Ted Malone (3:38)

Like democracy and apple pie, the disc jockey is an American institution. He rides his turntable around every corner on just about every radio station, accompanying his records that he and his listeners choose with his own smattering of platter chatter. His record library usually includes everything from cavalier rusticana to cement mixer putty Putty. But since most disc jockeys work more or less ad lib, the success of the program depends a good deal on how fast their own wheels go around. And most jockeys spin a very fine brand of yarn between recordings, which is proved by the popularity of these tycoons of the turntable. The disc jockeys beat is not a new line, however. Back in 1920, a Pittsburgh Westinghouse engineer named Frank Conrad constructed the first real radio station in the loft over his garage. He soon found that some of his neighbors who had home built crystal sets were picking up his conversation with other ham operators in the vicinity. This was fine, but Dr. Conrad couldn't keep talking all day and all night for his fans. So he hit upon the idea of putting recorded music on the air. So Westinghouse's Dr. Conrad and his two young sons and became the first disc jockeys in the history of radio. That was a small and informal beginning for a kind of entertainment that's still informal nowadays, but which has turned the turntables on the rest of radio and gone big time. Time was when a disc jockey was the man who stayed up all night, slept all morning and yawned all afternoon. He had the dog watch and it was a dog's life. While most of the world was asleep, he's been busily developing some wonderful new show and now at last he's being recognized, coming into his own with some famous recruits. Joining in and topps to us of course, is pops Paul Whiteman, ABC's director of music. Paul Whiteman started out as a taxi driver during school vacations in his hometown, Denver, maybe He caught the music fever doing solo work in traffic jam sessions. Or maybe he caught it from his father, who was superintendent of music in Denver high schools. And of course, a devotee of music. Classical music, that is the king of jazz. Started out as a classical musician playing viola with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Got a little too much rosin on my own bow there for a minute. But it wasn't long before he organized his own band back in 1919. A nine man band with a new style and a future that's still unfolding. Yes, Paul has been making musical history ever since. His concerts, band engagements, records and radio programs through the years have kept him number on everybody's hit parade. And now he's blazing new trails with the very first program of recorded music that goes coast to coast. The Paul Whiteman Club with Pops himself as disc jockey. It went on the air yesterday, and so today we're saluting him and the hundreds of other disc jockeys of the American Broadcasting Company stations across the country. This is going to be a real clambing. There may be a few pauses. In fact, there probably will be a lot of brief pauses. But this is the way it's going to work, I hope. I have some questions I want to ask our friends, the disc jockeys. And I'm going to ask them and they're going to answer simultaneously, but you're going to hear just one answer. And now I want you to meet a friend of yours, one of our ace disc jockeys.

Pat Barnes (7:24)

Hello, Ted Malone and all Ted's friends around town. My name is Pat Barnes and my program of platters with chatter is the Barnes Band Box, which goes on the air at 12:05 midnight.

Ted Malone (7:38)

Thanks, fella. And I'd like to go on record to the effect that that show of yours is a lot of fun all around. Now, what kind of recordings would you say you use most on your program?

Pat Barnes (7:51)

Well, Ted, we always like variety around here, so we use some ballads and some real jazz and sometimes classical music, too. Some of our best discs are old favorites, but of course, we're always looking for good new records, too.

Ted Malone (8:06)

Just between ourselves, what kind of record do you really enjoy most yourself? If you didn't have to please anybody but yourself, would you play swing or schmaltz or Scarlatti or what?

Pat Barnes (8:21)

Well, confidentially, Ted, I like quiet recordings. Anything soft and soothing so I can sit down and relax and think up what I'm going to say next. You know how it is. The peaceful moments in the radio business are few and far between.

Ted Malone (8:36)

And what Kind of recordings do your listeners like best in all those letters and phone calls and telegrams? What kind of music do the folks ask for most often?

Pat Barnes (8:49)

Well, of course, they ask for recordings made by singers and bands which are currently most popular. But there are a lot of requests for oldies that seem to have personal associations. Things like Make Believe and Stardust and I Wonder who's Kissing Her Now.

Ted Malone (9:05)

I can see why a disc jockey never has a dull moment. Paul Whiteman, of course, is new at this game, and he has a few questions he'd like to ask Pat Barnes here in New York and the rest of the boys across the network about how to make the wheels go around without getting the needle.

