Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1960)

twist the m.c.'s tongue. Those that Mr. O'Brien says perfectly on the air earn their writers only $1. In nine weeks listeners responded with 8,000 entries and WMCA paid out $642. Joe O'Brien, reciting his way through tongue twisters in several languages on all conceivable topics, says he averages about 40% right. More popular than Peter Piper and the peck of pickled peppers, says the radio personality, is "Still the sinking steamer sunk." Dog of the day • WVIP Mt. Kisco, N.Y., has come to the rescue of the Westchester County center of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. After Mort Dean, WVIP news editor, learned the center was ready to close for lack of funds, he arranged to have the station air daily broadcasts in a drive for funds that netted the shelter $5,000. In addition, WVIP has scheduled two spot announcements daily to help in the placement of stray pets. Called "Dog of the day at the SPCA," the spots consist of poetic descriptions of the dogs by school children, followed by recorded whimpers of the homeless pet. Cleveland 'first' • Thomas Edison's first record, made in 1877, and rerecorded in 1927, was used for station breaks by KYW Cleveland, Feb. 11, commemorating the inventor's 113th Lot'sa check • One of the "largest" checks ever cashed was presented to Mrs. Reed Onley (far right) chairman of a nursing home, by staffers of WDMV Pocomoke, Md. When the station learned that 16-year-old Jimmy Jester, paralyzed last summer in a swimming accident, couldn't return home because his Ml}.. 'uMiiX ;JD'))'<s'' I ° ' F wdmv c' 'wm: family lacked funds for special equipment needed for his comfort, it staged a "radiothon." WDMV raised $1,306 for Jimmy. Holding the check are (1 to r) Ernie Tannen, owner of WDMV; Dave Welborn, Pierce Burgess, Catherine Sparrow, Curt White, general manager, and Dave Davis, all of WDMV. anniversary. The recording of "Mary Had a Little Lamb," was originally made of tin foil and soon fell apart. Edison recorded it again in 1927, but it never did make the top 40. 'I Missed It ... I Saw If • By the simple device of using two stills of a rubber-faced staff cameraman, KPHO 4 PRODUCTION ITEMS see all there is to see... from TOP to BOTTOM 4 BIG DAYS . at the IRE NATIONAL CONVENTION COMPONENTS 1 T7 r { i ":: COMPONENTS and RADIO-ENGINEERING SHOW! Xt doesn't matter how you manage it — by starting at the The opportunity to see SO MUCH that's fourth floor with Production Items, on to the third floor for NEW in the radio-engineering field comes Instruments and Systems, then down to Two and One for Components — or the reverse — what does matter is that you see ALL there is to see at the IRE National Convention and Radio-Engineering Show at the New York Coliseum, March 21-24. You could even take in one floor a day! Remember, there are 4 BIG FLOORS ... and 4 BIG DAYS ... so, plan your trips to the Coliseum so that you don't miss anything. but once a year with this giant IRE National Convention and iRadio-Engincering Show. Be LIP on your field with a thorough knowledge of the displays and exhibits that will be shown as NEW IDEAS in RADIO-ELECTRONICS, from the top fourth floor to the bottom first floor, at the New York Coliseum! Th» IRE NATIONAL CONVENTION Waldorf-Astoria Hotel The Institute of Radio Engineers • MARCH 21, 22, 23, 24 The RADIO ENGINEERING SHOW Coliseum, New York City 1 East 79th St., New York 21. N. Y. TV Phoenix, has created an attentiongetting promotional spot, tying in with the station's daily newspaper advertising of its schedule. A sad-faced version is shown on the air with the announcer saying: "Awww, if he'd only known it was on, he would have watched." It is followed by smiling photograph with the announcer explaining: "He reads KPHO-TV's daily ad and knows what he's going to see before he tunes in." 'S'no' contest • WKEE Huntington, W.Va., took advantage of the winter weather and awarded $20 to the biggest snowman in the community. The winner was a 12 ft. high snow monster "constructed" by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Marshall College in Huntington. Hoedown • Dennis Weaver, "Chester" of CBS-TV's Gunsmoke, Sky King and other tv luminaries whooped up an 18hour telethon over WKRC-TV Cincinnati that helped gross over $83,000 for the Goodwill Industries' rehabilitation home there. The show ran Saturday night 11:15 p.m. to Sunday at 5 p.m. Station disc jockeys manned the phones to accept pledges with local officials and others pitching in to help. Area children made door-to-door collections with the cash — over $8,000 — turned in before the tv cameras. Love & marriage • WKNB Hartford, Conn., paid the way for five starryeyed couples who took out marriage licenses to be wed Feb. 13 and 14. The station paid the license fee for five couples who called in. It was WKNB's way of saluting the Valentine's Day weekend. 104 (FANFARE) BROADCASTING, March 7, 1960