Way-Back Detroit Radio Pages – Page 2 – Motor City Radio Flashbacks

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WJBK . . . NOVEMBER 15, 1947

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1947

Detroit’s WJBK Dropping All Religious Commercial Shows

DETROIT (November 8) — An almost complete turn-about of programming at WJBK, which has been in the works since the station was taken over in July by Fort Industries Corporation, becomes a reality November 16. Latest decision is to drop all religious commercial shows (which have accounted for about 15 hours a week on the station) except from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.

Heaviest hit will be the Temple Baptist Church, which as carried eight half-hours on the station under the the direction of the Reverend J. Frank Norris, who recently had an audience with the pope. Nearly a dozen other groups, including Protestant denomination and Catholic churches, are affected.

Other Stations Sought

Stanley Altschuler, now head of the Stanley Advertising Agency here, and formerly foreign and religious director at WJBK, is attempting to find time for some of the groups on some other Detroit stations.

WJBK will continue to find sustaining time for some other religious shows, including a program for the Detroit Ministerial Association and the Ave Marie Hour.

Billboard, November 15, 1947 — **Billboard,** *November 15, 1947*

In addition, WJBK becomes completely English in programming this week with the Polish Variety Hour, a two-hour show which has been running six days a week with one hour on Sunday afternoon, being taken off the air. The station formerly carried some 15 foreign language groups but has been steadily dropping them with one hour on Sunday afternoon, being taken off the air. The station formerly carried some 15 foreign language groups but has been steadily dropping them since the present management took over. The current Polish show is the last to go.

Most of these shows have been switched to WJLB, another 250-watter, which has taken over the Czech, Lith, Hungarian, Serb, Croat and Syrian shows, which were formerly on WJBK. On Monday (November 8) the Italian American Hour, formerly on WJBK five days a week at 8 p.m., and half an hour Sunday at 3 p.m., is starting over inside WJLB for half an hour at 9:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The switch has made WJLB practically the only foreign language outlet of the Detroit area, a rating they once shared with WJBK. Altschuler is supervising several of the WJLB programs, but now has no official connection with the station. His agency, however, is selling time on several of the programs, inasmuch as all these foreign language shows are handled on a participating basis.

At least one religious group which got airtime from WJBK is understood to be planning an appeal to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). However a local committee which appealed to the FCC on the foreign language issue a few weeks ago was turned down and it is not expected that the religious group will have a different outcome to the effect just the same. WJBK’s position is that the change will be for better programming in the interest of the majority listener audience. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; November 15, 1947).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WJR (1946) AND WXYZ (1949)

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook:1946 / 1949

EAR PLUGS ARE FREE (WJR Fred Wolf; 1946)

RADIO IN THE ALLEYS
WXYZ Fred Wolf; 1949)

DETROIT (October 12) — Bowling, viewed by one branch of show business — motion pictures theater owners — as a major threat to their operation, is receiving a friendly hand from WJR. Starting tomorrow, the state’s only 50,000-watter will air a Sunday night program, The Tenth Frame, with Fred Wolf, a former champion, as commentator.

Program will feature alley-side broadcast, which will be handled via wire recorder. Remotes from alleys are usually considered impossible because of the noise. Wolf did, however, handled the on-the-spot broadcasts from the bowling congress at Buffalo last year. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; October 12, 1946).

DETROIT (November 26) — Bowling now merits recognition as a sport on radio, judging from the action on WXYZ in sending Fred Wolf, station bowling commentator, to Chicago to cover three special alley-side broadcasts. The airings, totaling 75 minutes, described the five-man match game world championship held there at the Samuelson Arcade.

The time was sold to Detroit’s E&B Brewing Company thru the D. B. Donner Agency for the event, in which Detroit teams participated. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; December 3, 1949).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WJLB . . . SEPTEMBER 23, 1944

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1944

WJLB Going After Hep-Cat Business

DETROIT (September 16) — WJLB is making what is believed to be the first sustained effort by a station in this territory to build a listening habit among the serious hep-cats. Hitting the teenagers after school, a show, Strictly Jive, is being aired Mondays through Fridays at 3:15 p.m.

