NBC transmitter (Jan 1943-Sept 1944)

4 NBC Transmitter PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM THEMES GET BIG RESPONSE IN IMPORTANT U.S. DEFENSE AREA NORFOLK, VA.— Norfolk’s Radio Station WTAR is serving an increasing number of gripping public service programs this year to an appreciative public in Tidewater Virginia. Shows especially adapted to the war effort have proven favorites among the hundreds of thousands of listeners in one of the busiest war centers of the nation. Days of national defense have given Norfolk and its surrounding territory three distinct types of listeners— the workers, the white collar group and the military. It is the objective of WTAR, under the direction of Campbell Arnoux, manager of the station, to project programs that interest this triple alliance for victory. To that end a special production department has been set up with Jeff Baker as director to work with Henry Cowles Whitehead, program director, and Julius Grether, chief engineer, to plan and produce such programs. The astonishing public service for 1943 with its 2.177 programs, 7,830 one-minute messages and 655 hours of broadcast time bids fair to take second place to that now well under way for 1944. Through the sympathetic cooperation of WTAR in the war effort and its treatment of local propositions thousands and thousands of friends have been made for the station and NBC. One of the biggest hits ever made by WTAR with service personnel in the area was achieved last Christmas. At the last minute hundreds of boys were given liberty in Norfolk. Homes for Christmas dinner had been obtained to take care of those who had leave in advance but when the new batch came in there was a question as to where they could eat. A bulletin was broadcast over WTAR and within the hour many of the boys were on the way to dinner and before the responses ceased every lad had an invitation. Navy events are given much emphasis over WTAR as a result of the Norfolk Navy Yard and the Naval Base being located in the Hampton Roads area. One of the most recent achievements of the station was the broadcasting of details of Vice-Admiral Joseph K. Taussig, USN, awards Secretary of Navy's W ar Bond flag to the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia, before a W TAR mike. the launching of the aircraft carrier Shangri-La at the Norfolk Navy Yard. On February 24, 1944, listeners of WTAR heard a first-hand account of the launching together with the address by Colgate W. Darden, Governor of Virginia, as well as remarks by Mrs. James Doolittle, wife of the famous general and sponsor of the once mythical ship now a reality. WTAR scored heavily with its air coverage of the United War Fund drive on February 13. A two-and-a-half hour program from the studios with Cesar Romero, noted screen star and now a sailor, as master of ceremonies. The groundwork was laid for radio’s big part in the success of the drive, which raised more than $500,000 in Norfolk. Equally as graphic has been the coverage of the Red Cross drive that started in Norfolk February 25. Five-minute talks by well known Norfolk speakers have been presented. Impetus was given to the War Bond sales during the recent campaign as a result of WTAR public service programs. Gathering Farm Scrap COLUMBIA, ^ C.Station WIS, “South Carolina's Most Powerful Voice,” lent that voice to the War Production Board for a recent experiment. Using South Carolina as a trial state, the WPB staged a statewide appeal for heavy farm scrap. WIS launched the air campaign with a 15-minute interview with Purple Heart veterans of the war fronts, and with representatives from the WACS. WAVES, and Women Marines, followed by an appeal from the WPB. If successful in South Carolina the WPB drive will go to other farm states. NBC MUSIC EXECUTIVE HONORED BY CHICAGOANS Samuel Chotzinoff (center), manager of the NBC music division, teas tendered a luncheon on his arrival in the W indy City to launch the “Orchestras of the Nation ” series. Desire Defauw (left), conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra , heard on the first five programs, was toastmaster. Francis M. Knight (right), represented the orchestra' s trustees in welcoming Chotzinoff.