Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

Department Stares THIS CHANGING WORLD Where there is growth, change is essential but in This Changing World, the problem is to keep up with the changes that occur. In Los Angeles, Calif., the J. W. Robinson Co., department store, helps KHJ listeners keep up with This Changing World in a quarter-hour series of interpretative comment on current events. When J. W. Robinson took on the show, it was not to promote the sale of specific merchandise. Rather, the program was cut from the institutional cloth. With Harrison (Larry) Wood as commentator, the series reviews the highlights of the news and is recommended for classroom listening in the junior and senior high schools by the Board of Education, the Los Angeles County School Board and the parochial schools of the district. Other school boards in adjoining communities have followed suit. Wherever possible, there is a direct tie-in between the schools and the editorial content of the problem. Many programs originate in the auditoriums of the city and cotinty schools, and after airtime, students participate in questionand-answer periods. Broadcast topics are prepared two weeks in advance and are announced in weekly bulletins to all the schools. Bulletins also go to service clubs, women's groups, parent-teachers associations, other organizations interested in current events. Commercials are written by the Mays & Bknnktt Advertising Agency. Each brings up some interesting story of development in all phases of life in a changing world. Opening and closing credit lines focus the spotlight on J. W. Robinson. AIRFAX: Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 1:30-1:45 P.M.; Sunday, 4:00-4-A5 P.M. P.T. Sponsor: J. W. Robinson Co. Station: KHJ, Los Angeles, Calif. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 3,497,074. Aiicncy: Mays dC Bennett Adv. Agcy. COMMENT: Wartime scarcities taught ad\eriisers the value of the institiuional approach, and with that lesson, public servi((' began lo (oiiic into ils own in llic field of commercial radio. Advertisers are finding new uses for public service features and the signs indicate that such offerings have larger and more appreciative audiences on a sponsored basis than they did when they were tucked away on the sustaining shelf. Department Stares STYLES IN TEMPO In Jacksonville, Ela., the Cohen Brothers Department Store | sets the fashion styles with Styles in Tern ! po. Eashion notes of an instittitional nature, with musical and vocal ' ^ selections are sent over the ^fQ\ WMBR airwaves five tinus ?^ weekly at 11:00 A.M. from ^' an especially constructed radio theatre in the Cohen Brothers store. Created for the Cohen Brothers, the program is under the general direction of Frank King. WMBR president and general manager. It all began when a quarter-hour sustaining show proved so popular with WMBR listeners that it was purchased by Cohen Brothers as a half-hour program, and the radio theatre within the store was constructed under the general direction of Colonel R. L. Seitner, vice president and general merchandise manager. Live show features a cast of five, with an announcer, a fashion commentator and a musical trio. Angles for audience! participation are now being worked oiu. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: September, 1945. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 11:00 11:30 A.M. Sponsor: Cohen Brothers Department Store. Station: WMBR, Jacksonville, Fla. Power: 250 watts. Population: 173,065. COMMENT: Remote broadcasts give ad \ei tisers an excellent opportunity to capi tali/eon the personal element inherent ii broadcast advertising. Such origination also stimulate store traffic and help in crease sponsor identification among thos(j Avho turn out for the broadcasts. Audience participation is good because it gives the public an additional inceii live. 132 • RADIO SHOWMANSH i