Variety (Dec 1939)

16 VARIETY RADIO Wednesdaj, December 13, 1939 DES MOINES: IT'S FOLK MUSIC By EDGAR A. GRUNWALD Des Moines, Dec. 12. Des Moines is the nation's No. 2 radio town just as em- phatically as Cincinnati is the No. 1 kingpin. From every ungle—revenue, management, location, talent, alertne.ss—this dot on the agricultuiral terrain of Iowa is comparable to a physical featherweight packing the wallop of a Joe Louis. Of . ItseU barely able to boast of 150,000 population Des Moines annually knocks down> over $1,100,000 in net radio revenue, and does such a gigantic volume of national spot business that only New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cm- einnati, Detroit and St. Louis hold an edge. Partially this amazing amount of revenue is due to Des Moines' choice location; but full credit must be given the three stations—WHO, KRNT, KSO—for a bang-up job of sifting the pay dirt. Nobody has missed a bet here. And while the various operators have widely divergent policies, they have shrewdly framed them with diversification and a high rate of dollar return in mind. RosuIUntly, the Des Moines trio is virtually impregnable. Should the FCC ever stick more stations into the city, the senior group now in operation wouldn't have to bat an eyelash. But the new- comers would be sledding on gravel. . From the angle of location, the Des Moines outlets are *ortunate in that their home town is running nip and, tuck with Washington, D. C, as the nation's richest city. Per capita spendable income here is miles, above the average. Likewise the rural population is in a comparative soft spot. Ih scores of agricultural commodities, Iowa is the foremost producer and revenue-maker in the U. S.. . It is a fact, of course, that WHO's 50,000 \Xratts are a great advertisement for the town as a national spot center, and undoubtedly have lured many an account. But wattage not- withstanding, WHO has done a yeomen job in identifying Itself with the farmers. Most of the staff has had plenty of dealing with the rustics, directly or indirectly, and, pamper- ing and coddling the' farmer, WHO has gone so far as to make it a rule that hillbilly music hereinafter shall be re- ferred to as 'American folk music' Offhand this gilding the lily has all the earmarks of a gag, but the fact is that the station takes the farmers that seriously. And why not? Over $600,000 in national spot business (the 1937 Des Moines quota) in part depend on it. KRNT-KSO, both owned by the Register Sc Tribune (Cowles), meantime have as potent an ally in their parent paper as WHO has in its wattage. The Register & Tribune is by how virtually a state institution, having long since out- grown a mere city circulation. It blankets Iowa like a tent, and KRNT-KSO take full advantage of this cut-to-order publicity opportunity. The paper's radio columnist is on the payroll of the stations, which means plenty of plugging. But so well has this chatter been handled that surveys show the radio, column outranks the sports departmient as an attention-getter. KRNT-KSO furthermore lay down a bar- rage of plugging and promotion, some of it stunty, some statistical. , On several other scores, the city has outstanding radio ad- vantages: all major and one regional network have outlets here; there is a good differentiation in wattage, with WHO in the clear channel realm, and KRNT-KSO on regional bands; and the rates show plenty of separation, being pegged at $425, $200, and $160. Tliat gives everybody a chance to peddle different wares. i THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS FOR THE STAFF OF WHO, DES MOINES WHO is the oldest outlet here, affiliated with the basic Red. WHO harps much on staff loyalty. Primarily owned by