The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-03
) Growth in Facilities and
Quality Consistent; Ranks
With Worlds Best.
POWER INCREASE ASKED
Varied Schedule Broadcast;
Operation Maintained
Since Last Year.

gram on the air Nov. 4, 1924.
The first service rendered at that
time was the broadcast of election
returns and the station was oper-
ating on a power of $50 watts and
268 meters, and located in the old
Merchants Heat and Light Com
panys substation on S. Harding st.
The next two years its service to
the community covered a wide
range. 1t brought entertainment,
into thousands of homes. 1t broad
cast church services.
In December, 1927, the station re-
ceived permission to increase the
power to 1000 watts, and it was de-
cided to move the equipment to an
isolated spot in the southern part
of the city. At present the equip
ment is set up in SchoolhouSe
eight and one-half miles south of
the monument on the Three Notch
Road. Prominent engineers have
pronounced it the most perfect
transmission set, in the world.
Studio Is Comodious
With the increase in power came
the necessity for a studio that would
be in keeping with better programs.
Through courtesy of the Indian
apolis Athletic Club studio was
furnished on the ninth floor of the
club building. This studio, with
it's sound-proof walls and pleasing
appearance, served the needs of the
station until March, 1928, when the
directors of the company believed
larger quarters were needed. The
entire third floor of the old Wulsch-
ner Stewart Bldg, 229 N. Pennsyl-
vania St., was leased and ref1tted
These are the present quarters of
WFBM.
There is a large reception room,
a main broadcasting room of ap-
. proximately 1000 square feet of
floor space, a smaller broadcasting
room of about 400 square feet of
floor space, a control board room,
the directors office, and a COM
bination work and battery room.
The license granted WFBM per-
mits broadcast on a frequency Of
1000 kilocycles, 275.1 meters, with a
power of 1000 watts for unlimited
time. At the present programs are
given from to IL each day except
Sundays.
At a meeting of the board of direc-
~. aT7G irI
pany in the spring Of 1927 it was
decided to place the station on a
commercial basis
Sept. /, 1927, WFBM entered the
commercial field and the contracts
secured from Indianapolis business
houses have been most gratifying.
Since June 1, 1928, when Thomas
F.. Hatfield took charge OF the
station new policies have been
adopted, and in the last three
months radio fans have been &C
corded reception comparable with
stations of far greater facilities.
Programs Varied
The personnel of the station: Mr..
K. Foxworthy, general director;
Thomas F. Hatfield, station man
ager; Earl B. Mounce, studio and
musical director; William A. Etter,
chief engineer; John Tribby and
Parker Wheatley, announcers;
Frank Sharp, Albert Rutherford
and William Garstang remote con-
troll operators; Arthur Goodnow
chief operator, and Ira M. Slater,
assistant operator.
A wide range of items is covered
during the week: Time signals,
livestock, grain and market reports,
chapter a day from the Bible,
talks on medical and dental n.y.
giene; church services, United
states farm school, veterinary talk
for farmers, indianapolis safety
council, fire prevention, safety talks
to school children, business re-
search by Indiana University, State
road conditions, boxing at FIT. Har-
rison and the Indiana Guard
Armory, baseball and football
games play by play, musical pro-
grams of classical dramatic art and
items of national Importance, such
as the speeches of Smith and Hoov-
er, and prize fights.
Higher Power Petitioned
The musical department Of
WFBM is employing regularly $50 Of
the best artists in the city and State
and recently has organized a TWEEN
~ty-four piece symphony orchestra
directed by Earl B. Mounce, musica
director and supervised by George
Irish.
Through the experience gained by
Hatfield, on trip which covered
fifteen of the largest stations in the
East and Middlewest, WFBM oper-
ates on the highest and most eff.
cient plane. Each musical program
is rehearsed carefully, continuity
writer's preparing separate pro
gram for each broadcast and thu
entire program is prepared ten day.
before it goes on the air.
Aug. 26 the Stutz Motor Car Com
pany, using the symphony orchestra
presented a program of the clas
sizes. The Stutz company contem
plates placing this same program OF
the air each Sunday between 6 ant
z p. m.
At the present time application
has been filed for an increase +
10000 watts. Indications are tina
this increase will be granted.