Radio stars (Oct 1938)

RADIO STARS buy the station time. Coca Cola does this, sending pressings to 135 stations, on which time has been bought hy the local bottlers. Recording companies, such as World, Baldwin and the NBC Electrical Transcription Service, put out what they call custom-built shows. These are made according to specifications for the sponsor and are then distributed to prescribed stations. Some of these series are all recorded at one time. Thus the sponsor is able to hear in advance, and at one sitting, his entire year's programs. He then knows that there will be no slip-ups nor boners. Often advertising agencies have such a series recorded, then sell it to a client. There are syndicated transcriptions, too, which are built and sold to more than one sponsor at a time and used in different, non-conflicting areas. These may be bought direct by clients or sold to local stations, which in turn sell them to local sponsors. The Lone Ranger is one of the most popular of these. A number of recording companies feature library services which are available to both stations and sponsors. They are usually fifteen-minute programs which are complete in themselves and may be sold to local stores who wish only a one-time show. They are used more frequently, however, as sustaining broadcasts to fill unsold time and as substitutes for lastminute cancellations. NBC features a library called Thesaurus, which ships recordings twice a month to subscriber stations. These cover a variety of classifications : popular dance orchestras, concert orchestras and bands, comedy, novelties and specialties and short dra matic skits. In addition, Thesaurus provides sound effects records which include such things as applause, laughter, boos, crowd noises, orchestra tune-up, chimes and even a crying baby. There are, also, short selections which can be used for theme signatures, for setting the mood of a scene or for filling in when a live show runs short. There is, and can be, no deception practiced in the airing of transcribed programs. The Federal Communications Commission rules that : "Each broadcast program consisting of a mechanical reproduction, or a series of mechanical reproductions . . . shall be identified by appropriate announcements ... in terms common understood by the listening pi and shall accurately describe mechanical reproductions used announcements must be made ginning, at each fifteen-minute at the conclus one of no long' ised and type of " Such be made at the besn-minute interval and the program. Even ition than five minutes must be identified preceding its use. It is possible to present every type of program, except news commentaries, via electrical transcription, and the best of radio's entertainers are available. And, speaking of entertainers, you might WHO ARE THE SCENE STEALERS OF RADIO? You'll learn their names and claims to fame in RADIO STARS November suppose that live artists would resent transcriptions inasmuch as they do, to a certain extent, cut down on talent hired. As a matter of fact, the organized musicians did set up quite a howl and as a result won a higher wage scale for recording work. Formerly, each man received $20 for three hours of playing and $50 for five hours. Now he nets $18 for fifteen minutes and $24 for half an hour, with $6 paid him for five minutes, or less, of overtime. A bandleader gets double these amounts. Other talent commands a big rate, too, more than for an ordinary broadcast, but it is not so out of proportion to the actual value of services rendered. Big-name artists like recording work because it affords them more freedom. Instead of making five appearances before the mike over a certain period, a performer can devote one day to making five programs and be his own master the rest of the time. Also, he is assured in advance of a perfect job. As for cheating the local aspirants, those with real ability will be heard in person, anyway, and in all probability will migrate to the big radio centers and become recording artists themselves. The others, who have little or nothing to offer, are automatically eliminated from the competition and are thereby saved many a heartache. In transcribed programs sponsors and small stations have found the answer to a crying need, and artists have profited by their use. But, actually, the listener is the one who has gained the most. Recorded shows have lifted the level of program quality on local stations and have contributed toward making radio broadcasts more perfect entertainment mediums. Married? No reason to neglect (J ^[STOCKING APPEAL] Husbands admire wives who keep their stockings perfect Lovely stockings add so much to your appearance ... to your husband's pride in you. 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