Variety radio directory (1937)

PROGRAM HISTORY— Continued the lapse in listening. This theory, however, was abandoned as eminently false when it was found that the poorer (class D) homes were listening as avidly as ever. Furthermore, the advent of the midget set actually was a boon to class D radio interest. Nor did the daytime audience slip. Under the stimulus of the children's serial programs it was rising. The entire drop was in the evening audience. No matter how the problem was figured out, it eventually always came around to a dual proposition — the slipping of Amos 'n' Andy had pulled an entire sector of the audience with it ; and this sector consisted of the richer listeners, not the poorer ones. It is probable that the 1932 figures on set use, instead of being far below normal, were merely below abnormal highs set up in 1930 when nearly everybody, rich and poor, stopped in their tracks at the stroke of 7 to listen to Amos V Andy. The current programs were not enticing richer listeners as they should, or as Amos 'n' Andy did. But whether the 1932-33 set-use figures were merely below abnormal 1930 highs or not, it was clearly the lowest ebb in listening that radio has ever experienced, and the advertising agencies and sponsors forthwith began manufacturing new programs. These did not at first seek to bring back the A, B, and C income classes which had been partially lost via Amos V Andy's decline. The advertisers found an easier way out of their dilemma — they took a chance on concentrating what audience there was left, and accumulating as much of it per program as they possibly could. Sheer numbers were sought, welded together by program pressure. It was the era of deflation, marked by high-pressure measures to monopolize the existing, less numerous, audience. The Personality Performer To concentrate numbers of listeners under extreme program pressure, the program producers brought on the "personality" performer — generally a vaudeville personality. But with the emphasis always on solo performance that concentrated attention on a single-handed entertainment feat. The Cantors, Bennys, etc. of that time differed from their 1937 counterparts primarily in the lack of any kind of production that would distract attention from Cantor as a solo performer, or Benny as a gag man (which he then was). The advertisers bought performers strictly because they came from fields where they had ready-made audiences to pull along behind them, and the idea was not to bother with any production distractions. Among the names that came up in radio during this period was for instance, Russ Columbo, graduate of a night club on the Pacific Coast who was sponsored by Maxwell House, chanting his theme "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love." So also Bing Crosby, originally one third of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, who soon had a niche on the networks crooning (and whistling) and selling phonograph records in vast numbers because of his radio-stimulated reputation. Morton Downey came into the pay of Camel cigarettes, with his dual theme songs "Carolina Moon" and "Wabash Moon." Kate Smith left her musical comedies ("Flying High"), made some guest appearances with Rudy Vallee, then branched out, after a sustaining interlude, into sponsored programs. At the same time Jack Pearl shot into prominence. So also Ed Wynn (from musical comedies) for Texaco. The Marx Brothers were engaged bv Standard Oil of New Jersey from pictures and musical comedies. Walter Winchell got his start with Lucky Strike. Phil Baker secured a place on WGN, Chicago, with 21