Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1945)

The GIANT STRIDE in PITTSBURGH Since November, 1944, local commercial quarter-hour programs on KQV have increased 1 63% — almost three times as many. That's evidence of local recognition of Pittsburgh coverage — what you want to buy! 1410 KC— 1000 Watts ALLEGHENY BROADCASTING CORP. National Representatives: WEED & CO. 850 on tym 5000 WATTS DAY AND NIGHT NATIONALLY RfcPRfc&fcN I fcD BY ADAM J. YOUNG, JR., INC Page 48 • November 19, 1945 PACIFIC HERO, Vice-Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, commander of famous Task Force 58, made first Chicago air appearance on NBC's World Front. Going over script with him are (1 to r) : E. W. Cline, vice-president and general sales manager, Bunte Brothers, program sponsor; Ralph N. Cushing, account executive, Presba, Fellers and Presba agency, and Miss Oleva Groulx, advertising manager, Bunte Bros. Program, usually aired from WLW, originated in NBC central division studios. MUSIC— AN AUDIENCE BUILDER Competent Musical Director Should Supervise Programs on Smaller Stations By BOB ATHEARN Music Director WHEB Portsmouth, N. H. MUSIC, an art whose substance is the gamut of human emotions, could be the backbone of small station programming rather than a convenient time-filler. Its value as an audience builder and holder is unlimited. Yet too often it is merely used for an occasional theme or background, or to fill the time between commercials. As a result music, even on the networks, shows too frequently the results of haphazard arrangement and poor planning. The choice of music played, especially by small stations, is often dictated by the personal preference of some executive whose bookkeeping ability far exceeds his knowledge of music. Danger of Prejudice Personal preference is also the chief factor in those periods when the management permits an announcer, ignorant in matters musical, to select his discs at random from the station's collection. This attitude evidences a short-sighted business policy. Intelligent music programming which appeals directly to the taste of the widest possible segment of the listening public, will in the long run pay the biggest dividends. Such programming calls for the services of a competent and impartial music director. The only basis upon which a sound programming policy can be devised is a comprehensive poll of listener taste, arriving at a pattern of preferred musical types upon which programming could be based. Such a poll should be taken for each individual station's listening area. Once the basis for the station's over-all music programming policy is established, there is the choice of the music itself. There are several sources of information upon which the music director can draw. These should be checked with the musical knowledge and taste of the director and the tastes of listeners. Requests that come in by mail and phone do not necessarily represent the preferences of the average listener and other means must be employed to determine those preferences. There is great room for improvement in arranging and balancing programs. All the principles of dramatic art should be employed to keep the listener in a state of delighted expectancy not only within the framework of each program, but throughout the day's and week's programs. Details of musical production in the actual airing of the program should be supervised by the musical director. Ethridge in Moscow MARK ETHRIDGE, vice-president of WHAS Louisville and publisher of the Louisville CourierJournal and Times, conferred with Soviet officials in Moscow about Sunday's national elections in Bulgaria, Secretary of State Byrnes announced last Wednesday. Mr. Ethridge, who is President Truman's special envoy to the Balkans, will return to Washington in the next few weeks to make a detailed report of his studies, Mr. Byrnes added. BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising