Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - June 1951)

Narcotics Law WTIC Hartford, Conn., claims credit for passage of a state narcotic law patterned after its own recommendations. Paul W. Morency, WTIC vice president and general manager, and Leonard Patricelli, program manager, enlisted aid of the state police commissioner to get action on a proposed bill pending before legislature. Bill was passed 24 hours before it adjourned. Mr. Morency supported project adopted by station's Mind Your Manners program, which began crusade for more stringent lav^. Subsequent teen-age programs featured discussions of the problems. WTIC prepared special radio announcements urging citizens to contact their representatives at the state capitol. Copies also were supplied to other stations in the state. WTIC plans to mail copies of new law to all NBC affiliates in major cities, with an appeal to station managers for comparable efforts. In The Public Interest Gas Failure KELO Sioux Falls, S. D., offered its facilities for broadcasting vital information to the public when a gas line exploded, cutting off the gas supply to a 20-mile area. Announcements kept public abreast of repair work and told listeners how to handle their own gas appliances to prevent serious property damage and physical injuries. Station was commended by the Central Electric & Gas Co., Sioux Falls, for "grand job" of radio coverage, failing which "a very serious situation would have developed." * * * Polio Fight KFMO Flat River, Mo., received the Homer P. Rainey Award from the Missouri State Polio Foundation for outstanding efforts in raising funds to fight polio. KFMO was given award on May 1 for this year's broadcasts in which St. Francois County took part since last February. Station claims this has been the "major means" of 18 of the 20 top-rated programs are on CBS . . . and in Buffalo CBS is WGR 3 Corporation, RAND BUILDING, BUFFALO 3, N. Y. National Representatives: Free & Peters, Inc. Leo 1. ("Fitz") Fitzpatrick I. R. ("Ik*") Lounsbtrry Page 20 • June 18, 1951 raising quota for county. James F. Collins, KFMO manager, conceived the idea in 1948 and each year station has presented the Big Broadcast. Last year's drive raised $10,000 in two broadcasts. % % * Citizenship Day KTLN Denver broadcast the 12th annual "I Am An American" Day program at the City Auditorium May 20, including naturalization ceremonies. Station claims that, by virtue of its weekly 18 hours of foreign language entertainment, it reached 300,000 plus foreign-language citizens, through the exclusive broadcast. KTLN features Spanish, Mexican and Italian disc jockey programs. * * * Circus Party BENEDICT GIMBEL JR., president of WIP Philadelphia, played host to 5,000 under-privileged children at the 37th annual Gimbel Bros. Circus Party May 21. Children came as guests from 86 Philadelphia institutions, including hospitals, orphanages, playgrounds, schools and charitable and religious organizations. The Circus Party is a tradition established in 1925 by Mr. Gimbel's uncle, the late Ellis A. Gimbel, merchant-philanthropist. 'Fair Trade' NEWSMEN at WMT Cedar Rapids, Iowa, claim they promoted a "fail trade" with the police by exchanging one of the state's most elusive criminals for an exclusive interview. A former WMT regional correspondent tipped off the station or the location of Frank Karpa, whc had stolen a truck and engaged ir jailbreaking. Newsmen Cole McMartin tipped the police and latei obtained a spot interview. * * * YMCA Appeal APPEAL by WEST Easton, Pa. for six electric toasters to be usee > at a YMCA camp in the Pennsyl I vania mountains brought in pledge; j for 34 of the items within 2£| minutes of an announcement bjl Disc Jockey Ted Pierce May 31 1 Mr. Pierce's program, D-J Club, if > heard daily, 12:30-1:30 p.m. * * * 'Cancer Crusade' TOTAL of $7,926 was raised bj WHAS-TV Louisville, Ky., as a re 1 suit of its 11-hour Cancer Crusadi i held last in April, Victor A. Sholis vice president and director o:i WHAS-AM-TV, announced fort night ago. Money was turned ovei ( to Kentucky and Indiana division: I of American Cancer Society. Par ticipants in broadcast drive in 1 eluded county leaders and WHAS TV talent. Local groups assistec | in answering phone calls which, a one point, came in at the rate o 24 per minute. All pledges wer< announced on the air. * * * Fund Drive A FUND drive seeking contribu tions for a kids' summer camp wa: ; (Continued on page 80) BROADCASTING • Telecasting