U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

WSl') Aihiiiia has rcgulail\ l)Ltn c allying ils 1j ininutf, fi\c-(lay-a-week Open Mike series. Recently, tlie broadcast covered news Irom Georgia's General Assembly. The listeners were given a complete report on daily happenings in the Legislature, using the actual voices ot the newsmakers sjieaking directly Irom the floor ot the Assembly, ". . . and delving into political developments more completely and thoroughly than is done on a regular newscast." Many veteran lawmakers, reports the station, stated that they heard daily repercussions from the Open Mike broadcasts, as voters around the state listened to these developments and wrote, whed or called the state capitol with their reactions. In addition to the special series, the Open Mike program has dealt with such subjects as desegregation, an inside report on conditions tor the mentally ill, a study of the state's prison system, among others. KDL\ Oakland, Calif., reports that it has presented many special programs designed to keep its listeners abreast of matters of local and national interest. Over a recent 30-day period, the station reports, some ot the programs carried included a special interview with an expert on the "Negro and labor unions: an interview with Cornelia Otis Skinner on Brotherhood Week; a special Negro youth panel on the lunch counter demonstrations. There were also two special prcjgrams on cajjital punishment, with particular relerence to the Chessman case, and a remote broadcast of the first Negro Ml IN RECOGNITION OF members of its community, WCCO Minneapolis sponsored an honor lunch for the 10 MInnesotans on the Gold Medal U.S. Olympic Team. Members received plaques from Gov. Orville Freeman (I.). Sportscaster Halsey Hall interviews Jack McCar+an (c). These are the things that matter most to me... y "The emergencies..." WHAT'S A PENNY PITCH? To most people it's a line you pitch to. Closest penny's the winner and takes all. To WOWO listeners it's different. They pitch pennies by the thousands to a kitty at WOWO . . . to help losers in the game of life. It started in '54, and has been going on ever since. That first year they pitched pennies for a new typewriter to help a crippled lad to continue putting out a local newspaper — his sole means of support. In '55 pennies were pitched toward power tools for a disabled veteran. As a result he was able to start his own woodworking business. In '56 WOWO pennies rebuilt a home for an elderly couple, unable to modernize on their own. The next year WOWO broadcast the story of a blind woman and her four children, about to be evicted from their small apartment. 15,654 listen ers played . . . and purchased a home for this family. In '58 WOWO coins jingled their way up to rebuilding a home and playground facilities for a couple that sheltered orphans. Last year WOWO listeners burned a mortgage for a widow and six children. 19,232 people played that game. The kitty : $11,230 — enough to pay the mortgage and provide for a much needed operation for one of the children. The game that started with a typewriter for a small boy has furnished homes for needy families. What will the stakes be next year? No one can say for sure. One thing is certain. No station in the Tri-State area is more eager to help its community ... no station better known for the help already given. WOWO FORT WAJNE Broadcasting is most effective on stations that have earned the respect and confidence of the communities they serve. U. S. RADIO May 1960 41