NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1944)

of war that when the emergency has ended and we again enjoy the fruits of peace we will, unwittingly, forego for¬ ever the rights and liberties for which our forefathers fought and which are made sacred by our Constitution , the foreword reads in part. The greater portion of the program is musical, featur¬ ing a 35 piece little symphony orchestra and a 1G voice mixed chorus. The current distinguished American guest speaker pre¬ pares his own manuscript, expressing his personal views on a subject of national importance. He broadcasts from a CBS station in the town where he happens to be on the day of the broadcast. Eric A. Johnston, president, U. S. Chamber of Com¬ merce, was guest speaker on January 8, 1944; Alexander G. Ruthven, president, University of Michigan, January 15; Merle Thorpe, editor-publisher, Nation’s Business, Jan. 22; Warren H. Atherton, national commander, Ameri¬ can Legion, Jan. 29; Frederick C. Crawford, president, Thompson Products, Feb. 4; Beardsley Ruml, treasurer, R. H. Macy Co., Feb. 12; and Howard W. Jackson, presi¬ dent, Riall Jackson Co., Feb. 19. WBZ WARCASTS INCREASE PRODUCTION, RAISE MORALE More than 100,000 war workers in metropolitan Boston are provided with a very special type of news program 25 times daily as a result of a unique network set up by WBZ at the suggestion of the United States Navy’s Indus¬ trial Incentive Division. This distinctive network consists of a web of leased lines between the Westinghouse radio station studios in the Hotel Bradford and suburban war plants employed on Naval contracts as well as the thou¬ sands of workers in the two Boston Navy Yards. This service came about when Washington officials made a survey of the local Navy Yards and sought methods of spreading production and lowering absenteeism. The Boston District Naval Incentive Officer suggested special five-minute war news digests, coupled with an incentive message especially written for workers, be placed on the Navy Yards’ public address system twice daily. WBZ was asked to aid in the development of the plan. Hence, the WBZ newsroom started preparing Warcasts which are sent daily and Sundays over leased lines to the Navy Yards. Government officials noted an improvement in production as well as in the workers’ morale. Labor leaders and Washington authorities praised the plan, and Under Secretary Forrestal issued a directive late in August, 1943, asking that Navy Shore Installations and war plants in other parts of the country adopt a similar technique. The special Navy Yard Warcasts have continued with¬ out interruption since that time. On Christmas Eve, a second service, known as the Boston Naval Warcast Net¬ work, was instituted at the WBZ studios. The WBZ Navy Warcast Network “pipes” five-minute war news digests into ten Greater Boston industrial plants at intervals over an eighteen hour period daily. The only expense to the plants is the cost of telephone leased lines between the WBZ studios and the factories. The Naval Warcast Network has been expanded to other cities from coast to coast since its inception in Boston. WOW BEGINS 22ND YEAR WOW, Omaha, observed its 21st birthday, without fan¬ fare, on April 2 and it is now well started on “its 22nd year of usefulness.” Featured on the front page of the April “WOW News Tower,” station’s monthly magazine, are photos of four radio men who have participated in the growth and success of the station. That of Johnny Gillin, Jr., WOW president, shows him as a turbaned and barefoot sheik, in a prep school play. Harry Burke, WOW assistant manager, is pictured as a student in a Worcester, Mass., prep school. The old time photo of Bill Wiseman, then a freshman at “Old Mizzou”, reveals a fine crop of hair. Lyle De Moss is shown in a “gown”, without cap, right hand clutching a bouquet. At the time he was studying voice at a theological school. WLS HAS 20TH BIRTHDAY On April 12, 1924, WLS started operations, 500 watts on 870. Because of the war there was no formal observance of the anniversary last Wednesday. Eight staff members are twenty-year veterans. The station was purchased by its present owner, Burridge D. Butler, in 1928. COLUMBIA GETS DPC LOAN Secretary of Commerce, Jesse Jones, has announced that the Defense Plant Corporation, RFC subsidiary, has au¬ thorized the execution of a contract with the Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc., to provide facilities at Delano, Cal., at a cost of approximately $450,000. Columbia will operate these facilities, title remaining in the Defense Plant Corporation. JAN. & FEB. ANALYSIS OF STATION WAR EFFORT BROADCASTS Individual station originations in support of the war effort during January and February 1944 continued ag¬ gressive, hard-hitting and resultful. During these two months broadcasting established a new high back of a war loan, the 4th War Loan, yet found time to handle an extended list of subjects having to do with the prosecution of the war. The figures presented below were produced by the NAB Research Department. They ai'e based exclusively on the monthly reports of individual stations to NAB and are minimum rather than maximum. January February Type & Length A umber Number OW I — Washington: 55-60 Sec. 4th War Loan L or ET 48,890 36,220 Woman Power L or ET 5,640 10,330 Wave Recruiting L or ET 5,690 8,490 .Join the Wacs L or ET 7,500 Cadet Nurse Corps L or ET 8,980 Red Cross Fund Drive L or ET 6,370 Waste Paper Salvage L or ET 4,840 V-Mail L or ET 6,830 Paper Conservation L or ET 4,920 8,510 Fight Inflation L or ET 10,430 Hold Prices Down L or ET 7,210 Wartime Nutrition L or ET 10,070 Save Critical Resources L or ET 4,440 Save Fats and Greases L or ET 7,790 Car Sharing L or ET 1,710 4,420 Conserve Gasoline L or ET 4,450 Conserve Fuel L or ET 110,060 6,070 103,670 Performance on above items but not item ized 22,500 132,560 25,780 129,450 Treasury Department: Treasury Song Parade 3-Min. ET 21,150 12,420 Treasurv Star Parade 15-Min. ET 13,120 10,160 Announcements 180 80 April 14, 1944 — 111