Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Newspaper Association Probes Problems of Radio vs. Press Nation-Wide Committee Embraces Each State ; Use of A. P. Service on the Air Blamed DECISION of the Associated Press board of directors to allow the radio networks to broadcast the recent national election returns, acting upon the authority of a 1925 resolution of the A. P. membership permitting the broadcasting of news of "transcendant importance," apparently has precipitated the action of the American Newspaper Publishers Association in appointing a nation-wide committee of publishers to consider the whole problem of radio and the press. The committee is to serve as an auxiliary of the A. N. P. A. radio committee, which is headed by E. H. Harris, of the Richmond (Ind.) Palladium & Item. Mr. Harris is the successor of Elzey Roberts, publisher of the St. Louis Star-Times, who resigned last fall in disgust because the A. N. P. A. convention would take no definite stand on radio due, as he said, to the numerous newspaper publishers themselves owning radio stations or working in friendly cooperation with radio. Committee's Purpose SINCE his resignation, incidentally, Mr. Roberts has affiliated his newspaper with KMOX, high power St. Louis station, furnishing news flashes over the station in exchange for space devoted to radio in his newspaper. The A. N. P. A. committee, according to Mr. Harris, will gather information "for the purpose of general dissemination to publishers and of determining the attitude and desires of the press as a whole with relation to the constantly changing methods of distribution of intelligence." Mr. Harris added: "A study will be made of the ways and means of protecting the press against any elements of unfair competition and preserving the general welfare of the public * * * The committee does not propose to attempt to commit publishers to either side of any controversial matters such as questions of government ownership, monopolies, etc., but it does conceive its main objective to be the dissemination of all available information in order that publishers may be fully informed of developments as a basis for the formation of opinions, and it seeks all information which will enable it to function in accordance with the general and enlightened opinions of the publishing industry." The State Chairmen STATE CHAIRMEN have been designated, and in each state a committee of three publishers will function, one of whom is to be a publisher owning or operating a radio station. Presumably, in those states where no newspaperowned radio station exists, a newspaper having a satisfactory affiliation with radio will be represented on the committee. Of the state chairmen named, seven are publishers owning or operating or corporately affiliated with radio stations. They are designated in bold-face type in the listing below: ALABAMA— R. B. Chandler, Mobile Press-Register ARIZONA— Charles A. Stauffer, Phoenix Republic-Gazette ARKANSAS— J. S. Parks, Fort Smith Times-Record CALIFORNIA— Neil R. Murray, El Monte Herald COLORADO— C. M. Hamlin, Colorado Springs Gazette CONNECTICUT— J o h n Rolfe, Hartford Times DELAWARE— William F. Metten, Wilmington Every Evening FLORIDA— C. C. Carr, St. Petersburg Times GEORGIA— H. V. Jenkins, Savannah News-Press IDAHO— Margaret C. Ailshie, Boise Statesman ILLINOIS— A. W. Shipton, Springfield State Journal INDIANA— 0 scar Foellinger, Fort Wayne News Sentinel IOWA— R. R. O'Brien, Council Nonpareil KANSAS— F. E. Milligan, Fort Scott Tribune-Monitor KENTUCKY— J. T. Norris, Ashland Independent. LOUISIANA— Arthur Newmyer, New Orleans Item-Tribune MAINE— L. B. Costello, Lewiston Sun MARYLAND— Joseph B. Finnan, Cumberland Times MASSACHUSETTS— Irving E. Rogers, Lawrence Eagle-Tribune MICHIGAN— L. I. Noyes, Ironwood Globe MINNESOTA— F red Schilplin, St. Cloud Times MISSISSIPPI— T. M. Hederman, Jackson Clarion-Ledger MISSOURI— Wm. Southern, Jr., Independence Examiner MONTANA— 0. S. Warden, Great Falls Tribune NEBRASKA— Frank D. Throop, Lincoln Star NEVADA— R. C. Stitser, Winnemucca Star NEW HAMPSHIRE— J. A. Muehling, Manchester Union NEW JERSEY— Harry Haines, Patterson News NEW MEXICO— T. M. Pepperday, Albuquerque Journal NEW YORK— Arthur D. Hecox, Albany Knickerbocker-Press NORTH CAROLINA— Curtis B. Johnson, Charlotte Observer NORTH DAKOTA— N. B. Black, Fargro Forum OHIO— C. A. Rowley, Ashtabula Star-Beacon OKLAHOMA— L. M. Nichols, Bristow Record OREGON— O. L. Price, Portland Oregonian PENNSYLVANIA— Walter W. Krebs, Johnstown Tribune SOUTH DAKOTA— Charles H. J. Mitchell, Huron Huronite TENNESSEE— Walter C. Johnson, Chattanooga News TEXAS— Frank G. Huntress, San Antonio Express & News UTAH— J. F. Fitzpatrick, Salt Lake City Tribune-Telegram VERMONT— L. B. Noble, Rutland Herald VIRGINIA— Major Powell Glass, Lynchburg News & Advance WASHINGTON— W. H. Cowles, Spokane Spokesman-Review WEST VIRGINIA— Col. J. H. Long, Huntington