Billboard, September 23, 1944 — *Billboard,* September 23, 1944

Program is handled by Bill Randle, known locally as an expert in the hot jazz field, who interlards a program of all hot jazz selections with keen comment. Interviews with famous jazzmen are also used on the show, and, to top-off listener interest, a quiz on the subject is staged three-days a week. Awards are right in the listener’s alley, too — albums of jazz, plus copies of ‘Jazzmen,’ ‘The Jazz Record Book,’ ‘The Real Jazz’ and ‘Jazz.’

Program is scheduled at an hour when it can hit the teenage group with maximum ease, when they probably have maximum proprietary rights in the radio, after the housewife’s show earlier in the day, and before the rest of the family gets home after a day’s work.

Program started off as a half-hour feature and proved so strong in the responsiveness that it recently extended to 45-minutes, and is tentative slated to go to a full hour September 15. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; September 23, 1944).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WJR . . . JULY 10, 1943

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1943

WJR Wins Clear Channel Special Award Citation

WJR TALKS ABOUT RADIO

WJR Awarded Citation for Intelligent Promotion of Radio As Entertainment Medium

(Billboard 6th Annual Radio Publicity Exhibit; New York, July 3, 1943)

NEW YORK (July 10) — In many ways the most important award in the clear channel class went to WJR, CBS-affiliated 50,000-watter in Detroit. This station’s publicity philosophy is unique: “Don’t talk about yourself. Do something that causes others to talk favorably about you.” They don’t go for stunts. they don’t rap on other stations, they don’t ignore competition. All of which is so sane, fresh and shrewd as to rate ramming down the throats of the trade.

WJR operates in a community where newspaper antipathy towards radio resulted in every local daily yanking its radio column. Taking the long-range attitude, WJR built a backfire by buying space in two dailies, The Free Press and The Times, and publishing radio columns. And, as to prove that this sane approach was no accident, to column was devoted to all radio, to rival stations as well as WJR, including WWJ, a station affiliated with The Detroit News. In addition, WJR supplied about 400 rural and small town sheets with a “Radio Jake” column. Here again the space was devoted to all stations even though WJR prepared the material, supplied mats and proofs arranged for publication.

“Army Caravan” Build-Up

Another unostentatious promotion to WJR’s credit was its Army Caravan. This stemmed from the realization that Michigan farmers had planted less acreage than usual. Thru its Farm Bureau announcer, Duncan Moore, the station, in cooperation with the U. S. Army, organized and routed an army caravan that toured the hinterlands, paying tributes to farmers and urging increased bean and beet acreage. The army sent tanks, artillery, jeeps, munitions carriers, field kitchens, etc. The station bought space in The Free Press to say “The Army Salutes You” — mind you, not WJR. The Department of Agriculture assured the station this project averted a serious food shortage.

Gestures With Strings

Again, when in September of last year, WJR announced a $5,000 scholarship for the student best qualified to enter radio, the Detroit Board of Education handled all details, from selecting the co-operating committee to publicizing and promoting the competition. Again, it was no flash bally, but a sincere effort to promote radio.

And for the benefit of the cynic who is bound to comment that WJR can well afford to take this subtle publicity slant it should be noted that what this situation did was done by no other, even though any station could do as much in relation to its ability.

Thus for making publicity incidental to, not the motivating factor of, a worthy public service, the Awards Committee gave WJR a special citation for intelligent promotion of radio as an entertainment medium. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; July 10, 1943).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WKMH . . . OCTOBER 11, 1947

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1947

Dearborn Station Gets Army Games

DETROIT, October 11 — A deal for the Army football games has been signed by WKMH, local AM station, with CKLW, the regular Mutual outlet, taking the Notre Dame games instead. WKMH is a 1,000-watt suburban station in Dearborn, Mich., but has good metropolitan coverage and outranks the three older local radio stations, WEXL, WJBK and WJLB, all 250-watters.

WKMH is cutting out the Mutual identifications on Ted Husing’s broadcasts and making no attempt to identify its program with the network, which is normally carried by CKLW in Detroit and its surrounding listening areas.

