Radio Articles

By M.J. Conohan
The “Voice of St. Louis” is the powerful 50,000 watt radio station KMOX. One of the strongest and most popular radio stations in the middle west, KMOX has a listening audience over a radius of 1,000 miles. A member station in the Columbia Broadcasting System, it brings national broadcasts to its listeners as well as rendering all the radio services of regional interest to the people in the St. Louis business and agricultural area.

KMOX is located in the Mart Building in downtown St. Louis, KMOX being the only business enterprise that remained in the building when the government took over the property several years ago for use as an Army Medical Depot. The offices and studios of the station are located on the second floor of the building and occupy approximately 22,000 square feet of floor space. The transmitter for KMOX is located several miles outside the city limits of St. Louis.

Only a small portion of the space occupied in the Mart Building by the radio station is devoted to the actual broadcasting of programs. Long hours of preparations are required to obtain the perfection and split [second] timing so necessary in radio work and consequently much space is used for offices devoted to the development and preparation of programs. The business offices of the station are also located in the Mart Building.

The floors of radio station KMOX are all covered with serviceable floor coverings: rubber tile, asphalt tile, rubber and linoleum. The KMOX Playhouse has carpeting in the area used for the seating of audiences and the center portion of the main corridor is carpeted. Mr. L.C. Burrows, Maintenance Engineer for KMOX, has a crew of five men under the supervision of Mr. J.L. Scherder who takes excellent care of the floor services.

There are six studios, designated as studios A, B, C, D, E and F. Each studio has a Master Control Room, with a glass partition facing the studio so the engineer present for each broadcast can see exactly how the program is proceeding in the studio. The engineer has full charge of the broadcast, advising the various performers by hand signals when to begin their parts and when to interrupt the program for commercials. Each control room has a recording device to make recordings of the broadcasts and this equipment is used in playing or recordings or transcriptions for broadcast. There is a special room called the Recording Room which is used in making transcriptions for future broadcast.

Double doors lead to the various studios to provide a sound “trap” when it is necessary for someone to enter the studio during a broadcast. Some of these doors are heavily soundproofed and weigh as much as seven hundred pounds. All the studios are open to view, three panes of glass with air spaces between the panes and set on felt pads making the studio soundproof. The interiors of the studios are all acoustically engineered to make for good tonal quality in the broadcasts. One studio required considerable engineering: the ceiling and walls are all paneled with acoustical board, the board being set on the surfaces in a zig-zag pattern rather than flat against the wall surface so that sound waves are broken up and do not “bounce back” into the microphone; in addition the floor is set on springs six to eight inches high as a further assurance of proper sound quality.

The KMOX News Room is serviced by four teletype machines with complete Associated Press news service. The studio used for news broadcasts at one time was a part of the news room but it has now been separated from the news room and soundproofed. One of the music studios contains a four bank organ, the pipes of which are set into the walls of the studio. There are also two grand pianos in this studio.

All the studios in KMOX with the exception of the Playhouse and the Magic Kitchen are covered with the same type of floor covering – rubber tile. The selection of this type of flooring was apparently made after considerable attention to serviceability and beauty. Alternate blocks of rubber tile in red and buff, black and yellow mottled or marbleized, light green and dark green, all with black borders, make the studios very attractive and the condition of the floors shows that they have proved to be very serviceable.

The news room and the news studio have the best floors in the studios. These rubber tile floors have been in service for twelve years and still show no wear. The floor of studio D is in two shades of green rubber tile and has always been difficult to clean properly. During the cleaning of this floor, it must be kept wet until all cleaning is completed to avoid streaking of the floor.

The stage of the KMOX Playhouse has three tiers, the floor of gray rubber and the risers of the tiers in blue. Every Saturday the Playhouse is host to eight hundred guests for two very popular programs.

It is interesting to know that the broadcasting of programs concerning the preparation of foods is done from real kitchens maintained by the larger studios. The KMOX Magic Kitchen is a complete kitchen that would delight any housewife. The deep red or maroon linoleum in the Magic Kitchen make[s] it very attractive.

Passageways, corridors and toilet rooms are floored with asphalt tile in brown, gray or black. Offices are covered with rubber tile except for a few of the executive offices which are carpeted.

Mr. Scherder finds that the floors do not require an undue amount of care, and maintenance at irregular intervals, as the floors require, has proved satisfactory. The floors are dry mopped daily to keep them clean. When additional maintenance is indicated, the floors are cleaned with a wet mop and neutral soap. All but the Magic Kitchen are then treated with Finish Material and buffed. Some of the floor areas can be kept in good condition for as long as two months at a time with daily dry mopping.

Due to the nature of the linoleum floor in the Magic Kitchen, a “spewing” of oil apparently coming from the porous surface of the linoleum, it does not readily take applications of wax. It has been found that the cleanest and neatest looking floor for this surface can be obtained by merely scrubbing it with neutral soap and water and leaving it untreated.

Even the experienced radio announcer is subject to “mike fright” when facing his unseen audience. Two black smudges on the floor of one studio just before the microphone proved to be due to the nervous scraping of the feet of an announcer. Due to the methods of maintenance used in KMOX these “burns” are easily removed and do not injure the floor.

The selection of proper maintenance materials and good maintenance methods  for the floors of KMOX studios has materially aided in making the appearance of the studios fit in with the top quality of its programs.

(Originally published in Floorcraft magazine 12/1943 ).

Wrapped about in a holiday garb of music and speeches, KMOX, the new superpower broadcasting station known as the “Voice of St. Louis,” was officially launched last Thursday night, the gift of St. Louis to the nation.

The inaugural program, which lasted from 7 o’clock until the early hours of Christmas morning, was opened with addresses by the men who were responsible for the mammoth station in St. Louis. The entertainment portion included a wide variety ranging from Christmas music by the vested choir of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to syncopated melody.

The hour of 7 brought the first official message from the station in the form of an announcement by Nate Caldwell, official announcer. An organ prelude by Arthur L. Ott, and two numbers, “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hail to the Chief” by the Little Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of David Bittner, Jr., with Utt at the Kilgen organ, followed.

After this, W.S. Matthews, president of the Kirkwood Trust Company, and who has played an important part in this matter, gave the following three-minute address in behalf of the Kirkwood Trust Company over “The Voice of St. Louis”:

“The Kirkwood Trust Company is happy to be one of the forces that has brought the great sending station of the ‘Voice of St. Louis’ to Kirkwood.

“We have great pride in our city, the County of St. Louis and the great City of St. Louis, and stand ready to do anything to the best of our ability for their betterment and advancement.

“In all the United States there is not a more beautiful country than the rolling hills and wonderful valleys of St. Louis County; and in the midst of it is our little City of Kirkwood, a charming home town with all the advantages of rural and city life combined, situated in the highest part of the county in a lovely spot where the summer breezes are the coolest.

“Our educational advantages are unsurpassed; five public schools, one high school, and five other schools and colleges. Churches of all denominations, three golf clubs, our own water supply and electric service, fine roads and streets with easy access to all parts of the county. Two railroads, two electric car lines and several bus lines connecting us with St. Louis. We invite those who are seeking a suburban home to come to see us.

“To all of our friends, both far and near, we wish a Merry Christmas and all the success, prosperity and happiness that can be crowded into Nineteen Hundred and Twenty –six.”

The other speakers included Isaac H. Orr, vice-president of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce; R. L. Jacobsmeyer, Mayor of Kirkwood, who forgot to mention all the papers of Kirkwood but thanked one paper for the valued assistance given him in this matter; Thomas P. Convey, managing director of the station; Colin B. Kennedy, president of the station, and R. Fullerton Place, former president of the Advertising Club of St. Louis, and Clifford Corneli, president of the Merchants Exchange.

(Originally published in the Kirkwood Monitor 1/1/1926.)

By Nancy Fraser
Borrowing a dainty little flashlight as the 1932 version of Diogenes’ lantern, I foregathered with the “Old Night Watchman” of WIL on Sunday night to help him augment the revels of St. Louis night life upon his rounds to assure radio listeners that “All is well.”

Thrilled to death I was for the idea of being assistant “watch lady” was unique enough in itself without having the fun of tearing about the city in a battery and amplifier-ladened Ford with a red lantern swinging in its wake. It was with a feeling of romantic glow of adventure that I met Billy Lang, the Old Night Watchman and Little Willie Keller, the remote control man at the Ambassador Theater at 8 o’clock to begin the thirty-five mile round. I wasn’t disappointed.

There in the screening room were the twenty “Gloom Chasers” led by a collarless Al Roth, Ambassador music director. They were working hard on the torrid night to send sweet strains of music over the air. As the last noted were wafted, up jumped Little Willie and disjointed the microphone and started putting wires and tubes and boxes together; the Night Watchman helping him. Being somewhat of a novice at the serious business, I was so confused that I all but got coiled up with the cords and put into the panel box. They discovered me in time though and we were out of the street and crammed into the “waiting” Ford to begin our land “hop” down to Sauter’s Park.

Streets flew by, headlights danced and the soft air from the Mississippi rose to greet us as we accomplished that leg of the journey in less than thirty minutes.

Little Willie dashed into the pavilion ahead of us and by the time we had threaded our way over the gaily illuminated floor, he had set up the microphone, twisted a few knobs on the amplifier and was ringing the control room in WIL saying “OK.” Then the Night Watchman climbed on the stage and with his “Heigh-Ho, everybody” began announcing the numbers of Dewey Jackson’s Harlem hot rhythm band.

I couldn’t help but reflect what a lot of pleasure such an open air place gave young people who were swaying and whirling around in floor in an inspired manner. It was cool, gaily lighted and the music impelling. I had a severe case of the “jitters” when Billy Langinvited me up to the microphone to announce a few of the numbers and couldn’t help envying him his easy manner and infectious smile as he greeted his friends both on the floor and over the air. There is a stir of anticipation when the Old Night Watchman enters each place and it is easy to see what an addition he is to the spirit of revelry.

