Basic 5000 NBC Watts Network WOW NEWS -TOWER 590 Kc. (Reg. U. S. Pat. Off.) ISSUED TO INCREASE ENJOYMENT OF WOW RADIO PROGRAMS VOL. 10-No. 8 OMAHA, NEBRASKA, MAY 1, 1946 PUBLISHED MONTHLY "D.S.T." BRINGS MANY CHANGES Most Programs $564,250 a Week Move Ahead Paid for WOW One Hour Net Shows Broadcastings biggest postwar reconversion headache -the return Sponsors spend a cool half mil- Daylight Sav- lion dollars plus, each week for the of the networks to programs heard ings Time operation -will cause on WOW and many program changes in WOW's that total doesn't include what those April 28. sponsors pay for time. schedule starting Sunday, Generally (but with some excep- The show business magazine tions), WOW's NBC shows will be Variety (February 27) lists all net- until work heard one hour earlier Sep- shows and gives their esti- 26. mated costs which are explained as tember including "production expenses, ac- THIS WOW NEWS TOWER tors, musicians, writers, royalties, WAS ISSUED ONE WEEK freelance directors, transportation, EARLIER THAN USUAL SO READERS WOULD HAVE A prizes, etc., hut not radio time." COMPLETE, CORRECT The cost figure for the shows SCHEDULE AFTER THE heard on WOW (almost en- TIME CHANGE. (See page 8.) tirely NBC shows) was given as $564,250 covering 78 net- Daylight time will go into effect work shows heard in a typical in all of five states, and in parts of week. 18 others. Parts of Missouri (local option) will "go daylight," but all A year ago Variety published a of the other WOW -land states will similar list covering network shows remain on Central Standard Time. for the 1944 -45 period. At that All of WOW's evening programs time there were 76 network shows will be heard ONE HOUR EAR- on WOW which cost sponsors those in the 6:30 to $465,550 LIER except weekly. 7 bracket (weekdays) and 9 to 10 This indicates that sponsors are slot across the board. paying more than $100,000 more per The Chesterfield Supper Club week this year than they did a will be heard at 9 p. m., Mon- year ago. They aren't as pretty as Mack Sennett bathing - Front row left to right are Chief Transmitter En- days through Fridays (instead Again this year the most beauty pie-slingers of old, but they CAN bake pies - gineer Tex Glanton, Program Manager Lyle DeMoss, of 6 p. m.). costly show on the air was the these mere male members of the WOW staff. Each Announcer T. Barnum Chase, "King of Crust;" Band A new program, Robert St. Jack Benny program -$22,500 man baked the pie he's shown with above -except Leader Morton Wells, John's popular "Facts and per week. Production Manager Ray The Edgar Bergen band leader Mortie Wells who made his of mud and Olson. Back row left to right, Announcer John Leslie, Faces" will be heard at 9:15 and Fred Allen shows were next sand, thus winning the booby prize on a recent Continuity Chief Bill O'Hollaren, Promotion Man p. m., Mondays through Fri- with costs of $20,000 per week WOW "Jamboree" program (10 a. m. Saturdays) Harold Storm, Jamboree Emcee days. each. Abbott and Costello came Thomson Holtz, and competition. News Manager Soren Munkhof. The 9:30 p. m. period across next at $18,000 a week. The NBC Hope and Crosby shows tied at the board will include $17,500 each weekly. Other programs formerly heard at NBC Picked as Alexander Heads 7:30 p. m.: Mondays, "Voice of high -cost shows included Fibber Firestone;" Tuesdays, "A Date McGee, Burns and Allen, and Champ of Comedy Kody -Land Rotary with Judy;" Wednesdays, Eddie Cantor at $15,000 each Bob per week. The National Broadcasting Com- Hildegarde;" Thursdays, John Alexander, manager of Burns (from 6:30 p. m.); Fri- There was one $20,000 show not pany has been named "comedy station KODY, "WOW's little champion of broadcasting" in the brother" has days, "Duffy's Tavern;" Satur- on NBC, and three which cost been elected president (from 7 first observance of National Laugh of the days, "Life of Reilly" $17,500 each. Rotary Club of North Platte. p. m.), and Sundays, "Harvest Week, sponsored by the Gagwriters He is also a director of the North The Variety story lists 86 pro- Protective Association. In addition of Stars" (from 1 p. m. Sun- grams on the Columbia Broadcast- Platte Chamber of Commerce and days). to the citation to the network, sev- a district official in the Boy Scouts. ing System which cost $546,350 eral NBC stars were named as win- The RCA Victor Show (formerly weekly; 49 programs on the Amer- ners of the "Silver Smile Emblems" -WOW- heard at 10:30 p. m. Thursdays will ican Broadcasting Company net offered by the gagwriters' organi- be heard at 9 p. m. Sundays. which cost $203,200 weekly; and, zation. All other Sunday programs from 30 programs on the Mutual Broad- BOY SCOUT BAND heard Kenny Delmar, the Senator Clag- Fred 12:30 p. m. to 9 p. m. will be casting System which cost $93,850 horn of the Fred Allen Show, was S. Ebener, WOW sales de- one hour earlier than usual. Thus weekly. honored for "the cleverest contribu- partment, is organizing a city -wide the Sunday schedule will be 12:30 in tion to comedy in 1945." 