Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

drives and (iimpaigns in tlic public iiuci t'St. After a brict opening, 'Wexvs Flashes by the Salinas National Bank with Reed Pollock reporting the latest United Press Nexus," the program goes right into the news, with the commercial message at the end of the program. During ordinary times, the commercial stress is on savings, with some mention of farm and general loans from time to time. During the current situation, commercials stress the bank's loan department. The Salinas National Bank has incorporated into its newspaper signature cut, "Tune in . . . Salinas National Bank Nexus . . . 12:15 p.m. Every Day Except Sunday . . . Station KDON . . . 1240 on Your Dial." AIRFAX: First Broadcast: March, 1938. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Saturday, 12:15 12:30 p.m. Sponsor: Salinas National Bank. Station: KDON, Monterey-Salinas, Calif. Power: 250 watts. COMMENT: W^hen the right program and the right sponsor get together at the right time, it's a hard-to-beat combination. Participating MAIL BAG Like Topsy, the Mail Bag just grexv, and e\'en though the VVJAG, Norfolk, Nebr., program celebrated its twenty-fourth birthday in July, it still hasn't reached its full growth. Mail pull for 1945 totaled 8,902 letters to the station. On the air every week-day at 12:40 p.m., and at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, the program consists of letters from listeners and request music. Program is interrupted for redeployment news and brief summaries of the live stock market. Saturday offering is interrupted for Farm Facts and Fun, a University of Nebraska Extension Service show\ Sunday interruption: weekly letter or transcription from Washington by Congressman Karl Stefan and for the Ben Adams Family Party, sponsored by J. C. Robinson Seed Co. Evidence that what's in the Mail Bag is first-class mail for listeners: the schools ol W'ausa, \ebr., (hanged the begi ruling of their aiternoon sessions from 1:00 to 1:15 p.m. because so many of their pupils were late. Excuse: listening to the Mail Six participating sponsors have messages in the Mail Bag, with lOO-word live annoinicements or one-mimue trariscriptions. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: July, 1922. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 12:40 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, 12:40-2:15 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00 1:45 p.m. Preceded By: News. Followed By: Music. Station: WJAG, Norfolk, Nebr. Power: 1,000 watts. COMMENT: A combination of service and entertainment is almost a guarantee of program longevity Participating WOMAN'S CLUB Ten years ago the first meeting of the Woman's Club was called to order over KGGM, Albuquerque, N. M. Its membership roster of active members is now at the 7,500 mark for the three-hour, week-day feature. Local and national spot announcements, plus several network chain programs are part and parcel of the order of business. Birthdays, anniversaries, other local news are accounted for in a 15-minute Club Secretary segment. While there is no drawing for prizes, merchandise aw^ards are made each day to active members. Over the decade, listener response shows a grand average of about 72 per cent, determined by the luimber of responses to one-minute or prescribed time gift offers. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: 1935. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 11:00 a.m. Station: KGGM, Albuquerque, N. M. Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 35,449. COMMENT: To build maximum audiences, the over-all program structure must achieve a certain amount of unity to hold listeners from one progiam to the next, also build new listeners. Here is one way to achieve that end to the benefit of each individual advertiser. SEPTEMBER, 1946 • 319 •