Radio Boosting

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 33, 28 February 1930, Page 4

Radio Boosting

American Press Stations

N the United States the daily Press is utilising radio in several outstanding directions. For the distribution of news promptly, there has been established a special organisation under the name of "Press Wireless." To this organisation the Federal Radio Commission has granted permits to establish a chain of shortwave radio stations, to be used in the dissemination of news matter. The first two of these stations are KOP at San Francisco and WJN at Littleneck, Long Island. The San Francisco station will range from 1500 to 5000 watts of power, and the Littleneck station from 1000 to 5000 watts. These stations have now been built and approved. This organisation is capitalised at 1,000,000 dollars, and its purpose is to communicate news matter exclusively for the exclusive use of the Press. In addition to that development, many prominent newspapers themselves maintain their own radio stations. These stations give not only news and entertainment to their clientele, but are utilised by the proprietorial newspapers to boost their own advertising service. For instance, an article in an American technical journal states that a special hour is given by the "Oakland Tribune" to impress upon listeners the value of its classified advertising columns. The procedure is for the announcer and two pianists to partake in dialogue, into which as much humour as possible is incorporated. The following two examples may be quoted :- Announcer: "Lost, you’ve often heard of advertisements under male help wanted for live wires and dynamiters?" Lost: "Yes, and for steady reliable men who earn their pay the year round." Found: "So long as you get your pay the year around why worry about earning it? Let the boss do that." Lost: "And, believe me, he does." Announcer: "Here’s something different." Lost: "Impossible." Announcer: "Listen to this, this firm wants a volcano," Lost: "What?" Found: "What is it, a steel mill?’ Announcer: "Furniture factory." Found: "Ah, they don’t want a volcano, they’re afraid of fire around furniture factories," Announcer: "Well, this ad., male help, Thursday Tribune, states they want a crater." ‘No. 14 Personals. Announcer: "The truck got off the street car." Lost: "You mean it got off the street ear track." Announcer: "No, not according to the advertisement." Lost: "Then the advertisement is wrong." Found: "I saw that ad., kind of funny, under Personals yesterday." Announcer: "Yes, sir, the ad. says, ‘The party struck by truck getting off street car’ That’s plain English, isn’t it?" _The hour at which this service is given is now from 11 a.m. fill noon, and it is claimed. by. the newspaper eoncerned that housewives and early lunchers at city restaurants appreciate the service. .