Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

t he newspapei I'M. which foi /ears lias editoriall) kicked disk jockeying around, co-sponsored a Di Derby, as they billed a. and all ovei the nation newspapers are cooperating with stations on giving locals a chanci to spin disks foi farm and fortune. These amateur sessions an practicall) sure-fire since the time allotted for talk between disks is sin ii t and tin disks an professional so the .mi even with the worst amateur disk |oiki\. is likel) to be good. More often than not the reasons why the -amateur selected the records are also fun, if not professional. Pisk jockey programs this fall will establish new records in listening and amateurs at tin nation's turntables are almost tain way to further increase audiences to block programed disk music. It also lends stature to the fine art of turning on charm and records at the same time. 1 1 hundreds of men, women, and teen want an opportunity of becoming disk jockeys, there must be, reasons the average listener, something to the business of mixing talk and music on the air. The most successful disk jockey amateur sweepstakes are those that ask listeners to submit their ideas of a perfect program and then has the winner of the competition, selected by a special committee of showmen and musicians. The listener who submits the winning program comes into the station and puts his selection of records on the air. The formula Amateurs arc always sood marquee material creates a minimum break in the continuity of a block programed sequence. Nevertheless it adds the amateur touch to what is normally a fairly tight stylized form of air entertainment. Where the station desires to go whole hog for the amateur touch it generally brings in the would-be disk jockeys and permits each to have a chance to introduce one pre-selected disk on the air. The listeners vote on the amateur they like best and that contestant is given a prize and an opportunity announce an entire program on the air. Actually disk jockey amateur programs are to a degree like Sammy Kaye's So You Want to Lead a Band idea. They seldom develop talent that actually turns to disk-jockeying just as the Sammy Kaye routine never develops new band leaders. Amateur drama hasn't made much progress, either on the networks or local stations. Before the war there were a number of amateur dramatic hours but station staffs are still too tied up with operational problems to give the time and energy required to make amateur drama sessions profitable. The Big Break frequently has a drama-aspiring contestant with Eddie Dowling or some other dramatic star playing with her, or him, before the mike. One trouble with dramatic talent in contest with other types of talent is that flash talent is more impressive in fields other than acting. The odds are tremendously against an actor's winning (unless he happens to be an impersonator who imitates motion picture, theatrical, and radio stars — talent-opportunity-hour judges and listeners like impersonators). Amateur programs are not inexpensive. In many areas it is necessary to have some professional performers on the broadcast, but even if legally there is no need for "stand-bys" the actual production cost, auditioning, and time spent working with talent to give the show mike-sense, run costs up above an average professional airing. The awards also are a sizable cost factor, for worth-while talent just doesn't turn out for meager prizes. There are as many variations on the amateur theme as there are of My Old Kentucky Home . . . and if they're followed through commercially and properly promoted there's nothing amateurish about the results at the point of sale. From elevator starter to teen-age tyros and models too, they all want to try their skill at disk-jockeying at hundreds of stations across the nation fe ^ 1 ik ,1