Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

"AT WORK/' Bob Swezey (I), general manager, and Edgar Stern Jr., president, of WDSU (AM-FM-TV) New Orleans, move full steam ahead at scene of construction of station's half-million dollar studio plant which will house all three facilities. It is scheduled for completion by early spring next year and will be directly adjacent to the administrative building. IDEAL VISUAL TRAFFIC CONTROL Your COMPLETE SCHEDULE at a GLANCE Promote greater efFrciency with this modern Visual Traffic Control Tool. Across-the-Board for the week at one Glance — all Progroms and Announcements in correct sequence — spotlighted by Colorl Answers any traffic problem in 10 seconds. No delay in getting the information you want! Your complete program picture in Full View. Shows all Open Time, Commercials, Sponsors, Sustainers, etc. Simply write or type on interchangeable cards, anchor in grooves on board. Cords Flip In and Snap Out instantly. Simple to operote, easy to malntoin. Saves time, prevents errors. Accommodates 18 or 20 hours daily, 7 days o week. Separate cards for each quarter hour and stotionbreak. Also, cords for porlicipating, 5 and 10 minute shows. Already used by over half of all AM, TV and FM stations. This valuable tool will prove a great help for every member of your stofF. You will want a unit for every department. MADE OF ALUMINUM WITH BLACK ANODIC FINISH. PERMANENTLY CONSTRUCTED OF PRECISION WORKMANSHIP. AHRAaiVE ADDITION TO ANY OFFICE. CARD SUPPLY FURNISHED LEARN HOW THIS TOOL CAN SAVE YOU TIME! BOARDMASTER BROCHURE ^^^V^^^BI Giving detailed description ^K2fl|H^^P and showing how this system ^^^^^^^^ can serve you. GRAPHIC SYSTEMS 55 WEST 42ND ST. ,:NEW YORK J8, M:y| Page 58 • November 28, 1949 KNBC SIGNAL Nets Listener $100 Bond WHEN KNBC San Francisco wanted to ascertain the extent of new effective radiating power, it decided to award a $100 U. S. Savings bond to the person who sent in the station's longest distance listener report. The award was given fortnight ago to a Navy electronics technician on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, 4,310 miles from KNBC. Contest began Oct. 24 when station dedicated its new vertical antenna which boosted KNBC's 50 kw to an effective radiating power of 90 kw. John W. Elwood, general manager, offered the bond to the listener receiving the station's signal the greatest distance from San Francisco. Reports flooded in from Kodiak, Alaska, Midway Islands, Hawaii, Canada and other points, as well as from many states. Deadline for reports was Nov. 1. In the end KNBC asked the U. S. Navy to decide the winner. Prize went to Petty Officer James C. Lawson who told the station its signal came in "loud and clear almost every n-"ght" and "makes life here a lot brighter." RADIO STARS Mary Margaret McBride, of WNBC New York, Martha Deane, of WOR New York, Kate Smith and Jinx Palkenberg are among contributors to The Time-Reader's Book of Recipes published by E. P. Dutton & Co., New York. ALREADY housed in new administraHve building are these WDSU officials (I to r): Marie Chaurvin, executive secretary; Stanley Holiday, program manager; Louis Read, commercial manager; Mel Leavitt, sports director and Ray Rich, production director. WDSU's new broadcasting center is the historic old Brulatou/ Court BIdg., in the heart of the French Quarter. A new studio building, now under construction, will be adjacent. RADIO TURNS FLOOD INTO SALES Joske's Days Are Success Despite Rain RADIO is credited by Joske's of Texas, radio-minded San Antonio department store, with rescuing a sales day from a cloudburst and disastrous flood and turning it into the third largest day in the firm's sales history. A torrential rain deluged San Antonio 15 minutes after the store opened for a four-day Joske Days Sale. The city was flooded. Two persons were drowned. Bridges washed away, bus service was suspended or re-routed on most lines, and streets around the store were water-filled. No Joske's sale had ever had such a depressing start, officials reported. But as the rain slackened, James H. Keenan, vice president and sales promotion director, called for all 50-word availabilities on five San Antonio stations, including two Spanish-language outlets. With Violet Short, the store's radio director, and Radio Account Manager Bob Holleron of Pitluck Adv. Agency working together, 87 spot announcements were bought and scheduled. Copy was delivered and on the air within an hour. Response, officials reported, was immediate. By closing time that night, they said, the store had experienced the third largest day in its history. "Without minimizing the vital role played by other media use in the all-over success of Joske Days," Mr. Keenan declared, "we attribute an important part of our first day's record to our radio advertising. It proved again two of radio's greatest advantages and selling points: Instant accessibility and complete flexibility." A total of 249 spot announcements were used to promote Joske Days on WOAI KITE KTSA KABC KONO KCOR and. KIWW, During the first two days it was estimated listeners heard "Joske Days" on an average of every 10 minutes from 6:40 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. For that week ending Oct. 29, Federal Reserve Board statistics showed San Antonio's retail sales up 46% compared with the same period in 1948, whereas Fort Worth gained 2% and other major Texas cities showed declines of from 1 to 4%. Another BMI "Pin Up" Hit— Published by Michael HUSH LITTLE DARLING On Records: Perry Como — Vic. 20-3586; Derry Falligant — MGM 10555; Dick Haymes — Dec. 24803; Eddy Howard — Mer.*; Kay Kyser — Col. 38634; Curt Massey — Lon.*. On Transcriptions : Shep Fields — Langworth; Michael Douglas — Standard ; Kay Armen — Associated. BROADCASTING • Telecasting