CoL- B. J. Palmer—president of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, the Palmer Clinic, and WOC, Davenport—the station has from time to time given its employees bonuses so that they might buy WHO stock, and additionally awards 5% to 10% bonuses as Xmas presents. It's a station that has inspired—and gotten—staff loyalty. Operating on a single rate, the station is currently carry- ing less than 17o local business. And it's a big mail puller, hitting as high as 118,000 letters per month. Merchandising- promotion are worked two ways. First of all, the station does most of the standard things—accompanies salesmen, sends out bulletins, distributes a limited amount of counter- cards, makes small surveys, distributes 300,000 program schedules monthly through food stores, and runs two pages in the weekly Des Moines Dispatch. But just as important is the farm promotion. In the past three years, between 70 and 80 towns have been saluted. The station also stages a 'Radio Corn Show' with $200 in prizes; a 'Tall Corn Sweep- stakes' with $250 in awards; and the 'Cornbelt Plowing Match' with $500 in premiums. The latter contest draws about-15,000 spectators. In the near future WHO expects to supplement this stuff by razing a half a block and building elaborate new studios. J. O. (Joe) Maland is vice-president, manager and a stock- holder. Once with the Dakota Farmer (farm paper) he be- came farm program director of WLAG (now WCCO) in 1923 inasmuch as the paper owned a piece of it; in 1928 he became commercial manager of WLS; then sales manager of the CBS Farm Network in 1930; and WHO manager in 1931. Hale Bondurant is sales manager; Hugh Feeley, recently with Free Sc Peters, is regional sales manager; Harold Fair, once CBS production manager in Chicago, an agency man with Bozell & Jacobs, and onetime arranger for Jean Goldkfette, handles programming; Herb Plambake, ex-county agent and newspaperman, handles farm programs; Harold Fulton is merchandising director; Lyle Flanagan heads up continuity; Don Hovey is musical director; and publicity is taken care of by Woody Woods, once KSO program director and before that in the show business. About 26% of WHO'S total schedule Is comprised of local live talent shows. To keep these moving, the station spends Labeled 'Hawkeye Dinner Time,' this stanza (participating) around $100,000 annually, musicians alone getting $36,000. has Uncle Twid, emcee, the Northwesterners, a five-piece Since the majority of the programs are farm programs, the string band, Betty Jean and Freddie St Tommy Thompson, station has set up a code covering them: (1) hillbillies are It's four years old. 'cowboys' and their music is "American folk music'; (2) all other stanzas include: recorded shows (similar to th« farm musical-variety shows, regardless of where or when kRNT series) from 6:30-9 a.m.; a five-minute 'Club Calendar' they go on, are mythically located in 'Sunset Corners'; (3) 9.30 a.ni. wherein the doings of local clubs are unspooled; on the contention that farmers like to hear their own kind, Cwen McCleary's daily column on Iowa's geography, people, lots of farmers are invited to gab on the station, but this odditie.";, gossip, etc., at 9:45 a.m. (sponsored by Ford dealers); gabbing must be spotted in a production and should not a'Doin'the Town'entertainment guide at 11:45 a.m., ?old par- exceed five minutes at a whack; (4) to keep the station in ' ticipaling and partially given to the theatres who show touch with listeners, a program-criticizing committee has KRNT-KSO's trailers; Dale Morgan's inquiring mike at 1:13 been appointed, with which the staff meets frequently. p (joid to Inland Milling); 'Sum Fun' at 1:45 p.m., a mufi- WHO broadcasts seven news periods per day, spieled