Broadcasting (Jan - June 1941)

MctclianJil5in^ & J^tomotion Girded for Grid — Paramount Plug — Kansas Ruler — Time on a Dial — Special Recordings FOOTBALL CONTEST conducted by the Barr Jewelry Stores, Philadelphia, in connection with their gridiron review broadcast over WCAU, Philadelphia, every Saturday during the past season, attracted a record total of 37,230 entries, according to George W. Wolfsten, vice-president of the Al Paul Lefton Agency, Philadelphia, which handled the account. The nine-week contest requil-ed listeners to determine the winners and the approximate scores of the 12 leading games each week in competition for prizes of three Gruen wrist watches. Starting with 1,000 entries the first week, the contest reached a peak of 6,200 the weekend of the Penn-Cornell game for a weekly average of 4,137. A standing grand prize of $1,000 for any contestant who achieved a pei-fect score went begging. Bob Hall, exYale grid star and local attorney, handled the broadcast along with Taylor Grant, WCAU sports commentator. Paramount's Free Discs PARAMOUNT PICTURES, Hollywood, to promote the American film industry, is issuing a weekly quarter-hour transcribed program titled Paramount on the Air, to 60 New Zealand and Australian stations. Weekly release contains film industry news supplied by all motion picture studios in Hollywood. In addition, the Paramount radio service also issues a special weekly letter titled Listening-in on Hollywood, to 93 stations in the Antipodes, for reading by staff announcers. Topeka Yardstick SHIPPED in individual mailing boxes, WIBW, Topeka, Kan., is distributing to the trade heavy wooden yardsticks impressing a double-side advertising message. In addition to the inscribed yardstick itself, each 36-inch rule is packed with a yard-long paper insert bearing an advertising message built around the theme: "You'll need a big yardstick in 1941 to measure WIBW's selling results for you !" Szigeti Book TO PROMOTE the MBS concert series of Joseph Szigeti, well known violinist with the Alfred Wallenstein orchestra which started on Jan. 7, WOR has sent newspapers a pressbook on Mr. Szigeti which includes a cover picture of the violinist, his biography, anecdotes, an art layout, and an article by Robert A. Simon, music critic for the New Yorker magazine and continuity director for the station. * * * Salute to Sponsors AS A SPECIAL holiday promotion stunt, KMPC, Beverly Hills, Cal., on Dec. 23 sent a group of four carol singers to serenade sponsors. Quartette made more than 25 anpearances in downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood, including all major department stores. McKinney's Dial TIME-DIAL for use in figuring the date of the last broadcast of a specified schedule has been issued to the trade by J. P. McKinney & Son, New York and Chicago newspaper and station representatives. On back of the time-dial are listed the stations represented by J. P. McKinney, including five Gannett stations, two affiliated with Gannett, and WRAK, Williamsport, Pa. Hornet Plugs CONCEIVED by CKCK, Regina, Sask., a new wrinkle in merchandising reports has caused much comment in Canadian agency circles. Preparing a merchandising report for the agency handling the Listerine account, sponsoring The Green Hornet on CKCK, staff members dramatized on a transcription the parts they took in preparing the report. For example, the salesman who arranged for a screen trailer at a local theatre was waxed making a phone call to the theatre manager, with other conversations between CKCK representatives and merchants arranging for window displays and other merchandising ventures. REALISTIC audition setting, to emphasize the appeal of Florsheim Shoe Co.'s Squared Circle series, was arranged for a prospective sponsor by George Blackwell, director of WBLK, Clarksburg, W. Va. The station set up in the studio a squared circle, arranged dummy fighters, created an arena atmosphere by calling in peanut, popcorn and pop vendors and then ran off a sample show for the local Florsheim dealer. He signed. BROCHURES WNAX, Yankton, S. D.— Data on listener response and 1940-41 program schedule, in personally addressed mail folder. WGES-WSBC, Chicago — Six-page red and white booklet promoting the Polish language programs. WOWO-WGL, Fort Wayne — Fourpage syllabus of programs with an educational slant. WKY, Oklahoma City — Pictorial brochure promoting Sunrise Roundup, early morning rural feature on the station. WWL, New Orleans — Booklet containing brief resumes of 31 WWL programs suitable for sponsorship. WCNW, New York— Reprint of pictorial page from PM, New York newspaper, noting WCNW as "the New York Negro community's voice". WMBD, Peoria, 111.— Plastic-bound "Peoriarea" coverage brochure. Here to Stay WBT, Charlotte, has settled its long-standing feud with the Charlotte News. The newspaper had been so hostile as to block out the station's call letters when a WBT microphone appeared in a news photo and uniformly prohibited mention of the station in any news story. However, General Manager A. E. Joscelyn persevered and the News in late December started to feature daily program schedules of WBT and other local stations. Publisher W. C. Dowd even ordered fullpage announcements in the paper to announce the new radio schedule feature. Joked Mr. Dowd to Mr. Joscelyn, still in his first year at WBT, after the agreement had been reached: "I guess I must admit that the wireless is here to stay." WSGN Studio Shift WSGN, Birmingham, will move from the Tutweiler Hotel to new studios in the Dixie Carlton by Feb. 1 according to General Manager Henry P. Johnson, who simultaneously announced a new production policy for the station. Under the new setup Bill Terry, station's sportscaster, becomes production manager. Carl Cannon, promotion manager, will take on additional duties spending most of his time developing local public service and educational programs. WICHITA Page 46 • January 13, 1941 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising