Baseball fans comprise what percentage of the radio audience? That is the question Radio Station WIL is trying to determine at this time, and the early replies will be surprising to many who are of the opinion that a large majority is prevalent in the radio audience. Out of the first one hundred and four letters received at the station commenting on the baseball situation, only five request the play-by-play in preference to a musical program – a percentage of approximately 5.01 per cent.
WIL is now broadcasting a musical program in the afternoons during the time that other local stations are on the air with play-by-play descriptions. It is interesting to read some excerpts from the letters now on file.
“Please play us music in the afternoon. We are not all baseball dizzy.”
“Your musical program is an antidote for baseball. By all means continue your musical program and keep part of the population of St. Louis sane for a period of two or three hours in the afternoon.”
In checking the results of the new policy to broadcast musical programs during the baseball games, WIL has found that radio dealers find that the musical demonstration of radios is much better than the baseball broadcasts, it was said.
(WIL Newsletter 5/3/1929)