Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27
McNAMEE'S QUESTION
BOX

@. Why were there so few patriotic
| programs on your networks July Az
G. B. Miller, Utica, N. Y.
A. Patriotic music was held down
| this year because of desire to prevent
an undignified deluge of it. On previous
| holidays there has been tendency to
| overdo topical music, which bored the
| listeners and ruined any impression the
music might otherwise have made.
@. How many radio listeners are
there in the United States?-P. L. Y,
South Bend, Ind.
a. There are at present more than
100000 radio receiving sets in use.
Taking the minimum of four listeners
per set-most surveys indicate the figure
is higher-you get potential listening
audience of nearly 100000 persons.
There is no way of estimating the
number of listeners to an individual
program, without including big chance
for error.
@. Who is the soprano of the Pickard
family?-R. H. D.; Fort Dodge, Iowa.
A. That is Ruth Pickard, the older
daughter of the family.
@. Can you tell me anything about
Gene Rouse, the sports announcer
j. B. T., Lexington, KY.
A. Gene Rouse started with WAAW,
Omaha, and later went TO WOAW.
Later he went to VIVID in Chicago, and
when WEBB, KYW and xxx were
merged he became chief announcer. He
is still chief announcer of the merged
stations, now operating as KYW.
@. Which is Joe White and which is
John?-Mary K, Sacramento, Calf.
A. Joe White is the Silver Masked
Tenor" specializing in Irish ballads.
John White is known as the Lonesome
Cowboy" and goes in for songs of the
open range.
O. Will JesSica Dragonette be heard
In any other programs besides Cities
Service?-Frank Misner, Buffalo, N. Y.
A. Probably only as guest artist for
I understand that she has agreed with
Cities Service TO appear regularly only
on that program.
O. Do we have TO do without Rudy
Vallee's delightful programs all Sum-
mer? We enjoy his programs so much
Mrs. NJ. S. S.
A. Rudy Vallee will be on the air dur
ing his vacation from whatever town he
Is working in at the time.
@. Has Marie Gerard always been
known by that name? Her voice sounds
famlliar.-Mrs. Jean Curry, st. Paul,
MINI.
A. No Her real name is Marie Opfin-
! ger, but people were always getting it
wrong, so she changed it.
O. What does John Young, the an
! nouncer, look hke?-"Sally," Herkimer,
N Y
! A. Five feet ten and half inches tall,
weighs l65 pounds, and has dark, wavy
hair and dark blue eyes. Usually wears
! a grin.
@. Can you tell me anything about
JEFF Sparks, the announcer?-N. r. s.,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
/ A. Sparks started as radio technical
man. One day his boss asked him to
| pick up telephone. and initiate an an
nouncer. AT the end Of the imitation
his boss told him he'd do, and appointed
| him chief announcer of the station he
was about TO start at Brighton Beach.
After experience on local stations he
! joined the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
tenn and recently the National Broad
casting Co.
O. Has Milton Cross ever sung in OPP
| era?-Mrs. Walter Schuderer, Biloxi,
Miss.
| A. No. Before he became an an
nouncer Cross was soloist In several New
! York churches, and also sang with the
| Paulist Choristers. Since he has been
! in broadcasting he has appeared fire.
/ quently as soloist in concert programs,
and used TO sing first tenor in quartet
| @. How reliable are the broadcasts
! from across the Atlantic?--J. NJ. S.,
Jamaica, N. Y.
| A. Provided there are no magnetic
storms. successful reception from the
other side is not difficult. Ineligible
voice quality is received nine times out
of ten, and the signals come in with
first-rate quality more than half the
| time.
/ @. What is the largest number of sta
! lions ever linked together for ona broad
cast?--N. M. Lansing, Mich
A. Available figures disagree but more
than 100 have been In the same hook
| up several times. My own impression Is
that the top figure for any one network
4 Copyright, 1sseI