May, 1930
PRESTO-TIMES
R A D I O
H. T. ROBERTS JOINS GUL=
BRANSEN AS SALES MANAGER
John S. Gorman, vice-president and general man-
ager of the Gulbransen Co., radio and piano manu-
facturers, of Chicago, has announced the appointment
of Henry T. Roberts, formerly of the U. S. Radio
and Television Co. as salesmanager of the radio
division of the Gulbransen Co. In commenting on
IOWA EDISON DISTRIBUTOR.
Thomas A. Edison, Inc., recently announced the
appointment of the Stoner Piano Co., of Des Moines,
as Edison Radio distributors in the Iowa area. The
negotiations were handled by Roy S. Dunn and A. E.
Emrick, officials of the Edison organization. The
Stoner Piano Co. has been actively identified with
Iowa enterprises for more than thirty years and
ranks as one of the state's most prominent musical
merchandise concerns. The state-wide distribution of
Steinway pianos is one of their major activities. The
Stoner Piano Co. has also built up an enviable record
in the wholesale merchandising of several leading
radio lines. The general direction of the company's
affairs is in the capable hands of T. I. Stoner, presi-
dent; F. T. Brand, treasurer, and M. E. Wallace,
secretary.
25
RADIO RECEIVING SETS
RADIO PARTS
RADIO—PHONOGRAPHS
MAJESTIC HOUR, MAY 25.
On May 25 when the "Majestic Theater of the Air"
is broadcast from 9 to 10 p. m., eastern daylight sav-
ing time over the international network of the Co-
lumbia Broadcasting System, Lee Seymour, director
of broadcasting for the Grigsby-Grunow Co., will
for the second time give the listeners to the Majestic
Hour a glimpse of the mail received. The first Ma-
jestic "Vox Pop" was acclaimed by fans one of the
most interesting hours ever presented. Since then
many listeners have given expression to their ideas
of what makes a good radio program. Several of these
ideas will be presented during the Majestic Hour,
May 25. The Majestic hour on May 18 featured
the Majestic Male quartet in a program of especially
arranged numbers.
FROM PHONOGRAPH TO RADIO.
"Twenty-five years ago phonographs were con-
The Judson Program Bureau, New York, is one sidered quite a luxury and they were not very com-
of the pioneers in the promotion of radio programs, mon," said Stuart Ashenberg, manager of the South-
ern California Music Co.'s store at San Diego, Calif.
and William B. Murray is its president. The system
of specialists for program making includes conduc- "We happened to be the only ones in the block that
tors, production experts, writers, research librarians, had a phonograph. It was a great attraction, and our
arrangers and other specialists in music and drama. home was a popular place for neighbors and young
"Today each radio period, whether it is for 15 min- folks. The phonograph then was considered one of
utes or an hour, is taken perfect to the studio : all the wonders of the age, but its development and the
prepared in advance by planning and rehearsal," said coming of the radio make one realize that the old-
Air. Murray in speaking of program work. Every- time phonograph was a mere toy in comparison to
what we have now."
thing is run to the second, a stop-watch being an
important item in making programs.
STORY & CLARK RADIO.
The
new
Story & Clark radio is manufactured
TOTAL OF 752 INSPECTIONS.
under
RCA
patents
and is one of the most improved
The following statement is taken from the latest
catalog of the Atwater Kent radio: "When you are models on the present-day market. Among the im-
told that one out of every ten employees in the provements is an automatic volume control and
improved selectivity. F. L. Lemm, in charge of oper-
Atwater Kent plant is an inspector or tester, and that
a typical receiving set is subjected to a total of 752 ations at the plant in Grand Haven, Mich., is an
experienced radio manufacturer, having previously
inspections and electrical tests before it is allowed to
been employed by the United States Radio Corp. at
leave the factory, you will appreciate the care that is
Chicago.
taken to insure perfection in the finished product."
RADIO PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
CHASING DOWN "INTERFERENCE."
HENRY T. ROBERTS.
the appointment, which was made effective last month,
Mr. Gorman said: "The Gulbransen Co. considers
itself quite fortunate in the acquisition of Mr. Rob-
erts. He is a pioneer in the merchandising of radio,
having founded the H. T. Roberts Co. back in 1921.
His sales managerial experience dates back to the
early automobile days, and for many years previous
to radio he was an outstanding figure in the phono-
graph field.
"We are not alone pleased with the acquisition of
Mr. Roberts, but consider it quite significant of the
future of Gulbransen in radio that it has been able to
attract men of his type."
KENNEDY RADIO COMPANY BUSY.
As one enters the reception room of the Kenned}
Radio Corp.'s factory offices in South Bend, Ind., he
is immediately impressed with the activity going on
there, the neatness and orderliness of everything. The
information clerk is kept busy getting callers guided
to the persons they want to see on business and the
inner offices show close attention to typing, book-
keeping and the checking of orders for the goods—a
busy place, a systematic going ahead. Presto-Times
representative's call was just a drop-in for a few
moments' chat with Larry Wall, advertising manager,
who reported that spring weather was bringing in
more seasonal orders than usual. Mr. Callahan is no
longer with the Kennedy company, but what his plans
are the caller did not learn.
SOME RADIO TALKS.
With the arrival at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., of
trouble-finding instruments the official radio inspec-
tor of that city has begun his work of correcting
unnecessary interference in radio reception. The cam-
paign is financed through a $1 license on each re-
ceiving set. The causes of interference reported to
the city manager, range from unprotected power wires
to faulty flat irons.
TO INVESTIGATE RADIO MERGERS.
Attorney General Mitchell recently announced that
the justice department intends to make a thorough
inquiry to learn whether the newest radio merger
violates the Sherman or Clayton anti-trust laws. The
merger referred to is the acquisition by the Radio
Corp. of America of the manufacturing and radio
interests of the General Electric and Westinghouse
Electric companies.
FRANKFORT RADIO MANAGER.
Otto N. Frankfort is the new sales manager of the
Story & Clark Radio Corp., a subsidiary of the Story
& Clark Piano Co. Mr. Frankfort, together with
L. P. Bull, of Story & Clark's, will exhibit the radio
line of the company at the big radio show at Atlantic
City, X. J., the first week of June.
MAJESTIC HOUR ON MOTHER'S DAY.
The annual observance of Mother's Day was com-
memorated with a fitting program by the Majestic
entertainers broadcast over the International net-
work of the Columbia Broadcasting System, Sunday,
May 11, from 9 to 10 p. m.
FINED FOR BREAKING NOISE LAW.
Thomas Hill, proprietor of the Irish Music Store,
New York, was fined $50 last month by Magistrate
Earl Smith for operating a loud speaker in front of
his store. He paid the fine rather than accept a
thirty days' jail sentence.
Retail radio problems were discussed at a meeting
in Cleveland, Ohio, last month by Harry Boyd
TWO GREAT RADIO SHOWS.
Brown, retail sales manager of the Philadelphia
The Radio World's Fair is to be held this year in
Storage Battery Co., makers of Philco receivers. At
Madison Square Garden, New York, from September
the same meeting a talk on radio time payment meth-
ods was given by J. G. Bennett, manager of the 22 to 27. The Chicago Radio Show is to be held
Commercial Credit Co., of Cleveland, which handles a from October 20 to 26.
considerable amount of "paper" for radio retailers.
The Carlson Co. has opened a store at Lockland,
Ohio, to be known as the Carlson Radio Store. It
Atwater Kent, Zenith and Philco are the lines of
radio being handled by Landon-Gleckner, Inc., 427 handles Majestic, Sparton, Philco and Crosley lines of
radio.
Market street, Williamsport, Pa.
RADIO NOTES
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., Chicago, has
disposed of its factory at Dubuque, Iowa, a part of
its factory at Muskegon, Mich., and its laboratories
at Chicago and Los Angeles. The purchaser is War-
ner Brothers, Inc., motion picture producers, and the
deal approached $10,000,000, according to the Bruns-
wick secretary, T. M. McHale.
"Guilty of slander by radio" was the verdict in the
case of Illinois against Fred Broucek at Chicago last
month. It was based on the political utterances of a
defeated candidate.
A radio set capable of producing a fever in the
human body for the treatment of some diseases by
killing bacteria within the body, was demonstrated at
Boston by scientists last month.
John C. Tully, president of the Steinite Radio Co.,
and subsidiaries, and Arthur T. Haugh, general man-
ager, have resigned their positions.
A. C. MacMullan, assistant advertising manager of
the Majestic Radio, Chicago, and his wife while
driving home from Toronto, Ontario, on April 13,
were tipped over in their car by another machine
speeding through at a notoriously dangerous crossing
in Mishawaka, hid. "Mac's" machine was wrecked,
but he escaped without a scratch, while Mrs. Mac-
Mullan suffered only a slight injury to one finger and
one knee.
Majestic hour presented "May Flowers" on Sun-
day evening, May 4, with a program suggesting the
blossoms of spring. That date marked the opening
of another national music week, and the Grigsby-
Grunow Co.'s program gave recognition to the event.
Jacob Kramer, high grade carver, 3409 West 13th
place, Chicago, is doing the carving for F. S. Smith,
head of the Perfection Furniture Co., manufacturer
of piano benches, Chicago.
The Cheney Talking Machine Co., Chicago, has
dissolved.
Gimbel's, 33rd street and Broadway, New York, is
conducting a sale of Kolster radios.
Sohmer & Co., 31 West 57th street, New York,
briefly advertises thus: "From father to son, the
Sohmer tradition of highest quality has been main-
tained for more than half a century."
Zinke's Music and Radio Store, West Allis, Wis.,
has moved and is now located at 7023 Greenfield ave-
nue, that city.
The Majestic Radio Shop, 223 South Main street,
South Bend, Ind., has been bought by Cecil and Carl-
ton Kindig. Otto F. Snyder, former proprietor, will
remain in the store as a salesman.
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