Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

"VIC" DIEHM says; IT TAKES ALL KINDS <yf SHAPES to run a RADIO STATION •for •furtUet Enlightenment write to Vic Oiehm WAZL HAZLETON. PENNA. or Robert Meeker Associates 521 Fifth Avenue, New York City 17, N. Y. March of Dimes (Continued from page 36) tionality groups spoke in their own language urging support of the campaign. Speaking for all the people interested in the drive was Jesse D. Gross, chairman for the campaign in Stark County. KASA: Lonnie Preston, co-owner and manager of KASA Elk City, Okla., wears clothes size 47 but he modeled a size 36 nightgown for the antipolio campaign. A bid of $50 got the picture posted in a window downtown and another ?50 got it published. KASA also devoted an average of nine hours of Class A time per week for the last three weeks of the polio fund drive, with auctions and an "Ugly Man Contest.'' !? * * WCKY: Disc Jockey Rex Dale, conducting a Dime-a-Tune feature for the benefit of polio victims, initiated an auction sale in order to achieve his goal of $2,000 for the March of Dimes campaign. Items auctioned off to the highest bidder among his listeners were autographed hats belonging to movie stars, Joan Crawford and Tyrone Power, the latter a Cincinnatian. Mr. Dale conducts a series of shows for the benefit of needy people throughout the year. WPAY: A total of 500 announcements and 13 transcribed programs totalling 225 minutes was the boast of WPAY-AM-FM Portsmouth, Ohio, as the 1950 March of Dimes campaign came to an end. Nearly all the available time generally used for station promotion and other community service was devoted to the Infantile Paralysis Fund drive. WABI: Conducted by Johnny MacRae, morning man, a 4% hour Polio Parade show was aired by WABI Bangor, Me. During the program 1,200 telephone pledges were received on four incoming lines which were busy throughout the program. Cash receipts, averaging $10 per minute, amounted to nearly $2,600. * * * WEAU: In Eau Claire, Wis., Baseball Commissioner A. B. (Happy) Chandler and Gene Autry, cowboy film and radio star, interviewed two chilren, victims of polio, over WEAU, to officially open the 1950 March of "Happy" Chandler greets Roddy. Dimes campaign in Eau Claire County. The interviews were part of a two-week series to point up contributions for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. * * * WAAM (TV): In Baltimore, WAAM (TV) presented the celebrated B & O Glee Club in a special program on the opening day of the drive. Speaker for the National Foundation was Dr. George E. Bennett, chairman of the Baltimore Chapter of the March of Dimes campaign. WBZ-TV: To help kick off Boston's drive, Columnist Bill Cunningham and Cartoonist Al Capp highlighted a special WBZ-TV telecast. Five local youngsters, who had previously posed for March of Dimes posters, were included on the show, with Mr. Capp drawing his famous cartoon of Polio Kigme. WJOY: In coooperation with the Vermont March of Dimes campaign, Jack Barry of WJOY Burlington, Vt., aired his hour-long request show. You Asked for It, direct from the polio section of Burlington's Mary Fletcher Hospital, playing requests of the patients. Mr. Barry's program Jack Barry en'e rtains patients. recently received honorable mention from the New York Herald Tribune for placement of more than 60% of the Fresh Air Fund children in the Burlington area. * * * ALASKA STATIONS: The three Anchorage stations, KENI KFQD and KBYR, and the Armed Forces Station at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Fort Richardson, Alaska, combined their talents to broadcast a two-hour program in support of the March of Dimes. The show featured many leading citizens of Anchorage. Listeners were requested to phone in pledges. WBIG: In Greensboro, N. C, WBIG reported large receipts of contributions from listeners in the area. The entire WBIG staff cooperated in efforts to put over the March of Dimes in the Tarheel State. * * * WBAP-TV: In cooperation with the March of Dimes campaign, WBAP-TV Fort Worth set up its remote equipment in the polio ward of the Fort Worth City County Hospital for a telecast for polio patients. As a highlight, WBAP-TV star, Mary Parker, interviewed a number of young patients. WMBG-WTRV (TV): In cooperation with the Richmond Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, WTVR (TV) and its AM affiliate WMBG Richmond, presented a special program built around the needs of Richmond in the March of Dimes campaign. Speakers included the executive director of the local chapter, the director of the Medical College of Virginia hospital, a noted physician who told of the medical research being done to combat polio, and a four-year-old victim of polio. WHWL: In Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the aim of the March of Dimes was brought home forcibly when WHWL transcribed the story of a paralysis victim, formerly a husky football player, at WilkesBarre Contagious Hospital. Arranged j and conducted by Jones Evans, newly * appointed WHWL program director, the interview with Leonard Auszura was heard. in a WHWL rebroadcast the same day. SEATTLE STATIONS: The March of Dimes got a big send-off in Seattle when KOMO transcribed a 15-minute interview between Dick Keplinger, Seattle radio freelancer, and two March of Dimes officials and three polio patients. The program was used also on KJR KIRO KVI KRSC KOL and KING. DuMONT: In an effort to raise $100, ' 000 an hour to benefit polio sufferers, DuMont TV Network scheduled a twohour Celebrity Parade for The March of Dimes. To receive contributions during the 10 p.m. to midnight period, Wally Wanger models manned telephones set up on the stage of the Adelphia Theater, New York, origination point of the telecast. A long list of Broadway celebrities appeared on the show. Hank Ladd, comedian of "Along Fifth Avenue," "Angel in the Wings," and other comedies, emceed the first hour while Bert Parks of Stop the Music took over the second hour. * * * WEAL:' Eddie Cantor, NBC star who originated the phrase, March of Dimes, recorded special March of Dimes Announcements and Stories with Disc Jockey Al Ross at WBAL Baltimore during the station's campaign for contributions. Mr. Cantor Eddie Cantor is interviewed by WBAL's Al Ross. stopped off in Baltimore before taking off on a college lecture tour to urge all citizens to fight polio. * * * ABC: Celebrating the birthday of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a group of prominent personalities participated in a half-hour long broadcast on the full ABC network. Titled America Salutes Franklin D. Roosevelt's Birthday, the show also honored the 1950 March of Dimes campaign. With radio's Ralph Edwards as m.c, the program featured a recorded address by the late President Roosevelt, and speaking from New ^York, brief talks by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Hayes, this year's chairman of National Women's Activities for the (Continued on page 7i) FOR INCREASED SPOT ^"■'■"^^5 ■ COntocI JOSEPH HERSHEY McGILLVRA. INC. 366 Modison Avenue, New York Murroy Hill 2-8755 Page 72 • February 13, 1950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting