What The FM Broadcasters Have To Say:

A Statement Concerning W55M, by Walter J. Damm,
General Manager of Radio, The (Milwaukee) Journal Company

Although The Journal Company has been operating a standard broadcasting station in Milwaukee since 1925 we look upon FM as a new entity which will eventually dominate the radio scene. We feel that FM is not just a gadget to hang on the tail of standard broadcasting not something to have around the shop in order to say, “Oh, yes, we’re experimenting with FM." To us FM is a serious business proposition which must be handled as such, in anticipation of the development of FM to a point equal to and eventually surpassing and replacing present day AM broadcasting, we propose to program our new FM station in a way to build listeners irrespective of the effect this policy may have on our established AM station. in this regard, we have had almost a year’s experience in operating W9XAO, our experimental FM station, along these very lines and I believe we can truthfully say, to an extent far beyond that attempted by any other licensee.

Our convictions with regard to programming are, briefly, as follows:

1. If the public is going to buy FM sets. it needs an incentive therefore. FM programs must be distinctly worth while and fill a genuine need.

2. It follows that FM program schedules must be entirely independent from AM schedules, FM's advantages of high fidelity reproduction and freedom from static are, alone, not enough in most cases to make poeple switch front AM to FM.

3. FM should be programmed to meet the radio desires of the discriminatinging listener who enjoys good music, and both sustaining and commercial programs should utilize the high fidelity reproductive advantage of FM to the utmost. In this respect, we believe that there is a place for electrical transcriptions, as well as live talent, on FM programs. Experience has shown that the new high fidelity electrical transcriptions now available to the broadcasting industry are remarkably well adapted to FM. They will provide the means of presenting famous artists and musical groups which could not otherwise be heard over an individual FM station until such time as an FM network becomes feasible.

4. While music should be the basis of FM schedules, we recognize that drama, news, special events and children's programs have their place. However, every effort willl he made to place such programs where they best fit into the daily life of the listener.

5. We believe that daily luncheon and dinner concerts of uninterrupted music should he scheduled, as these two periods will make it possible for the listener to enjoy the benefits of FM to the utmost. The dinner concert. particularly. should fill the wishes of many set owners who have hungered for a program of music and not one made up of 15-minute units, ranging from children’s programs to dramatics, sports and news.

6. We believe that by contentrating on music during the afternoon, FM will attract set owners who do not care for the continuous procession of dramatic shows now on the air. Herein lies an opportunity for the FM broadcaster to awaken interest in daytime radio on the part of those set owners who are now a dead loss so far as AM broadcasting is concerned.

7. Lastly, we believe that the FM broadcaster should always model his programs according to the listening public’s demands and should not permit himself to be swayed from his set course by the idiosyncrasies of the advertiser and the advertising agency. Steadfast adherence to a policy based on genuine public service can open up a listening field of unbelievable proportions.

FM / February, 1941