Broadcasting (July - Dec 1937)

Good Deeds and Prizes CKOC, Hamilton, Ont., has a Saturday morning Child}-eyi's Good Deed feature which started its fifth winter season recently, running till March. Some 250 children are on hand at 9:45 a. m. in the concert studios of CKOC. A good deed is a prerequisite of membership in the Good Deed Club which last year had an enrollment of 7,000, and in the years it has been on the air a total enrollment of 30,000. Annual theatre parties for members bring out 3,000 children. A weekly prize is given for the best good deed, and the club has its own orchestra of 18 pieces, its own choir of 35 voices, all under 16. The program is used by Canada's largest department store, T. Eaton Co. Ltd., with stores from coast to coast, to foster good-will. SOCK — Howard R. Chamberlain, production manager of KLZ, Denver, attempted to attack Arthur Wuth (right), program director and judge of the KLZ Boners' Court, after a fine had been levied, but two Denver patrolmen kept the defendant under control. * * * News and Background A NEW TYPE of news broadcast is being presented on WNEW, New York, Wednesday and Friday nights. Titled Deadline, the broadcast is presented by George Clark, city editor of the Neiv York Mirror, and Dave Charney, reporter. Clark and Charney take the parts of city editor and star reporter, respectively. The reporter recounts the big news of the day, discussing the news behind the news with his city editor. The program is under the direction of Charles Martin, producer and director of the Philip Morris and other network shows. * * * The Fixing Mr. Fixit AN ARTICLE in the October Reader's Digest describes the work of Mr. Fixit, complaint handler of WFBL, Syracuse, who has dealt with some 2,000 complaints in three years. The S>Tacuse Community Chest has persuaded him to do another weekly series for its annual drive for funds. WFBL originally offered time to the municipality to aid its complaining bureau, and the bureau's manager, Charles Marks, became WFBL's Mr. Fixit. * * * Public Servants THE LIVES of policemen and the dangers of their professions are dramatized on WNYC, New York, in a series called Police Honor Men, which began Oct. 2. Taken from the metropolitan police files, the dramatizations consist of factual and heroic incidents. It makes the public more appreciative of its servants, says WNYC. * * * About Illinois Oil WDZ, Tuscola, 111., has started broadcasts from the Illinois oil basin, with Charles I. O'Neill, oil authority, delivering last minute information. Homemade Weather TROLLEY motorman Coston F. Whitaker, of Memphis, has been given a daily morning weather program, as well as a Thursday night spot on WHBQ, Memphis, for his unscientific forecasts. The program capitalizes on his feud with F. W. Prist, ofiicial meteorologist of Memphis. The Whitaker predictions are based on observations of the moon and he claims a better record than the government meteorologist. From the Depths COOPERATION with Western Union resulted in unique broadcast on WCPO, Cincinnati. Robert Bentley, WCPO special eventsman, went into the depths of Western Union's master manhole behind the company's Cincinnati office and interviewed Jess Manning, city foreman for W. U., and his crew of trouble-shooters. Show was sponsored by Truly Warner Hats on their regular Yours Truly production, Oct. 7. Western Union ran special lines direct from the manhole to the WCPO newsi'oom over several city blocks. Show was first in a series of broadcasts to be aired direct from unusual business spots about town. * * * Bellhop Vox Pop WHEN the tourist season closed in Duluth, Minn., KDAL ended its summer series of tourist interviews titled Arrowhead Tourist Time by airing a vox popper which featured the bell boys who had waited on the tourists all summer. When the boys started telling what they thought of tourists the show got so funny that even the control room engineers laughed, according to KDAL. Murder in Texas LISTENERS name the guilty and point out the clues that led them to discover the murderers paraded before the mike each week during Can You Solve It?, a mystery series on WOAI, San Antonio. Written and produced by Lew Valentine and sponsored by the local Milam Finance Corp., each broadcast is a complete detective story. Three cash prizes are awarded weekly. WOAI says that from the looks of its mail you'd think that half of the country's detectives live in the Southwest. * * * For Ranchers and Farmers RANCHERS and farmers are the listeners that KLZ, Denver, informs and entertains on its early morning daily program which is devoted to ranching bulletins, news, livestock reports and western music. Production Manager Howard Chamberlain of Natio7i Barn Dance fame is assisted by Robert Buchanan who airs the latest farming news supplied by Colorado Agricultural College and governmental agencies. It's service, says KLZ, with a "just folks" touch. * * ^ A Medal a Week WASHINGTON heroes will be honored in a new weekly program on WRC, sponsored by Schwartz Jewelry Co. Gordon Hittenmark awards a gold medal every week to the outstanding "hero" of the previous seven days. Selection of the recipient of the medal is made by a local newspaper. * * * Slants on People WBNX, New York, has started a program. The Modern Diogenes, consisting of comment on personalities in social, civic and political life. The commentator, anonymous, is admittedly an attorney. Program started Oct. 8, and is heard Fridays at 4:15-4:30 p.m. KMBC and nobody else staged a gala Family Party Sept. 25 to dramatize the change of time to the radio audience, present new features of the KMBC Greater Show Season. Cooperation plus, to build your program! "TEX" OWENS, now entering 8th consecutive year of sponsorship by Aladdin Mantle Lamps, consistently ranks FIRST with KMBC audiences. Available now for additional shows — and what a buy] A KMBC Tested Program. ACROSS THE BREAKFAST TABLE — Great morning "natural" for any household product or service. "Characterizations swelL Show rates top bracket. With a little exploitation can have maximum of the potential audience riding with them." — VARIETY. A KMBC Tested Program. COLUMBIA STATIONS ATTENTION! The Sunday Players stand ready to carry on with your BIBLE DRAMAS, a world famous program already featured on many Columbia outlets. Fiftytwo half hour episodes beautifully produced and recorded. Your opening program by air express if you wish to avoid missing another Sunday. Wire today and keep that large and loyal audience of your finest people. MERTENS & PRICE, INC. THE SUNDAY PLAYERS BIBLE DRAMA 1240 SOUTH MAIN ST. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. KMBC OF KANSAS CITY The Program Building And Testing Station FREE & PETERS, Nat'l Reps. BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising October 15, 1937 • Page 67