(Information and news source: Billboard; October 11, 1947).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WXYZ, WWJ, AND WJR . . . JULY 19, 1947

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1947

Detroit Stations In Publicity Shifts

DETROIT, July 12 — Radio publicity staffs of major local radio stations were somewhat scrambled this week, with James Quello, publicity director at WXYZ, ABC-owned station, moving over to WJR, where he assumes the combined posts of advertisement and publicity July 14. Quello replaces Bob Anthony, the first man to hold down this specific assignment when the WJR staff underwent earlier organization changes. Anthony is understood to have had several other offers.

At the same time, Loren C. (Bud) Watson resigned as publicity director at WWJ, effective July 19, and will open an independent publicity office. No successor has yet been appointed.

Further major row shift rumored was that of Harry Heilmann, sportscaster at WXYZ, who is reported slated for a sports director’s post at WJR.No confirmation on this report could be obtained but it was further inferred, on the basis of the rumored report, that WJR would take over ply-by-play broadcasts of the Detroit Tigers game next season. END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; July 19, 1947).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WWJ . . . AUGUST 25, 1945

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1945

World’s First Radio Station Celebrates 25th Birthday

DETROIT, August 25 — A quarter century ago, commercial* radio broadcasting began. On August 20, 1920, the “billion year silence of the ether” was broken by WWJ, originally 8MK, The Detroit News radio station.

Many broadcasting “firsts” followed.

WWJ was America’s first commercial radio station to broadcast daily programs. First to broadcast election returns. First to broadcast World Series results. First to broadcast a complete symphony concert. First to organize a broadcasting orchestra.

Throughout 25 years of existence, WWJ has maintained its leadership in public service, entertainment and ethnic responsibility. Recently, it demonstrated its initiative by becoming the first station to ban transcribed announcements and transcribed singing commercials. And immediately after Pearl Harbor it eliminated middle commercials from newscasts.

Looking ahead, WWJ established a Frequency Modulation station — WENA — which has been in constant daily operation since May 9, 1941. Ten months ago an application was filed with the Federal Communications Commission for permission to construct a television station.

The pioneering spirit which actuated the establishment of America’s first commercial broadcasting station lives and thrives at WWJ after 25 years of broadcasting in the “public interest, convenience and necessity.” END.

______________________________________________________

*WWJ acknowledges the pioneering research efforts of such scientists as Dr. Lee de Forest, Dr. Frank Conrad and others operating under experimental and amateur licenses.

WWJ OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE DETROIT NEWS (The Home Newspaper) 950 KILOCYCLES — 5000 WATTS

The GEORGE P. HOLLINGBERY COMPANY, National Representative; NBC BASIC NETWORK

***WWJ Detroit News newspaper ad from the late-1930s***

(Information and news source: Billboard; August 25, 1945).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WXYZ . . . JUNE 16, 1945

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1945

WXYZ Reaches for Phone Giveaways

DETROIT, June 9 — WXYZ is going in heavy for telephone shows, reaching a new high of 14 a week, with the addition of I’ve Got Your Number, which opened Monday night (June 4). New show goes on Monday and Wednesday at 6:15, and will be a sustaining (program), tied up with radio set giveaways.

Background of the giveaways of the receivers, which seem nearly like gold at this time, was the purchase of 1,200 Emerson radio sets by the station back in 1941, before sets were frozen. Some 1,100 of these sets have been given away in past promotions, the last over a year ago. Today, with the demands for new sets to replace worn out radios higher than ever before and with the anticipated unfreezing of production in the coming months, it became evident that right now was the best possible time to capitalize on the giveaways of the remaining 100.

At the same time, arrangements are being made to switch Crosstown Quiz, aired Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. from the Telenews Theater, over to a telephone show, with the same sponsor, Crawford’s Clothes. In addition WXYZ had two five-day telephone programs as well, Breakfast Table, staged in the early morning with alternating sponsors, and Tip Top Quiz, sponsored by Ward Baking coming at 12:45, making up the total of 14 shows a week. END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; June 16, 1945).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WWJ . . . SEPTEMBER 1, 1945

From the MCRFB old radio scrapbook:

Scripps Dynasty Feature of WWJ Party Broadcast

DETROIT, August 25 — Highlights of the WWJ silver anniversary show Monday (August 20) was probably the public realization for the first time that radio has come of age sufficiently to establish a real continuity of tradition. This was embodied in the variable dynasty of the Scripps family association with the station.

