WXYZ, WOOD SALE APPROVED TO AMERICAN BROADCASTING NETWORK
Commission also approves web’s purchase and resale of Noble stock
WASHINGTON, February 20 — The Federal Communications Commission appears strongly determined to build up American Broadcasting Company as a major rival for Columbia Broadcasting System and National Broadcasting Company, even to the extent of compromising of its often expressed policy of holding down prices paid for station transfers.
Billboard Issue July 27, 1946
Latest evidence of this is seen in speedy approval of FCC this week of ABC’s bid to buy Detroit’s WXYZ and Grand Rapids’ WOOD for $3,675,000 from King-Trendle Broadcasting Corporation. Tossed in with two standard stations, almost as an afterthought, are Detroit video and FM grants. At the same time, FCC announced approval of ABC’s stock deal in which the web takes control from Edward J. Noble and resells about $12,000,000 worth of stock to its affiliates.
Acquisition of WXYZ gives ABC a profitable Detroit outlet to add to owned and operated stations in New York (WJZ), Chicago (WENR), Los Angeles (KECA), and San Francisco (KGO). When proceeds of the stock begins to flow into ABC coffers, it is anticipated that the net is likely to be shopping around for one or two more stations in profitable market areas. WOOD is to be disposed at a later time. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; July 27, 1946).
Bob Seymour of WKMH, one of three local radio jocks, opens Hit Tune Party for Detroiters
DETROIT, July 30 — The first Hit Tune Party of the season was held Sunday, July 24, at the Eastwood Gardens, Eastwood Park, by the Michigan Automatic Phonograph Owners Association (MAPOA). The event drew a crowd of between five and six thousand teenagers, one of the biggest turnouts in the history of the organization.
Gene Krupa and his orchestra played for the event, offering an afternoon of dancing. Tunes picked as “candidates” for the hit tune selection were featured. Winner was Someday, as recorded by Vaughn Monroe on Victor. The number will be the hit tune of August here, and will be placed in the No. 1 position on all juke boxes in the Detroit area. A second-number to be co-featured will be selected later, according to Roy W. Clason, MAPOA business manager.
Billboard, August 6, 1949
Three disk jockeys made personal appearances and assisted in handling the program for the evening. They were Bob Seymour, WKMH, Dearborn; Doc Lemon, WJR, and Johnny Slagle, WXYZ, both of Detroit. Clason acted as master of ceremonies.
A personal appearance was made by Frankie Mullec, Continental Records artist, whose new number Tell Me A Story was also played. Plans for a Hit Tune Party for August, with another name band to be featured, are now being made, according to Clason. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; August 6, 1949).
Detroit Jock Switch; Chase to CKLW, Slagle to WXYZ
DETROIT, May 17 — A major switch of local disk jockeys is slated for tomorrow, with Eddie Chase, famed for his Make Believe Ballroom for the past five years on WXYZ, moving to CKLW, with Johnny Slagle returning from New York to WXYZ to take his place.
Chase has developed one of the top jockey reputations in this territory and the move is a major surprise, although it comes after a few weeks after some speculation and rumors–vigorously denied–of a switch involving Russ Mulholland instead, a WJR jock.
New Twist for Slagle
Billboard May 24, 1947
Slagle, a former top staff announcer at WXYZ, left a year ago to work on network shows in New York. This is his debut as a jockey.
Chase’s opening on CKLW involves a heavy program, including a 75-90-minute afternoon period, a late Saturday night and a Sunday morning show. His advent is being well publicized by the station, notably in a series of recordings by such top orchestra band leaders as Carmen Cavallaro and Sammy Kaye, advising listeners that they would meet Chase on the new station Sunday. The Make Believe title of the show moves over to CKLW with Chase, who has long featured special recordings and direct guest appearances by recording artists on his shows. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 24, 1947)
“Wherever You Go — There’s Radio” Is Slogan In Detroit Station’s Promotions
DETROIT, August 25 — An all-out cooperative campaign to promote AM radio institutionally is being launched, September 15, by seven Detroit stations is what is believed to be the first joint move of its kind. All appropriate media will be used, including radio itself (transcribed spots and station breaks) car cards, and newspaper advertising. The only field missing from the program is television.
The key slogan will be ” “Wherever You Go — There’s Radio.” The slogan has been widely used by several local stations during the past four weeks. It will be incorporated into all advertising and publicity used in the venture. Individual call letters will be kept out of such copy, although individual stations are expected to incorporate the slogan and campaign symbol in their own newspaper, trade and mail promotion.
