Jack's #1 Again!

[Yhtapmys]

Networks Split Honors In Radio Editors' Poll
THE Columbia Broadcasting System and the NBC red network split first place honors in the fourth annual poll of the nation's radio broadcasting industry.
CBS programs and personalities won seven first places, the NBC red network an equal number, the NBC blue two firsts, and two categories of the poll were not applicable to any network.
There were eighteen divisions voted upon by the radio critics.
Benny Again Tops.
Jack Benny's program was voted the best on the air by the editors, a title bestowed upon him last year also. Benny was again voted the top comedian on the air. Bob Hope's show was voted second best, coming up from fifth place in last year's poll. Information Please was ranged third best among all types of programs while Fred Allen's program was fourth.
Fifth place was voted Bing Crosby's Musical Hall. Edgar Bergen (Charlie McCarthy) slipped sharply from second place a year ago to sixth in this year's poll. Fibber McGee and Molly were seventh, the Sunday Evening Hour, eighth; Radio Theater, ninth; and Kay Kyser's Kollege, tenth.
Top Entertainers.
Here is the way the editors voted for the ten favorite radio entertainers, in order: Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Bing Crosby, Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Kay Kyser, Kate Smith, Fanny Brice and Alec Templeton.
There were sixteen other classifications. First, second and third place rankings voted in the poll for these categories follow:
Favorite Dance Band (Sweet) —Guy Lombardo, Wayne King and Kay Kyser; (Swing)—Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw; Male Vocalists (Classical) —Richard Crooks, Nelson Eddy and Donald Dickson; Male Vocalists (popular) — Bing Crosby, Kenny Baker and Lanny Ross.
Kale Smith First.
Favorite Female Vocalists (classical)—Lily Pons, Margaret Speaks, Jessica Dragonette; Female Vocalists (popular)—Kate Smith, Connie Boswell and Ginny Simms; Symphonic Programs—New York Philharmonic Symphony, NBC Symphony, Sunday Evening Hour (Detroit) Symphony; Symphonic Conductor—Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski and John Barbirolli.
Favorite Comedians—Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Fred Allen; News Commentator—H. V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas and Raymond Gram Swing; Sports Commentators and Announcers—Ted Husing, Bill Stern and Red Barber; Dramatic Shows—CBS Radio Theater, Helen Hayes Theater, and Big Town.
Award To CBS School.
Favorite Dramatic Serial—One Man's Family, The Aldrich Family and Vic and Sade; Educational Series—American School of the Air, Chicago Round Table and American Town Meeting of the Air; Programs for Children—Ireene Wicker (The Singing Lady), The Lone Ranger and Let's Pretend; Quiz Programs—Information Please, Take It Or Leave It, Dr. I.Q.
While most of the honors went to NBC and CBS, steadily developing Mutual network programs gained some recognition this year.
- Nebraska State Journal, Dec. 29, 1940