Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

If You've Been on KBIG You're In this Picture EVERY GOOD STATION gets awards. KBIG's trophy room is distinctive because its awards are significant to advertisers. Kudos collected in The Catalina Station's 5 years of life include these sponsor-centered tributes : RAB, RADIO GETS RESULTS Competition: KBIG, 11 awards ... more than any other station. ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION OF THE WEST, Best Commercial Program : KBIG, 4 awards . . . more than any other station. RADIO-TELEVISION NEWS CLUB of Southern California: KBIG, 4 awards ...more than any other independent station. INDIVIDUAL TROPHIES proudly displayed at KBIG are those from Los Angeles and St. Louis Advertising Women . . .The Governor's Cup from the California State Fair... Hotel Sales Managers Association . . . The Billboard Magazine ... and scores of public service organizations. Any KBIG or Weed man will gladly help relate the significance of this recognition of quality to your own advertising. JOHN POOLE BROADCASTING CO. 6540 Sunset Blvd.. Los Angeles 28, California Telephone: Hollywood 3-3205 Nat. Rep. WEED and Company OUR RESPECTS to Carleton Dabney Smith The daily Washington routine of Carleton Smith back in early 1933 was like that of all announcers around the nation's capital — some commercials, some studio and remote programs and occasionally a high government official. That was before the inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on March 4. This key day in national history was also the turning point in the life of Carleton Smith, who had helped announce the inauguration and a few days later introduced the President on the historic bank-closing speech. These led to his designation as "Presidential announcer" of WRC, key NBC Red station in Washington, and then to national prominence as he frequently intoned the familiar Fireside Chat introduction, "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States." Another major event in his career happened just a fortnight ago when Mr. Smith completed the move of WRC-AM-FM-TV, NBC owned-and-operated stations, to a $4 million plant in the Northwest Washington residential area. As NBC Washington vice president and general manager of the stations he now directs a staff of 202 and the operation of "the first tv station designed from the ground up for color." The Presidential assignment eventually took Mr. Smith into all 48 states and to foreign countries. In 1935 he started his executive career as assistant manager of WMAL, NBC's Blue key. WRC was added to his responsibilities in 1936 and by 1941 he had become manager of WRC. The White House asked that he continue his assignment as Presidential announcer, a post he held during the entire Roosevelt administration. After NBC's WNBW (now WRC-TV) went on the air in 1947, Mr. Smith spent some of his time arranging live and filmed network programs from the seat of government. Within a year he was called to New York to become NBC's manager of network television operations. Soon he was named director of the tv unit. In 1951 he was raised to a vice presidency, taking charge of network station relations, and then becoming director of operations of the NBC o&o stations division. After returning to Washington in 1953 as NBC vice president and general manager of WRC-AM-FM-TV, he reorganized radio and tv operations — and set alltime sales records. When WRC-TVs power was boosted to 100 kw (ch. 4 maximum), Mr. Smith was already preparing for a new Washington headquarters building to replace the quarters in the Sheraton-Park Hotel, conceiving a broadcast plant around the future of color tv. In 1957 Vice President Nixon laid the cornerstone for a two-story plant on Nebraska Ave. The tower reaches 849 ft., highest structural point in the District of Columbia. (The Washington Monument is 555 ft) A native of Winterset, Iowa, where he was born Feb. 16, 1905, young Carleton Dabney Smith moved east to Washington in 1922. Daytime he worked as a stenographer in the office of Rep. Gilbert Haugen (D-Iowa) (he can still decipher Gregg shorthand). At night he attended George Washington U. In 1927 he married a schoolmate, Anne Jones, and took a job in Roanoke, Va., as executive secretary of the American Automobile Assn. office in that city. After a series of auto safety talks on WDBJ Roanoke he was hired as parttime. announcer on the night shift by Manager Ray Jordan, now vice president and managing director of WDBJ-AM-TV. In November 1931 he decided he liked radio, applied for and got a job at WRC. After assuming the management post at WRC in 1941 he took an active part in community affairs. Soon he was a board member of the Washington Board of Trade and served on the Greater National Capital Committee, Advertising Club and Better Business Bureau. He was a charter member of the Radio-Television Correspondents Assn. and belonged to the Kiwanis Club and National Press Club. Following the New York interlude he resumed civic activities. In April 1957 the Kiwanis Club of ^Washington honored him with a special luncheon. President Eisenhower sent a message praising him for his contribution to the community in encouraging the growth of a strong and generous citizenry. He was first general campaign chairman and now is president of the United Givers Fund of Washington. Carleton Smith hides a churning mind behind a calm, dignified front. He is seldom ruffled even when his auto telephone keeps ringing in heavy traffic during a day loaded with appointments, office routine and the assorted activities of a Washington network executive. His decisions are made deliberately but without hesitation. He lives in Chevy Chase, Md., a Washington suburb, with his 1 7-year-old wson, Craig. Mrs. Smith died in 1956. On weekends and at odd moments he indulges three hobbies — golf, boating and photography. He is a member of Burning Tree Club and Columbia Country Club. Page 24 • April 7, 1958 Broadcasting