Starter of this subject: Lois Lee
Last post in this subject: 10/10/2002
Messages in this subject: 6
| Lois Lee | 10/10/2002 6 replies |
| While most agree that OTR programming is of great entertainment and educational value, we tend to overlook similar benefits found in the public-service announcements. One such announcement, both amusing and enlightening, was a 1953 Suspense episode, "Dutch Schultz," in which Auto-Lite announcer Harlow Wilcox told of the United States Postal Services' issuing a 3 cent stamp in honor of the 50th anniversary of The American Trucking Association. It was a sort of back-to-the-future, heartwarming experience to hear the pride in the voice of this icon as he referred to the trucks as "modern beasts of burden," who were "proving themselves the finest carrying-vehicle and winning competitors over horse-drawn vehicles." Amusing, yes, when compared to the space-age, high-tech world we now inhabit. But it's incredible to think we got from there to here in less than half a century. |
| Jim Widner | 10/11/2002 5 replies |
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I always liked many of those public service announcements too. While some of the facts were a bit contrived for some, others were downright enlightening.
Obviously, most were due to lack of sponsorship and that is why so many are heard toward radio drama's early demise. |
| Lois Lee | 10/13/2002 4 replies |
| Jim, I appreciate your insights. Would you mind expounding a bit on your last paragraph? Thanks very much. |
| Jim Widner | 10/14/2002 3 replies |
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I don't have immediate examples at hand (will have to go back and re-listen to some of my collection), but I recall several that provided some historical perspective on some our country's history among the shows that were generally sustained by the network in the late fifties and early sixties. These programs did have local sponsorship and sometimes even partial national sponsorship, but to fill out sponsor slots, many times there were public service announcements that were quite informative about our country's history.
As networks were supposed to alot so much time for public service announcements, they generally fell within the sustained programming rather than being slotted in places where there was an opportunity for commercial sponsorship. Later television used to put many of them on Sundays or late at night, when fewer people were watching and therefore there was less sponsor time being sold.
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| Lois Lee | 10/14/2002 2 replies |
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Rather like some of the so-caled "fillers" used in newspaper and magazine pages, right? Sounds interesting. Are some of these examples found on your website? I've tried to visit it but it has been inaccessable all weekend...have you moved?
Thanks for the information, Jim. OTR is a never-ending source of delightful surprises. |
| Jim Widner | 10/24/2002 1 replies |
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Nothing on my web site like that right now. But might be an interesting feature. Obviously, I am responding late to this and my web site seems fine right now. Wasn't aware there had been a problem.
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| Lois Lee | 10/26/2002 0 replies |
| Jim, the website I had attempted to access was Jim Widner's Radio Timelines which is listed on Radio Links Database. Later, I found OldTimeRadio(OTR)-RadioDays:ASoundbiteHistory. It's always there, but the former link seems inaccessable. I'll keep |