Advertiser & Herald WISCONSIN— C lough Gates, Superior Telegram WYOMING— W. I. N. Cox, Cheyenne Tribune G. E. ASKS ADVERTISING IDEAS Prizes Offered for Listener Proposals on Improving Cpmmercial Phases of Radio Programs A UNIQUE contest that should work to the benefit of all sponsors and stations in sounding out public opinion on what is wanted in the way of radio advertising credits was launched Nov. 21 by General Electric Co. in a new series over the NBC-WEAF network. The topic is "How Advertising Over the Radio Can Be Improved", and the contest runs daily except Wednesdays and Sundays for four weeks, with prizes in merchandise valued at about $1,000 awarded for the best letters each week. The series is intended to develop new ideas for sponsored programs, as well as draw the public into G. E. merchandise outlets to get contest blanks and build good-will. It is the first attempt of the kind ever undertaken to get a crosssection of public opinion on radio advertising, and the whole industry, naturally, will be interested in the result. It is presumed that the sentiments expressed by the public will be reflected in future G. E. programs. The series will be split into four separate contests, each promoting a particular division of the company. The initial contest, which ran the week of Nov. 21, featured the Hotpoint Range Division, with 25 prizes offered. The second contest, during the second week, featured refrigeration, with six refrigerators as the awards. The third week was sponsored by the appliance division and the fourth by the lamp division. He y w o o d Broun, New York newspaper columnist, is conducting the contest. He inaugurated it with a talk on radio advertising in which he pointed out that American radio is reputed to be the finest in the world because of sponsored programs and because American industry is willing to supply the royalty of the amusement marts for the privilege of advertising its goods. He made reference to criticism of advertising in programs and solicited the opinions of listeners on how such advertising might be improved.. Handled by Batton, Barton, Durstine and Osborn, Inc., the program also features as guest speakers such notables as Albert Payson Terhune, Hendrick Willem Van Loon, John Erksine and Emily Post. Elder's CBS Report Shows 1932 Gains Of Radio Products Progressive Pull of Broadcast Advertising Demonstrated A TOTAL SALES gain of 35.1 per cent for all radio-advertised products in radio homes, as compared with non-radio homes, is shown in an analysis made by Prof. Robert F. Elder, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for CBS, covering effectiveness of radio advertising in 1932. A sequel to the Elder report of last year, the new survey shows convincingly the progressive increase in radio's "pull" as an advertising medium since the 1931 survey showed a total gain of 29.3 per cent for all radio-advertised products in radio homes as compared with non-radio^homes. Based on questionnaires sent to housewives in ten leading markets, the analysis shows that, without exception, every group of radio-advertised products gained in radio homes and that every group of products not on the air showed corresponding losses. Broken down into individual brands, 23 of the 25 radio-advertised products showed consistent gains. 12.7 Per Cent Response THE SURVEY was conducted during June, covering programs on the air during the preceding six months, and is published in an elaborate book just issued by CBS. Dr. Elder, in his report to CBS, said the method used was identical with that followed in the first analysis made in April, 1931. A questionnaire on a business reply card, with an accompanying letter, was mailed to each of 50,000 housewives whose names were taken at random, 5,000 from each of the latest telephone directories of Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Providence, Syracuse and Toledo. Of the total mailed' out, 6,359 or 12.7 per cent were returned. Of these, 5,977 or 12 per cent of the total were usable. Nine product s — toothpastes, shaving soaps, toilet soaps^ scour, ing powders, flours, shortenings, cigars, cigarettes and collars — were selected as typical categories meeting all of the requirements thought necessary to conduct the survey. Products Which Gained THE RESULTS showed that radio-advertised brands of toothpastes made a 45.1 per cent gain of users in radio homes; shaving soaps, 78.4 per cent; toilet soaps, 8.3 per cent; scouring powders, 13.4 per cent, flours, 14.8 per cent; shortenings, 24.9 per cent; cigars, 56.9 per cent; cigarettes, 19.7 per cent, and collars, 64 per cent. Dr. Elder explained that the figure given as "percentage gain" represents the proportion of users of all radio advertised brands of the article in radio homes minus the proportion of users of the same brands in non-radio homes. The analysis showed also that (Continued on page 26) Page 14 BROADCASTING • December 1, 1932