Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

PROGRAMS & PROMOTIONS continued NBC-TV Realigns Saturday Shows Effective last Saturday, coincidental with the premiere of its Ruff and Reddy Show cartoon program, NBC-TV is presenting a new lineup of its Saturday morning shows. Scheduled as follows: Howdy Doody (1010:30 a.m.); Ruff and Reddy (10:30-1 1 a.m.); Fury (11-11:30 a.m.); Andy's Gang (11:30 a.m. -noon); My True Story (noon-12:30 p.m.), and Detective's Diary (12:30-1 p.m.). 'Biggest Christmas Tree' Lit WRCA-TV New York last Thursday carried Christinas at Rockefeller Center (5:306:40 p.m. EST), a special 70-minute program centering around the annual lighting of "the biggest Christmas tree in New York." Participating in the show were world champion figure skater Dick Button, Tex and Jinx McCrary, Johnny Andrews, Josie McCarthy and Monte Hall. ABN Selects Its Own Hit Record American Broadcasting Network this week has begun selecting its own hit record "preview of the week." The network chooses a newly recorded tune each week which it believes will reach hit proportions. ABN's seven daily live shows will promote the selection chosen on the basis of a weekly consensus of all personalities, singers, music directors and producers. Relatives Plugging KMGM-TV Films KMGM-TV Minneapolis last week started a "telethon" to promote audience interest in its feature film programming. Ted Cott, vice president in charge of stations for National Telefilm Assoc., which owns KMGM-TV, suggested the following: The wife or other close relative of KMGM-TV employes each should call 40 persons in Minneapolis each evening and recommend that they tune in to watch the feature film. By last Thursday, 40 relatives were telephoning Minneapolis viewers each evening and, according to Mr. Cott, the reaction for the first three days was "fantastic." Viewers told callers they were "happy to be reminded of the feature films" and an overwhelming majority indicated they would tune in to KMGM-TV, he said. Disc Jockeys at Philly Auto Show To assure advertisers that WRCV Philadelphia commercials reach a "large and interested audience," the station is sending clients a letter describing the activities of the personalities that promote their products. The Philadelphia Automobile Show Nov. 15 saw disc jockeys Bill Mayer, Vince Lee and Hy Lit running a booth where visitors were invited to throw darts at balloons to win a 45 rpm record. Prior to this, Vince Lee helped Elsa Maxwell emcee Monitor's coast-tocoast broadcast of the auto show's opening ceremonies, Jonathan Winters as guest. Messrs. Lee and Lit also remoted their shows from the exhibition and, among other personal appearances, WRCV disc jockeys are accompanying Santa Claus this month in a local department store. ABOVE: KLIX Twin Falls, Idaho, "Dapper D. J.'s" are interviewed by another station personality, Happy Holly Houfberg, as they enter the hotel for their broadcast. The d.j.'s were introduced in connection with the station's balloon-dropping promotion. INSET: Listening to a special presentation disc of WXYZ Detroit's Sunday Best are (I to r) Paul Winter, host of the show; Theda Meltzer, W. B. Doner receptionist; W. B. Doner, president of the agency, and Doug Campbell, WXYZ sales representative. Mr. Winter dressed in formal -attire and accompanied WXYZ sales representatives to the various agencies. D. J.'S GO FORMAL It looks as if the trend in attire for d.j.'s might be undergoing a change. That is, if the promotions reported by KLIX Twin Falls, Idaho, and WXYZ Detroit are any indication. In both cases, the d.j.'s have gone formal. Its balloon-dropping promotion [Programs & Promotions, Dec. 9] was so successful, says KLIX, that it decided to hold another one. The station, which operates on 1310 kc, dropped 1,310 balloons on the city and at the moment they were let go, the "Dapper D. J.'s," dressed in swallow-tail coats, striped trousers, homburgs, ivory-tipped walking sticks and silk gloves, arrived at a local hotel. The three Dapper D. J.'s were ushered into the hotel on a red carpet and conducted an hour-and-a-half broadcast during which they interviewed diners in the hotel restaurant and gave descriptions of their own meals. The balloons, which were dropped near the hotel, contained numbered certificates and finders of the lucky numbers were awarded prizes of jewelry, household appliances and checks of $13.10, $131, $500 and $1,310. In addition to the winning certificate numbers, lucky telephone numbers were picked. KLIX reports that 6,000 people turned out for the promotion. After their introduction, the d.j.'s made personal appearances around town on special remotes and at football games, strolled down main street, visited sponsors, hosted at KLIX's open house and continually read the winning certificate and telephone numbers. KL1X-TV telecast the occasion when the winners received their prizes and the station reports that 100,000 viewers witnessed it. In Detroit, WXYZ's Paul Winter was formally dressed when he called on agency executives and presented them with carnations and copies of his album "A Winter's Tale" and played a special presentation disc of his show, Sunday Best. He was accompanied on the agency rounds by WXYZ' sales representative. Page 106 • December 16, 1957 Broadcasting