NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1945)

l\oveniher 1945 • i . } H. P. DAVIS AWARDS MADE Phil Irwin, KGW, Gets 1945 Top Honors in Annual Competition of NBC Affiliates’ Mikemen Roy Olson and Jim W estover N'KW ^ORK.— Winners of the 13lh Annual H. 1’. Davis National Memorial Announcers' Awards were named November 3 on a special NBC broadcast. The winners and their classifications were : National: Phil Irwin. K(iW, Portland. Oregon. Owned and Operated: Franklin Fivans. KPO, San Francisco. Clear Channel: Paul Shannon. KDKA. Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania. Regional: Ray Olson, WOW. Omaha, Nebraska. I,ocal: Jim Westover. WGL. Fort Wayne. Indiana. Honorable mention winners were: Owned and Operated: Walter Raney, WRC, Washington, District of Columbia. Clear Channel: Bill Shapard. WFAA. Dallas, Texas. Regional: Charles Barrington, KDYL. Salt Lake City. Utah. Local: Leon Kelly, WRAK, Williamsport. Pennsylvania. On the broadcast, in addition to the Avinners speaking from their own stations, were Clarence L. Menser, NBC vice-jjresident in charge of programs; Mrs. H. P. Davis, sponsor of the awards; Ben Crauer. national winner of 1944. and Patrick J. Kelly. NBC supervisor of announcers. who acted as master-of-ceremonies. Dr. Frank Black conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Competition for the H. P. Davis National Memorial Announcers’ Awards is open to regular staff announcers of all independent stations affiliated with the NBC netw'ork. and of NBC owned-and-oper National W inner Rhil Irwin ated stations. Fntries, consisting of ofT-theair recordings, are judged for personality, diction, voice, versatility and maintenance of a consistently high standard in the presentation of j)rograms. Well-known radio producers are the judges. The national winner receives the 11. P. Davis Announcers’ Gold Medal and a cash award of .f300. Each winner in the four station groups receives an engraved signet ring. Each homirahle mention winner is awarded a certificate. A certificate also is given to each station from whose entries the national winner and group winners are chosen. The award was originally established in 1933 as a medium of recognition for “the Pittsburgh announcer selected by a hoard of judges chosen by The Microphone Playhouse as having the best delivery.” It was known as the II. P. Davis Memorial Diction Award until 193.3, when the rules were broadened to embrace all requisites of good announcing and the title was changed to Announcers’ Award. In 1941 the competition was opened to regular staff members of all stations comprising the NBC network. Phil Irwin, the national winner, has been on KGW's announcing staff since 1934 with only one interruption — two years in the Marine Corps. He was graduated from Reed College in 1940 with a B.A. degree in language and literature. Evans, who took the owned-and-oj)er Franklin Evans and Raul Shannon ated stations title, has 10 \ears of radio experience, beginning as a page hoy in NBC. New ^ ork. He began as an announcer at W.SA\, Rochest(>r, New \ Ork. became chief announcer for WDN(], Durham, North (iarolina, then held the same title at KYW, Philadelphia. With a theatrical hackgiound, clear channel w inner Paul .Shannon did his first radio work with a local dramatic grouj) in 1933 and the following vear joined KDKA. He won Davis Award honorable mentions in 1943 and 1944. Ray Olson, regional titlist, started in radio as a trombonist on WNAX, Yankton. South Dakota, at the age of 19. He soon became an announcer and three years later joined WOW, where he has been for tiine years. Recently he became production manager after .serving as chief announcer for several years. WGi; s Jim Westover, local winner, is program <lirector for the station and does newscasts and special e\ents programs as well as announcing. He joined WGL in Fehruarv of 194.3. St. Louis Promotion .ST. LOULS.-A total of 26(),0()0 booklets listing K.SD radio programs were distributed in the St. Louis area. A ((uarter of a million of the listings were distributed from door-to-door, one for almost every home in .St. Louis, and 1 ().()()() went out by mail. The 1 )ooklets list programs according to their content. “News,” “News Eeatures,” “News Commentators,” “Popular Music.” ariety and Comedy,” “l ine Music.” “Dramas.” “Quiz Programs,” “Religious Programs.” “Daytime Serials” and “Miscellaneous.”