Every once in a while, in our belief, it is to the advantage of a radio station and its circle of listeners to become even better acquainted than is possible through ordinary channels.
We folks at the studio and transmitter are rarely privileged to see further than the microphone while you, on the other hand, seldom get beyond your receiving instrument.
It goes without saying that our constant and consistent effort to deliver to that receiving instrument just exactly the programs you most desire. That is what we are here for . . . to serve you.
A few days ago we got together here in the studios to find out just how fast we are advancing . . . what progress we are making toward the goal of presenting to you the best there is in broadcast entertainment.
As closely as we are in touch Philco we're doing, the actual facts surprised us, and we thought they'd be equally surprising to you. We took a typical week out of last year and balanced it against the same week of this year. And here is what we found!
Last Year |
This Year Week of Aug. 17, 1930 |
|
| Number of hours on air | 68 hrs. | 118 hrs. |
| No. of hrs. chain programs | 20 hrs. | 79 1/2 hrs. |
| No. of hrs. local programs | 46 1/2 hrs. | 46 1/2 hrs. |
| Special Watch Tower program | 1 hr. | 1 hr. |
Imagine that! 118 hours service during one week of this year against 68 hours for last year! 79 1/2 hours of network programs this year against only 20 1/2 hours for the same period last year!
At the risk of talking too "dry" we just want to list the actual programs of one day during those two comparative weeks, both of which are typical of the month of August which, by the way, is known in broadcasting circles as one of the most difficult in which to provide good entertainment. It's the low ebb of the year, just as it is in practically every line of endeavor. Before we whisper about some more of the good things immediately in store, though, let's list those programs.
LAST YEAR
Thursday. August 22, 1929
10:00—Studio Music.
10:15—Radio Household Institute.
10:45—World Book Man, Studio Music.
11:30—Doris Hale Beauty Talk.
11:45—Weather, Market, Music.
11:55—U. S. Naval Observatory Time Signals.
12:00—Stocks.
12:10—Studio Program.
1:00—News Flashes, Charlotte News.
1:05—Studio Program.
1:30—National Farm and Home Hour.
2:15—Daily Program Schedule.
5:45—Studio Music.
6:00—Andrews Program
6:30—Stock Quotations.
6:40—Wade Ison's Sports Chat.
6:59—Bulova Time.
7:00—Theatre Menu.
7:05—Baker and Knowles.
7:29—Kozak Radiogram and Time.
7:30—Victor Program.
8:00—Veedol Hour.
8:30—Maxwell House Concert.
9:00—Halsey-Stuart.
9:30—Winthrop College Hour.
10:00—Baseball Scores, Weather—Sign Off
THIS YEAR
Thursday, August, 21, 1930
7:00—Musical Clock.
7:15—The Morning Watch.
7:30—Musical Clock.
8:00—Something for Everyone.
8:30—Health and Exercises.
9:00—Radio Homemakers Club.
9:30—Busy Fingers.
9:45—Household Chat.
10:00—Dr. Garr.
10:15—Three Men in a Tub.
10:30—The Party House.
11:00—News Flashes.
11:15—Columbia Revue.
11:30—Manhattan Towers Orchestra.
11:55—U. S. Naval Observatory Time Signals.
12:00—Manhattan Towers Orchestra.
12:30—Weather, Market, News, Stocks
12:45—Harold Stern and Ambassador Orchestra.
1:00—Quiet Harmonies.
1:30—Esther Leaf at the Organ.
2:00—Columbia Ensemble.
2:30—Columbia Educational Features.
3:00—The Collegians.
3:30—Italian Idyll.
4:00—Dancing by the Sea.
5:00—Harry Tucker and Hotel Barclay Orchestra.
5:30—Melody Musketeers.
5:45—The Whoops Sisters.
6:00—Musical Grab Bag, Stocks.
6:15—Theatrical Treats.
6:30—Philco Program.
7:00—Bulova Time.
7:01—Symphonic Interlude.
7:15—Columbia Educational Features.
7:30—Radio Round Table Discussion.
7:45—I. C. Blackwood.
8:30—Musical Parade.
9:00—Romany Patteran.
9:30—National Radio Forum.
10:00—Baseball Scores.
10:05—Carolina Minstrels.
10:30—Guy Lombardo and Royal Canadians.
11:00—Bulova Time.
11:01—Paul Tremaine and Orchestra.
11:30—Nocturne.
So much for that! Within the next few days we'll start to release many more new Columbia network favorites. Among them will be the Majestic Home program; the Graybar Vi and Joe program; Blackstone's variety presentation; Kaltenborn Edits the News, a three-time-a-week feature; the Fall series of Paramount-Publix; the famous Philco hour; The Forty Fathom Trawlers; the Gold Medal Fast Freight: the Benjamin Moore program; Barbara Gould; William Wrigley presentation; Honeywell Symphony Hour; Robert Burns program; Premier Salad Dressers; the Phillips-Jones musical favorite; Associated Jewelry Retailers program; the Eskimo Pie broadcast; Bourjois' Evening in Paris; Van Heusen feature; Wallace Silversmiths, and Radio Follies. And the first Sunday in October will add the favorite Majestic Theatre of the Air.
Local presentations have advanced immeasurable. Prominent among these stands the Carolina minstrels, an hour that is receiving almost national acclaim. The staff orchestra's personnel has been doubled in the past year and their Slumber Boat, Musical Gems, Musical Memoirs and other programs have been very favorably commented on.
We've added a staff dramatic director this year, and we've enjoyed the nice thing many of you folks have had to say on the playlets we've been broadcasting. It's pleasant to us to review all this and . . . in this way, talk over our work with you.
There's just one thing more at this time. That's the subject of our application for an increase of power from the 5,000 watts we're using now, to 50,000 watts. The increase will require tremendous additional investment in equipment, but the quality of reception by listeners throughout the Carolinas will be definitely improved. The voice of the Carolinas—WBT—will be heard over the nation.
There was an impression when WBT stepped up from 1,000 watts power to 5,000 watts that the station would tune broadly on the average receiver and perhaps prevent reception from some distant stations. This proved to be a fallacy. And we offer the definite assurance that an increase to 50,000 watts will not "blanket" your dial or prevent your reception from distant stations.
Let us hear from you when the spirit dictates. Let us know what you like and what you don't like. For, as we said before, we're here to serve you.
Radio Station WBT.
Earle J. Gluck, General Manager.