Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

SHOWMANTIPS sources. Roving Reporter Sig Smith was recently discharged from the Army where he was attached to Special Service units in a broadcasting capacity. Acquaintance with personalities in the sports scene will furnish material for the 15-minuter. Series was a result of close cooperation between the BBC sales staff, Bowman & Block Adv. Agcy., and the Kleinhans Co., sponsor. New program ideas briefly noted. Bakeries THE DESERT PHILOSOPHER "The shortest commercial in radio!" That's the challenge to broadcasters from Tucson, Ariz., and KVOA. It comes on The Desert Philosopher aired every week day from 11:30 to 11:45 A.M. A one-man show of homey spice and common sense ramblings, its appeal to housewives and shut-ins is proven by the requests which pour in for copies of the poems read. But the commercial is almost the best part of the story. For three seconds on each broadcast, the sponsor speaks: "For good bread . . . buy RAINBO!" Twice each broadcast this brief commercial is given, and sales show that people buy RAINBO BREAD. Beverages IROQUOIS REVUE This is of beverages, not Indians. It's the IROQUOIS BEVERAGE CORPORATION with a 15-minute musical show five times weekly, 7:15 P.M. Aired over WGR, Buffalo, N. Y., the show is piped to WBTA, Batavia; WJTN, Jamestown, and WHDL, Olean. Show consists of David Cheskin's orchestra, with The Three Treys, Ely era and John Sturgis. The program is written and produced by BALDWIN, BOWERS AND STRACHAN, advertising. Beverages HERB CAEN Herb Caen, radio and newspaper columnist, resumed broadcast activities early in January over KPO, San Francisco, under sponsorship of the GRACE BROS. BREWING CO., Santa Rosa. Recently discharged from the Army Air Force, Caen's chatter program is aired at 10:15 P.M. Sunday. Agency: GARFIELD &. GUILD. Commercials are handled by freelance announcer. Cliff Engle. Jewelers GEORGIA NEWS National news may be vital news, but local news makes broadcasts alive for listeners. With this in mind, Tom Maxwell edits and reports a fast and factual five-minute analysis of the day's news in Georgia over WGST, Atlanta. Newspaper display ads and station spots herald the 6:55 P.M. newscast heard Monday through Friday. Sponsored by MAIER 8c BERKELE, Atlanta jewelers, commercials are institutional and brief. Men's Wear ROVING REPORTER For the man who likes to have sports news with breakfast, a new program over WGR, Buffalo, N. Y., serves that man in that area. On the air at 7:30 A.M., Monday through Saturday, the regular sportscast also features discussions of sports personalities and human interest stories culled from many Sustaining TEXAS SCHOOL OF THE AIR For over six years, the painless way of getting an education in San Antonio, Tex., has been via the Texas School of the Air, over WOAI. Over three-fourths of the schools in the TEXAS QUALITY NETWORK area incorporate the program into their curricula. Curricula includes language, arts, science, music, social studies and vocational guidance, to the benefit of more than one-half million pupils in 233 Texas counties. Transportatinn SIDE STREET AMERICA For cabbies on the payroll of the NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION CO. (PARMELEE SYSTEM), time spent reading the newspaper between fares will be time well spent. Employees of the NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION CO., operators of the largest taxicab system in the United States, have been invited to submit odd stories which have appeared in newsprint during the week. Stories accepted will be aired on NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION'S new radio show. Side Street America, heard over WNEW, New York City. Each cabbie whose item is used receives five dollars. In the event duplicate items are submitted, the one containing the earliest postmarfc is awarded the stipend. Radio series designed to present oddities in dramatized form is broadcast Sundav evening at 7:45 P.M. Agency credit line: WORLD WIDE ADV. CORP. Women's Wear LET'S GO TO THE ZOO The animal kingdom is given air space over this new WTMJ, Milwaukee, Wis., program every Sunday afternoon at 5:00. Sponsored by the BITKER-GERNER CO.. women's apparel shop, the series is a cage-side description of zoo animals at the Washington Park Zoo. Youngsters are free to question. A Ghost of an Idea may be the beginning of a successful sales campaign. In this issue there is a collection of tried and tested programs. One of them may be adaptable to YOUR business. A representative of your local station will be glad to help you work it out. Too, members of Radio Showmanmanship Magazine staff are always glad to give assistance to advertisers. • 106 • RADIO SHOWM ANSH I P