Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

Men's Wear TEEN TOWNS Some eight or ten months ago there was a nation-wide movement to guide the footsteps of teen-agers into constructive lines of activity and social interest. As a result, Teen Towns mushroomed up in metropolitan areas in all ])arts of the country. What has happened in Kansas City, Mo., since the movement was launched may well serve as a national example. Currently, there are 16 organized Teen Towns, all of them with their own club rooms and officers. The smallest has a membership of 500, the largest, 1 ,500. To lend support to Teen-Town inhabitants, KCMO carries a program which caters to their interests and enthusiasms. Teen-T owners vote for the top ten tunes of the week, and each is played on the show. Teen-Town gossip reporters and fashion reporters give with the latest in feminine chit-chat. With Teen-Towner, Chuck Frizzell as emcee, the entire series is simon-pure TeenTown. A studio audience of from 60 to over 100 turns out each week. Sponsored by the Palace Clothing Co. on a 52-week sked, the series is a 5:00 P.M. Saturday featiue. Printed tie-in with the broadcast feature: a weekly mimeographed bulletin carrying items of interest to teen-agers and dates of Teen-T oxun social events. AIRFAX: Broadcast Schedule: Saturday, 5:00-5:45 P.M. sponsor: Palace Clothing Co. Station: KCMO, Kansas City, Mo. Power: 5,000 watts (d). Population: 602,046. COMMENT: Retailers generally are showing a current interest in the teen-age group. Series here follows the present merchandising trend but it goes beyond that to perform a public service. Don't miss it! Judge Justin Miller, Inesident, National Association of Broadcasters, extends greetings to local and regioiial advertisers (p. 77). To radio statio)i persofuiel: a limited supply of reprints of this greeting are available. STATION SERVICE Radio activities in behalf of public interest. ADVENTURE IN RELIGION Is religious broadcasting a public service? Twin City radio stations believe it is // the church radio program is interdenominational, does not ask for money and promotes universal religious truths. This type of religious broadcasting is a valuable contribution to the community. It also solves a problem for radio stations, the problem of being criticized because time is sold to one church and not to another. Nationally there are the religious broadcasts familiar to most listeners: The Columbia Church of the Air; The National Radio Pulpit; Your Life Today, and many others. These are all on sustaining time. Why not solve the local church radio problem in the same way? And that is what has been done largely in the MinneapolisSt. Paul, Minn., area. The managers of all the large stations sat down with the radio committee of the St. Paul Council of Churches and the Minneapolis Church Federation; they agreed that this group representing the Twin City protestant churches would be the channel from which would come Protestant religious programs. The stations have offered their full support in helping the church group to get acquainted with the know how of broadcasting. A number of radio personalities such as Max Karl, now director of public service for WTCN, Bob DeHaven, and Dorothy Spicer, public relation director for KSTP, volunteered their services to serve on the Church Radio Committee as laymen. The work of this committee is carried out by a trained staff member of the Minneapolis Church Federation and St. Paul Council, Mary Louise Palmer. In as much as the same programs are aired to both cities at once, she serves both organizations. An understanding of radio among the thousands of church members is one of the principal tasks of the church radio coordinator. Notices of church radio programs and of other shows of interest to churchgoers are sent to all member churches to put in their bul ! letins or church papers. In order to form a nucleus of radio-minded churchmen, a radio workshop was conducted in Minneapolis last fall. Another now is in operation in St. Paul. Workshop leaders are professional radio men and women from local stations and the University of Minnesota, who contribute their services. Participants in this project come from all churches, with names of interested people 00 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP