NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1945)

February 1945 13 TWENTY YEARS A SPONSOR Louisville! Financier’s Double Decade on WAVE Has Unusual Story ti OLDTIMER—Said to be the oldest continuous broadcaster in the United States, Gustav Flexner broadcasts daily from his office on all four Louisville stations. He has been on I I San Antonio “Home Town” I Show Recorded for Gl’s H SAN ANTONIO, TEX.— Written for and about South Texas men in the service overseas, “Let's Go to Town,” a half-hour I radio program cooperatively arranged by ra San Antonio’s radio stations, was pre I* sented at WOAI, San Antonio, Texas, on January 14. The program was presented for overseas broadcast by WOAI, KTSA, KABC and KONO. Format of the show, emceed by WOAl's Bill Shomette, gave these Texas boys a figurative trip through colorful San Antone, telling them how the old home town looks since they left, how it has changed and in what respects it has remained the same. Two returned veterans compared notes on their reaction to homecoming. Familiar musical groups— the Texas ; Tumbleweeds, Red River Dave, popular cowboy halladeer with his songs of the range; Los Charros, in native costume, singing the songs that made them famous in San Antonio’s Haymarket Plaza; and Rosita, WOAl’s petit dish of Mexican chili— all these joined to give Texas hovs a taste of the old Southwest. Ken McClure and Corwin Riddell, two of the best-known figures in radio news broadcasting in this part of the country, reported news of the home-front. Bud Thorpe, sports and special events reporter for WOAI. inter viewed local sportsw riters. A special message in Spanish was on the bill of fare for Mexican soldiers. Ihe program was witnessed by families and fi Sends of servicemen. LOUIS VI LLF, KY.-T or 20 years the NBC afliliated station in Louisville has sold time, and plenty of it, to (iustav Flexner, secretar) and treasurer of the (heater Louisville First Federal Savings and Loan Association. “We have built our institution (a $12.()()(),()()() home-financing organization I through radio,” said Flexner on the eve of his 20th anniversar\ on the air. (heater Louisville presented its first radio program on December 31, 192.5 from the dining room of the Kentuck) Hotel. Heard over WHAS air waves, at that time the only station in Kentucky, the two-hour musical show featured an orchestra and mixed (juartet. Flexner presided at the microi)hone as he does each Saturday on “The (heater Louisville Hour.” Sold on the priceless value of radio’s direct approach or personal contact with the public, Flexner prefers to do his own talking about his business, it being an especially confidential and responsil)le kind. Equivalent to twelve-and-one-half days a year when added together, all Greater Louisville programs are written and [)roduced by Flexner, who realized many years ago that radio was the one way of getting in homes to discuss business “without bothering people.” If they don’t want to listen, they don’t have to. he held, and peoj)le will listen to an ex|)lanation of financing plans when they won’t read it. Tor these reasons Mr. Flexner believes in and practices “dignified radio advertising used cotisislentlv with complete coverage.” In 1927, (heater Louisville fcjiged ahead into what was considered at that time liberal radio advertising. First, the firm bought daily time on the air, marking the beginning of Flexner’s five-minute savings talks, which today are heard on all four Louisville stations. Secondly, National Broadcasting (iomj)an\ engineers from New York constructed a modern radio studio in the (heater Louisville office. F(juip|)ed with an organ and ])iano, this studio continues to give satisfactory service after 17 years of constant use. During the darkest days of the depression, Flexner continued his daily savings talks offering suggestions for the best and safest plans of home financing. Carried by remote control from his home in the Highlands, his daily messages weren’t stopped even by the Ohio River Valley Flood of 1937. Realizing the im])ortance of fresh and up-to-date news, he prepares his scripts for the daily chats an hour or two before he goes on the air. Direct lines to all four Louisville stations, outlets of the four major networks, line one wall of his office. It is Flexner’s personal opinion that there isn't another office in the country, except the White House, so equipped with direct lines to all four networks. NEWSPAPER AND RADIO FIELDS lOIN FORCES IN MANPOWER CAMPAIGN n TAM, Cleveland, cooperating with the War Manpower Commission in its dritw for increased production in war plants, presented radio and tear correspondents in a panel discussion on war needs. Taking part in the January 28 broadcast were (left to right): Roelif Loveland, Cleveland I^lain Dealer; Ray Turk, Cleveland \etvs; Eduard W allace, W T.iM's newsroom chief; William Miller, Cleveland Press; and Dave Baylor, of W G.4R.