Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

ords is played on the program, and the Hidden Partners, i.e., the listening audience, are invited to identify the voice. 1 () win: identification of voice plus best L^O-word opinion of "hidden partner's" show. For members of the studio audience other than the ten contestants, there's a stockholder's daily grand bonus question. Question is propounded before the program goes on the air, and studio audiences put down their answers to the question. To the winner of the stockholder's grand bonus question goes such awards as ;tn Arvin table model radio. An average of two 100-word announce nients for participating sponsors are worked into the script each day, AIRFAX: In addition to WTAG's chief announcer Gil Hodges, the cast includes Henry Felix, producer-director and scripter, Dale O'Donnell. First Broadcast: January 20, 1947. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 3:304:00 p.m. Station: WTAG, Worcester, Mass. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 193,694. COMMENT: AVhile participation programs serve many purposes, the broader the participation base, the greater can be the anticipated returns in terms of widespread, general interest in participation. Through angles for contestants, studio audiences and listeners, the series here covers everv front. Participating TELEPHONE QUIZ For KTUL, Tulsa, Okla,, listeners, fun and facts are the order of the day at 9:00 a.m., and part of the fun is the chance to w^in real folding money for correct answers on KTUL's Tell-d-Test. It's a quiz show that pays off, whether the person telephoned is listening to the broadcast or not. Telephone numbers, scientifically selected, are given to the quiz master each day in a sealed envelope, and once the seal has been broken, approximately six telephone calls are made during the 30niinute broadcast. If the person answering the telephone answers the question correctly, the amount on deposit is paid out. Deposit starts with 33.00 and each time the (juestion is missed an additional three simoleons are added to the ante. To anyone who calls, the KTUL switchboard gives the answer to the (juestion of the day, with almoin 1500 calls cleared througli the switchboard each week. Prize award has pyramided to over SI 25.00 on several occasions. To each person telephoned who fails to give the correct answer to the question of the day is awarded a consolation prize of one })ound of Polar Bear Coffee, On the theory that listeners will catch on to the format of the show through the telephone conversations, only short explanations of the Tell-O-Test game are made in the introduction, A participating program, its sponsors now include the Associated Steam Power Laundries, Tulsa, with one spot announcement each day; Lucky Strike Cigarettes with one daily spot, and Veto on a M-W^-F schedule. Each spot is oneminute long, with the announcements for Lucky Strike and Veto transcribed, AIRFAX: Quizmaster of the show is Jack Alexander. Series is based on the Schwimmer 8C Scott Tello-Tcst script oflfering. First Broadcast: February 24, 1947. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 11:3012:00 a.m. Preceded By: News. Followed By: News. Station: KTUL, Tulsa, Okla. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 166,171. COMMENT: In many programs designed for listener participation, there's a tendenc)' to spend so much time in explanation of the idea of the show that there's little time for actual participation or entertainment. One effective way to avoid this pitfall is to keep such a series as simple as possible and then keep all explanations equally simple. Response here indicates that such an approach represents a strong listener incentive. It certainly increases the entertainment value to listeners who, for a variety of reasons, choose to listen, rather than to participate. Restaurants TO THE LADIES Take a get-together of ladies, put them into a half-hour of stunts and gags, add the spontaneous personality of an announcer with a way with the ladies, and )ou ha\e an audience par J U N E, 1947 • 209 •