Radio Digest (July 1924-Apr 1925)

February 7 , 1925 RADIO DIGES T— Illustrated ENGLISH FAN HEARS OUR STATIONS WELL WRITES PUBLICATION FOR MORE INFORMATION CNRA, KDKA, WGY and WOR Among Many Listed — Radio Digest Data Found Helpful CHICAGO.— From 5 Carver road, Hale, Altringham, England, to the shores of Lake Michigan may seem far to the man who attempts to travel the journey, but Radio waves and reader interest in Radio publications seem to overcome the distance with great ease. According to a letter from A M. Turner at the address in England noted, CNRA, Moncton, N. B., Canada; KDKA, Pittsburgh; WGY, Schenectady; WOR, Newark, and many other American stations are often tuned in loud and clear. Mr. Turner wrote Radio Digest for further information concerning the stations he had heard. He assured that he found the Radio Digest station information of great help to him, and that the American stations furnished the English Radiophans with much enjoyment. Mr. Turner's letter is but one of a score of similar ones. So England isn't really so far away after all. STATION WEEI GIVES WAVE TRAP TO NAVY BOSTON, Mass. — Proving that they are willing to go to any length to insure uninterrupted programs, officials of the technical and operating staff of Station WEEI have constructed and installed for the Naval Radio station at the Charlestown Navy Yard, a wave trap, making it unnecessary for the naval station to request a discontinuance of broadcasting during cases of emergency. When tested, the wave trap proved to be very successful, cutting out other broadcasters as well. BURDEN OF JAILBIRDS LIGHTENED BY RADIO OAKLAND, Calif. — Does being in jail have any terrors in this Radio age? It would seem from a letter addressed to KGO from the inmates of the Marin county jail in California, who signed themselves the "Happy Five," that the question might be answered in the negative. "There are over one hundred prisoners here in the county jail listening in," the letter said, "the baptismal service was very impressive, and caused a marked silence among the prisoners." Wampus Club's Thirteen Baby Stars Broadcast from KFI's Microphone For Thirteen Days Before and After Annual Frolic February 5 Motion Picture Publicity Men Their Lucky Young Women Proteges Go on Air of By G. Im. King THE biggest event in all filmdom is the annual ball and frolic of the Wampus club, which, translated, means Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers. Each year the advertising and publicity men of the screen industry gather together to nominate and elect thirteen lucky young women from the ranks of the players as the Wampus Baby Stars. Out of the thousands struggling toward fame and luxury only thirteen are selected each year. The fact that the Wampus club's selections, to a very high degree, carry on to real stardom, accounts for the importance with which this event is heralded. first Time Broadcast This year thousands upon thousands of people will be able to hear the voices and get an idea of the personalities of the thirteen "baby" stars who otherwise could not hope to be among those present when the frolic and ball takes place, because each baby star will be presented before the microphone both before and after the frolic, and it is the intention to broadcast the frolic itself. The Examiner remote control station of KFI's super station has been broadcasting the voice of a baby star, one each night, between the hours of 9 and 10 p. m., Pacific time, for thirteen days before, and will continue for thirteen days after the lucky day of February 5, 1925, the night of the frolic. There is a city ordinance in Los Angeles prohibiting dancing after 1 a. m., and because the Wampus ball is a frolic, the promoters found it necessary last year to remove its locale to the city of San Francisco, where the film colony of Hollywood had a pleasant taste of northern California hospitality. There is a great deal of rivalry between southern and northern California, and this year the city fathers of Los Angeles found it convenient to pass an emergency ordinance for the night of the Wampus ball and frolic so it could continue on through the night and until the last dancer had enough. Baby Stars Rise to Stardom The Wampus frolic has been in vogue since "1922. Since that time the percentage of baby stars selected who have risen to real stardom has exceeded that of any other method of selection, indicating clearly that the publicity men of the movie industry know what they are doing when they pick a girl as a baby star. Among those who have been baby stars, and who now are vested in full stardom, may be counted Lois Wilson, Bebe Daniels, Julanne Johnson, Dorothy Mackaill, Gertrude Olmstead and Alice Lake, to mention only a few as they come to mind. The Wampus frolic is the ball of the screen, introducing the thirteen lucky girls for 1925, and broadcasting to the world through Radio their first initiation into the ranks of stars. TO PICK AMERICA RADIO BEAUTY SOON WLW ANNOUNCES SECOND ANNUAL PRIZE CONTEST Listeners Telegraph Votes to Station After Hearing Broadcast Descriptions of Four Contestants CINCINNATI, Ohio. — Who will be named America's Radio beauty in the second annual Radio beauty contest to be conducted next Saturday, St. "Valentine's night, from Crosley Station WLW, here? The first Radio beauty contest, held one year ago by WLW, aroused much interest. People wondered how a beauty contest could be conducted over the air and tuned in to find out. The four contesting girls, picked by a committee of five from many photographs submitted, will be described over the microphone, beginning promptly at 8 p.m. Central time. Their names will not be given. Only numbers will be used to designate the four. The winner will be chosen by telegraphic vote of the invisible audience. Nothing but telegrams will count. Not only will the four girls receive prizes, but every listener who sends a telegram will be mailed at least a half(Continued on page 4)