Participating stations range from 250 to 150,000 watters and includes: WXYZ, WJR, CKLW, WWJ, WJBK, WEXL and WKMH. The only local station not participating is WJLB.
The Plan has been on the boards for several months and appears solidly grounded. The set-up calls for pooling of ideas, effort and money. The precise size of the budget remains a guarded secret, but it is being shared pro-rated among the stations according to own one-time Class A rate.
A system of changing chairmanship for the drive was set up by the steering committee of one member from each station. Hal Neal, advertising and promotion manager of WXYZ, was named chairman for the first 30-day period. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard;August 25, 1951).
Hopkins Sell WJBK For 550 G; Price Was $3,000 In 1930
DETROIT — August 31. Sale of 250-watt WJBK here for $550,000 to Fort Industry Corporation was confirmed by James F.Hopkins, for 16 years the owner. Deal brings back to Detroit George Storer, who formerly owned WGHP and CKOK (now CKLW) of Windsor, which is virtually a Detroit station in coverage. Fort Industry Corporation operates operates a string of seven stations; WSPD, Toledo; WMVA, Wheeling, W. Va.; WGBS, Miami; WAGA, Atlanta; WMMN, Fairmont, Pa.; WLOK, Lima, Ohio; and WHIZ; Zanesville.
Hopkins pointed out that the sale is subject to FCC approval, and that no action would be expected for some months, at least. Price of sale for the station, which is nearly tops for this power, is under the $700,000 deal for the same station discussed a couple of years ago when the United Automobile Workers considered buying it.
Permit for a 10 KW, FM station also goes with a the WJBK deal. Increase in value by the properties is shown by the fact that Hopkins bought WJBK back in 1930 for $3,000. END.
Billboard cover; September 7, 1946
(Information and news source: Billboard; SEPTEMBER 7, 1946).
DETROIT — November 3, 1945. WWJ, encouraged by its recent move towards producing shows especially for the teen-age crowd, is embarking on an all-out effort to catch it’s listeners young. Back of the move, which which has obvious public service value in the attention given to the forgotten youngsters, is the sound commercial realization given of two factors:
1. Tastes of the youngster give direction to family buying habits and family listening habits as well.
2. Youngsters are going to be the adult audiences who will be vitally needed to build up Hooper ratings for the individual radio station within a very few years., and paying attention to their special wants now should pay off in establishing listening habits then.
Billboard cover; November 10, 1945
Two more teenage shows have been added by WWJ to three programs set up to answer high school complaints that “radio has nothing especially for us.”
New programs are in a more serious vein than the original three fast-moving shows. One is an hour’s broadcast of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts, Saturday at 10 a.m., with a brief, informative commentary on the musical selections by Karl Krueger, director of the orchestra, or by Valter Poole, assistant conductor.
Another program is Musical Youth, Thursdays, at 1:15 p.m., put on in cooperation with the Detroit Public Schools. This is beamed to school rooms at WWJ audience alike each week, featuring different high school orchestras, bands, choruses or other outstanding musical groups of proved excellence. Concept behind this series is to acquaint Detroit with the type and quality of musical education offered in the schools, stressing a maximum of music with a minimum of continuity. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).
From the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:
WWJ vs KDKA: Who Was First? It All Depends
DETROIT — November 5, 1945. That old feud between KDKA, Pittsburgh, and WWJ, Detroit, concerning which one was the first on the air, flared up anew two weeks ago when KDKA , commemorating the radio twenty-fifth anniversary, decided to buy a page ad in the Pittsburgh Press, a Scripps-Howard paper. At that time The Press told the station that there were no space available.
Week later, WWJ, which is owned by Scripps-Howard interests, decided that it would take an ad dealing with its claim to being the nation’s oldest station. WWJ bought space in whole Scripps chain. Among the papers that carried it was The Pittsburgh Press. END.
Addendum:Today we are debuting a new flashback featureon MCRFB — Way-Back Detroit Radio Pages — on what had been said, what had been printed about Detroit radio during the ’40s and early-’50s. These articles are historic at best, it reflects in how radio was simply the best means of communicating and entertaining Detroiters at a time when radio reigned supreme during those golden years of early-radio broadcasting. More to come!
(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).
WASHINGTON, February 20 — The Federal Communications Commission appears strongly determined to build up American Broadcasting Company as a major rival for Columbia Broadcasting System and National Broadcasting Company, even to the extent of compromising of its often expressed policy of holding down prices paid for station transfers. 
