Broadcasting (July - Dec 1943)

PACIFIC COAST PROGRAM NOTES Ever/body knows John Gunther. All but a handful of Americans have read either one of the eight editions of his"Inside Europe"orhis"Inside Asia" or his "Inside Latin America." For several years John Gunther has been reporting and interpreting the war for the Blue Network. Last January the BLUE scheduled Gunther's commentaries on a regular basis— Friday and Saturday, 7:007:15 P. m. PWT— filling out the network's 7:00 P.M. commentary strip. Within two months Gunther had achieved a 7.3 national Hooper! In May a national advertiser purchased Gunther's Friday and Saturday periods on 61 BLUE stations from New England to the Rockies. Now this is where you come in. John Gunther's twice-weekly commentary is available tor sponsorship on the 13 stations of the Pacific Blue Network. Or will be available soon. This is the way it is— with the good wishes of his sponsor, Gunther Clippered to North Africa late in June. For several weeks keenly analytical, eyewitness stories "By John Gunther, Representing the Combined American Press" have appeared regularly in most American newspapers. Gunther is due back soon to resume his Blue Network commentary. In the interim, JohnW.Vandercook has been pinch-hitting on this commentary. Bearded, ex-globe trotter Vandercook was in Germany during the invasion of Poland, reported the fall of France, and has been the keystone of Alka-Seltzer's "News of the World" for three years. You can now buy Mr. Vandercook on Pacific Blue (covering 9 5 % of the Coast's radio families) and you will "inherit"Mr.Gunther on his return. Cost— only a few dollars more than a home-grown commentator. Blue Spot Sales in New York and Chicago can give you the details. All-Stars Grid Contest To Be Partly Sponsored ANNUAL National Professional League champions versus college All-Stars football game Aug. 25 will be sponsored on WGN, Chicago, by the Pabst Brewing Co., Chicago (Pabst Blue Ribbon beer), and will be carried as a sustaining program on MBS. Excepting WMAQ, Chicago, the game will be sponsored for the second half on 80 NBC stations by P. Goldsmith & Sons, Cincinnati (sporting goods). The 1942 professional football champions, the Washington Redskins, will meet the collegiates in Dyche Stadium at Northwestern U., Evanston, 111. Harry Wismer, football announcer from Detroit, assisted by Jack Brickhouse, WGN, Chicago, sportscaster, will describe the game for WGN and MBS; Bill Stern will give the second half account starting at 11:15 p.m. for NBC. Agency for Pabst is Warwick & Legler, New York. Agency for Goldsmith & Sons is Hugo Wagenseil & Associates, Dayton, 0. RESULTS Bring Third Renewal by — Department Store Soldier Show Moves ADDING a new Waac recruiting feature, the weekly half hour all-soldier variety program, Hello Mom, shifted from NBC to Mutual stations on Aug. 14, Saturday, 11 -.30-12 noon (EWT), with transcribed West Coast repeat, 4:30-5 p.m. (PWT). Originating at Army Air Forces Radio Production Unit, Santa Ana, Cal., series is written by Pvts. Edward Haldeman and Scott Farnworth, under direction of Major Fredrick Hazlitt Brennan. Major Eddie Dunstedter is musical director. ANOTHER chapter in the successful use of radio by department stores was written Aug. 4 when Pfeifer's Department Store of Little Rock, Ark. went into the third year of Jane Adams, Speaking. This program is heard Mon. through Sat., 8:15-8:30 a.m., with Virginia Harris, sales promotion manager of the store, preparing and presenting the script. Since its inception, Aug. 4, 1941, the program has adherred to the policy of "no sales talk, no prices, no merchandise." Yet long before tire and gasoline rationing, mail order business doubled and then trebled because Jane Adams, the personal shopper, had proved a friend to thousands of Arkansas families. The aim is not a commercial but a service program. Interspersed with musical numbers is commentary on news of general interest to both men and women, including material on war activities, civilian defense, home front activities, fashion and book reviews, etc. Illustrating the breadth of the interests covered, a current series discusses terrain, peoples, habits and war activities of South American countries. Soon to be inaugurated is a series on local personalities who have contributed outstanding service to the war effort. Sam Strauss, president of Pfeifer's, said when signing his third WHBY Appleton KFIZ Fond dti Lac WCLO JaneeviUe WIBU Poynette Madison WRJN Racine WHBL Sheboygan WSAU Wausau WFHR Wisconsin Rapids SO, if you want to s»ir op the full buying power of this No. 1 Dairy Sta'e of the Union, the only way you can do it is with the Wisconsin Network stations each with its own large, loyal following. It can't be done with any metropolitan station or any other regional or national network. Wisconsin listeners are funny that way-they want stations that can be heard all the time, not just when the wea'her is right-sfations that are programmed for Wisconsin. And, there's over half a million radio homes in our primary area (and over % million in the secondary)— today 9th in war orders as a plus to 'his stable market. If listeners feel that way, why shouldn't advertisers? Try the Wisconsin Network for your fall advertising— and see for yourself with satisfaction and profit! WISCONSirfcMETWORKInc MAIN OFFICE** WISCONSIN RAPIDS. WISCONSIN THIRD YEAR of a successful department store program was launched when Sam Strauss (1) president of Pfeifer's, Little Rock, Ark., signed to renew Jane Adams, Speaking over KARK. Looking on is Miss Virginia Harris, sales promotion manager of the store, who prepares the script, and Julian F. Haas, of KARK sales staff, who has handled the account since the program started. renewal that the program is intended to "afford interest, information and inspiration" to the people of Arkansas. "It has developed just as our store has — informal, friendly and 'between home folks.' " Miles Shows Signed MILES LABS, Elkhart, Ind.(AlkaSeltzer, One-A-Day Vitamins) has signed two 52-week contracts for hum & Abner and the Quiz Kids. The comedy team, heard Monday through Thursday 8:15-8:30 p.m. (EWT), goes on 102 BLUE stations beginning Sept. 27. Quiz Kids will be aired on 131 BLUE outlets beginning Sept. 26, every Sunday 7:30-8:00 p.m. (EWT). Agency is Wade Adv., Chicago. CBR Vancouver, recently in a Royal Canadian Air Force recruiting campaign, inducted during the program an airman and an airwoman into the RCAF, with the officer commanding the Vancouver recruiting office officiating in the CBR studios. It is believed this is the first time a man and woman have been actually sworn in to the RCAF while a program was on the air. WMCA, New York, N. Y. . . . think AP news for radio is tops. Use it exclusively. Leon Goldstein, News Editor. PACIFIC BLUE NETWORK available through PRESS ASSOCIATION, inc. SO Rockefeller Plaza New York, N. Y. Page 52 • August 23, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising