Without appearing to judge the case before it is tried, we venture to offer an opinion on this business of radios for automobiles. It seems to us that there are several people to be considered the automobilist, the innocent bystander already bothered with noise from autos and in danger of being run over by one-arm drivers, and finally the set manufacturer. The automobilist has about all he can do now to stay on the straight and narrow. Are we to have one-ear drivers to add potential sources of accident? And we cannot see how anyone could enjoy much radio music while journeying about in an auto. The rumble of the motor and of other cars’ motors would completely mask any low frequencies, even if they could be obtained from the small loud speaker that will be put in the car. The pedestrian or dweller by the road side is already complaining about traffic noise. The din from autos that pass your house, if equipped with radio sets, would be worse than your neighbor’s set which may be very loud it usually is but is tuned to one program. Instead you would listen to a dozen programs at once going up and down the street. It is our opinion that the only people who will benefit by radios for automobiles are those who make and sell the sets. The technical difficulties of building a high-quality set for installation within the confines of the average car are almost insurmountable. The loud speaker cannot be very efficient at low frequencies because there is not sufficient space available. If manufacturers really want a new field to conquer, let them develop cheap portable sets that can be lugged about the house, into the garden, put in the car, taken to the camp, given to the children or merely plugged into a really good loud speaker when a high degree of fidelity is desired. The magistrates and citizens of New York City are making a determined investigation of the sources of noise in that city. Loud speakers which blat forth day or night in dealers’ doorways are coming in for their share of condemnation as being against the public health and comfort. Imagine the task if half the cars that tore along had radios going full tilt to add to the din. There is still plenty for engineering departments to do to perfect present-day radio without turning them loose on a field where radio is neither needed or wanted, and where it is almost certain to become a nuisance.
[Radio Broadcast February 1930]
Power of nighttime radio was dramatically demonstrated when a Tacoma, department store ran a newspaper advertisement one day and used spot radio announcements the next. It found that radio brought in 96% of the total customers attracted to a store event at 37% of the newspaper advertisement cost.
The store bought 54 column inches (that’s about one-third of a standardsize newspaper page) in a leading Tacoma newspaper to attract women into the store’s appliance department. The total number of customers attracted by the lavish newspaper campaign: Five. Cost of the newspaper advertising: About $135. Cost per customer: $27. The next day spot announcements were used on KMO Tacoma-and 80% of the spots were aired between 6 p.m. and midnight. In an area of 263,000 TV sets, the radio spots brought 120 women into the store’s appliance department at a total cost of $50, or 42.5 cents per patron. [based on a 1953 report from KMO radio]
[1940]
Dick Ross, Green Hornet, KMO, Lee Hodget, Max Bice, Model Bakery, Mueller-Harkins Co., Music Box Theater
[pictured: Ric Hansen, Tom Hutyler, Mark Christopher, Marina Rockinger]
Sounds like what an oldies station should be! A look at the AM 570 KVI playlist this morning shows a good mix of vintage rock as well as some 70s hits.
Paul Simon – Mother And Child Reunion
The Isley Brothers – This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)
The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
Earth, Wind & Fire – September
The Youngbloods – Get Together
The Young Rascals – Groovin’
Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
Vanity Fare – Hitchin’ A Ride
Chicago – Just You ‘N’ Me
Bachman-Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
The American Breed – Bend Me, Shape Me
The Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
The Eagles – Peaceful, Easy Feeling
Tommy James & The Shondells – Crystal Blue Persuasion
Three Dog Night – Joy To The World
Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes
The Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down
Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally
The Bee Gees – More Than A Woman
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising
Eric Burdon & War – Spill The Wine
The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand
The Four Tops – It’s The Same Old Song
Joni Mitchell – Help Me
Stevie Wonder – For Once In My Life
Buddy Holly & The Crickets – That’ll Be The Day
Billy Joel – Piano Man
The Association – Along Comes Mary
Elton John – Crocodile Rock
Manfred Mann – Do Wah Diddy Diddy
Steely Dan – Do It Again
The Drifters – Save The Last Dance For Me
T. Rex – Bang A Gong (Get It On)
Sonny & Cher – The Beat Goes On
Neil Diamond – Cherry Cherry
The 4 Seasons – December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)
Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild
The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
Grand Funk Railroad – We’re An American Band
The Chiffons – One Fine Day
Argent – Hold Your Head Up
The Doobie Brothers – What A Fool Believes
Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth
Tommy James – Draggin’ The Line
Chicago – Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Wilson Pickett – Land Of 1000 Dances
Don McLean – American Pie
Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender
The Monkees – Daydream Believer
A local musician, former radio jock and aging baby boomer shares his thoughts on the 570 KVI format change. http://johnlyman.net/blogwow/?p=109
KVI, oldies
Monte Strohl, Larry Braxton, KZAM
