Radio Articles

The Radio industry in St. Louis has received more impetus by reason of the Radio Show than it could possibly have received in any other way.

It has been no secret that the Radio business in St. Louis has lagged, and while there have been many attempts to analyze the reason, no one seems to have been able to explain this lagging situation, but everyone intimately associated in the Radio business has already recognized the enthusiasm that has been brought about by reason of the Show.

Of course, we are all anticipating an even greater interest with the approaching opening of the new Super-Broadcast station, “The Voice of St. Louis,” and with this addition to the several excellent stations already in operation, there should be no lack of thoroughly satisfactory programs available to the St. Louis trade territory.

It may not be generally known that the St. Louis Radio Trades Association, who promoted and sponsored the Radio Show, also sponsored and promoted this new Super-Broadcast station.

The station proper will be located at Manchester and Denny Roads, Kirkwood, Mo., and the Studio will temporarily be located at the Mayfair Hotel, 8th and St. Charles, but will be permanently located in the New Ambassador Building when completed.

The ground was broken for the station on last Saturday, October 10th, and it is expected to have the station in operation by about December 15th.

Some idea of the magnitude of this development may be gained from the fact the construction and first year’s operation represents an outlay of $150,000.00.

Mr. Thomas P. Convey is the man behind the gun on both the Radio Show and the new station, and it is due entirely to his untiring aggressiveness and energy that he has been able to consolidate the Radio interests of St. Louis as he has done during the past few months.

(Originally published in The Radio Dealer 10/15/1925).

A palm garden with promenades, inviting lounges and chairs surrounding a cozy bungalow – an atmosphere diffusing friendliness and comfort, will be the new home of Station WIL atop Hotel Melbourne at Grand and Lindell boulevards.

While WIL is now broadcasting from Hotel Melbourne its new habitat is not yet finished. However, the work is being rushed to completion for the formal opening the first week in May. The station’s programs are being broadcast by remote control from the City Club Building, Eleventh and Locust streets, but within several weeks even the big antenna will be transferred to the Melbourne roof.

The bungalow, which will be the studio of WIL, will contain four large rooms. Two will be broadcasting rooms, one a reception room for artists and the fourth the rendezvous for visitors. Extending completely across one side of the building the rendezvous will be separated from the broadcasting studios by double-thickness plate glass which will be sound proof, but will permit visitors to look on as programs are being broadcast.

A Wicks’ pipe organ will be installed. At present, WIL’s new organist, Bill Blanchard, is broadcasting from the Wicks’ Organ Company’s studio at 3680 Lindell boulevard. These are test programs to determine the proper construction of an organ to be built for the new studio.

Blanchard, recognized as one of the best organists in the Middle West, is only 22 years old. His home is in Greencastle, Ind., where his father is dean at De Pauw University. Blanchard was a student under Van Denman Thompson of the De Pauw University School of Music and played the organ at the College Avenue Methodist Church in his home city for five years. Later he was director of Bill Blanchard’s Old Gold Serenaders, an eleven-piece orchestra which gained wide popularity through Indiana and Kentucky.

By arrangements with “The Star,” WIL will broadcast this newspaper’s daily market reports, sports bulletins and news flashes in the future. Plans are for other features to be furnished at a later date.

(Originally published in the St. Louis Star 4/20/1928).

Under construction for over a year, the new KMOX transmitter will be dedicated April 7 [1947] with a special broadcast at 6:00 P.M. Dr. Frank Stanton, President of the Columbia Broadcasting System, and other CBS officials, together with leading citizens from Illinois and Missouri will attend the dedication broadcast to be followed by a special edition of the “Land We Live In.”

The new Westinghouse transmitter is located in Stallings, Illinois, 10 1/2 miles northwest (sic) of downtown St. Louis and five miles from the nearest point on the Mississippi in the center of the old river bed. Engineering measurements indicate the new transmitter will enable KMOX to serve approximately 25 percent more radio homes than at present. Harry Harvey, Director of Engineering of KMOX covered some 2,000 miles in locating the most desirable site for this transmitter. The rich top soil found at Stallings, together with its lack of mineral deposits was responsible for the selection of this site.

