Radio Digest (Apr 1925-Jan 1926)

16 RADIO DIGES 7— Illustrated June 6, 1925 . i Radio Digest Published by the Badio Digest Publishing Compamy, Inc. 510 North Dearborn Street Chicago, niinois Telephones: State 4372, 4373, 4374, 4375 E. C. RAYNER, Publisher Eastern Office, Park-Lexington Building', 347 Park Ave. Hew York. Telephones: Ashland 8144, 8145, 8146 Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations PUBLISHED WEEKLT SUBSCRIPTION BATES Yearly In U. S. and Posienlons and Canada, $5.00 Foreign postage, $1.00 additional Single eoplei, 10 eents. vol. xni Saturday, June 6, 1925 No. 9 What Makes a Good Program Director LIKE all new industries, the broadcasting of enter' tainment and service has created a new series of vocations. One of the most important is that of program director. This post already has become so specialized as to achieve the dignity of a profession. It is believed that there are now nearly fifteen hundred program builders in the United States. AVhat makes a good one? The question is worthy of asking inasmuch as the policy of each station is often in the hands of the program director. Persons with a good deal of the human element in them, who understand what interests the public, are best qualified for the task. Experienced newspapermen who have seen life from all angles often meet this requirement. Showmen do not always have the broad field of observation, of understanding of people, to fill the need. Advertising men, too, are likely to be one-sided and often commercial in their views: Radio men as a rule are thinking mainly of how far their station is reaching rather than how many people it is interesting. Of course, any member of the mentioned classes can round himself out to have the necessary broad vision, but the trained newspaperman, the editor, already understands every class of human mind and this has an advantage over the other classes from which program directors are made. While on the subject, let us suggest that in the future we shall call these people "program editors" rather than "program directors," for their work is necessarily that of editing what is submitted for broadcasting, and often going out and getting the "reading matter" that is necessary to entertain and serve the public. Super Summer Reception NOW that fifteen superstations are "turning on the juice" to overcome summer irregularities in reception, and at least seven more superstations are in the process of construction and plan to be on the air within from four to six weeks, the lot of the listener during the summer of 1925 is going to be remarkably improved over, and in fact, not even to be compared to, the past two summers in which broadcasting has sprung from a dream to a necessity. Not an idle boast is this. Listen in. You will hear— let's see— KDKA, WGY, WBZ, WEAF, WOC, WLW, KFI, KGO, WSAI, KOA, WHT, WCCO, KFKX, and WCBD. They are sure because they are superpower stations. Then you are likely to hear almost a score of other stations that are putting 1,000 watts of power into the air. Then there are at least six more superstations which will be on the air before long. These include WSB and Miami Beach with 2,500-watt sets, WJR, WLS and WJAZ with 5,000-watt sets, and KYW with a 25,000-watt transmitter. KYW's new voice, now being constructed, will be as powerful as her sister station KDKA, but of course the full 25,000 watts will not be used — at least not now. So the 1925 summer listener has a pick of at least twenty superstations, anyone of which is capable of overcoming the difficulties of summer weather and reaching out to all parts of the country. Don't pack away your set in moth balls — use it. Clean Broadcast Advertising BROADCAST advertising must be clean, else a station's audience may suffer large decreases in number. A message from the National Vigilance committee of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World emphasizes this point. The bulletin is being sent to station directors which says: "Before you broadcast commercial material, be sure that it is not only interesting and true, but that the advertiser is reputable. "When you broadcast such material, tell your listeners in advance, what they are about to hear." We are glad that the "Truth-in-Advertising" movement has been extended to Radio. There are already many stations which could apply this policy to good advantage. The Mark of Progress VILLAGE BANDS HURT BY RADIO Walling of Fiddles Vanishes and Cornet Practice Grows Listless as Farmers Twist Dials BAND STANDS MAY DECAY (News Story) The band stands are decaying, The Silver Cornets still, The brass-buttoned coats are covered with mould And gone is the ancient thrill. The leader's baton is rusty, Xo more the piccolo flights And once again the natives can sleep — Thank God — on Saturday nights. (Chorus) Oh, the old grey mare, she ain't what she used to be, She ain't what she used to be, she ain't, etc., Or, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," for soprano voices. Even at that we are willing to bet that some paint salesman will write to us in the coming week and want to know what paper that story was taken from. When he finds out he will pack his samples, limber up the beautiful lithographed catalog with the testimonials and rush forth to show the village fathers that there is no need of letting the bandstand decay, and that by saving the surface they can save all. News Bulletins from Milwaukee Furnished in Cooperation with the Milwaukee Daily Beverage (Beer up, my friend, beer up) Armin Schwartemagen (Nonp.), who conducts a soft drink parlor, runs a single circuit set. The young man made himself a public nuisance by squealing up the ether. The matter was brought to Mayor Bone's (Soc. ) attention, who ordered Police Chief Baer (Soc.) to tell Sergeant Schultz (Soc.) to order Patrolman Weisskopf (Soc.) to tell Saloonist Schwartemagen to have said nuisance abated or maybe the Police Commissioner (Soc.) would perhaps have trouble to find him a soft drink parlor license this year, nicht wahr? * « * The Ten Commandments