NBC Transmitter (Jan 1943-Sept 1944)

14 NBC TRANSMITTER Billboard Public Service Citation Awarded to WGKV • CHARLESTON, W. VA. Station WGKV, local NBC affiliate, has been awarded the coveted 1943 Billboard Magazine citation for achievements in the field of public service. Public acceptance, keynote in the judging of the annual Billboard survey of the nation’s stations, won for WGKV its second consecutive award. Ideas, public services and special events during the last year were taken into consideration by the committee of judges, including such prominent men in the field of radio as John K. Hutchens, radio editor of The New York Times; Harriet Van Horne, radio editor of The New7 York World-Telegram; Ben Gross, radio editor of The New York Daily News: and three Billboard editors, Leonard Traube, Lou Frankel, and Joseph Koehler. Theme of WGKV’s entry for 1943 was “The Station Listeners Believe In.” The award has been accepted by Worth Kramer, manager. The WGKV executive came to Charleston from Cleveland where he had been associated with the radio industry for 14 years. He has directed the activities of the Kanawha Valley Broadcasting Company since January 1, 1942. ADVERTISING AIR FEATURE GETS WIDE ATTENTION • SAN FRANC! SCO.— A month after its debut the KPO Sunday-morning feature, “News in Advertising,” “went network,” becoming a feature of the Pacific web and retaining its local airing. The program is a distinct departure in the field of broadcasting, being composed of paid advertisements of national manufacturers placed with all media. KPO’s general manager John W. Elwood, originator of the program idea, attributes its lightning success to its singular contribution to the war effort, which was immediately recognized by company presidents, advertising managers and account executives. The type of advertisement, written or broadcast, which KPO News Director Don Martin uses in building the program, is the solely educational and informative one — either describing the sacrifices of boys at the front, the conditions under which they fight and the materials they use— or building the world of tomorrow, telling the story of new materials and new production techniques. The important criterion is that the ad be “news-worthy.” One agency president lauded the program for its championship of free enterprise. Many tributes were received. KVOO Puts Its Double-0 On N.Y. Styles to Woo Business • TULSA, OKLA.— Looking toward department stores as a potentially fertile market for local radio advertising, KVOO, Tulsa, is wooing the good will of such institutions in Oklahoma’s “Magic Empire” by maintaining an exclusive full-time fashion representative in New York, wartime Dana Gardner, KVOO’s fashion rep, makes the rounds of Gotham’s smart shops, visits leading designers and contacts buyers for Tulsa stores when they visit New York, gathering material for her Monday through Friday quarter hours which are transcribed. This “World of Fashion” series is presented as a public service to KVOO’s feminine audience and as a good-will building feature for the stores. Through her contacts with buyers in New York and through continuous correspondence with store advertising managers, Miss Gardner is able to hew7 closely to the line in presenting advance style tips on merchandise which will soon be shown in Tulsa stores. After more than two months of this unique venture, the station has finally convinced store managers that there is no hook attached. It’s a service to them. How the good-will built by this service will be used in securing sponsorship for other programs is another story. Gellerup to Navy • MILWAUKEE, WIS.-Daniel W. Gellerup, who, since 1925, served The Journal Company as technical supervisor of radio, was granted an indefinite leave of absence to serve in the war effort. He will he associated with the Columbia Llniversitv Division of War Research, which is engaged in specialized electronic development work for the armed forces. The WTMJ veteran engineer w ill be assigned to the Navy as a civilian consulting engineer, operating under the National Defense Research Committee. PLASMA AIR APPEALS BRING MANY DONORS Special broadcasts to promote the Red Cross campaign “ That They Might Live” pulled in over 100 blood donations in each of two listening areas. Left photo: KYW (Philadelphia) , Orchestra Leader Clarence Fuhrman (on cot) is making his donation before, (left to right): Leroy Miller, KWY musical clocker ; Seaman David Norcross, recipient of seven plasma transfusions ; a Red Cross nurse and Sergeant Garland Ladd. Right photo: Walt Bruzek, manager of the Owatonna studios of station KROC (Rochester, Minnesota) , airs his reactions as he donates blood in a mobile unit. Onlookers are: Lieutenant E. H . Pawsat, Navy doctor; Nurse Ann Heppner, and Ray Roivland. chairman of Steele County Red Cross. DANA GARDNER fashion capital.