Evening star., 1933-07-02


~ Provenson chief announcer for the
National Broadcasting Co. in WASH
~ mgton. And he gets away with it.
For the President must 60 ON the
air Just the same as any one else. And when
he goes, MI Provenson, If the President Is
Progressing over N. b. c., says when. And
the President does not stand on ceremony
when he gets the signal, which Is . snap
of the fingers.
Broaacasting the President Is an interesting
event. There is quite naturally. bit more
se,ectric" in the air at this time than At the
time Of other bFoadcasts. Millions are wai.-
ing to hear the President and being the
President the "spht seconds are trifie more
engaging than in the case OF lesser puonc
personages But for all that" says Mr..
Provenson, there is no necessity for standing
in awe of the Nations foremost citizen. For
noted persons, quite happily, put themselves
out, as q rule, to make every one about them
feel at home" The more important the man
or woman, the easier it is to deal With him.
AT the White House, the details Of ar
ranging and presenting a broadcast OF q
presidential address are comparatively simple
because Of the corporation which is given.
OF course when the President speaks OUTSIDE
the White House, or when he speaks from his
Office the broadcasts take on a more or less
of6cial character. When the President speak
from the intimacy of the Lincoln study there
president Roosevelt, ito date has made but
one broadcast from the White House. That
was on the occasion of the banking mora
torium and it went over big I say this ad-
yisedly for I have IN my Office literally hun
dreds of letters praising that broadcast.
President Roosevelt has very clear d,cuon,
most desirable in radio voice, and with 1t
that slight degree of showmanship which puis
the punch needed behind radio argument.
The standard cue for the President to take
the air Is Ladies and Gentlemen-the Presi-
dent Of the United States This announce
ment is made through my personal mike, the
Presidents being open beside him ready for
his first words as soon as the fade IN is
accomplished by the control man. This Is
instantaneous ON the completion Of my intro
duction
Strange as it may seem presidential
speech is not sent to the country from the
White House. It is carried first to the N. B. c.
control room in their Offices IN the National
Press Building. From here it is hroadcas.
over the NJ b. C. network to the waiting
country In the meanwhile two sets of equip
ment are present in the White House as q
precaution against breakdown. II one fails
the other automatically cuts in and handles
the broadcast
M his 2os-is sometimes referred to IS
This because of the fact that his duties with
the National Brcadeasting Co. began in 1929.
while Mr. Hoover was President. Once as
signed to the President he continued IN the
capacity of his announcer until he left ONCE.
He even Travelled the country with him during
the campaign last year.
Reminiscing over those by-gone broadcasts
Mr. Provenson loves to recall that Mrs. Hoover
was oftentimes an interested spectator OF
them watching the preparations for the broad
cast with great interest, as did Mrs. RooSe-
velt who, on the occasion Of the late broadcast
By the President attended the ceremonies in
the cabinet room, bringing along with her, to
pass the time away. her knitting.
II recall quite well Fourth Of July broad
cast from the White House by Mr.. Hoover"
says Mr. Provenson. 1T was q very hot night
and an of the windows in the Lincoln study
were open. Outside, some 500 yards away,
many thousands Of people were gathered to
watch an elaborate fireworks display on the
Monument Grounds. Naturally We were con-
ceFned about the broadcast and wanted to put
the windows down. Because Of the intense
the room would become almost unbearable.
fortunately President Hoover had an under
standing Of our problem. Directly he turned
to me and smilingly remarked that he did
not think his speech was of the type which
would At into . background such as cannon
IRE! We seized the hint and closed the win
dow very quickly. Soon the President was
sending his greetings to the Nation with the
more peaceful background Of the ticking OF
. clock"
Presidential broadcasts are always prepared
carefully in advance. As . consequence there
u nttle chance, II any, Of . shp-up That
they may run smoothly consultations are held
In advance with members Of the White House