Sponsor (Jan-Apr 1957)

Hirrnrril I iiiiiiiiiiiiih I iiiiiiiiiiiiii ill ini!\ Oilier! It> J oil ii IV|»|mt ami Bt»ri Ferguson ^ **■ 4 \W Have \"ii ever though! oi a radio Btation as a communications center, around which revolve all social, religious, economical, welfare, and civic acth ities <>f an entin nmunit) ? Well. \\ Dl \ is thai center, from which emanates the centrifugal Force that motivates man) of the functions in these organizations and mobilizes 13% of the population <>f the Memphis area — which is Negro! \\ Dl \ operates exclusive!) for the i in the Memphis area, who comprise the largest single segment of colored population in America. \\ Dl \ regulates it complete round-the-clock schedule i<> the interests of the Negro community — and has a reputation for civic betterment in inter-racial relationship. Built On Service The establishment of \\ DIA as a communications center was possible through one, and only one, fundamental service! \\ Dl \ serves Memphis Negroes individually and en masse. Stars and staffs of, '"Glory Train." "Hallelujah Jubilee," "Gospel Clock, and all denominational programs, announce choir practice, raise building fund for new -tructures, and egate large audiences for church Bocials. In affairs of a strictly social nature. \\ Dl \ uses its women's programs and news shows to publicize parties, club meetings, and reception-. through this channel, WDIA maintains excellent public relations with Negro home-makers, who are the consumer-buyers of a high percentage of all groceries, drugs, and soft goods, sold in Memphis. In addition. \\ DIA strengthens station-community relations bv fostering all important promotions and charit) events, from sorority dances to chitterling suppers. Consequently, these associations contribute handsomely to benevolent causes and civic projects, which, frequently, combine, as in the foundation of a school-transportation system [or Crippled Negro Children I he) . also, < o-opei ate w ith < its \\ elfare Vgem ies , . and support, w ith fantastic attendant e, \\ Dl \ Benefits lliimor lo l*allios \|..~i Negroes are simple, direct, and pel -on. d in their rea< tions. I bal w h) the) tin n i" \\ Dl \ a the answei i" their individual problems. Hundreds ol Negroes call weekly, t" enlisl the aid "f \\ Dl \ in the solution of these misfortunes, which vacillate between humor and pathos. \\ Dl \ centralizes these cases in a department, under the direction of Maiic \\ allien, who received the L952 Citizens Committee \ward Eor her contribution to InterRacial Goodw ill the Memphis I rban League Certificate of Merit, in L950, for outstanding service in promoting racial understanding -and the 1950 Commercial Vppeal Plaque for distinguished service to the communit) in the field of Journalism. Mrs. \\ allien interviews and interrogates callers, then processes the requests. She routes hundreds to the Lost-And-Found Department, where \\ Dl \ announcers solicit, over the air, the return of articles, ranging from billfolds and false teeth to red mules and blue tick hounds! . . . yes, and children, too! There was the three year old boy, who wandered from his home on Beale — to be located b) \\ Dl \ listeners. And the fifteen \ear old girl, who ran away from Manassas High School — only to receive a firm lecture from a \\ Dl \ Star, along with a plea to rejoin her family. This personalized service may extend to contacting relathe for a funeral and. thereby, reuniting many families, who have been separated for years, due to their inherent reluctance to read and write. Or to securing blood donors t" save a life. Whatever the need, individual or collective. \\ Dl \ meets it! Economic Force You can understand win Memphis area Negroes re-pond to \\DI\ with overwhelming acceptance — why they consider \\ Dl \ their own -tation — wh\ they, annually, bu) a quarter of a billion dollar worth of product-. recommended In \\ Dl \ -tars. These include: Pet Milk . . . (iolden Peacock Creme . . . Blue Plate Foods . . . .Sal lie pa tit (i . . . Colgate Mental Cream . . . Folger Coffee If you are a manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of grocery product-, con -id. i these figures. I be Negroes "f Memphis pun 1m-' "I .dl lloui -"Id in Memphis i ■ "f all tie • anned milk more than half the mayonnaise and othei item-. which i mi up a higl an a di u. dial-!, stud) these I Memphis Negroes bu) mon tl ol all laxatives -"Id almost 56* of the deodoi ants half of tin chesl i ubs and about the -line amount "I tooth i iste, t" name a few of the high peri entage a Hers. \\ Dl \ i responsible, in ii" -mall measure, bu tin-, high -ah hi .,id-. In moving South, industr) has placed on the payroll Memphis heavily-concentrated Negro population, at a composite salary, exceeding 250 million dollar-. Thai means Memphis Negroes have the highest, per capita income, relative t" white, "f Negroes in the nation. The) earn it — the\ spend it in Memphis ! I he ' peramenl and the background of most ..I those Negroes give them a willingiii-- t" enjo) tin present t" thi for the future i uncei tail . I • efore, it i their nature to spend, in order to enjoy. Now, added to tliat tendency, there is a fierce racial pride and ambition to elevate their standard of living to equal their earning power. I turn t" \\ Dl \ for ad\ ice On how to spend and what to buy. Stars on \\ 1)1 \. who are their idols and their leaders, directly influence the Bali the major portion of a quarter-billion dollar worth of merchandise, yearly. Memphis has the market! \\ Dl \ ithe medium! It you want buying tion, you want \\ Dl \! \\ ith its 50,000 wait coverage, it populai Stars, its ramifications as a communit) munications i ent< r. \\ Dl \ can sell your brand of products in a fabulous volume t" this specialized mark. t. Drop a note, on your letterhead, for the specific information, dealing with your line. Mention, also, that you would like a bound ropv of. Stor) Of \\ Dl \." W Dl \ i represented nationally by John E. P( ipam. f yjOHS PEPPER, Prtsiimt BERT FERGISOS, G*n*rd Mtmtj" HAROLD WALKER. Ccmmtmial Manafrr SPONSOR 2.3 MARCH 195' 21