Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-20
RADIO PROGRAMS
DEMAND EFFORT
Entertainers and Operators
Perform Much Work for
LiStenerS-In.

Wnen q new program feature dp-
pears on the air, if 1t is well presented.
there is nothing to indicate the pre-
, liminary work which has been neces-
sary to prepare it for broadcasting.
Still. no broadcast feature is Topsy.
None of them lust growed' Back
of every one is a record of careful
planning and development which, in
the case of the average feature pre-
scented by the National Broadcasting
Co., involves at least 80 people.
This figure. which includes members
of six departments, varies within
rather wide limits. Some features will
require the services of only 20 per-
sons, while others will involve several
hundred. President Coolidge's address
last Washington's birthday, which was
distributed for broadcasting from Ma
tion.wide special chain of AZ stations,
required the services of 400 engineers
alone, without considering the person
mel of other departments which han
died details of the arrangements.
Probably the simplest means OF ex-
planning the process through which a
new feature must pass before 1t is
heard on the air is to take typical
case and trace through its develop
ment from the beginning of the work
until the program is put into the an
w
on its way over special circuits TO
other stations of the National Broad
casting Co.'S red or blue network.
Programs Classified.
Program features originating with
the National BroadcaSting Co. fall into
two main classifications-"s sponsored
features, put on the air under the aus
pices of commercial concerns for the
IF h4i{l inst
will, and Sustaining" features, includ-
ing broadcasts by the various National
Broadcasting Co stock" companies.
educational and religious periods and
musical programs of all kinds from
hotels, night clubs and prominent mo-
ton picture theaters.
The life of a sponsored feature
really begins, SO far as the whole per-
sonnet of WEAF and WIZ are con-
cerned, when contract has been
made between the company's COM
mercial department and a commercial
concern for the use of time on the air.
Immediately the machinery of the pro-
gram department of the station in
volved starts to function.
The contract itself may specify what
entertainers are to broadcast during
the time allotted to the new feature,
and in this case the work of the pro-
gram department is lessened. Usu-
ally, however, the commercial depart
ment, the new client, the station man
ager and the program department will
combine to decide upon the artists.
leaving the working out of the details
to the program department.
The period of planning may involve
almost any amount of work. The
elusive idea must be pursued and cap
tured and definite scheme of enter
tainment mapped out. In some cases.
three or four complete plans are made.
Conferences are held between the pro-
gram department, the commercial de-
partment and the sponsor, and the
type of entertainment is decided upon.
Must Balance Numbers.
The time at which the feature will
appear on the air must also be de-
cided. a process which involves many
considerations. The station manage |
ment must balance fits entire program
for the evening and make sure that
every feature attains as much promi-
Anence as possible. In other words,
whole evenings program should be
varied If ii is to be effective. Two
periods of the same sort of entertain
ment should not follow each other, or
both OF them will lose in effectiveness
because of the fact.
w
work is begun on detailed programs.
Artists are engaged. a process which
may require additions attended by rep
resentatveS of the various depart
ments and by the sponsor. A CONT
nuity is prepared for the opening pro-
gram and an announcer is chosen for
the feature. The artists are given the
detailed program in order that they
may start rehearsing. In short, a
,1Jn te
entation.
In preparing the continuity, care is
taken that the program shall merely
create goodwill rather than describe
the sponsors products. The spoken
portion of any sponsored feature
should relate to the musical selections,
II the entire program is to accomplish
its object
The detailed program is submitted
to the department of musical and lit
erary research in order that all copy
rights on the various selections may
be investigated. In some cases, num-
bers are changed to comply with copy.
right restrictions.
When the sample program has been
prepared, IL is assembled as a unit for
rehearsal at the studio. This rehear-
sal is attended by commercial de-
partment representative, a member Of
the program department and the spon-
.sor. In instances which involve I'M
usual pickup problems, a member of
the operations and engineering de-
partment is also present to work out
proper microphone placement and in
sure the best possible pickup.
In the meantime, three other activi-
ties have been begun, looking forward
to the time when the feature will first
be heard on the air. The trafic de-
partment has communicated with the
various stations through which the
sponsor desires his program to be
heard and has arranged for telephone
facilities TO carry the program to
these stations.
Publicity Essential.
The clerical force of the program de-
partment has prepared program ma
terial on the feature and forwarded IL
TO the publicity department, so that
proper announcement of the coming
feature may be made.
The rehearsal at the studio is criti
s1zed by those who attend it and any
desired changes are made in the pro-
gram. Other rehearsals will take
place before the initial broadcast of
the series goes on the air. and rough
spots In the presentation will be
smoothed OFF.
Shortly after the first rehearsal.
however. the various departments
which have helped to get the first
program ready start to work on the
second and third appearances of the
feature. Detailed programs are made
up and given TO the artists three
weeks in advance so that every detail
of each presentation may be carefully
worked out.
The final step in the presentation
o< fYscf oil
II goes on the air. The broadcast is
lir+annd To h,z the - ticaL,