are showing at the Blatz theater at ten cents a commandment, the entire set SI. 50. "Du lieber Himmel," observed Mrs Strohsack, "for why pay that when Herr Voliva chucks us more commandments every Sunday afternoon than would fill the Blatz theater." * * * Unveiling ceremonies of the statue of Andy Volstead, which took place recently, were Radiocast over Station WSOL. Grateful citizens have made the statue possible. "He has shortened the hours of every brewery worker in Milwaukee," said Mayor Bone, "from 50 to 100%. Formerly the men slaved 12 hours in the brewery. Now they work two hours making near beer for Chicago and then they go home and work for Milwaukee. Hurrah for prohibition, whatever that is. It has made possible for everybody to own a Radio set, automobile, player piano, private yacht, summer home on the Maine coast, or what else will you have?" The statue is of solid bronze, all except the head, which is ivory. The inscription reads, "From 1776 to 1919." This is to denote the era of American liberty. * * * Station WCAY, Milwaukee's Psychic Broadcasting Station, has a right good slogan. "When you hear nothing but the generator, you're listening to WCAY." * * * Ottfried Wurm got both coasts on his onetubodyne last night. "Detroit was good, but, oh boy, ya shoulda heard Racine!" he avers. Up and at 'em, Ott, and lets see you bring in Zion or some other foreign station. * * * Have you heard the latest song from Station WBEER, Schlitz Beverage Company, "When Father drilled the bakelite with a can opener?" * » * Mr. Murks, the city cobbler, thought sure he had a foreign station, but found it was only Brother Erbstein of WTAS speaking in the language of departed spirits. » * * Kindly ask your steno what makes this durned Remington Standard No. 10 skip when operated at my normal speed of ten and % words per minute. It ruins my otherwise perfect copy. Us authors sure got our troubles. It makes me sick. Hoping you are the same, , THE THIRD TROMBONE PLAYER. We always get a sense of satisfaction when we read the TROMBONE PLAYER. For a while we thought he had deserted us, but not so. On this screen next week we are prepared to present his masterpiece. "The Shooting of SingleTube McGrew." It will be illustrated, and set by Indi-Gest's most capable linotyper. Ten cents on all newsstands. (Adv.) The Church-Goer I must haste, I must haste, No time will I waste, In dressing a church full to charm. Don't hunt for my shoe, These bed slippers will do, And not combing hair does no harm. I'll not wash, it's too late, I lack change for the plate, And my housework is left in the lurch. How I look, who should care, No decorum is there, For I'm off to the Radio church. E. M. Last lines are too commonplace. Therefore we will lot have one. Wire Grass AC°6R0Wf\>. Condensed By DIELECTRIC There are some refinements about broadcasting plays which are yet to appear. We have advanced somewhat since Radios first made their bow to the listening public in the matter of creating the play atmosphere. Just recently an excellent suggestion came to WGY, Schenectady, from a fan in Maine and every devotee of this station who tunes in the General Electric players will appreciate the advantage of linking a voice with a character at the outset of the play. The comedy "The Sacrifice" was ably given and easily followed throughout. Did you happen to tune to WEAR, Cleveland, while the Western Reserve university alumni concert was in progress? If not, j-ou missed hearing men's singing under very favorable conditions; the} being: good voices, good training and entertaining songs. This station does not hesitate to present features of the better type. Due to station interference and code, mail) fans living in the eastern part of the United States seldom are able to spend any part of an evening with Station KTHS, Hot Springs. They live in hopes. One of the best attractions lately offered from the station was the concert given by the 153rd Infantry band. It will bear a return engagement. Following a vigorous day at the office, or elsewhere for that matter, it is indeed relaxing to get in tune with WSB, Atlanta, and let the announcer direct your entertainment. Those of us who had this station on a certain evening recently heard a pleasing soprano sing some of the typical southern melodies in a fascinating manner. The time is now at hand when we can judge better whether or not increased power for our broadcast stations is worth while. To those who often tuned to KFI when that station was operating on 500 watts, the difference in strength and clarity should be quite apparent as the new transmitter is now shooting 2,000 watts nightly. One program in particular came through very fine the other evening. It was by a saxophone band of sixty pieces. After listening a while it seemed hard to realize that the same instrument so generally used to clown up in a dance orchestra is capable of being used to better advantage. That soul-stirring march, "The Stars and Stripes Forever," was very effective. Once again I have occasion to refer to a station in Cincinnati, WLW, to congratulte them upon securing the attendance at their studio of the Formica orchestra. This body of musicians is perhaps no better than many others one might mention, but it chose a program in part presenting works of Charles Wakefield Cadman, one of America's foremost composers. The musicians had imbibed the spirit of Cadman, evidently. From WCAP, Washington, Radio listeners recently had an offering of a girls' glee club singing numbers varying in character though not in careful presentation. The contralto voices were of very good qualityand suffered no eclipse from the sopranos, as so often happens. In fact, the club was well balanced throughout and deserves commendation. Anyone having seen as well as heard the opera "Samson and Delilah" (especially with famous artists) can close their eyes and picture the dramatic development of this opera while listening to a broadcast version. WEAF, New York, presented singers with fair understanding of Saint-Saens' score.