NBC EXPANDS IN CHICAGO


Curator's note: The following article describing the expansion of the NBC Merchandise Mart facilities appeared in the September 15th, 1935 issue of Broadcasting magazine. It underscores the growing importance of Chicago as a radio production center, even though NBC's Radio City studios had been open for almost two years, and even though construction of NBC's Hollywood studios was about to begin.

NILES TRAMMELL, vice-president and manager of the NBC central division, announced addition of three new studios to the Chicago headquarters. An organ chamber, two echo rooms and additional office space, occupying about 11,5000 square feet of floor space, will be constructed in previously unoccupied space in the tower section of the Merchandise Mart. This will give the Chicago NBC headquarters a total of 76,500 square feet of floor space, and 11 studios. When the Chicago headquarters were opened in 1928 only two studios were needed and the entire staff was limited to less than a dozen people. Today's staff numbers more than 300. Of the 1,748 programs originating each month for a total of 536 hours, 1,102 are for the networks. Each of the new studios will be 17 by 30 feet in size with an adjoining control room and adjoining storage room.

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