by ca\ number contest writtpn and emceed by Gene Loffler, H. R. Gross (chief of the news department), Jack Shelley, which is the biggest mail pliller on either station (sustaining); Bob Burlingame, and Herb Plambake. Bill Brown does the Priscilla Wayne's alTaiis-of-the-heart column for Flynh Dairy football play-by-play and baseball resumes. Market news is at 2:15 p.m. (she also has a woman's news broadcast at 5:15); aired twice daily. Since most of the other programs are Cheerful Charlie Flagler's song and patter at 4:30; Gene Loff- sponsored currently, mention of many of Ihem—wilL be and Marian Shisscl dramatizing the funnies at 5 p.m^ omitted. Of the remainder, the following are'noteworthy: (sustaining); Shumate's sports slants at 10:15 p.m.; and a .'May I Suggest,' a participating stanza on Saturday morn- recorded request show from midnight at 1 a.m. . ings spieled by Helen Watts Schrciber and ba^^ ,j, considerable amount of sports ^^^^^'Tnj:rio^riS^TTUJ!:L^tS^ .play-byplay. spiked by Gene Shumate and Paul Miner. Jerry Smith (Yodeling Cowboy), the Songfellows, and the rroi? r-fTCmn/lli'lIC Melody Maids; and the 'Saturday Night Barn Dance'—a huge 1 HHj 1 UlTlJCiI\i3 visual-ether show staged m th^ S^^^^^^^ ^^^j^^ t,y WHO, KRNT 4,500) at two-bits admission. Almost 100 people take part in . ^^rt in inrfo- this frolic, produced by SUn Widney, and blocks of time are '"C'^o^- sold tb various sponsors. Right now there's a waiting list for ^^'Xln CrnTLeny'""-o!!!! 1!".!'.".! V. '.".!!".!".i™"™ sponsors until next May. By way of public-interest pro- Ania .si">t bnnnKa.-iiiin;* grams (aside from lots of special events), the station has a B.iiimawcet . •^'«";;."«<'<r ". .. , . . ± tr^ llenuilHilU IJibs 11. W. Knslni* series of church broadcasts, and produces an elaborate 'Corn- ncv. K<i\v:ir«i umm<- Dirc i belt Farm Hour' on Saturdays under Herb Plambake's direc- Brown wiiiiumsi.n.. uusseii -M. s»f,ij tion. WHO once ran an artists bureau, but recently dropped campbcii (vioi'ii!!ii!ii!i!!!!!!!.i!.'.' '.'J.ii.' %v.' kusi"." • it on the grounds that county fair bookings were putting the Civiter Meiiu-inn.!.! — '. — ^ .sp-t nrojuu-iintini;* sUtion in the circus business. caiev'-fiu?''!"'"--'■ V' ' V'-V V.V KRNT (affiliated with CBS) and KSO (NBC Blue and Cei-6-Gi...,»"r.V.'.V/.V.'..'..;^ iiHu.>ii.» Mutual) divide—on a more or less flexible basis—the urban choroiote I'ro.imis fo.. MoOkui and rural angles between themselve.s. KRNT taking the !>• '•• c^^rit O" ahutc r. imii« farmers and KSO the city-dwellers. They also belong to c?c7«'Mm',^ . regional network composed of the Register & Tribune's four lii-v. I'orcy u. '(•in»r.n.r i.. 11. aii.it stations-that is, KRNT-KSO, WMT, Cedar Rapids, and S'".'.!.': WNAX, Yankton. Less'conservative'than WHO, the Cowles Cominprcini .'^olv^ni^. ini.ii-riv./.c) Muximi* crowd does a zippy, well-balanced job and business is hefty. J;;. ^ciinM7s'"'cuiV hiin ''' ...< i>i!»ii:ni,.cii Right now local dollar volume on the two stations is about Cownin'i-^irs..".!^.\.'.'.'.. !.'.'.'.'.'.''.'.'.".'.'.'.'.'.'.'.".'.".'.'.'...'.'.''\ ai1v.« three times as big as national spot, but the latter is rising orescent CravWor li. M»n,..„\ .. .. ... . i>iie.i ... I, »u 1 i- 1 ■■ • -1 » frown fork & Sou 1lenJ:iiiiln Kulilemiin* rapidly. Both stations operate on a single-rate. j^Mn .smdloa :...i,ci>KinK aiIv. KRNT-KSO PROGRAAfS SOLD WITH f!":!!;-;::^ Keftnoirtint \Vm. Ksiy» PLENTY REGISTER & TRIBUNE ART ?:i'.ni;ro^;;v.:-.-.;;-.-.;;::-.-.:;v.;;.;.;: General manager of the duo is Luther Hill, here since 1935 J.^J. Ko'CTr^.\\' when he came over from the investment banking business. F'o.iter Miiiiurn.'.■.'...'...'.'.'.'.'.'.'.".'.'.'.'.!!!!!!!!'.!!!!!'