried a sketch of its history written by Rex White, station dramatist, and presented by the Detroit News Players under the direction of Wynn Wright. Featuring the better music, the program was arranged by Marion Martin, program director. "Ty" Tyson is a wiry, energetic chap of slightly more than average height. He was born May 11, 1888, at Phillipsburg; married a girl from "back home," and they have a 9-year-old daughter, Virginia. His hobbies are sports, bridge and his home. Radio Aviation Map A COLORED MAP has been prepared by the Radio Commission, revised as of June 30, 1932, showing the status of radio stations devoted to commercial aviation. Copies may be obtained from the Government Printing Office at 10 cents each. PERSONAL NOTES THE ENGAGEMENT of Stanley E. Hubbard, manager of KSTP, St. Paul, to Miss Didrikke Stub, daughter of the Rev. H. G. Stub, of the Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, was announced by Miss Stub's father Aug. 14. The wedding will take place Sept. 15 at the church of which the bride's father is pastor. WALTER C. EVANS, manager of radio broadcasting of the Westinghouse company, has gone to Madrid to attend the International Radiotelegraph Conference. M. H. AYLES WORTH, president of NBC, was a guest aboard the yacht of Frank E. Gannett, publisher of the Gannett newspapers, in August. Other guests included Kent Cooper, president of the Associated Press; John Cowles, associated publisher of the Des Moines Register and Tribune, and J. D. Barnum, publisher of the Syracuse Post Standard. WILLIAM S. PALEY, president of CBS, and Mrs. Paley flew to Washington Aug. 11 to attend the Hoover notification ceremonies. B. T. McCANNA, at one time with WGN, Chicago, later with the StackGoble agency, there as vice president, has been appointed radio director of Roche, Williams & Cunnyngham, Inc., Chicago agency. DEAN HODGDON, formerly manager of the Bureau of Broadcasting, Chicago, has become director of sales and publicity of Hello Stranger Magazine, published in Chicago. DON GILMAN, Pacific Division vice president of NBC, was a speaker on Radio Day, Aug. 19, before the Western Retailers Conference and Market Week in San Francisco. He spoke on "Radio's Part in Stimulating Business." JACK FOSTER, radio editor of the New York World-Telegram, who returned Aug. 23 from Europe, spoke on Aug. 25 over NBC on "A Radio Editor Abroad." S. S. FOX and Philip G. Lasky, owners of KDYL, Salt Lake, were in San Francisco in mid-August arranging all details with Don E. Gilman for KDYL's transfer from CBS to NBC. KDYL replaces KSL, which recently went to CBS. JESSE BUTCHER, former press relations director of CBS, is winding up a two-month tour of Europe, accompanied by Mrs. Butcher. After having visited France, Holland and Germany, the Butchers now are in England where they will inspect the British Broadcasting Corp. PIERRE LYAUTEY, son of the former French Governor General of Morocco, visited the NBC studios in New York recently to make a study of broadcasting in this country. M. Lyautey, as editor of La Journee Industrielle, French newspaper, is touring the world to study politics, economics and business. LOUIS WASMER, owner-manager of KHQ, Spokane, spent his vacation in San Francisco in August. He flew there in his own plane. WILLIAM H. WARINNER, secretarytreasurer of KFOX, Long Beach, Cal., died last month in his sixty-ninth year, following a major operation. Mr. Warinner entered radio almost ten years ago and was largely responsible for the growth and development of the industry in Southern California. He is survived by his widow. THE EMPIRE Broadcasting Service will have as director of its Empire Department, C. G. Graves, according to announcement by the British Broadcasting Corporation. WILLARD EGOLF, formerly with the Rogers-Gano agency, Tulsa, Okla., has been named commercial manager of KVOO, Tulsa. RUSH HUGHES, former manager of KORE, Eugene, Ore., has joined the staff of NBC in San Francisco, and was given the leading role on the Durkee Famous Foods program, succeeding Earl Hodgins. Hodgins is now on sustaining programs only. EDWARD A. DAVIES, vice president of WIP-WFAN, Philadelphia, has returned from a vacation in Europe. Mrs. Thelma Melrose Davies, well known contralto, remained in Europe, where she is engaged in an extensive concert tour. JAMES F. J. MAHER and Mrs. Maher are the parents of a son born in Brooklyn on Aug. 1. Mr. Maher is on the publicity staff of WOR, Newark, and was formerly radio editor of The New York Evening Journal. E. E. HOFFMAN, of Detroit, formerly an announcer at WFDF, Flint, Mich., is now manager of KGEZ, Kalispell, Mont. Don Treloar is owner of the latter station. ROBERT I. WILDER, of the publicity department of WOR, Newark, visited his native city of Daytona, Fla., with Mrs. Wilder during August. S. L. ("Roxy") ROTHAFEL, Martin Beck, Harold B. Franklin and Phil Reisman, RKO officials on their way to Hollywood, stopped off in Chicago Aug. 23, and were hosts at a luncheon given for Chicago radio, movie and drama editors. VIVIAN E. CARR, formerly with the Henri, Hurst, McDonald agency, Chicago, has been appointed sales manager of WMBD, Peoria, 111., Edgar Bill, president, announces. LARRY NIXDORF, former Pittsburgh newspaper advertising man, has joined the staff of WGAL, Lancaster, Pa., as commercial representative. WGAL also announces the addition to its staff of Cliff Gray, announcer and singer, formerly with WKJC, Lancaster. BEHIND THE MICROPHONE WMCA, New York, claims a new torch singer find of the Helen Morgan type in Winnie Shaw, formerly with Ziegfeld Follies. She made her radio debut in Charles Martin's Varieties Aug. 28. FRANCIS CRAIG and his orchestra, heard weekly from KOA, Denver, will return to WSM, Nashville, Sept. 10, Harry L. Stone, associate director of WSM, announces. He also announces the addition of Zeke and Curly Clements, Oklahoma cowboy artists, to the WSM staff. FOUR NATIONALLY known radio dance band musicians have just joined the musical staff of station WLW. They are: Joe Brattain, saxophonist and arranger; Jimmie James, saxophonist and clarinetist; Keith Wildeson, trumpet player, and Chick Gatwood, guitarist. FLEMING ALLEN, former Chicago theater organist and later assistant musical director of WLS, Chicago, who left that station to join a radio program service, has returned as musical director. Winthrop Orr, former assistant manager of CFNF, Montreal, continuity writer for WJR, Detroit, CKOC, Hamilton, Ont., and CKOK, Windsor, Ont., have joined the WLS continuity staff. WILLIAM FOSS, manager of WMAS, Springfield, Mass., announced the appointment of David Halperin, continuity writer, as program director. Mr. Foss has resigned from the Rines radio group, operating WCSH, Portland, Me., and WFEA, Manchester, N. H., of which he was chief technician. MONROE UPTON of the NBC production department in San Francisco, recently married Bernadine Holdridge, who conducts a fashion feature in the San Francisco News under the pen name of Babette. 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