Paul Whiteman (9:22)

Well, I certainly could use some advice, Ted. I've already discovered that being a disc jockey isn't like riding a hobby horse, even if I could make the weight. For one thing. I'd like to ask my colleagues of the turntable just how much platter music and about how much chin music makes a good record program. That is, would 75% music and 25% talk add up about right or 90, 10 or what?

Pat Barnes (9:47)

Plenty of music, sure. But when it's you doing the talking, Paul, you better plan at least 25% talk. Your listeners are going to want to hear a lot of comment and reminiscence from you along with the disc you play.

Paul Whiteman (10:03)

There's another thing I have an awful nightmare about. What do you do, for instance, when you spend three minutes doing a real buildup for, say, Irving Berlin's Blue Skies, and then the man puts the needle down and out comes Stormy weather?

Pat Barnes (10:20)

Well, that happens to everyone at least once, Pop. And the thing to do is to just let it storm until the wrong record is played through, then kid your way out of it. You can always follow up with Blue Skies. Only the second time. Make sure it is Blue Skies.

Paul Whiteman (10:36)

Well, I really appreciate any tips that come my way right now. So I hope all you fellows will consider yourselves charter members of the Paul Whiteman Club. And if you have any ideas or suggestions, I hope you'll send them along. Oh, I'd really appreciate it, and I really mean it with your ear for.

Pat Barnes (10:55)

What'S good at music pop. I know the Paul Whiteman Club is going to be another triumph and a lot of fun for you and everybody else connected with you.

Ted Malone (11:08)

Thanks a lot, Paul Whiteman and all the 197 members of our disc jockey convention. If there were a few little pauses here and there across the network, or if one or two of us talked on top of each other. It's because there were so many of us all trying to talk at once and have a good time. I'm sure the listeners will forgive us and know that this was an interesting experiment for everybody. It's been grand having you all with us, and I'm sure the recording angel is going to stand by the Paul Whiteman Club and all your shows, so your needles will always be sharp and you'll never break any records except those you've already broken by rounding out bigger and better radio programs. To all the disc jockeys on all ABC stations, good wishes and good luck. And now, here's Ernie Chappell with a little spinning of his own.

Ernest Chappell (12:00)

Thank you, Ted. Friends, I wish you all a happy holiday over the glorious Fourth. And I suggest you take your favorite programs with you wherever you go. Get a Westinghouse 148 for here's the ideal portable radio for vacationers with every feature you choose yourself. Sturdy yet light in weight, the Westinghouse 148 Portable looks like a smart piece of luggage. Better still, A148 brings you more stations with clearer tone. For the 148 is packed with extra Westinghouse power, has double the sensitivity of similar pre war sets. What's more, there's no weight or warm up on AC or DC house current or on batteries. You get instant operation. Yes, and the 148's built in loop antenna cuts static down to the vanishing point. The dial is easy to operate, easy to read, and a telltale indicator always shows you when the radio is on. It's a fine companion, the 148. And yet, for all it gives you, the cost is surprisingly low. So own a better portable radio. Enjoy the extra pleasure, the extra service you get with the wonderful Westinghouse 148. Be sure to ask for it by number the 148. Listen and you'll buy Westinghouse. Now, Ted, all by yourself. Come in for a word about tomorrow, huh?

Ted Malone (13:35)

Well, tomorrow, Chappie, we're going to do our broadcast from Sunbury, Pennsylvania. You see, this week, Sunbury is celebrating its 175th anniversary with pageants and picnics and ball games and everything. And tomorrow I'm going to help celebrate in a hometown story from the heart of Sunbury, with the Queen of the celebration as my guest. It'll be a real American story from Sunbury tomorrow. Goodbye.

Ernest Chappell (14:17)

Ted Malone, brought to you again today by Westinghouse, maker of more than 30 million appliances for the American home, comes to you every weekday Monday through Friday at this same time. Until tomorrow, then. This is Ernest Chapel saying goodbye for Westinghouse. Death to insects, whether they fly or crawl. That's the Westinghouse bug bomb. With the safer combination of pyrethrum and fast killing ddt. The Westinghouse bug bomb fits the palm of one hand, one finger controls the spray. Get the genuine bug bomb that's safer, cleaner in the handy light green container. The bug bomb is made only by Westinghouse.

Ted Malone (15:06)

This is abc, the American Broadcasting Company.