.!! !s"p"t iiroaii.nfiini;* Craig Lawrence, once with the Merchants' Trade journal, is ODm°'i«'^^hwi:!''!! '\\'' :\V^\^°^".''. commercial manager. Ted Ens has been national sales man- oeniir«i mmis (Wi'iMiiiVsV.V..'.'.'.'."..'.".'.'.V.'.'.'.'. ...k^ itrr-voii ager since last February (previously he^was with Cramer- Slii^Ve^r^nri-Ku.-.i,or-.;;;^ Krasselt for six years). Program director Is Ed Linehan, Crove ijik. .<;ini-i<-Ofli.if« who has been with the station over five years. Wayne Welch "n"''^" has a similar stretch behind him as merchandising and pro- jioxie'iFruit ('"'^^.'.'.'.'..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.1'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.".^.'.'.'.^^ J. r"Vi» motion director. Dick Teela is musical director. And Mary iiiinni/i ccmrui ivi fnpin Little handles publicity,,bridging over in this capacity to }^ri^Vi!:e%^JSj,ri\,n%t"::':::::;.::;.i duties on the newspapers as radio columnist. Her black and Iowa Pairy comm — coouiise a<iv.» white stint is noUble in that the papers really put some pro- V^y^lt^]^"''i^t,\h'<:V''^^ duction behind it, and allow the use of lots of photos. khiokk y/////////////////////////////.Kcnyiin '& 'T:vvhnr-\t Particularly strong on merchandising-promotion, KRNT- Tiiomiw i.eeminit n-Mi.n.- ii.iikuc) wm. F.siy* KSO maintain a department of five persons to handle these TiiomBs r-eeming (rncfinini ..wm. t:h>» chores. One of these men Spends his entire time calling on y^^T^yr:,':^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::!^^^" if;.Ji',?mi;. the retail trade and making contacts. Other features include: i-iitio Crow jiiiiinK.. ......iiok-evs * smiiii billboard posters; trailers in 12 theatres; cards on street cars; l:;'^\^Z, - ' .ioan;. ..\-.\\\-.\ ;.\-.\\\\\\Fr«ni,nn *nr^"k lobby wmdow displays; bulletin mailings to 300 drug stores; Mi<i-coniineni rcuoKmn -. .n. j. Toils mailings to grocers; mailings of cards (with gaggy, attention- Jl!,'JJ,7,"ii'„ll!""rn.V.V :-::::::::::::::::::::pi^{>i: •FeiiorV *• PrV'ili^ getting copy) to retailers; much newspaper space; checks on Murnhy Proihinii ivb.ic Aiw. retail distribution; and a hou.se organ 'Dial Tones' mailed •^n'erimn Af. ...Krnnkiin nnii-ie 41-1 A i ,4i o 11' M • 1.1- • - Norlhwpptorn Tenst,,- Ilaya MnrfRrliinil* monthly to 800 local firms. Some saluting of neighboring Nohmsk.i ronsniwaici miii» .....Karl Aiii-n towns has been carried on from time to time, but stuff of Odwoin r-hcmirni cooiiiIkp aiIv. this kind is usually entrusted to the magnetic powers of the Smn" rn""..^^"'!'"7!::::::::::::::::::::::::::;::::i.v^ parent papers. Also by way of a tie-in, the stations maintain o.ihko.iir n n^'h j'tiiitnimff Jt iiynn a line with KMA, Shenandoah. The latter trades out the cost of the wire for a listing of its programs in the Register- )'r>nn Tobn<rn nmhrnuft *. itvnn TrihiinA Pcnn?ylvnnl:i S.tU Shonmn K. J^Ills* irioune. j ^ p,nncj. po.ii.ir * nynn KRNT, which keeps its eye peeled for the farmers, opens p''- Toj>wr Trncy-i.ookc-riattKt n the day with a hillbilly variety show 'Tall Corn Time.' Run- .lVa-Hx r\nk\iitw\\V.\V^'.V^^^^^^^ ning from 5:30-6:30 a.m., the stanza is sold on a participation rhiiiirfi ppirnieinn !!..!'...'.'...!!'.'..i.'amhVri * F<>nsi<y basis. Talent is comprised of Uncle Twid, Betty Jean & ri,M"r'Tci'eKr;,T.h.\'. ""iii'.m* Freddie (sweetheart act). Red Scobce and Chuck Davis (in- rine« !'^^^l^i'!l!llli!ll!!!l!!!i!l!!!!l!!HmM^i'\i^ spMs strumental«U). Between 7 and 9 a.m. comes a series of ]:'i^:;,^7w\:rW-.V/ — ^^^^^ recorded shows sold to sponsors in blocks of 15 minutes n«>xnii rnip siiot iiron.i.asiinii across the board. At 9:45 a.m. Marian Shissel has a 'Mrs. 2""'."'"l,J''."