NBC Transmitter (Dec 1945-Jan 1947)

14 NBC Transmitter Trammell Calls for Self-Supervision for Radio Industry in Proprietary Association Address NEW YORK.— Freedom of enterprise and expression and freedom from government control of programs have given this country the finest, best balanced radio program service in the world, Niles Trammell. NBC president, told the Proprietary Association of America at a meeting at the Biltmore Hotel here May 14. Calling for continued self-control and self-supervision for the radio broadcasting industry, Trammell declared that the broadcaster should be obedient to the dictation of public opinion and not that of a government bureau. "By the very nature of his business,” he said, “every broadcaster is extremely sensitive to the tastes and wishes of the listening audience. Those tastes and wishes are his surest guide to success in rendering a genuine public service.” In appraising the value to the public of radio programs, the NBC executive declared. no distinction can be drawn between programs that are commercially sponsored and those that are not. “If you take the size of the listening audience as a standard of measurement,” he explained, "then there is no comparison —the public votes overwhelmingly in favor of the commercial program. But. if you take the opinion of some of the critics of the American system of broadcasting, only the unsponsored, non-commercial program can render a public service. “Many of these critics are people who, while they protest they would not favor having our broadcasting facilities taken over lock, stock and barrel by the government—would like to see the government supervise and control programs that go on the air. In many instances, they are the same people who are critical of trademarked merchandise and would prefer that the contents of every package and every bottle should be dictated by government specifications and identified, not by a brand name, but by a government formula.” Trammell urged members of the association. who are among radio’s major advertisers. to give serious attention to the problem of improving commercial announcements on the air. “If advertisers and agencies will put as much brains and imagination and creative ability into the commercial as they put into the show itself, the audience will enjoy listening to one as much as the other,” he said. "In our policy code we set definite limits on the amount of time allowed by commercial announcements in quarterhour. half-hour, and full-hour programs. Those time-limits are arbitrary; nobody knows whether they are ideal or not. I am certain, however, that in considering the relation of the commercial to the rest of the program, there has been too much emphasis on quantity and not enough emphasis of quality. The listener does not hold a stop-watch on the commercial. Nobody complains about an interesting or entertaining commercial; but any commercial-regardless of the time it takes— that bores an audience is too long.” Trammell gave credit to advertisers for making it possible for this country to lead the world in number of radioequipped homes and for also making possible the free-enterprise system of broadcasting. TRENTON, N. J. — A radio forum "Trenton Talks It Over,” sponsored by a group of outstanding citizens in the state's capital city, made its dehut over station WTTM. June 1. BEDSIDE HARMONY -Earl Moreland, production manager of WAIC (Memphis, Tenn.), holds the mike while four patients of the Crippled Children's Hospital sins th eir favorite hillbilly tunes. The children ivere heard direct from the hospital during National Crippled Children' s Week. Three Winners Share $1,000 Wisconsin Music Scholarships MILWAUKEE. WIS. Three young Wisconsin musicians were named winners in the third annual “Starring Young Wisconsin Artists” series, and presented with music scholarships totaling SI. 000 by The Milwaukee Journal radio stations. WTMJ and WTMJ-FM. and the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs. First prize winner of $500 is Virginia Drake, 24-year-old dramatic soprano of Madison. James McCrory, 17-year-old Pewaukee pianist, placed second and won a music scholarship award of $300. Third award winner of $200 is Kathryn Oaks, 28-year-old lyric soprano of Waukesha. The “Starring Y oung Wisconsin Artists” contest series was a joint presentation of The Milwaukee Journal stations and the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs with the purpose to encourage and develop musical talent among young Wisconsin artists. Auditions were held throughout the state and 30 young musicians were chosen to appear on 10 recital-broadcasts Sunday afternoons on WTMJ. The three winners were selected from these 30 by a board of judges. This is the third consecutive year WTMJ and the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs presented the “Starring Young Wisconsin Artists” series and the first year cash scholarship prizes have been offered. Novel Ticket Promotion FORT WAYNE. IND.-When “Farnsworth Night " was celebrated at the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre's first performance of “Lightnin’,” the sales promotion department of Farnsworth Station WGL provided identification tickets in the form of miniature car cards, photographed from those used currently in Fort Wayne buses. Robert Storey of the WGL staff starred in the leading role of “Lightnin and a full bouse was made up of Farnsworth Television & Radio Corporation employees including the staff of Station WGL. News Series For Women ST. LOUIS. MO.— News about homes of the future, fashion trends, careers for women, and of the changeable woman’s world in general, is now featured on Station KSD's new series. "Presenting Peggv Cave.