World Program Service

About the World Broadcasting System… Although World transcriptions, like most other radio transcriptions, are not available to the general public (they are licensed for use by, and rented to radio stations for broadcast purposes only), the music and entertainment on them certainly was produced for the enjoyment of the public and for every taste in music. Through three decades, The World Broadcasting System, Inc. has presented a cavalcade of the finest orchestras, vocalists, and entertainers. There are very few famous recording artists who have not recorded for World! Over the years, this transcription company has been independently owned and has been affiliated with Decca Records and the Frederic W. Ziv company. Pseudonyms… Well-known artists, under contract with commercial recording companies, were not permitted to use their real names on early radio transcriptions. Therefore, pseudonyms have been used for many of the early World artists. In some cases – the same initials have been used (example: Hall Keene is Hal Kemp). In other situations – the initials are different (example: Dick Reynolds is Will Osborne). Quite often, two or more pseudonyms have been used for the same artist (example: Ralph Martin & Reed Murray are both Russ Morgan). Numbering System… From the beginning, and for many years, each song (or medley of songs), was assigned a unit number. (These unit numbers ran consecutively from #1 to #11268). There were 8 units to each transcription (4 to each side). For example, transcription #1/8 would have units 1, 2, 3, & 4 on Side 1 and 5, 6, 7, & 8 on Side 2. The next record in sequence (#9/16) would have units 9, 10, 11, 12 on Side 1, and 13, 14, 15, 16 on Side 2. (Lengthy songs were assigned 2, 3, or more unit numbers, while very short pieces, such as interludes, etc. would be assigned sub-units – example: 661 A, 661 B, 661 C, etc. A medley is regarded as one unit in most cases). This numbering pattern (8 units to a disc) continues through transcription #4441/4448. Beginning with #4449/4458 through #11259/11268, there are 10 units to each transcription (5 to a side). A change in numbering took place after unit #11268. At that point, the numbering sequence was changed to begin with Disc 101, Disc 102, Disc 103, etc. Labels and “Prefix” Numbers… The very early transcriptions contained labels without artist’s names or song titles. A catalog was used in conjunction with the discs to find desired material for broadcast. The labels contained only the unit numbers plus a “prefix” number (in front of each unit number) to indicate the general type of selection. (Example: 300-49, 200-53, etc.). The “prefix” numbers were used from the beginning (#1/8), up to, and including #9739/9748. The “prefix” numbers ranged in hundreds from 100 to 900. The general categories are as follows… 100 – Concert and Salon 200 – Popular Dance Orchestra – Without Vocal 300 – Popular Dance Orchestra – With Vocal 400 – Latin American & Spanish 500 – Standard Vocal 600 – Standard Vocal 700 – Concert and Salon 800 – Novelty Dance, Hillbilly, Western, and Folk 900 – Band, Patriotic, College, and Pipe Organ Untitled labels gave way to titled ones in the late 1930s. All early discs that still remained in the “active” library (those which had not been deleted or with-drawn), by this time received titled labels along with the new releases of the period. Vertical or Lateral? 16” or 12”? From the beginning (1933) until the releases of Sept./Oct. 1959, all World transcriptions were originally issued as 16” Vertical (Hill and dale). Beginning with Disc 506, the discs became 16” Lateral. Any of the earlier discs (old series; up to #11268, and Disc series up to #505), which still remained in the “active” catalog were re-issued as 16” Lateral. Therefore, many of the older transcriptions were later available as Lateral discs. Beginning with Disc D-558 (Feb./Mar. 1961), all transcriptions are 12” LP (Microgroove). The transcriptions from D-558 on are prefixed with a “D” for discs containing jingles, sound effects, etc., and “R” for the ones containing music. All World transcriptions are 33⅓ rpm. Withdrawn or “Restricted” Discs… At least once a year, radio stations renting the World library were sent a list of discs that were to be removed from their libraries and returned. An explanation of this is that the withdrawn discs contain songs and materials, which are outmoded and no longer are being programmed in continuity series. Most of these “withdrawn” discs were of the popular music category, which explains why most of the early popular transcriptions were short-lived. By contrast, much of the Concert, Salon, Military Band, etc. type has remained in the libraries down through the years.