U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

Radio's legac) as a community servant lakes as many forms as the activities of individuals! in the community itself. Stations across the country, both small and large, participate in community life and stimulate its growth. Their involvement far exceeds the routine sche& uling of spot announcements. It ma) range from Little League baseball to grand opera, from finding lost pets to enabling the blind to see. Its focus in any one day of programming can range from religion to! the arts or politics. In addition to actual on-the-ai] costs, stations invest time, talent and technical assistance to community groups that cannot be measured. In an effort to put forth the valuable functions ol radio in the community, U.S. radio takes a second annual look at these functions, as reported b\ the sta tions themselves. Here are reports from some sta lions responding to the t'.s. radio survey. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION As community participants, stations have adapts to the mobility of the life ol its citizens. During the last year, several stations have initiated a "roving* public service feature that touches on almost ever) conceivable phase of community interest. In Okla homa City, W'KY offers free to civic groups what ii calls "The Big Mike," a private public address sys tern on wheels. Mounted on top ol a Chevrolet Corvair, the "Bffl Mike" travels to clubs, churches, civic groups and or ganizations of all kinds. During 1960, it was driver thousands of miles, appearing at pancake suppers church meetings, sports events, school carnivals picnics, high-school bonfires, fishing derbies, rallies farm socials, firework shows, county fairs, "get ou the vote" parades and dozens of other charitable Stations lend support, service, as they swim in the mainstream of . . . COMMUNITY