Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

day." References to the sponsor are worked into the script, ie, ''This is Ted 'Let's Keep the Sponsor Happy' Nelson, saying that if your engine coughs and your brakes are blotto, (kitexuay Chex'rolet's the place for your auto!" AIRFAX: Show was built by KPAB's assistant manager and production chief, Ted Nelson, who emcees the show. First Broadcast: January 4, 1945. Broadcast Schedule: Thursday, 8:30-9:00 p.m. Preceded By: California Melodies. Followed By: Dinner at Chulo's. Sponsor: Gateway Chevrolet Co. Station: KPAB, Laredo, Tex. Power: 250 watts. Population: 100,000. COMMENT: It's the variations on a standard format that make one show stand otit ahead of another. Here's one way to adapt a basic program idea to strictly local conditions to the benefit of the sponsor. Bakers TOPPER JAMBOREE A fun-packed and highly personalized audience-participation radio program each Saturday evening is proving to be a customer-winning, moneymaking jamboree for the Topper Bakery, Ogden, Utah, according to the American Baker Magazine. As regularly as 5:30 p.m. rolls around on Saturday, the store, located in a residential section, fills to overflowing with customers who come to buy and join the fun. Broadcast by remote control over KLO, the programs are fun for all, with everyone taking part. Informal interviews are always personalized by questions of name, address and home town of participants. Hilarity begins when the stunts start. A favorite one, with plenty of laughs for the radio audience, is the blindfolded pie feeding contest, although especially in view of the famine emergency drive, such stunts are a novelty act and not standard routine. Among recent Topper promotions is the Topper's First Lady. From letters nominating candidates for the honor, a group of impartial judges select each week the woman most outstanding for community service. To her. Topper Bakery presents an especially decorated cake. with the presentation made (hn ing the broadcast when possible. To the person nominating the weekly winner, IOppkr presents a gift of a dozen rolls or similar items. Commercials as such are played down on the program, with the slogan, "It's tops if it comes from Topper," the sole commercial identification at the beginning and end of each broadcast. 1 he casual, informal interviews keep the listening audience aware that Topper sells bakery goods, and each guest interviewed on the show is presented with his choice of a cake, a pie or dozen rolls. Mere mention during the broadcast that a new batch of certain items are just coming out of the oven is enough to start customers scurrying to the Topper Bakery. In the opinion of owner, Harry M. DeRyke, radio programs have definitely helped improve business, and he feels that the interest and support offered by the public is enough to warrant the Saturday night broadcast from Topper eventually becoming an Ogden tradition. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: September, 1945. Broadcast Schedule: Saturday, 5:30-6:00 p.m. Sponsor: Topper Bakery. Station: KLO, Odgen, Utah. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 55,588. COMMENT: While centrally located business firms catering to the public en masse have generally had the greatest success from broadcast advertising, there's an exception to prove every rule. Series here points up what radio can do for a. merchant in an out-of-the-way location who has something better than average to sell. -%' One of the Greatest Result Producing Special Christmas Shows THE CINNAMON BEAR' 26 Quarter Hours AVAILABLE NOW RADIO PRODUCERS OF HOLLYWOOD t \ 1651 Cosmo • Hollywood 28, Calif. || -K' ■-K OCTOBER, 1946 • 355 •