Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1963)

FANFARE Mattel dolls to promote NBC-TV shows in the fall Mattel's Ken and Barbie dolls, which became big sellers through television commercials, are going to be put to use by NBC-TV in the network's promotion for fall series. NBC dressed up 12 dolls in a variety of costumes to illustrate themes and stories of a new dramatic anthology series. The costumes depict leading characters in each of the shows in the series. While all of Barbie's costumes came from the standard Mattel line, four of Ken's costumes — cardinal, Santa Claus, airline pilot and baseball player — were designed and created in minature by the network's wardrobe department. Pebbles contest drew half-million entries Screen Gems has announced the winner of a national contest to guess the weight of the baby that was born on its Flint stone series on ABC-TV. He is an Orlando, Fla., meatcutter named Joseph P. Domingos, who wins a trip around the world for two and $2,000 in cash to defray other expenses. The baby, called Pebbles, weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Mr. Domingos guessed the correct weight. The contest drew about 500,000 entries, and Mr. Domingos' name was drawn from among those guessing the correct weight by lot. The winner, who was born in Portugal, will probably use his trip to visit relatives. He has them in Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela and Portuguese Africa. 'Biggest in history' Anyone still doubting the power of radio should contact the Chamber of Commerce of Hobart, Ind. The city has planned a week-long promotion involving every facet of the community and including special sales, school essay contests, awards, etc., as a result of Sig Sakowicz's plans to "salute" Hobart during his regular show on WGN Chicago on April 8. J. S. McMahon, the chamber's executive secretary, said the radio salute has prompted the "biggest event in the history" of the chamber. Four Star sales aids Four Star Distribution Corp. reports expenditures over $20,000 for compilation of market-by-market rating data on its off-network syndicated shows. Four Star will supply stations buying its series with each show's ratings history as a sales aid for the stations in selling the programs to advertisers. KFWB's charity check J. Joseph Bernard (1), general manager of KFWB Los Angeles, presents a check for $5,969.54 to Burt Zinn, vice president and general manager of Radio-TelevisionRecording Industries-Advertising Agencies Charities Inc. The check represents the proceeds of a basketball benefit and star-studded halftime show presented at the Los Angeles Sports Arena before a sold-out house at 98 cents a person. The benefit was staged by KFWB and Southern California Record Industries Promoters. Voice of Democracy winners Richard J. Behrens, 16, of Westfield, N.J., was announced last week as the first place winner in the annual Voice of Democracy contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in cooperation with state broadcaster associations. Behrens' winning script on "What Freedom Means to Me" gained him a $5,000 college scholarship. Second place went to Jeffrey J. Radowich, 17, of Hyattsville, Md.; third was Yvonne Ferguson, 16, of Portsmouth, Ohio; and fourth was Bill Lindberg, 16, of Olympia, Wash. The awards were presented at the banquet ending the VFW Department Commanders conference in Washington. A gold medal and citation were given to William R. McAndrew, executive vice president NBC News for having produced the NBC-TV series Profile of Communism. Junior Achievers run station A weekly half-hour radio show is put on by 15 high school boys and girls in Pensacola, Fla., operating as WJRA. The youngsters, members of the Pensa cola Junior Achievement group, use rented facilities of WCOA Pensacola, 8:30-9 a.m. Saturdays. Income from participating spots goes to pay salaries, operating expenses, rent and annual dividends to stockholders, with every Junior Achiever belonging to the board of directors. Capitol library as prize The entire 1,250-album Capitol Records library is being given away by WWDC-AM-FM Washington, in its "1,001 Nights of Glorious Entertainment" contest. The contest will run five weeks, on a round-the-clock basis. Excerpts from five records will be broadcast each week with listeners asked to identify music and artist. At the end of the five weeks, the listener who has identified the most tunes and artists will win the library in monaural or stereo. Drumbeats . . . Oscar's spots ■ The ABC research department estimates that 425 million "viewer impressions" will have been telecast over ABC-TV promoting the network's "Oscarcast" (April 8, 10 p.m.) before the Motion Picture Academy Awards are presented. Spots of 20 and 60 seconds, made by various Hollywood personalities are being telecast on ABC-TV programs. WGN congratulates ■ Cards of congratulations are being sent to more than 300,000 new car buyers in the market area of WGN Chicago by Charles E. Gates, station manager. He extends "welcome to our family of listeners on wheels" and tells them how WGN's radio services make driving more enjoyable. Fm listeners heard ■ Mail from listeners of WMMM-FM Westport, Conn., indicates a preference for semi-popular orchestral music over vocalists or classical selections, according to a report from the station. Also, the listeners said they'd like to hear school details, local commuter and weather reports before news broadcasts. Pepsi, please ■ Flag-pole sitters have nothing on Bob Harper, disc jockey for WING Dayton. During one of the recent cold spells in the city, Mr. Harper broadcast for 10 days from the top of a 72-foot high spectacular Pepsi-Cola sign, which overlooked a main highway. The gimmick: Mr. Harper broadcast passing auto-license numbers and when a driver heard his number, he was entitled to a free case of Pepsi-Cola if he telephoned the station within a half-hour. During the 10 days, 188 of 321 motorists whose plates had been spotted called the station. 100 BROADCASTING, April 8, 1963