NBC chimes (Jan 1947-Dec 1948)

feEE LAST PAGE FOR A. A. OFFICER-CANDIDATES! NEWS AND VIEWS OF NBC PERSONNEL IN NEW YORK APRIL • 1947 VOL. 5 NUMBER 2 1 — a RADIO DRAMA CLUB COMPLETES FIRST THREE PRODUCTIONS The NBC Radio Drama Club got off to an ambitious start last month Iwith an original enrollment of more than 80 wishful Welleses, meditating Mooreheads, courageous Corwins, groundwork Grauers, and a flamboyant character who identified riimself as Vitamin Flintheart. The fact that only half the members were employed in the first three productions didn't discourage a full group from turning out for the first eneral meeting and "critique" on February 28. The first show, Surprise Witness a whodunnit with a court-room jtwist — was directed by Jay Seibel, formerly of Production, who put Wayne Howell, Jack Kuney, Pat Lane, Roger Tuttle, and company through some suspenseful paces. Henry Aldrich, the next production, was drawn to the life by Jack Beecher and Dick Schneider as the precocious Henry and Homer, with Jack Dillon and Ruth Norris as their harrassed parents. Sam Monroe directed the show, which was complete with hilarious musical bridges and "Grapenuts Flakes are good, by Jimminy, etc.", sung with authority by Mary Jane Orth and Don Meissner. Ray Levine directed an experimental drama, City of Silence, which H extended the varied talents of Ken Banghart, Ann Taylor, and a frantic Gene Lynch — engineer for the shows — who was charged with a fistful of filters and mike effects. The general meeting, at which recordings of the three productions were played back, afforded the Radio Drama Club its most interesting stimulus. Presided over by Production's Bob Adams, the session evoked a wealth of listener-andself-criticism. This proved of great benefit, not only to those who took part in the shows, but to the people who would be engaged in the club's future productions. Directors, actors, and studio associates (music, sound effects, etc.) withstood the fire of the group's judgment, but not before the participants had risen in vociferous defense of their tech(Continued on page 6, col. 4) BIG YEAR FOR SPEAKERS BUREAU TEN YEAR DINNER DATE SET The activities of the NBC Speakers Bureau for 1946 reveals that bookings were made direct by the Bureau or reported to it by speakers who arranged engagements personally for 150 talks by 51 speakers from 22 departments, appearing in 54 cities of 13 states Of these, 102 were booked directly by the Bureau and the balance were filled by direct contact with the individual speaker who, in each case, reported his engagements to the Speakers Bureau as they were made (and include about 46 filled by Doris Corwith in behalf of the Public Service Department). A wide variety of organizations such as men's and women's clubs, business associations, religious groups and schools and colleges selected some phase of the radio industry as the theme for their meetings. The Speakers' Bureau is operated by the Information Department. The induction of the new Ten and Twenty Year Club members will take place on Monday, May 5. The occasion will take place in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria. By having the celebration in May, the induction returns to the month it has been traditionally held in the past. Last year the affair took place in November to coincide with the Company's twentieth anniversary. The 20 Year Club members to be inducted are William Bloxham, Gustave Bosler, Alice Brazee, Alfred Christopher, William Clarke, Walter Damrosch, Paul Dumont, Henry Gabrielson, Melville Greene, Charles Grey, Joseph Kent, Steere Mathew, Hugh McGeachie, Philip Merryman, William B. Miller, Marion Murray, Granville Peers, Robert Sharpe, Ella Sheil, Gordon Strang, Andrew Waddell, Helen Walker, Jens Wies, and Roy Witmer. In addition, 51 will receive their 10 Year Club buttons. Niles Trammell, President, and Frank Mullen, Executive Vice President will preside, with Dr. James R. Angell acting as toastmaster. A lesson in proper make-up is demonstrated by Dorothie Berry (right) of Helena Rubinstein as part of a series of three lectures on good grooming. Blonde Betty Michaelis of Purchasing gets an expert application at the skilled hands of Miss Nicholson. The series, which dealt with posture, fashion, make-up and other helpful hints for the career girl, aroused much attention among NBC women. SUPERVISORS ATTEND RATING MEETINGS Under the direction of Ashton Dunn, the Personnel Department is now holding a series of ten meetings with the Company's supervisors to discuss NBC's method of rating those employees whose terms of employment are not governed by contract. The rating procedure is designed to aid in the Company's established policy of promotion from within. The purpose of the rating system is to provide a periodic, objective evaluation on the part of the supervisor of the job performance and capabilities of those individuals for whom he is held responsible. The study is made on the basis of quality and quantity of work, job attitude, cooperation, initiative, judgment, appearance, attendance and punctuality. The completed forms are referred to when transfers or job openings at a higher level occur, when additional training is contemplated, and when conferences are held with the employee concerning the performance of his duties. Each supervisor has been given a manual to aid him in making accurate and unbiased job ratings for each person for whom he is held responsible. The supervisors are required to discuss the rating point by point with the employee so that the latter may know exactly where he stands and where improvements can be made. When an employee is being considered for an annual increase, transfer or promotion, a copy of the rating form is attached to payroll papers and sent to the Vice President in charge of Finance for approval. In this way NBC's top management is kept informed of those employees within the Company who are doing an outstanding job. WMAQ's SILVER ANNIVERSARY A birthday salute to NBC's M & O in Chicago, which celebrates its silver anniversary on April 13, marking 25 years of uninterrupted service. Now located in the Merchandise Mart, WMAQ is headquarters for the company's central division.