70 -piece Boy Scout band which will p. m. John Charles Thomas, fol- Thus the aggregate network Bob Hope be featured sponsors spend more than $1,400,000 was designated as "the king of at the Boy Scout Circus lowed by Shaeffer World Parade, for 243 program costs every week. smiles." May 3 to 6. Before leaving Omaha One Man's Family, The National Additional "Silver for the service Fred was a promi- Hour, Nebraska -Iowa Quiz, NBC If it were possible to estimate Smile Emblem" nent orchestra leader. the amount spent by 900 stations certificates "for their long and con- Symphony, Catholic Hour, Gilder- for local and other shows, even tinuous services in behalf of laughs" -WOW- sleeve; Benny, Cass Daley, Edgar this huge figure would probably be were won by Eddie Cantor, Fred Bergen, Fred Allen, Manhattan doubled. Allen, Jack Benny, Amos 'n' Andy, Merry -Go- Round, American Album "FAMILY" FILM Familiar Music, Hour of Charm, The complete Variety Fibber McGee and Molly, Burns Man's of list of and Allen, Edgar Bergen and the NBC's "One Family," will Meet Me at Parkys, and the RCA shows heard on WOW each week, Can You Top This? threesome come to life on the motion picture show and Harvest of Stars. the point where the show originates Harry Hershfield, Joe - THE WINNAH! T. Barnum screens of the nation. (H for Hollywood, N for New Laurie, Jr., Agreements to film the famous All of WOW's station -spon- and Senator Ford. Chase was named "King of Crust" sored newscasts will remain in York and C for Chicago) and the when the judges, headed by Wilma "family" were signed recently at costs (as defined above) follows: National Laugh Week started Hollywood's Radio City by the their regular spots, as will April 1. Swatek, News Department Secre- Monday through Friday pro- PROGRAM ORIG. COST tary, singled out Tom's lemon me- National Broadcasting Company, gramming during the noon -WOW - ringue as the best of nine "serious" Carlton E. Morse Productions and Date With Judy H $ 3,500 Cinema Century Productions. hour and prior to 8:30 a. m. Abbott and Costello H 18,000 WORKHOVEN entries. and after 10 p. m. Fred Allen ILL N 20,000 After nearly six weeks in the hos- -WOW- -WOW- On Monday through Friday after- American Album N 5,000 pital due to a series of complications noons the programs usually heard Amos 'n' Andy H 12,500 following surgery, Merrill Work - TO COLUMBUS, OHIO BILL STERN HERE from 1 p. m. to 2 p. m. will be Backstage Wife N 2,000 boven, moved to 4 p. m. to 5 p. m. Thus Jack Benny the WOW announcer is well Bill O'Hollaren, continuity chief, Bill Stern, NBC's sports director, H 22,500 on the road to recovery and is ex- and Bill Wiseman, promotion man- and the "Colgate Shave - Cream the weekday afternoon lineup (after Edgar Bergen H 20,000 the Noonday Forum will start with Burns pected to resume his duties in the ager, will attend the 16th Institute Man" on WOW on Friday nights, and Allen H 15,000 near future. For brief periods for by Radio, Columbus, has accepted an invitation to deliver "Woman of America" (One hour Bob Burns 10,000 dur- Education H ing his hospitalization, Merrill's con- Ohio, May 3 to 6. About 1,300 radio a commencement address at Boys earlier than usual, and will be fol- Barry Cameron N 2,000 dition was considered critical. broadcasting executives will attend. Town early in June. lowed in order by "Ma Perkins," Can You Top This N 5,000 "Pepper Young's Family," "Right Judy Canova H 10,500 to Happiness," "Backstage Wife," Eddie Cantor H 15,000 "Stella Dallas," "Lorenzo Jones," Carnation Hour _ N 7,500 Check Your News Date Now...Page "Young Widder Brown," "When a Cavalcade of America H 8,500 Tower Expiration 8 Girl Marries," "Portia Faces Life," Carmen Cavallero C 2,000 Now you can check up -right this minute-on the Turn to page 8 . to your name and address.