NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1942)

2 NBC TRANSMITTER BERRIES TO LICK THE JERRIES KVOO Comes Through With Ingenious Plan to Save Big Crop NBC TRANSMITTER VOL. 8 OCTOBER 1942 NO. 6 Published Monthly by the National Broadcasting Company RCA Building, Radio City, New York AN ALL-AMERICA TEAM • The Institute of Inter-Ainerican Affairs is a significant new venture in the development of NBC's InterAineriean University of the Air as a potentially powerful ally of estahlished academic institutions. Held on October 10, 11 and 12. to signalize the 450th anniversary of the discovery of America hy Columhus. this institute evolved as an experimental union of the great “mass medium'’ of radio with the specially-limited intellectual facilities and resources of one of the world’s great universities for the stimulating of international understanding. A well-rounded schedide of talks, discussions, broadcasts and demonstrations resulted in a large registration of diplomats, teachers and students. Columbia University joined with NH(; in this enterprise of bringing together — in the school’s McMillin Academic Theatre, in the Museum of Modern Art, and in the Radio City studios — many of the nujst distinguished leaders in inter.American affairs for a comprehensive discussion and demonstration of cultural and economic developments among the American nations. The success of this institute indicates it is expected not only to he made into a regular annual ctmtrihntion to inter-American understanding. hilt also to bring into the field of active cooperation other important universities, as well as radio stations and networks in many other nations of our hemis{>here. It is an experiment fraught with immense potentialities for good. It will he r<‘|)orted in detail in the next issm* of The 'rransmitter. • The loss of .$100. 000 to farmers in any county in America in any season is a serious matter and that’s a threat farmers in ■Adair County. Oklalioma, faced this year on their strawberry crop until farm radio ste])ped in and saved the day and the berries, too. Inasmuch as these berries were destined for Lend-Lease shi]jment to our Allies, the mere cash saved was little in comparison to the value of this food to men and women abroad who look to America to save them from starvation. When the berry season opened in Adair County, growers expected a good KVOO'S SAM SCHNEIDER market straight through and a huge field crop was ready after farmers had cooperated carefully with the I nited States De|)artment of Agriculture in the “Food for Freedom" |)rogram. 1 he season opened with jirices at .S.'L.iO a crate. Sugar rationing hit. I'wo days later |)iices \\ere fluctuating between .Sl.llo and .S2..1.1 a crate. Keeping right on top of the situation. Adair (iounty Agent Titus Alanasco and Perr\ Fthridge. a jnominent grower, established a berry jirocessing })lant at Stilwell through the Agricultural Marketing Ser\ ice. Berries brought in were to he processed. ])ut in barrels and sent to Fngland or other fighting fronts. Ihe plan was good, hut com])lications arose. Ibis was a new thing and farmers didn’t know how to cooperate. A ct full and fast coordination was a necessity because herrie.' had to he stemmed in the field and would keep only one dav without being processed. Ihat meant that if farmers picked, stemmed and hauled berries to the plant oidy to find a shortage of barrels — or none at all — their crop would he ruined and wasted. Forestalling this, Manasco got together with Farm Editor Sam Schneider of Station K\ 00 at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Schneider’s first program daily is the “Rural Route 1170" broadcast at 0:4.5 to 7:00 a.m.. a homey, chatty , informative tvpe of broadcast well received hy Southwestern farmers. Manasco early every morning called Sam. told him how many barrels were available, how long the growers should pick and also told him to encourage everyone in the county who could possibly pick berries to do so because of the shortage of labor. Smoothly the program progressed w ith the labor supply regulated, proper amount of berries jiicked and the exact number of crates brought to the plant. During the season. 2.871 barrels of berries were put up for which growers were paid .$80,388. Total loss during the operations: one barrel of berries. Another j)lant in Arkansas, where coordination was poor and no means of information was used, lost 1,400 crates one day and dumped 1.000 crates in the river a day later. Total losses at this plant netted the growers in that area a loss for the season. Adair County growers netted the sum mentioned above: pickers made S38.000; the processing jilant j>ay roll was S3. 500 — a total of .S122.()4(i to the county people and sexeral thousand barrels of berries to hel]) lick the .lerries. riie station benefited hy the tie-in in mam ways, hut its greatest satisfaction was in doing a \ ital wartime job. Radio Women Organize # \nn Sterling, director of womens programs. KOAK). Seattle, was recently appointed state chairman of the .Association of Directors of WO men’s Programs. I'lie purpose of the organi/alion is to further the war elTorl through women s programs.