Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1941)

Palestine's Junior Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations, Adams stacks a record of 10 years on the air for his employer. In 1930, he sat down at the piano, read, transposed, and faked a 15-minute musical interlude. Almost continuously during the last decade, he has continued his distinctive musicales. AIR FAX: Program is a blend of new and old tunes. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Saturday, 9:159:30 A.M. Preceded By: First Baptist Church. Sponsor: Amicable Life Insurance Co., Waco, Tex. Station: KNET, Palestine, Tex. Power: 250 watts. Population: 11,445. COMMENT: There are arguments pro and con regarding the use of a popular employee as an air entertainer. This much can be said: Certainly, the fact that he works for the sponsoring company should be no bar. It ties the program closer to the sponsor. The deciding factor, however, is the employee's ability to entertain. If he does have popular appeal, then by all means use him. Ice JAKE'S CHATTERBOX In mid-1939, famous soap manufacturers Proctor & Gamble bought a five-minute package on Danville's (111.) station WDAN, converted the citizenry into newshawks trumpeting their own affairs, paid a brand new dollar bill (Oxydollar) for the best local news story of the week. Ready successor to P & G was local Beard Ice Co., dealing in air conditioned ice refrigerators. Results: 60 to 70 weekly mail pieces. More results : Directly attributed to the program is the sale last August, during a seven-day hot weather spell, of seven dozen home ice cream freezers, ranging in price from $3.60 to $9.60 per unit. AIR FAX: Slender, fortyish Francis "Jake" Higgins rapid-fires the news in a friendly, down-to-earth, mid-western manner. The week's best story may deal in marriages, births, birthdays, parties, anniversaries, new pets, lost pets, lost clothing, etc. Prize is awarded every Friday morning. For the daily programs, Higgins combs marriage license applications, birth and hospital announcements, fire and police calls Francis "Jake" Higgins from the local departments. First Broadcast: June 18, 1939. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 9:00-9:05 A.M. Sponsor: Beard Ice Co. Station: WDAN, Danville, 111. Power: 250 watts. Population: 36,765. COMMENT: In these days of hysterical headlines, program-seeking sponsors are apt to overlook the fundamental fact that many folks are still interested in home town news. Groceries WHAT'S NEW? And everywhere that Nancy goes, "Tyro" is sure to go. For eight (8) years, charming, cosmopolitan Nancy Gray has been ambassador-at-large for Milwaukee women. She has visited in Europe, Bermuda, various Caribbean ports, New . York, Hollywood, Denver, Phoenix — and with her at all times has gone "Tyro," her pet recording machine. "Tyro" enables her to get "on the spot" color stories and interviews with prominent personalities. The wax disks are air mailed back to Milwaukee for immediate re-broadcast. In between trips, Mrs. Gray has found time for interviews with Milwaukee visitors Eleanor Roosevelt, Schiaparelli, Frances Perkins, Schumann-Heink, Walter Hampden. She gives her listeners style information, but it is no secondhand material culled from print; it comes directly from interviews with such prominent authorities as Adrian, Helena Rubenstein, Lucien Lelong. AIR FAX: Besides her interviews, Mrs. Gray brings her listeners a dash of culture with principal emphasis on the arts of self-improvement. Broadcast Schedule: Daily, 10:30-11:00 A.M. Preceded By: Arnold Grimm's Daughter (NBC dramatic serial). Followed By: Toby 8C Susie. Competition: Your Treat. Sponsor: Hormel food products. (Others: Rcid-Murdoch, Calavo Growers, Lehn 8C Fink, Maytag washers, Smartwear-Emma Lange, etc.) Station: WTMJ, Milwaukee, Wis. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 578,249. COMMENT: What's New? is not to be confused with the usual type of woman's program that is comprised of a few style hints and a handful of recipes. Firstly, Mrs. Gray gives her audience the vicarious thrill of sharing her travels and experiences. Secondly, she gives them information that has the prestige of actually being voiced by authorities on the subject. Cleverest promotion stunt: The personalization of "Tyro," the recording machine. It has resulted in newspaper pictures, stories, other invaluable publicity. 74 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP