NBC Transmitter (Jan-Dec 1939)

DECEMBER, 1939 3 KNOW YOUR COMPANY No. 20 — Information Division THE public interest, convenience, and necessity is very clearly served by a comparatively new section of the Company, the Information Division. No relation (except in spirit) to Canada Dry’s Blue Network program, it handles the landslide of queries that comes about as a result of broadcasting. In fact it handles a great many that have no clear connection with our network activities, for such is the confidence of the public in the National Broadcasting Company that many have turned to it as a friend and counsellor. Although the Division specializes on information concerning NBC activities, there seems to be no limit to the type of question that may be asked, an extreme example being that of the young ladv who wanted to know where she could be married with the greatest dispatch. The belief that questions and opinions of listeners, written, telephoned, or delivered in person, are extremely important to a broadcaster rendering public service, led to the formation of the Division. The tremendous volume of mail and telephone calls is significant. Approximately thirty thousand letters are received each month, exclusive of those addressed to individual sponsors, artists, contests, etc. And to this mail the Information Division pays strict attention, for it is the pulse of the radio public. Here is truly a major means of enhancing public good will and increasing the number of our listeners. Even the most absurd letters are not entirely unwelcome, for they at least indicate an active interest which is the foundation for popularity and progress. The importance of the Division becomes more and more apparent when one realizes the difficulty of individual minds to get together on a general point, whether it concerns education, music, or news coverage. When the Division receives what seems to be a significant response to a particular program or policy, reports of the listeners’ opinions are compiled to guide future activities. The letters must be studied as a group and individually. Naturally the percentage of opinion pro and con is a vital statistic. The character and background of a person must also be judged where the sentiment expressed is extreme or of particular interest. The nature of the material covered determines the way the LEONARD BRADDOCK letters are broken down. If it is a question of bad reception, then the breakdown is prepared by states or major sections of the country. Another case of the greatest importance would be that of the war bulletins and special commentators. In this case, the public reaction was carefully tabulated for the general attitude to both the mass of material and the individual speakers, and characteristic statements were quoted to give specific examples. Information was organized as a Division to carry this responsibility, in April of 1938, and is in the care of Vice President Frank E. Mason’s Department of Information. Leonard Braddock is the manager and devotes his all to seeing that the Division never misses the opportunity to build good will. He gives special attention to letters criticizing NBC and to the tabulations of public response. Somehow he always finds time to be friendly and helpful. If you ask him what most of the letters are about, he will reply, “Everything concerning radio.” A general coding (for statistical purposes) of the mail that comes in, is undertaken by the encyclopaedic Elsie Ashton and Gertrude Weightman, the former specializing on commercial programs, the latter on sustaining shows. . A large part of the correspondence is made up of departmental mail and requests for tickets to programs, which are, of course, sent on to the proper offices. That still leaves an average of about 3,500 letters a month to be individualy answered. These are passed on to four correspondents who specialize in particular fields. Powell Ensign replies to questions about shows, NBC artists, musical selections, and so forth. From time to time he helps prepare reports on audience response to various programs. Ruth Crawford handles inquiries from schools and individuals seeking information concerning the educational and cultural activities of NBC. She is often a ghost writer behind talks and theses on the subject of radio. Technical mail is the province of Albert Roraback. Students also ask him about television. All sorts of persons write about short wave activities. Some complain of reception or want to know about engineering facilities. A1 satisfies them all, and on the side takes care of listeners seeking pen friends. (There was a girl in Turkey who wanted to get married.) The delicate problem of effectively answering letters of criticism, in general or concerning particular shows, belongs to Gordon Webber (as well as to Braddock). Much good will flows from Gordon’s pen, and then flows back to NBC. He is assistant manager of the Division, so his knowledge is proportionately large. Finally, there is Ken Ellsworth, who answers telephone calls, helps visitors hang up their hats, and in some unexplained fashion finds his way out of the files each night. These files contain all the dope on programs, artists (including ’phone numbers) contests and offers, and television schedules. Ken is a good man to know. Down in Stenographic is a subdivision of five girls who handle the mail for Woman of Tomorrow, Nancy Booth Craig’s commercial show on the Blue Network. These specialists of specialists are Irene Bonnett. Mildred Dossett, Doris Lavazzo, Marion Little, and Janet Wallum. Quietly, ceaselessly, the Eagle Scouts of NBC carry on the good work. Nothing surprises them anv more — nothing. Like the sages of old. they know all, at least about radio, from the measurement of micro-waves to the day the mice were singing. If there is something you must know quickly, Ask them anything re NBC Just by dialing 333.