Two generations were present, William E. Scripps, president of the Detroit News, and his grandson, William J. Scripps, who was general manager of WWJ until entering the armed forces. Interest actually dated back still another generation to the late James E. Scripps, father of William E. Scripps, and founder of The News, who, together with his son, provided the funds to establish an experimental wireless station here in 1902.

Thomas E. Clark, pioneer wireless inventor, who built an developed this station, resulting in the establishment of WWJ in 1920, was especially honored at the party at the Book-Cadillac Hotel which followed. Clark’s showbiz experience takes the pioneer history of radio still further back to the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1898, when he was in charge of the General Electric exhibit. Clark there was intrigued by the operation of Nikota Tesla in early wireless, and returned to GE headquarters to begin his own experiments.

Entertainment program at the party following the broadcast included a 35-minute sketch roasting every well-known station character, with Joe Gentile of CKLW in the lead role. Event was attended by station staff, press and radio figures of the town, and their guests, crowding the grand ballroom of the hotel. END.

WWJ Detroit News 25th silver anniversary celebration, pictured here, August 20, 1945 at the Detroit Book-Cadillac — WWJ FLASHBACK: WWJ Detroit News 25th silver anniversary celebration, pictured here with the Scripps founders, August 20, 1945 at the Detroit Book-Cadillac. William E. Scripps is standing behind his grandson, William J. Scripps, shown here cutting the cake

(Information and news source: Billboard; September 1, 1945).

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WXYZ . . . MAY 11, 1946

From the MCRFB old radio news scrapbook: 1946

King-Trendle Sale To ABC Adds 5th Outlet To Network

NEW YORK, May 4 — Expansion plans of American Broadcasting Company took a long step forward this week with the web’s purchase of all outstanding stock of the King-Trendle Broadcasting Corporation of Detroit for $3,650,000. The deal was announce Thursday, May 2, by Edward J. Noble, chairman of the board of ABC, is now contingent upon FCC approval.

King-Trendle Corporation, which grossed $2,357,000 last year, owns WXYZ in Detroit, WOOD in Grand Rapids, and the Michigan Network, servicing a gropu of outlets within the state. WXYZ is an ABC affiliate and WOOD is an NBC affiliate.

WOOD To Be Sold

Under present plans, the King-Trendle Corporation, a wholly-owned ABC subsidiary, will retain WXYZ and the Michigan Network, but will sell WOOD.

Billboard Issue May 11, 1946 — Billboard Issue *May 11, 1946*

ABC, with the acquisition of WXYZ in Detroit, now has five owned and operated stations — the others being WJZ in New York, WENR in Chicago, KECA in Los Angeles, and, KGO in San Francisco.

Disclosure of the sale of WXYZ proved a surprise even to staff members here, although negotiations, closely guarded, had been underway for about six months. Price was set high and the deal was not expected to go through for this reason. Expectation here now is that another network, unnamed, may make a bid for the station before the deal is finally okayed by the FCC.

Plans of George W. Trendle, originally head of the present United Detroit Theaters Circuit before he switched 100 per cent to radio, are to operate as a production agency after the deal is finally met approval in Washington. He is retaining rights to The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, Challenge Of The Yukon, and Ned Jordan, Secret Agent — the last name no longer in production — and would continue to produce these shows, presumably using the facilities of WXYZ for both the direct origination and the Coast rebroadcast.

H. Allen Campbell, general manager of WXYZ, is slated to leave with Trendle, while James G. Riddell, assistant commercial manager, is expected to be promoted to the post of general manager. Merritt Schoenfeld, who has been in the local ABC office for some months, is expected to take over in a supervisory capacity. Also slated to go with the new Trendle agency are Earl Moore, formerly station supervisor, who is currently handling television research, together with the entire of the Lone Ranger group, including Fran Striker, principal writer. END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; May 11, 1946).