NBC transmitter (Oct-Dec 1944)

October 1944 13 WKY Brings Mike to Farms As Agriculture Series Starts OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.-WKY has inaugurated a new farm service department. A large banquet that over 700 farmers, teachers, and livestock men attended launched the series. Inaugural speeches were made by Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Grover B. Hill, Governor Kerr, of Oklahoma, and Dr. Henry Bennett, president of Oklahoma A. & M. College. Edd Lemons the “Farm Reporter” has a different type of farm program. He does no “experting.” He knows farmers and cattlemen and understands their problems. So by reporting specific examples he shows farmers how others licked similar tough problems. He broadcasts Monday through Friday. On Saturdays there is an entirely different format. The mobile unit, production staff and farm department travel to an outstanding agricultural community and hold an on-the-spot broadcast. The “Farm Reporter” pays tribute to some achievement of that county. The first onthe-spot broadcast was from Chandler in Lincoln County. Soil conservation has become a state-wide project in Oklahoma and everyone is vitally interested. But Chandler is the community that has had remarkable success and Lemons interviewed some of the farmers who had begun the county conservation program. Every county of Oklahoma will be visited—not once— but several times. It is the aim of the WKY “Farm Reporter” to render such service. He believes: “a good farm service department should be a distinct help to the community. It should contribute to the security of life on the farm; to the advancement of the science of farming; to the conservation of the soil resources of the state of Oklahoma; and to proper utilization of its fertility.” The farm service department is a sustaining public service feature of WKY. It is not offered for sale. In the one month since the inauguration of WKY’s “Farm Reporter” program (at the time this issue went to press), this radio feature has set such a fast pace that it has become necessary to augment the station’s farm staff. The new addition is Clarence Burch, former County Agent of Cleveland County. FARM BROADCAST -Edd Lemons, WKY mikeman, interviews Adrian Legato and Claude Smith on wavs their county improved their land. The public service series has won wide attention in Oklahoma farm areas. ( Story at left). KISM, El Paso, Rolls Up 15 Years of Broadcasting EL PASO. TEX.— Station KTSM celebrated its 15th anniversary on August 26. The celebration began with a dinner-party the previous evening, honoring some 150 local advertisers. Special programs were presented the following day, beginning with a studio musical feature to which a capacity-audience was invited. At noon the program “Behind the Scenes at KTSM” introduced the various members of the KTSM staff and explained the activity of each station department. Climax of the day’s activities was an anniversary program most of which was originated by NBC in Hollywood. Jennings Pierce, Western division station relations manager, served as m.c. and called upon various NBC department heads to extend their greetings to corresponding department heads of KTSM. The NBC portion of the program was highlighted by a talk by Vice-President Sidney N. Strotz. KTSM had its birth as a little 100watter in the basement of a music store. Today the 1.000-watt station occupies three floors of Hotel Paso del Norte and a new modern transmitter-building east of the city. Of the four members of the staff who put the station on the air. Karl Wyler, manager, and E. L. Gemoets, chief engineer, are still with KTSM. Wyler began as an announcer and also did a singing act called “Karl the Kowhand.” Later he became program director, then commercial manager, and in 1933 general manager. Station KTSM joined the network in January 1938. Oldest Continuous Medical Series in 14th WHAM Year ROCHESTER, N. Y.-The 1944-1945 radio program of the Medical Society of the County of Monroe started Saturday, September 9, over Station WHAM. I bis is the society’s 14th season of broadcasting, and the opening broadcast represented the 552nd in the series. The society proudly proclaims its programs to he the oldest continuously produced medical broadcast series in the world, and no rival for this honor has challenged its claim. This series goes on the air as “Rochester’s Medical Broadcast.” Rochester has ranked as one of the leading medical centers of America, and the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Rochester has always been well represented by speakers on the program. The 1943-1944 broadcasting program of the society was accorded high rank in the microphone world, and the leading medical men of Rochester participated in its program as speakers. One of its notable features was its special infantile paralysis broadcast, a transcription of which was given President Roosevelt as a birthday gift. This unusual souvenir had enlisted in its production and transmission the efforts of Dr. Walter C. Allen, chairman of the health education committee of the society who wrote the script, and many other noted physicians. The crowning event of the 1943-1944 season was the new Summer program on child health, a trail-blazing feature so successful that it is expected to become a regular part of the society’s broadcasting program. This was a series of 10 broadcasts arranged by the child welfare committee. The series has the endorsement of the child specialists of Rochester, and leading pediatricians participated in the program. Speakers on these Summer broadcasts have been invited to contribute articles on subjects discussed in national health publications. Round-table discussions will highlight the 1944-1945 series, past experience proving the popularity of the forums. In an effort to insure the authenticity of information given the public in these broadcasts, the society has a special committee on review, selected from the health education committee.