Broadcasting (Apr - June 1950)

. . • J0n "The Public Jfetvice Advertisement From where I sit ly Joe Marsh Mud Lake Gets "Cleared up" County officers got a notice from the government not long ago, asking them to change the name of Mud Lake. Seems it's a pond, not a lake, by government standards. Because it lies entirely inside our town limits, we asked to do the namechanging ourselves. Figured we'd think up a brand-new name. Mud Lake's really not very muddy —sort of pretty, as a matter of fact. County people said go ahead, so we held a Town Meeting. Everyone suggested something. Windy Taylor thought of "Taylor Pond'" because his place borders it — for about 30 feet! But we finally decided to call it "Turtle Pond" in honor of the real owners. From where I sit, naming that pond wasn't the most important thing in the world — but the way we did it was. Everyone offered his opinion and then the majority vote decided it. That's the way it should be — whether it concerns naming a pond, or having the right to enjoy a friendly glass of beer or ale — if and when we choose. Copyright, 1950, United States Brewers Foundation Offers $1,000 Prize A GIGANTIC parade of entertainers and a contest with a $1,000 cash award served as the Cancer Crusade kickoff for WKBW Buffalo last month as the countrywide campaign got underway. WKBW went on the air at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in a parade of stars and a dramatic presentation outlining the cancer drive. In addition, a contest to identify the "Whistler" was introduced. Listeners entered the contest by stating in 23 words or less why they gave to the Cancer Crusade. First person to identify the "Whistler" received $1,000 cash awarded by J. N. Adam's Department Store. * * * WAAM (TV) Auction IN Baltimore, the inflated U. S. currency didn't stand in the way of charity as WAAM (TV) Baltimore began its 1950 Cancer Crusade ' with a novel fund-raising idea. M. C. Tommy Dukehart offered to spend $100 on bargains phoned in to him by his viewers. He promised to spend the entire $100 as wisely as possible, culling the best bargains from all offers phoned in. He sold at auction all the bargains with all proceeds from the auction to be re-spent on further bargains, re-auctioned for a bigger gain, and so on until April 29. The final total was given to the Maryland Division of the American Cancer Society. % WSTC Kick-Off Show WSTC-AM-FM Stamford, Conn., opened its Cancer Crusade with the Connecticut Cancer Campaign Kick-Off broadcast April 1. Speakers included Geraldine Fitzgerald of the screen, Stamford Mayor George Barrett, State Campaign Chairman Charles H. Walters and State CIO Vice-President Daniel J. Gallagher. The program originated in Hartford and was carried by the Connecticut State Network. * * * . WMAL-TV "Strikes Back" IN COOPERATION with the D. C. Division of the American Cancer Society, WMAL-TV Washington presented a special program on April 14. Produced during the fund raising campaign of the society, some of the latest phases of study in the attempt to "strike back" at cancer were demonstrated. Featured on the program were Dr. and Mrs. Ivor Cornman, who are doing research at George Washington U. The program warned of the seven cancer danger signals and how to recognize them in the early stages. * * * Gen. Donavan Featured AIRING of an address by Gen. Will Donavan over WWSW Pitts burgh helped launch the Allegheny County American Cancer Society's drive for funds April 11. The half-hour program was broadcast direct from the William Penn Hotel and was fed to a Pennsylvania statewide network. * * * Trains Volunteers KJR Seattle reported it used radio in an unusual way for the Cancer Crusade March 31 when it provided its studios and air time for a 15-minute program. The program was in the nature of an organizational meeting for the hundreds of fund-raising volunteers in the Seattle chapter. All volunteers in the area were told to tune in. Campaign leaders, in a roundtable discussion moderated by Announcer Bob Ferris, discussed three principal points: How fundraising calls were to be made; how pledges were to be picked up, and how the printed literature was to be used, for education as well as fund raising. * * * ABC Tells Gunther's Story SPECIAL American Cancer Society broadcast April 17 on ABC, presented a dramatic adaptation of John Gunther's book, Death Be Not Proud, a tragic account of the death of his teen-age son, John Gunther Jr., who died as the result of a brain tumor. A special score for the broadcast, originating in New York, was composed and conducted by Lan Adomian. The adaptation, which made use of the narration technique, was prepared by Peter Martin, member of ABC's script division. Walter King, of the American Cancer Society, produced and directed the program. * * * WDTV Aids Berle DIRECTED by General Manager Donald A. Stewart, WDTV (TV) Pittsburgh and its staff lent full support and cooperation to the Milton Berle "Telethon" for the cancer drive April 29. The outlet's engineers, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and the production crew offered their services without compensation for the ful] run of the show. The Pittsburg! Junior Chamber of Commerce handled the local telephone exchange set up to receive pledges from the tri-state district. * * * Memorial Tribute IN memory of two people in thf nation's capital who died of cancer, AFRA talent, NBC writers and staffers of WTOP Washingtor combined to present a salute Maj 2. The half -hour show, 10:30-11 p.m., was a factual drama on causes and cures of cancer. Titled In Memoriam, the program hon(Continued on page 78) Page 20 • May 15, 1950 BROADCASTING • Telecasting