Sponsor (Jan-June 1951)

by the spare-time of technicians whose bread and butter lay elsewhere. Even the most devoted rooters for the Reis project couldn't quite manage a white lie after the inaugural program on 18 July, 1936. The favored euphemism was '"unfortunate." Immemoriallv first broadcasts of new radio series were apt to be "unfortunate" so young Mr. Reis neither made nor escaped history except that he was supposed to be "different." It was in two parts, that first Workshop. In the first. A Comedy of Danger by Richard Hughes, the actors stood in a chalked circle close to the microphone, reading from manuscript and under instruction to refrain from all gesture or movement. Then, in the following piece. The Finger of God by Percival Wilde, the opposite technique was illustrated: the actors had memorized their lines and were free to roam the studio, gesture, work their own props and so on. Undoubtedly this juxtapositioning of techniques was intended to prove something, but precisely what was unclear in the extreme. Young Mr. Reis was definitely pale after that first try. Results improved the following week with Broadway Evening, an adventure in street jabber, subway noises, fire engines, ambulance sirens, and Lindy repartee. Although it was often unintelligible and confusing, Reis did get hold of some of the "mood" he was after. The series went along uncertainly but began to attract interest in the trade. Reis gained confidence, and newspaper clippings. He kept on nagging" Bill Lewis, finally got the use of the CBS house orchestra. In a little while now the excitement would have spread and young Mr. Reis would be directing young Mr. Orson Welles doing, quite as a matter of course. Mr. Shakespeare's Hamlet. At this period, Reis was invariably good for a lot of interviewing. CBS issued regular communiques about him. He wished to explore every angle c( radio that then existed or might be uncovered tomorrow. "We don't really know yet what our microphones can i do," he said, "we're going to put them in queer places, add new inventions, give them their heads, as they say of horses, and see what happens. We want ! to break every rule known to radio broadcasting." (sic) CBS described Reis as "on his toes with excitement." adding that "every 12 FEBRUARY 1951 TO THE FOUR CORNERS of 21 great northeastern markets go the powerful 50,000 watts of pioneer station WGY. WGY guarantees the coverage, impact, penetration and results needed to sell your product in an area with a population larger than Kansas City, Missouri and Hartford, Connecticut combined, and refa/7 sales greater than Cincinnati, Ohio and Portland, Maine combined. WGY covers 21 major metropolitan markets in 53 counties of five northeastern states. The next best station reaches only 10. In the total 53 county coverage area 2,980,000 people spend over two billion 500 million dollars on goods purchased each year. WGY has 36' \ more audience in the daytime and 45' , more audience at night than a combination of 10 top-rated stations in its area. (WGY weekly audience 451,230—10 station weekly audience 313,080.) WGY penetrates eight counties in its daytime area and nine in its nighttime area which are not reached at all by any other Capital District radio station. In addition WGY has in its primary area day and night 23 counties. Station B has five counties, Station C three counties, and Station D three counties. WGY produces results. One 1 -minute participation brought $700 in mail orders for a $1 pair of gloves. Further participations brought $25,000 worth of business which completely swamped the plant in Gloversville, N. Y. WGY brought an implement dealer $52,000 worth of business from one spot a week. This series cost him $1,300. This power-packed, sales-filled combination of coverage, impact, penetration and results, amazingly enough, can be yours at a lower cost than any combination of stations in the area needed to reach the same markets! Call NBC Spot Sales or WGY's Sales Department today! Represented Nationally by NSC Spot Sales A GENERAL ELECTRIC STATION 63