Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

PROGRAMS & PROMOTIONS continued WMAR-TV's 10th Anniversary The occasion of WMAR-TV's tenth anniversary (Oct. 27) will be marked with a week-long celebration, highlight of which is a CBS-TV salute to its affiliate (reportedly the second to join its network) byoriginating The Big Payoff, Monday-Friday, from Baltimore's Fifth Regiment Armory. The show will present vignettes from historic Baltimore and its stars will visit patients at the local veterans hospital and Johns Hopkins. They also will be interviewed on the air and be guests at the Community Fund United Appeal luncheon before 700 prominent Baltimoreans. The local Advertising Club will salute the tv station with a luncheon to be attended by 800 industry, national, state and city leaders at which ten tv sets will be presented to members of the audience. Members of the tv press also will be entertained at a reception and cocktail party. Continuous entertainment from the Armory includes Ann Mar's Women's Angle and WMAR-TV personalities will award over 100 products to quiz contestants. In its ten year history, WMAR-TV reportedly has been the first Maryland commercial station and the first in the state to broadcast in color, produce its own tv newsreel, schedule religious education, outstrip radio and the first to cooperate in stratovision experiments. IN a parade sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Nampa, Idaho, to kick off a sales promotion for the town, KFXD there was represented by the above entry. Bartell 'Toots Own Horn7 "We are tooting our horn!" claims the Bartell Group in a mailing to promote its WILD Boston. The mailing includes a horn which can be used on "scooters, bicycles, tricycles, boats or what have you." It goes on to say, "The Bartell Group, always in the lead everywhere . . . first, WOKY Milwaukee, KCBQ San Diego, KRUX Phoenix and WAKE Atlanta . . . now begins the beat in Boston as radio goes WILD . . ." It concludes, "Bartell it and sell it." THE "Maverick Calf Scramble," sponsored by WFAA-AM-TV Dallas this month was reportedly the featured youth attraction at the State Fair of Texas. It was a merchandising tie-in with the local sponsor (Grennan Bakery) of ABC-TV's Maverick and climaxed a five-week campaign. The promotion was organized by Murray Cox, farm director of WFAA, and Fred Pass, farm editor of stations' owner the Dallas Morning News. WFAA carried a commentary of the event and WFAA-TV telecast it. Maverick star, James Garner, reportedly made his first personal appearance to open the scramble and was lassoed by Miss Dallas for the State Fair Parade. The stations report that 30 boys participated in the contest. They lined up, carrying a rope halter, behind a chalk line in the arena and 15 calves were turned loose. One calf, valued at $2,000 was secretly marked and the boy that got the halter on and pulled it across the line won it. Gov. Price Daniel presented the calf to the winner and Grennan Bakery wheeled in a 50-lb. Texas-shaped Maverick Spice Cake for the contestants. Pictured at the fair are (1 to r) Mr. Garner; Larry McAnally, winner of the contest; WFAA-AM-TV President Ted Dealy; Gov. Daniel; O. B. Edmundson, teacher, and Mr. Cox. KBIG Offers Trip to Paris A trip "over the North Pole to Paris" is the prize being offered in a new "secret sound" contest being held by KBIG Santa Catalina, Calif. A "mystery sound" is being played daily by the station's disc jockeys and listeners are asked to send in cards identifying it. A new contest begins every two weeks and if a sound isn't identified within the two week period, the prizes will be held over and additional ones offered. The station will award 25 prizes every two weeks for correct answers in the order of postmarks. In addition to the Paris trip for two, prizes will include Western Holly gas ranges, vacation for two at the Las Vegas Desert Inn and Santa Barbara Mar Monte Hotel, dinner dancing at the Hollywood Moulin Rouge and Coty perfume. WTVJ (TV) Sponsors Contest Popeye Playhouse over WTVJ (TV) Miami is taxing South Florida children's imagination by inviting them to enter its "I like to go to school because . . ." contest. Answers are to be in 25 words or more. At the halfway mark of the five-week contest 2,500 entries are reported to have been received. School-loving children can win their mothers a $200 wardrobe and, for themselves, a 17-inch portable tv set. Other winners will receive a $300 swimming pool, a three-speed phonograph or have a 24-inch tv set presented to their school. Another feature of Popeye Playhouse is a series of miniature boxing bouts originating from the station's open air "Sunshine Studio." The mayor of Miami will referee young fighters from the local Police Athletic league in a live telecast each Thursday afternoon. WPIX (TV) Mails Brochure WPIX (TV) New York is mailing out a 32-page, 13-by-l 3-inch brochure headed, "New! On WPIX 11— Some More Big New Additions to New York's Most Exciting Station." In line with its policy of presenting "the best and most half-hour film shows . . . in the country," the book features drawings and stills from some of the 60 shows to be offered during the coming season. This policy, the brochure proclaims, is responsible for "the greatest audience increases of any tv station in New York" during a three year period. KFAB Seeks 'Eleven-Ten Baby' To promote its 1110 frequency, KFAB Omaha, Neb., is sponsoring a contest for the "Eleven-Ten Baby" of the year. The first baby reported and documented to KFAB as being born on Nov. 10 (eleventh month, tenth day) at 11:10 a.m. or p.m. will qualify as "Miss or Mister Eleven-Ten." If a child is not born at the appointed time, the first one being born closest to it will receive the award. The station will open an educational fund for the child and will donate the equivalent of a one-year university scholarship. Page 136 • October 21, 1957 Broadcasting