^'"o • ■ ■, J^''y; Santa Claus stanza for- Sears, Roebuck (Xmas stories). Hus<-eii Minor Miiiioi; Miirinii a.iv. Tommy Thompson gives out hillbilly songs and guitar-twang- ^^''^^ V"r^r''" • • • "oi.'ci» ^<y'''<y, ing at 12:15 p.m. Between 5:45-6 p.m. there's another par- wIU^Kent ft <-i";!'.!!!!:!!!!!!i!!!.■!.'.!.i!!!ii!!!!!!!!i!!!'ii!i!!!ilV^-nVri'iii ticipation stanza—a variety show labeled "Fifteen Minutes to •""■veniir ony Aiivdn'iM-. nirx't Go,' featuring a five-piece band. Eileen Grinnel and Dick ^l^rn\^^^^& \;,■n;Mr^^^^^Vr^^^^■^^^^\V^ ••■.•.•■.■.•.ilnr^.m'i Hyde, singers, and Bill Baldwin's sports slants. By way of •''<"n't rnnr-r .1. w.iiii-r Tiuimiwoi* contests, there's a 'Memories of You' stanza at 10:30 pm. .^.'renion''iiin>keu-snM.|.ie.H..i.iim-^^ batoned by Dick Teela and containing a musical contest si'nnro " .".'.'..'...'.'. ..".'.'.!.'!.'!!!!!!!!!.\\'.'.\'.'.'Mi-r.Vn'n-'i-;ri<-kj'i.n hitch KRNT ties in with high schools, the public library, —— ^^^^ etc.,4or stanzas and has a due share of special events. Gene h. n. Turner Hvi.iiii i-nm ....son tie noKKor & nio«ii» Shumate is sportscaster, while Glen Law and Wayne Ackley Ji,"'/?",?,'""'")'" • :.... .i npip-* o*.;..! 1^4^ ^^„\^ ■ ■ ^"'^ f-lieiiilcil.. Morse Inlernalliinul* spiei me news. Wnnder rn Ularkett-Snmiilo-lliMiinii'ii* KSO, the city station, has a lively, varied schedule, and is whilnXT.'l^'.''^^^^^ ^ kIu* strong on special events (handled by Dale Morgan).. It has winiamsi.n V^in.iy/.///.V.V.'.'.V.V.V.'.'.'.'.V.'joiin Diinilnm* nine daily newscasts, as against KRNT's seven. Although ^;^SnL;'A^:'yrn\-o;.-.;;.-.;.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;rr;;bA-'i^^ aimed more directly at the metrop61ilan audience, the station iiev, juim Zoiier Airinti<.i« currently does carry one hillbilly show, but principally be- cause KRNT hasn't room to give it a'proper time slot. n'e'^ininm.I;. "'^"^"^ Bostonians Go to Concord For Air-Ballyed Dance Boston, Dec. 12. Boston & Maine railroad was swamped with unexpected excursion traffic as the result of its radio tie-up with WOR's 920 club. A barn dance at Concord, New Hampshire, had been publicized over the air as a trial balloon. Railroad set aside two cars to carry extra traffic, had to add a third almost immediately and hast- ily bring in two more cars from Lowell. On the return from Concord the barn dance excursion was spilling over with six special cars. McGlvcrn to Bloomington Chicago, Dec. 12. Frank McGivern has left WGN here to join WJBC, Bloomington (111.) as announcer and chief of the comrtiercial copy department. McGivern had been in,the WGN mail depai tment. FULLER BRUSH MAN (The Original) Has Pel Radio Pro- gram «n WTIC Bridgeport, Dec. 12. Herbert Hadel's 'Let's Go to Work,' jobhuntcrs' interview session, started new term. Sunday (3) at WTIC, Hartford, under sponsorship of Fuller Brush Co., which advertised it was presenting program 'in pub- lic interest.' Program preemed a year and a half ago at WICC, Bridgeport, and later expanded to WTIC and Yankee network, show emanating from Bos- ton. This fall Hadcl moved series to WMCA, New York, and had Prexy A. C- Fuller of brush com- pany as air guest a few weeks ago. Hluller's enthusiasm for show's rec- ord in putting people back to private work led. to WTIC contract. Hadel is Herbert A. De Lima, formerly with Crosby Gaig^ office. Lionel Gamlln, radio variety emcee, shifted by BBC to do over- seds announcing for duration of war. Hollywood Four Fly To Seattle; KIRO Arranged Seattle, Dec. 12. Four players from Hollywood, Martha Mears, John Conte, Helen Troy and Wayne Griffin, come here by aeroplane this weekend to par- ticipate in a Seattle Chri.stmas cfinr- ity fete arranged by KIRO and the Seattle Times. It further cements the new friend- liness between the previous riidio- scorning Times and the stations bci e.