Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1941)

Electric Appliances (Others) MAN ON THE STREET Here's an interview program with a past! During the first year, the sole sponsor was General Baking Co. for their Bond Bread. Today, various sponsors have reserved the program for specific days in the week. Monday and Wednesday: Kempf Brothers (electrical appliances, radios, pianos). Sponsors of the program for two years, Kempf put the show to a store check, found that three out of four customers had heard the program, many made purchases because of it. Tuesday: Harry Heiman, Inc. (Chrysler-Plymouth dealer). Also with the program for two years, sponsor Heiman states that radio has accounted for more new and used cars sold than any other medium he has used. Thursday: Sears, Roebuck & Co. On the show for the past 18 months, this famous mail order department store renews regularly. Friday: Personal Finance. After eight months experience, this organization concludes following an extensive check-up that the program has netted better response than all other advertising media. Saturday: Allen, Schmidt and Pringle (men's clothiers). They state that the cumulative programs made many people in Utica and surrounding territory "conscious of the store and its lay-away plan." Record: Since show's inception, it has run steadily, fully sponsored; renewal contracts have already been booked till next summer. Weekly barrage of letters with prospective prize-winning questions: 350. Recently sent out were WIBX questionnaires to various Utica business places. Customers were to check most popular WIBX program. Twenty per cent of the 2,000 filledin forms voted for Man on the Street. Runner up was news, with a six per cent vote. AIR FAX: Friendly emcee Elliott Stewart conducts interviews in down-to-earth manner, avoids all controversial issues. Novel twist: Interviewee always has the last word; he asks emcee Stewart a question! Program boasts of at least one interviewee from every city, town, hamlet in WIBX listening area. To everyone on the program goes a pair of theater tickets. First Broadcast: October, 1937. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Saturday, 12:45 1:00 P.M. Preceded By: News. Followed By: Words and Music. Sponsor: Kempf Brothers. (Others: Harry Heiman, Inc.; Sears, Roebuck 8C Co.; Personal Finance; Allen, Schmidt & Pringle.) Station: WIBX, Utica, N. Y. Power: 250 watts. Population: 101,740. cial serial numbei COMMENT: Certainly this story is a tribute to man-on-the-street broadcasts. Five different business fields, yet all have found success in a single program idea! Garages (others) BOARDING HOUSE Strictly as a routine matter, a script is written daily for this halfhour babble-bedlam. Even its seven participating sponsors are warned in advance to expect anything. Flabbergast fact: The sponsors are satisfied! Cast lineup is comprised of five staff featherbrains who carp about the boarding house food, change themselves readily into hillbillies, Negroes, billy goats, etc. Membership cards in the Boarding House Club are sent to all those requesting them. Each card carries a speOn Friday, one of the sponsors gives away a merchandise certificate worth five dollars in radios, service, jewelry, etc. Only members of the Boarding House are eligible for prizes. First week's requests scaled to 500; some thousand-'*odd" members now swell the roll call. AIR FAX: Names of new members and birthday celebrants are announced on each program. First Broadcast: September 30, 1940. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 5:00-5:30 P.M. Sponsor: Lucky's Service Center (Others: H. C. Corey Jewelry, Badgeley's Tour City Gasoline, Valley Electric Co., Del Sight's Radio Sales 8C Service, Strong's Cleaning Works, Eagle Cafe, Montgomery Ward). Station: KVEC, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Power: 250 watts. Population: 8,276. SAMPLE SCRIPT AVAILABLE COMMENT: Providing the cast knows what it's up to, "corn" programs can win wide popularity. Often the biggest difficulty in the success of a program that follows this pattern is that the sponsor himself doesn't like it. Strangely enough, surveys have proved that there are millions who do. Insurance BLACK AND WHITE REFLECTIONS Favorite son of Palestine, Texas, is dynamic local notable Leland Adams. Agent for Amicable Life Insurance Co. in adjoining Waco (Texas), a prominent worker in FEBRUARY, 1 941 73