Radio Digest (June 1932-Mar 1933)

46 L IVE IN THE NEW SMART CENTER OF NEW YORK! The Hotel Montclair is located in the very heart of the fashionable Park Avenue district — the world famous residential and shopping center of New York's elite. 800 sunny, outside rooms. Every room with bath, shower and radio. Adjacent to Grand Central and B. & O. Bus Terminal . . . only a few minutes from Pennsylvania Station. NOTHING FINER IN HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS AT THESE RATES SINGLE ROOMS from $2.50 to $5 per day— WEEKLY from $ 1 5.00 DOUBLE ROOMS from $3.50 to $6 per day— WEEKLY from $21.00 Oscar W. Richards, Resident Manager Lexington Avenue. 49th to 50th Sts. N. Y. C. of American Music. Now L. B. reasoned that the South had never been represented on the air with a regular program originating in one of its own stations and broadcast by a national chain. Very well, WCKY was across the river in Kentucky — far enough south to rightfully claim recognition as a southern station. With this idea in his mind L. B. set out for New York and the 711 Fifth Avenue air castle of the National Broadcasting Company. There was an interview and dinner engagements with Merlin H. Aylesworth, President of the National Broadcasting Company. When L. B. returned to Covington he brought back with him permission to broadcast a program to be known as "Southern Symphonies," over the National Broadcasting Company. The program was to originate every week in the studios of WCKY. The next step was to build the program. L. B. already had a good idea as to how this would be done He called upon his old friend Theodore Halm, Jr., one of the few men of real musical genius in the middle west, and the result is "Theodore Hahn, Jr., and His WCKY Orchestra in Southern Symphonies," every Friday night 11:15 to midnight EST over stations of the National Broadcasting Company. The program is remarkably diversified, fresh and hauntingly reminiscent of the South — a skillful piece of showmanship. Already it is immensely popular with its nationwide radio audience and has received the plaudits of NBC's highest officials. As we write this L. B. Wilson has been active manager of WCKY less than a year. Yet WCKY is virtually a new station and a vastly finer station than it has ever been before. Arctic Listens (Continued from page 28) news bulletins, and other features. It keeps us in touch with the world as well as giving unlimited pleasure. Before the advent of radio in the North, news was old before there was a whisper of it. In 1914, when war was declared, Harry McGurran, the postman, started immediately from Fort McMurray, the northern terminal of the railroad, on a special trip to take the news to the Arctic. He travelled 1300 miles in a small open boat until stopped by running ice; then had to camp and wait for the Mackenzie River to tighten (almost two months), and completed the trip, nearly four hundred miles more, by dog team. It was Christmas time when the people in the farthest outposts learned there was a war, and some of the trappers who were in the bush did not hear of it until the next Summer. And the suspense for those at home after loved ones had responded to the call and made the long trek out to civilization to give their services to the country. No chance of news for many dreary and anxious months. But now — daily bulletins, news from all parts of the world. Is it any wonder that broadcasting means so much to Northerners? One never listens in with a "taken for granted" attitude in this corner of the globe; it is always with a full consciousness of appreciation. The Indians have not taken to the radio so well. They like to listen to it, but few of them have bought sets. They sjeem to prefer the phonograph; perhaps because it is more simple to operate and they get better results with it, or perhaps for other reasons. They do not quite understand the principle of radio and stand a little in awe of it. Some of the Caribou Eater tribe of Indians from the east end of Great Slave Lake came into Resolution a few years ago, and a man in the settlement invited them to hear his new radio set. The music pleased them and they were amazed when told from what a great distance it was coming and how it was reproduced, but they could not fully comprehend it. They got the impression that the set could pick up anything from any place and bring it in at the will of the man who controlled the dials. The following Winter, while making a patrol, the Police discovered -some of this band of Indians making a brew. It was of course emptied and the offenders dealt with. Ordinarily, the Police make only one patrol a Winter to this section of the country, but it so happened that their work took them out that way again a few weeks later. They again found a brew being made and disposed of it. After they had left, the Indians thought it would be perfectly safe to start another brew and proceeded to do so. But business once more took the Police to that same area within a short time, and the Indians were surprised at their brew making again. They did not know what to make of it — three patrols within a few months; it was unheard of. Suddenly the old Chief remembered the radio set at Resolution, and that band of Indians is convinced to this day that the owner of the set listened in and heard them discussing the brew and reported the matter to the Police. They are afraid to attempt any more brews. Broadcasting may have taken the joy out of their lives, but it brings all that is best, and otherwise unattainable, to our homes. A radio set is the one and only luxury in many a trapper's isolated cabin. Dry cells have to be used as there is no way available of recharging wet batteries, so each year it means work, trans