Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

uiiily to listen lo ncwscasls which told )! the rising tide of traffic deaths on Okhijhonia highways. The story was so appalling that he determined to do something kbout the situation when fie returned to he office. Once back in his swivel chair he called in the heads of program, promotion and [production and outlined the seed w^hich was to germinate into the Save-A-Lifr programs. He suggested a safety statement contest offered to public school children throughout the Oklahoma City area, Under joint sponsorship of the local imior Chamber of Commerce, who, in onnection with their public safety ictivities woidd pull in the active support of school principals and' teachers nid heighten interest in the contest by neans of publicity channels opened to hem but too often closed to radio staions. I HE plan expanded. Governor Robert S. Ivcrr w^as called in to place his endorsenent behind the project and State Safety ^Commissioner J. M. Gentry then offered o toss the entire weight of his highway >atrol in support of all-out effort to timulate safety thinking among youngters who would then take this thinking nto Oklahoma homes. Program series developed about the heme The Highway Patrol to the Rescue vith dramatized incidents in the work )1 the highway patrol presented on the urograms every Friday evening at 6:00 ).m. Thousands of entries in the safety tatement poured into the station. Each ontestant finished the sentence "Lh>es an be saved on the public highways '>y . . ." in twenty five words or less, and ach w^eek at a certain spot in the pro-am the winner of the w^eek was anlounced. Based upon a 13-week run, the contest )ffered a %b weekly prize to the best entry vith final prize of a $50 War Bond first >rize, a $25 War Bond second prize and ive honorable mention awards of $5 ach. Winners were invited to the. Junior chamber of Connnerce Tuesday forum iincheons and given their awards. At the close of the series, Commissioner •cniry wrote a letter stating that traffic (kalhs had declined while the sail l\ piogiams weic on the air and that in his considered judgment the Sarw-A-Life series (ontributecl materially to the reduction. Announcement of the winning of the George Foster Peabody Award of course climaxed a public service series which really bit down into the apple of how-topresent-and-do pid>lic ser\ ice, and came up with a chunk of golden example. During 194() the Save-A-Life series has been expanded statewide in Oklahoma with eight other radio stations in various towns assuming sponsorship of the programs in co-operation with their local Junior Chamtjers of Commerce. Programs are originated in studios of KOMA, and are wTitten and produced by Bill Bryan, program director, who also serves as public safety chairman of the Junior Chamber. Plan of offering joint sponsorship of such radio programs to civic organizations is unique, especially when conducted inrder auspices of young, aggressive groups such as the 35-year-age-limit Junior Chambers of Commerce. The young men pitch in beliind the programs w^ith enthusiastic outside promotion and lend impetus to the general drive that could not be attained in any other way. Net result is greater community interest, wider individual co-operation and, of course, public service which lives up to the toughest definition of the term. U NE thing more. Dividing the honor of public service programs w^ith interested civic groups insteaci of taking credit away from the radio station for a job well done, actually adds a hundredfold to the station's prestige. Hog-all radio stations who clutch the credit entirely to themselves may well stand back and wonder why recognition for worthw^iile public service is slow, or perhaps, forever, in coming. In radio, as well as in living, a person never gets without giving; never gives, without getting. A radio station which has the heart and the sincere desire to render true service to its listeners wall do so, without much consideration of w^here the praise will lie. Such bread tossed upon the w^aters returns! UGUST, 1946 • 263 •