Broadcasting (July - Dec 1937)

>Iortimer Walters Named West Virginia Net Head ; ^ Ferguson Is Promoted ■VITH his headquarters moved to larksburg, W. Va., Mortimer C. .Vatters, station director of WCHS, "harleston, W. Va., on Nov. 15 assumes the newly-created post of managing director of the West Virginia Network, comprising, in addition to WCHS, stations WBLK, Clarksburg, and WPAR, Parkersburg. The Mr. Walters promotion was ( I announced Oct. 27 by John A. Kennedy, president and general mana^er of the network and its three ;ations. At the same time Mr. J, Kennedy announced the promotion J of E. B". (Gene) Ferguson, for the ast seven years an announcer, proucer and salesman at WCHS, as cal commercial manager. Mr. Watters' position as director ji WCHS will not be filled, Mr. ^ Kennedy said, as he will continue "'"^ to be active in the operation of that ration. Mr. Watters, 28, is one of ne youngest major executives in . adio. He started six years ago as 7f'^ radio director of the Lewis Edwin Ryan agency, Washington, shortly fter being graduated from George'wn. He was with the agency two ears before becoming commercial lanager of WHEC, Rochester, reigning to join WCHS. Mr. Ferguson is best known na:ionally for his highly successful Old Far))i Hour, a program of his :onception, operating under his diection with himself as the leading naracter "Grandpappy Jones." The Old Fa)~ni Hour is co-sponsored on the air by eight regular Charleston •^rms, with a waiting list of many :.ore. It plays to regular "paying" udiences each Friday night of an verage of 2,000, with as many as ,655 paid admissions one night and 2,000 turned away. WABC Takes Discs WABC, New York key station of CBS, has announced to agencies its offer of time from 6:30 to 9 a.m. for use of transcriptions, which it has not allowed since CBS reached etwork status. The WABC day 'ill in the future start at 6:30 a. ni. instead of 7:30 a. m., and Phil Cook's Morning Almanac has been moved back to the 7-8 spot, leaving he hour from 8 to 9 free. In this ,_ connection, representatives of NBC _ told Broadcasting that it has been considering a similar move for several weeks, but no decision has been reached as yet. Townsend In Indiana THE Townsend National Weekly, Chicago, started weeklv quarter( hour transcriptions on five Indiana stations Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with five unselected stations in Illinois ' scheduled to start the series either Nov. 7 or 14. Indiana stations are WGL, WKBY, WFAM, WLBC and WBOW. D'Arcy Laboratories, Chicago cut the discs, placed direct. RUMFORD Chemical Works. Provi'lenee. R. I. ( Rumford baking powder!, has renewed contracts for its series of one-minute dramatized spot announcements which are currently heard on about 13 stations, most of them in the South. Agency is Atherton & Currier Inc.. New York. New York U Poll RADI^poil" takerT by" Varieties, publication of New York University, in which 3,376 students voted, showed the following results: Comedian: (1) Jack Benny. (2) Fred Allen; singer: (1) Bing Crosby, (2) Kenny Baker; announcer: (1) Harry Von Zell, (2) Martin Block; band leader: (1) Mark Warnow, (2) Horace Heidt, (3) Benny Goodman; children's program: (1) Funn\i Things. (2) L'nde Don; actor: (1) Don Ameche, (2^ Edward Robinson; actress: (1) Helen Hayes, (2) Claudette Colbert; script writer: (1) Harry Conn, (2) Fred Allen, (3) Jack Benny. Flex-O-Glass Places FLEX-O-GLASS MFG. Co., Chicago, started pi-o^'ams and announcements on 14 stations Oct. 4. Quarter-hour shows broadcast from three to six times weekly were started on WLS, WCCO, KMOX, WLW and WHO. Fiveminute programs thrice weekly are being used on WJR, KFEQ, KWTO and KFYR. Twelve announcements weekly are being used on WIBW and KMMJ with si x announcements weekly on WNAX, K M A and KFNF. Presba. Fellers & Presba Inc., Chicago is the agency. Varady Adds Spots VARADY OF VIENNA, Chicago (face powder), currently sponsoring Ted Weems and his orchestra over 10 Mutual stations, will go off the air Dec. 6 to i-eturn the last Sunday in January when the program will continue until the middle of June. Program will be broadcast over the same stations at the same time— 12:30 p. m. (CST). One-minute dramatized announcements, cut by RCA, Chicago, are being broadcast two and three times daily over four stations. Baggaley, Horton & Hoyt Inc., Chicago, is the agency. Marrow to Change J. W. MARROW Co., Chicago (Mar-O-Oil Shampoo), currently sponsoring Henry Busse's orchestra over a NBC-Red eastern network, will go off the air Nov. 28 to return Jan. 15 on 27 stations coastto-coast. Program, now heard at 10:45-11 a. m. (CST). will be heard at 1:15 p. m. The firm's program on the NBC-Red network on the West Coast will also go off to make way for the expanded show. Baggaley, Horton & Hoyt Inc., Chicago. USE THE NEW POSTAL TELEGRAPH NIGHT LETTER SERVIC Make it part of your regular correspondence routine . . . use it for overnight speed . . . for dependability . . . for ECONOMY! AMAZING SAVINGS RANGE ALL THE WAY FROM 20<^o TO 73% AND BEYOND. ..DEPENDING UPON LENGTH OF MESSAGE N I O WONDER that business houses everywhere are switching to fast, dependable overnight communication that is available at amazingly low costs through the new Postal Telegraph Night Letter Service. Never before in all telegraph history have such staggering economies been possible. Under the new service, rates are as low as one-fifth of a cent a word (beyond the initial 25-word base rate*) to thousands of "short haul" points. Under the new service, messages of more than 200 words can be sent for seven-tenths of a cent a word (beyond the initial 25-word base rate*) even from coast to coast. The maximum rate for a 25-word message between the most distant U. S. points on the map is only fifty cents . . . two cents a word ! Take full advantage of the economies offered by the new Postal Telegraph Night Letter Service. Use it for business and social messages. Call Postal Telegraph for further information. Tostal Telegraph Commercial Cables Qll Qmerica Cables Ulackaij "Radio ^NOTE: The initial rate is based on a new minimum of 25 words. Extra words are charged for in 5-word groups. WWNC ASHEVILLE, N. C Full Time NBC Affiliale 1,000 Watts The Only Blanket Radio Coverage of Prosperous Western JVorth Carolina "The Quality Market of The Southeast'" BRO-4DCASTING • Broadcast Advertising November I, 1937 • Page 55