NBC Transmitter (Jan 1943-Sept 1944)

OCTOBER 1943 13 WSYR Celebrates Its 21st Anniversary HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Mark Wilder, WSYR founder and vice-president, cuts the birthday cake while Wally and Jane, matinee favorites of the Syracuse station, look on. KOA Puts on Big Show tor Army Emergency Relief • DENVER.— For two weeks prior to the Western premiere of Irving Berlin’s “This Is the Army,” KOA broadcast a series of special programs publicizing the picture and promoting the sale of tickets, entire proceeds of which were turned over to the Army Emergency Relief Fund. This voluntary build-up by KOA culminated in an exciting half-hour broadcast on the night of the gala premiere, August 24. Festivities and excitement surrounding the colorful event were described, and military and civilian officials attending were introduced over KOA mikes in and around the Denver Theatre, where a complete sell-out was recorded. An announcer supplied by the Army reported activities in front of the theatre, where tremendous crowds had gathered to witness the spectacle of Denver’s first movie premiere of such magnitude. Great anti-aircraft searchlights played on the sky overhead while the 80-piece A.A.F. Symphonic Band, under the direction of Warrant Officer Robert L. Landers, from Buckley Field, entertained. In the lobby of the theatre, Lieutenant Charles E. Brady, ace KOA announcer, now on military leave, and winner of the H. P. Davis Announcer’s Award for 1941, interviewed military and civilian officials directly responsible for making the premiere the success which it was for the Army Emergency Relief. Lieutenant Brady was also in command of a KOA mike placed on the stage of the Denver Theatre. He introduced United States Senator Edwin C. Johnson, of Colorado; movie star Dorothy Lamour, on hand in person, and Major General John F. Curry, Commanding General of the Fourth District, A.A.F. Western Technical Training Command, to the huge theatre audience and to KOA listeners. All three speakers praised the citizens of Denver for their enthusiastic, patriotic support of Army Emergency Relief. Latin American Visitors • NEW YORK. — Twelve journalists of Guatemala, Honduras and Panama, touring the United States under the auspices of the National Press Club, were guests of NBC September 21. John F. Royal, NBC vice-president in charge of international relations and television, was host. • SYRACUSE, N. Y.— The rise from the virtual obscurity of a Cazenovia, New York, farmhouse, where it had its birth, to a place high in the radio industry was the story told of WSYR in a special broadcast commemorating the station's twentyfirst birthday September 15. The occasion was celebrated with two mammoth parties in the WSYR studios, both of which were aired. High spot of the first party was the cutting by Mark S. Wilder, founder and present vice-president of WSYR, of a huge birthday cake. It was later distributed among members of the station staff. Crooners' Contest • PHILADELPHIA. — The winner and still champion— Bing Crosby! More than tripling the count against Frank Sinatra in the KVW Musical Clock popularity poll, Bing Crosby easily retained his top rating with the Philadelphia early morning listeners. The final tally in the “battle of the swooners” was: Crosby— 14,032 Sinatra— 4.036 The contest was an outgrowth of Sinatra fans’ insistence that their Frankie meet the “champ.” KYW kept the “voting set’s” interest at fever pitch by featuring both Crosby and Sinatra recordings during the week. As part of the second program, two 15-minute broadcasts from England were presented. They brought to the microphones of the British Broadcasting Company many Syracuse service men and women now serving with the armed forces overseas. This idea proved an outstanding highlight of the celebration. Leading up to the birthday celebration, WSYR presented a series of 21 new shows, one each on the 21 days preceding the September 15 anniversary. Many of the shows received such fine listener response that they will be continued as regular WSYR features. Scholarships Awarded • HOLLYWOOD. — Sidney Strotz, vicepresident of NBC in charge of the Western division, returned tuition fees as prizes to the two top students of the 1943 season of the NBC-UCLA Radio Institute. Bertha Kelly was winner of the scholarship award, based on “all-around excellence,” and Evelyn McCutcheon. whose play, “Thoroughfare for Freedom,” was judged the best, was another winner. John H. McDonald, NBC vice-president in charge of finance, was in Hollywood and attended the presentation ceremonies. NBC’s Jennings Pierce also participated in the scholarship award program.