Poster:The Hour of Charm

In 1936, at the height of the Great Depression, radio was the most popular form of entertainment in America. Despite the severe economic conditions, many Americans found the money to buy radios, expanding ownership from 60% of all American households in 1934 to nearly 90% by the end of the decade. Radio's popularity among consumers made it the most prominent advertising medium of the decade. By the end of the 1920s, companies promoted their products by creating hour-long shows for the new nationwide broadcasting networks. In 1938 one-third of all radio airtime was devoted to commercials. General Electric's "The Hour of Charm," developed for NBC, featured an "All-Girl Singing Orchestra" to target women consumers. By airing the program on Mondays at 4 p.m., GE hoped to catch women while they were attending to "despised household tasks," thus enhancing their interest in the company's selection of "electric servants for the home." "It will be my pleasant task," says Arlene, Mistress of Ceremonies, "to help in telling millions of women about what electrical science and General Electric have done to give women more leisure to become more charming." Sending this broadsheet to G.E. dealers nationwide, the company encouraged retailers to display it in their windows, emphasizing, "This Is Your Program."