The property covers 40 acres and the new tower is 470 feet high and 5 feet wide at its widest point. The plant is one of the newest and most modern 50,000 watt transmitters in the United States. There is 95,000 feet of copper wire buried under the ground on the 40 acre tract. Two artesian wells have been dug on the property – one for cooling purposes and one as a permanent water supply. They are believed to be the only two artesian wells in the area.

The damp ground serves as an excellent “ground” but made it necessary to drive 69 steel and concrete pilings, each 35 feet long and one foot in diameter, for the foundation of the building and tower.

KMOX is proud to be able to bring listening pleasure to thousands of additional radio homes in this area.

(Originally published in Listen and Learn, a KMOX newsletter 4/1947)

Announcer and Program Director Station WSBF St. Louis
Here she is, the announcer of Station WSBF, in person and not a moving picture. No she does not resemble Gloria Swanson or Constance Talmadge, but she has a lot of short, brown curls and brown eyes. She doesn’t ever have time to be quiet very long, because she has radio for breakfast, dinner and supper as it were. Station WSBF is on the air at least four times each day, noon, afternoon, early evening and midnight, so one would not have much leisure when securing talent to take care of all those entertainments and announce as well.

Miss Hatfield’s office is always welcome to visitors, and she is glad to welcome you to the studio at any hour of the day, and no matter how busy she is, she is always glad to discuss the particular phase of radio in which you may be interested. She extends you just as cordial a greeting whether you happen to be one of the kiddies who are members of her “Sandman Club” or the mayor of the city. She tells with enthusiasm of being stopped on the street by a little newsboy who asked her if she was the radio announcer and when she assented – said, “Here, have a paper, this is on me.”

Yes, roses are her favorite flower and you can send her as many as you wish.

She claims the distinction of being the first woman announcer to broadcast sporting events, such as baseball games, football or even a prize fight. While her interests are varied and she tries to present to the radio fans at little bit of everything they like, she is most interested in the progression of the musical and educational work being done by the station. Under her direction the clubwomen of the city have instituted an educational course which is given under the auspices of the Geo. Innes Study, Inc., each week. This course comprises the best in art, literature and music. The best talent obtainable along these lines is presented on these programs. A course in languages, French and Spanish, is also given. The public library is represented in weekly book reviews and on the children’s hour.

The aim of station WSBF is to serve the community, especially that immediately surrounding St. Louis. Its division of activities has been arranged accordingly so that at some time during the week persons of every age and taste may tune in and be entertained by something that particularly interests them. Its broadcasting may be divided into three groups, entertainment, information and education. Under the heading of information, the St. Louis Times furnishes a daily service which gives the radio listener the stock reports, news items, weather report, the sport events of the season and any other information desired.

Civil service talks, talks on fashion and household hints, interior decorating, Babson business reports, government agricultural information are also furnished.

The Automobile Club of Missouri furnishes a weekly road report as well as daily bulletins.

The educational work by the Geo. Inness Study, Inc., and the public library are discussed above.

The entertainment features provided are for everyone. The children are entertained by the Sandman Club programs on which fairy stories and tales of adventures are told by trained story tellers. The kiddies who are members of the club take turns at entertaining the other members from time to time.

Travel programs and organ recitals (by Tom Terry) are given for the shut-ins. Lovers of good music may enjoy the high-class artist programs and dinner concerts of classical music. For the young folks the Loew’s Night Owl and the hotel dance orchestra programs are provided as well as plenty of jazz and popular music. The studio orchestra is directed by Mr. A. B. Jefferis.

Sunday night of each week the de luxe musical program is broadcast from the stage of Loew’s State Theater.

Miss Hatfield says she conducts a regular information bureau. If someone wants a singer for their choir or if a singer needs a job they ask if she knows of any to be obtained. When a poem is desired by one of the daily readers of the newspapers they consult her to find out who recited it, or someone may want the address of an artist or entertainer whom they wish to reach, and they telephone her.

