NBC Transmitter (Mar-Oct 1941)

OCTOBER. 1941 3 LETTERS Helsingfors, Brando. "On board of this ship 1 have repeatedly heard your broadcasts. . . . The rest of the German-speaking world could hear more of the fate of the Baltic peoples. ... In the Baltic there is now much less freedom than under the former regimes, which by far were not democratic. The material situation of the workers has catastrophically become worse, the prices of goods have risen 3, 4 and 5 times in comparison with the much advertised rise in wages.” Beograd, Yugoslavia. ". . . When Laval was dismissed from his office ... I listened to another American broadcasting station from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m., and it did not give this news, but when I listened to your news broadcast one minute later, the above-mentioned sensation was announced. That same evening I tried to check this news through any one of the European broadcasting stations, but in vain; it only became general news on the following day.” This letter was smuggled out of Germany by an emigrant and brought to Colombia, South America, via Russia, Japan and over the Pacific. The letter was mailed from Medellin, Colombia, on Feb. 17, 1941, and received by the International Div. March 11, 1941. Berlin. September, 1 940. "It will take several months before you will receive this letter . . . The time of your broadcast and wave length is a quietly-kept secret of very, very many . . . We have two big favors to make of you: 1 . Most of our radios have a short wave dial beginning only with the 19 meter band . . . German Hour, if possible, use the 31 meter band. 2. Please change the broadcast time of your news period to the end of the hour, as the German Radio Station broadcasts the news at 8:00 p.m., to which we must listen, so one at least knows the next day, what Dr. Goebbels had to communicate to us. BROADCASTING John F. Royal, Vice-President in charge of International Relations, has flown more than a half-million miles over most of the world’s air lines looking after NBG’s far-flung broadcasting interests. Returning from a 20,000-mile air tour of all the Republics below the Rio Grande. Mr. Royal brought with him signed contracts with 92 stations in the 20 Latin American countries. This step by NBG, in extending its Pan American network, results in the largest single network yet developed by any major American broadcasting company. Mr. Royal, on returning, said, "This is another step on the part of NBG to cement the social, commercial and cultural ties with the people of the United States and our South American neighbors. In completing this extension of our Pan American network we have dealt separately with every one of the countries instead of considering the ‘South of the Rio Grande’ as a whole. We have followed this plan since each of the Republics has radio problems and circumstances of a local nature which had to be considered PROGRAMS "GUGAT FOR GAMELS”— the Red Network show featuring Xavier Gugat, Garmen Gastillo, Lina Romay and Miguelito Valdez is sent simultaneously to Latin America. Rafael Herrera performs the neat trick of listening to Bert Parks, via earphones, while announcing in Spanish the same commercials from a soundproof, glassenclosed booth in the studio. "FASHIONS IN MANHATTAN”— beamed abroad to Europe on Wednesdays. Designed to give helpful hints and constructive advice to the women of England who, war or no, keep up with the latest fashions. The broadcasts describe trends in design and stress the possibilities of dressing smartly under trying circumstances. "BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS” — Ted Malone, heard regularly over the Blue, is now beamed to Europe five days a week. "MEN OF MUSIG”— featuring serious music and interviews with famous composers, singers and musicians. The artists perform during the program while the works of the composers are being played. Frank Nesbitt, head of the English Section of International, interviews. "FOR AMERICA WE SING”— the Blue Network show featuring Dr. Frank Black and the NBC Orchestra, Helen jepson and Frank Parker, is heard in England on Mondays via delayed broadcast. before any thought could be made in the direction of an extended Pan American network.” All of the 92 NBC affiliates in the 20 Pan American countries now have the opportunity of picking the best programs of the NBC Blue and the NBC Red networks. American firms, doing business in any of these countries, will be able to sponsor commercial programs directed to Latin American consumers as well as exchange ideas and new techniques through the facilities now made possible by this extended NBC network. The type of station signed by NBC varies from 1,000 watts to 200,000 watts with one or more stations in each of the 20 Latin American countries. A part of the picture was Mexico’s largest network of 21 stations becoming affiliated with the Pan American Network of the National Broadcasting Company. Mexico’s largest station, XEW, recently increased to 200,000 watts, is the key station in the group and, with its increase, is now the most powerful radio station in the Western Hemisphere. Through Mexico and Central America alone it is estimated that a vast radio audience of 28,000,000 people today can be served with the best programs of both the Red and Blue networks and the specially-built programs of the International Division, receiving these programs through their own stations. In the words of John W. Elwood, general manager of NBC International, this opens "a new era in international broadcasting.”