The half-hour raced by and we were going through the same performance of taking down  the equipment and loading it into the car although I had by then learned enough to keep out of the way and to even carry the tiara-like mike with the significant call letters WIL across the top.

Dodging returning weekenders in a nineteen-mile circle of the country, we found ourselves on the Olive Street Road at Diane’s, the new dine and dance palace. We received a royal welcome there from everybody from the doorman up to Miss Diane herself.

Little Willie had the accoutrements strung up in the mere “twinkling of an eye” while Miss Diane, who is a tall, stately and gracious blonde person, proudly showed me the softly lighted café and introduced me to the delightfully silly entertainers including Al Rusell, the dancer, Larry Green, eccentric second Al Jolson and Ray DeVinney, drummer dance band leader.

The smart looking crowd joined in the dancing and greeting of the Night Watchman and a lot of impromptu specialties went over the air. The music was good, the crowd lightly gay and the hostess charming – so it was small wonder that the Night Watchman and humble assistant sneaked in a syncopated three turns about the floor before tearing ourselves away to join Bill Bailey at the Canton Tea Garden. And it was a thrill to dance with six-feet-four-and-a-quarter charming Billy Lang – Night Watchman or otherwise.

Another Ford flight and we were back in the center of busy St. Louis listening to Bill Bailey’s eccentric xylophone playing. There I helped Billy in “heighhoing,” getting the numbers all mixed up but thoroughly enjoying myself. It was just twelve when we bade the audience a regretful goodnight and little Willie packed up for the last time. Fleet Smith joined us and with our official duties over, we went back to Diane’s to catch the last floor show.

With tapping steps and well sung popular tunes still resounding in our ears, we left there in time to join the two o’clock bathing party at Sauter’s Park and it was near the dawn when we finally disbanded.

Weary I was but enchanted with the amusing possibilities of nightwatching with infectiously charming Billy Lang leading the lanterned way who uses the microphone instead of the stick to announce “All is Well.”

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 7/30/1932).

Versatility – one of the first requisites of a radio station attaché – is shown in the remarkable combination of talents of Don Hunt, chief continuity writer at KMOX, who now makes his debut as “The KMOX Song Writer.” He is now featured over KMOX each Friday at 10:05 a.m.

He interprets his own song compositions by his piano playing and singing voice. He plays the piano equally as effectively as he does the typewriter and the lyrics of his songs are as pleasing as his radio scripts.

On his program of last Friday he presented “I Do,” “Fortune Teller’s Song,” a number from his radiomusicomedy, “Fleurette,” “My Mother’s Flowers,” sung with Gay Lee, who is featured on the KMOX Noon Hour programs, and “Rosette.”

On his broadcast for Friday, July 8, he will present his original version of “River Jordan,” a spiritual; “Air de Ballet,” an instrumental number; “My Heart Is Your Heart,” and “Mary Ann, which he says is one of his favorites.

Under another radio alias Don Hunt is widely known as “Uncle Billy,” popular with children and grownups everywhere for his stories-in-song, and is heard from KMOX at 5 p/.m. daily except Saturday and Sunday.

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 7/9/1932).

William H. West, who resigned last week as Director of Operations of KMOX, has become General Manager of station KSD. The station is undergoing a period of expansion and reorganization and Mr. West is in charge of all operations.

Mr. West was appointed Director of KMOX last year by Nelson Darragh, president of the Voice of St. Louis and he has been with the station since it was first organized in 1925. He came to St. Louis from Springfield and is one of the best examples of youth at the helm of radio.

He was associated with Colin B. Kennedy in radio work and then came to St. Louis as Chief Operator.

Mr. West was influential in the obtaining of 50,000 watt power for KMOX and actively engaged in the selection of equipment.

(Originally published in Radio and Records 2/11/1933).

The largest individual New Year’s Eve Party that has ever been held in the Middle West is planned by KMOX for Saturday night according to Walter “Hank” Richards, program production manager. More than 10,000 persons are expected to attend this party in the Mart Building.

“It is our aim to provide a wholesome, inexpensive New Year’s Eve celebration which everyone will be able to attend,” Richards said. “Every attempt will be made to make the party that begins at 8 o’clock as personal as possible with the members of KMOX serving as very cordial hosts.”

A big dance orchestra directed by Carl Hohengarten will play throughout the evening and there will be a section of the first floor where Len Johnson and his Ozark Mountaineers will play for those who wish to dance the square dance. All of the County Fair acts as well as others will provide entertainment throughout the evening, Richards said. There will be more than a hundred artists, all of whom are KMOX favorites.

The lower floor of the Mart Building has been converted into a gaily illuminated ball room and a band stand has been constructed in the center of the room from which the artists will perform. Admission will be fifty cents and refreshments will be available. Concessions in keeping with the spirit of the County Fair will be open throughout the night and the dance orchestras will play until 7 o’clock the following morning for those who wish to stay, Richards said.

The entire preparations [sic] for the celebration are being made by Louis Tappe, assistant to Richards.

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 12/26/1932).