(Originally published in Mid-West Radio Magazine, 11/1925).

One of the first large broadcasting stations to be established in the west was KSD of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which went on the air June 26, 1922, (sic) and since that time has built up and maintained an unusually high reputation among listeners in all sections of the United States.

The chief announcer and director of programs is Miss V.A.L. Jones, who has a wide circle of friends among the radio fans and artists.

The log of this station covering the first three years of operation furnish (sic) statistics that show the wonderful educational and entertainment possibilities of radio as a means of universal communication.

For instance, during the three years, a total of 1,434 programs were given with a total of 1,383 individuals taking part in these programs.

Of these programs, 771 were given at the Post-Dispatch studio, while 641 were broadcasted from outside of the studio and twenty-two were from out-of-town.

From an historical standpoint, the outstanding broadcasting event of the first year was the address of the late President Harding at the St. Louis Coliseum, June 21, 1923, which was the first time that the voice of a President of the United States was sent out by radio (not confirmed – ed.), thus making KSD a pioneer in this field.

Since that time many important political addresses have been broadcasted by KSD, as well as the proceedings last year of both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

As an indication of the comprehensive service being rendered by these large broadcasting stations, it is interesting to note that during the 3 years operation of KSD, the radio public have been able to enjoy entertainment from 370 pianists, 310 vocalists, 5 cellists, 41 readers, 422 speakers, 101 violinists, 71 children and 54 miscellaneous, also 30 bands, 39 choirs and choral clubs, 60 orchestras, 23 instrumental and vocal quartettes and 3 trios.

Surely, with such a splendid record the St. Louis Post-Dispatch deserves hearty commendation for public-spirited service in its community as well as being an active factor in the growth and development of the radio industry.

(Originally published in Mid-West Radio Magazine 11/1925).

Slated by his parents to be a Baptist minister, Gil Newsome, after a year’s study in that direction, switched his course to a career that was one day to bring him the greatest tribute ever paid to any disc jockey in America. That tribute, given to Gil on his fifth anniversary with Station KWK, St. Louis, in May of 1950, brought Gil such honors as a loving cup presented on behalf of St. Louis’ 100,000 teenagers, a cake huge enough to feed the 200 studio guests present, a special citation from the Mayor, and congratulations from sixty-five great names in the music business.

Such giving has not been one-sided, however. Every night, Monday through Saturday at 6:00. Gil brings to his audience the five top-selling tunes of the day in the St. Louis area. The First Five has earned a higher Hooper rating than any other disc jockey show in any other major city. Besides being able to hear a capsule hit parade each day, Gil’s numerous fans tune to the First Five to hear Gil and his “in-the-know” comments about the featured artists as well.

If ever a man knew what he was talking about when he introduces a recording, Newsome does. One of the highlights in Gil’s career was his selection by Glenn Miller himself to announce the Glenn Miller show. This was followed by a four-year contract to do the Spotlight Bands program. As a result, among Gil’s closest friends are such entertainers as Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Spivak, Tony Pastor, Skitch Henderson, and Sammy Kaye.

Gil came to St. Louis in October, 1945, after two and one-half years in the service. Immediately his presence was felt as he began the first of over a thousand appearances in teen-age clubs and high schools. This interest in the city’s “younger set” made Gil ideal for the popular High School Revue (Sun. 6:30 P.M.) programs which feature the talent of high schools in the greater St. Louis area.

Gil’s appeal, however, is not limited to any particular age group. His daily two-hour morning show, Bandstand Revue at 9:30 in the morning is a favorite with St. Louis housewives, who enjoy his easy music, his interesting comments on world events and personalities, and the “relax-full” mood Gil always creates.

The basis for that limitless appeal is Gil’s own brand of sophistication. He’s the radio counterpart of the gallant man-about-town, who knows the right thing to say, and the right time to say it.

(Originally published in Radio Television Mirror June 1951)