Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1960)

WGH, Norfolk -Portsmouth -Newport News, for example, maintains 11 radio-equipped mobile units on duty 24 hours to collect news of the Tidewater area (see picture, page 36), and careful checks of newspapers in the region show that WGH is consistently outscooping them on a majority of both national and local news items. WHDH, Boston, has its own 11man news department as well as the full facilities of the Boston HeraldTraveller. WBNS, Columbus, uses mobile units, a patrol plane, beeper phones, and other expensive equipment, and has five monitors tuned in on police, fire, sheriff, and highway patrol systems around the clock. WAKY, Louisville, in addition to its own mobile facilities, has 10 radio units belonging to a private firm that cooperate in feeding in daily news tips. WOKY, Milwaukee, augments its own staff with 20 paid correspondents in six counties, plus 1,500 Voice of the News reporters who compete for weekly prizes for the best story turned in. In Omaha. WOW maintains 20 reporter-writers plus 100 exclusive land paid) station correspondents. In Detroit, WXYZ has a special City Hall Reporter, a direct line to the state capital in Lansing, and dozens of other facilities. . . . The list could be multiplied indefinitely. But the moral is clear. Radio men, in their struggles to become the "first news source" in their own markets, have thrown away the book and are striking out for new horizons. To take but one example of how a station increases news coverage to build community prestige, consider the case of WBBF, Rochester. Early this year, WBBF embarked <>n a policy of expanding its news department and Rochester news service. Here are a few of the ways in which it has implemented this policy: 1 ) Monthly presidential preference polls among local residences 2 i Press conference programs with high city and county officials 3 ) Expansion of ski reports and news for sports enthusiasts 4) Station news chief sent to Washington to attend a White House press conference 5) First radio broadcasts in his tory of Rochester City Council meetings 6) New mobile facilities for onthe-spot coverage 7) Only Rochester station to send a reporter to the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles 8) Delayed re-broadcast of Governor Rockefeller's tv appearance on Open End (no Rochester tv station carried a showing of this,). In addition, WBBF, which gets national and international news from the Mutual line, has signed a new contract with Radio Press International (see below) and is now inserting into its daily newscasts (with appropriate comments) items which it records from the Radio Moscow English program service. happenings such y increasing news as KLIF, ole. KLIF e-scene reports of its effect INTENSIVE ON-THE-SPOT COVERAGE of l< Dallas, gave to Texas tornado, characterize radio's r< n tracked path of the storm, gave constant, < RADIO'S BURST OF CREATIVITY THIS is the fifth in a series of SPONSOR articles dealing with the amazing, but little-known, "battle of ideas" at radio's grassroots level that is fast making it America's most creative medium PART I [issue of 5 Sept.) detailed the reasons behind radio's new creative revolution, why it's happening and what it means PART II {issue of 12 Sept.) explained how stations, in fierce competitive fight, are creating many new public service features. PART HI (issue of 19 Sept.) gave examples of the new music and talk program formats which are emerging in radio's "battle of ideas" PART IV I issue of 26 Sept.) discussed editorializing, the vigorous treatment of local issues that is bringing new vitality to radio PART V I this issue) completes the series of Radio Creativity with a highspot review of dramatic developments in radio news coverage SPONSOR • 3 OCTOBER 1960