Broadcasting (July - Dec 1938)

J^**3 SAID KMBC 244 druggists and grocers in Greater Kansas City were asked "If Blank Company decides to use radio in their coming campaign, what station would you recommend as the most effective?" They answered : KMBC 52.5% STATION B . . 37.7% STATION C . 4.9% STATION D.. 3.7% STATION E . . 1.2% Druggists and grocers know the station that is doing the big job in food and drug products in Kansas City — they see the goods move across the counter! That's why they'll tell you: "It's KMBC every time!" KMBC OF KANSAS CITY The Program Building and Testing Station FREE & PETERS, INC., National Representatives Gregory Is Named Manager of KDKA New Transmitter to Be Built By Westinghouse Station ALTHOUGH no changes in operating policies are involved, closer liaison between NBC and Westinghouse in the management of Westinghouse-owned stations by NBC is seen in the appointment of Sherman D. Gregory as manager of KDKA, Pittsburgh, effective Sept. 1. Mr. Gregory, now assistant manager of broadcasting for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., under Walter Evans, succeeded A. E. Nelson, recently appointed sales manager of the NBC Blue in New York. Messrs. Evans and Gregory have been supervising: all Westinghouse broadcast operations, including KDKA, KYW and WBZ-WBZA NBC-managed) and WOWO-WGL, Fort Wayne ( Westinghouse-operated). Recently their headquarters were shifted from Chicopee Falls, Mass. to Baltimore, where Westinghouse has occupied a new plant. Mr. Evans also has charge of radio products, particularly sales of shortwave and other equipment to the Govei'nment. New Transmitter According to Mr. Evans, a new transmitter plant is being desigmed for KDKA and equipment will be built by Westinghouse. A site for the proposed plant has not yet been selected but it will be a new one, he said. Mr. Gregory, 33, will have charge of the program and business activities of KDKA, reporting to A. H. Morton, general manager of NBC-owned and managed stations. He is one of the youngest NBC station managers. A native of North Dakota, and former amateur otierator, he was graduated from the North Dakota School of Mines in 1926 as an electrical engineer. He has been with Westinghouse since leaving; college, during which he had charge of many broadcast station installations. Mr. Gregory was in Pittsburerh Aug;. 8 to get acquainted with the KDKA staff. William E. Jackson, chief of local sales, has been acting manager of KDKA since Mr. Nelson left July 25 to take up his New York duties. Rines Buys WLBZ APPLICATION was filed Aug. 9 with the FCC by Thompson L. Guernsey, of Dover-F o x c r o f t, Maine, chief owner of WLBZ, Bangor, asking for authority to transfer ownership of the station, a regional outlet on 620 kc, to Henry P. Rines, operator of WCSH, Portland, and an important Maine hotel owner. The purchase price is $180,000. WLBZ was founded as an amateur station and is one of the few such stations still operated by its founder. Minority interests in the station are held by Ralph Hornblower, of Hornblower & Weeks, Boston investment bankers. WBAL, Baltimore, has applied to the FCC for a power increase to 50,000 watts, using a directional antenna. It now operates with 10,000 watts oil 1060 kc, but synchronizes with W.JZ part time nights using 2.500 watts on 760 kc. INDUCTED into his new post as general manager of KDKA, Pittsburgh, is S. D. Gregory (left) being handed symbol of the Westinghouse-owned and NBC-managed station by A. E. Nelson, retiring manager who has been made chief of sales of the NBC-Blue Network in New York. Gregory visited the station Aug. 8 preparatory to assuming his new duties Sept. 1. WGAN MAKES DEBUT AUGUST 3, JOINS CBS AUTHORIZED in 1936 but its construction held up by litigation, the new WGAN, Portland, Maine, 500 watts daytime on 640 kc, went on the air with test programs Aug. 3 and will be a CBS outlet. Creighton E. Gatchell is general manager. Studios are in Portland's Columbia Hotel. The station is controlled by the publisher of the Portland Press-Herald and Express, Guy P. Gannett, who has applied to the FCC for authority to take over the controlling shares formerly held by the late George W. Martin, who originally projected the station. Mr. Gannett, not connected with the New York publisher of the same name, is president of the operating company. Lawrence H. Stubbs, with the newspapers, is assistant treasurer. The staff includes Richard E. Bates as program director; Roger W. Hodgkins, chief engineer; Sam Henderson, chief announcer; Rossell Dorr, Harold Falconnier and Carl DeSuze, announcers; Warren H. Hamilton, Kenneth B. Woodbury, Curtis B. Plummer and Lewis R. Collins, operators. New England Links WHEN the new WCOU, Lewiston. Maine, goes on the air on or about Oct. 22, it will immediately be linked with the Yankee and Colonial networks, according to John Shepard 3d, president of the networks. Most recent New England station to be linked to the regionals was WHAI, Greenfield, Mass., which joined May 15. Mr. Shepard announces that, contrary to earlier reports, the new WBRK, Pittsfield, Mass., is not a member of his networks but is merely linked for certain political speeches. The Lewiston station will operate with 100 watts on 1210 kc, and will be licensed to the publishers of LeMessager, French language daily. KWBG, Hutchinson, Kan., remained silent throughout Aug. 5; by special permission of the FCC, due to the death of Mrs. W. B. Greenwald, wife of the station's owner. Page 34 • August 15, 1938 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising