The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

478 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 18, 1926 (Continued from previous page) meet with a committee to discuss this proposal or any modification that will make it practical for all of us." Mr. Dillenbeck, in support of the foregoing, cited the following reasons why he beheved that such a change be necessary, both from the advertiser's and the newspaper's standpoint : "1. From the advertiser's standpoint : "(a) The rates in general, are flatly so high as to be uneconomic. They make it impossible to use linage as other advertisers do. "(b) The restrictions on type, illustrations and display, make modern advertising as you carry it on the other pages of your paper, impossible in your amusement advertising. (Exceptions noted, but lack of uniformity entails added mechanical costs to advertiser). "(c) There is no contract protection against raises in rates. "(d) The amusement page is read primarily by those who are seeking a place to go — we want them, of course, but we are not satisfied to reach this class only — ^we must reach out for new custcrfners and sell the idea of going, to the man or woman who has decided to do something else or hasn't decided what to do. "(e) Radio, automobiles, sports, books and magazines — they are our real competitors and they are all (except sports, and you give them so much they never spend anything) enjoying commercial or lower rates and faring as well or better from the editorial standpoint as motion pictures. Newspaper Standpoint ''2. From the newspaper's standpoint: "(a) It is not the intention to use a lower rate as a saving for the theatres. The same money at least initially, will be spent on a more productive basis — larger copy — modern illustrations — added sales arguments for the product. That, inevitably, will result in more advertising as a second step because results will justify it. In other words, it will result in more revenue for the papers — and without some constructive measure like this, you cannot expect that to happen. If you can continue to carry increased linage profitably on radio, auto, real estate, etc., at commercial or lower rates, why not motion pictures? "(b) The present attitude on rates is as one of your publishers has stated 'keeping one of the largest potential advertisers in a hole.' Let him come out to the mutual profit of both the newspaper and the advertiser." Refusal Is Curt This proposal and Mr. Dillenbeck's arguments were met by the New York publishers individually with a refusal that was, to say the least, curt. No action, however, up to date, has been taken by the New York Publishers Association, who have held several secret meetings on the subject, it is said, apparently in response to the urgings of HanfiF-Metzger, Inc., that some official action be taken by that body. Evidences also are plentiful that the New York publishers, with their "stand pat" and "say nothing" attitude on maintaining the present amusement rate, and refusing to permit any amusement advertiser for any consideration to buy display advertising at "run-of-paper" rates, would like to see the case closed. This being the situation, they have made it plain that they have no intention, if it can be avoided, of permitting Mr. Dillenbeck or any other representative of Paramount or the Publix Theatres to appear before the Publishers Association in order to discuss the proposal for a revision of rates or any phase of it. Rather, it would seem, they prefer to use their very great powers to choke off the entire controversy before it becomes too general On the other hand, Hanff-Metzger and the Paramount forces show no intentions of dropping the matter. In his interview, printed m The Editor and Publisher, Mr. Dillenbeck is quoted as saying that all that is asked for is "a reasonable rate," one which will enable the motion picture to meet its "big" competitor, the , radio, on an equal footing. In the same interview Mr. Dillenbeck quotes from Robert E. Sherwood's column, "The Motion Picture Album," published Nov. 6, as evidence of the competition, which the motion picture theatre is receiving from the radio. . A single quotation from it is sufficient : ''Never has there been so much fierce competition in the entertainment business as there is at this particular time and the movie people have to fight hard to get their share of attention." Willing to Fight Mr. Sherwood goes on to point out in the article that "more people dance than ever before" and that the crowds at all forms of sports are larger than ever, while the number of radio sets in existence are already well up in the millions. Mr. Dillenbeck, according to The Editor and Publisher, made it plain that the motion picture industry was willing to "fight hard," but was unwilling to be handicapped right at the outset by "the high differential between amusement and commercial rates," which in New York, he stated, ran from 18 per cent higher than the "run-of-paper" rate to more than 150 per cent higher. "A moving picture theatre has a selling problem and a merchandising problem," said Mr. Dillenbeck, "that is comparable to any other business. "A theatre has so many seats to sell each night, and as at preent constituted amusement page advertising is generally speaking limited to people who want to see a show. It is in no sense of the word modern advertising. "We want to get past the amusement page limitations and build our market. To those with an inclination to stay at home and listen to the radio, we want to sell the idea of coming to see our show. In a similar manner we want to reach bookish people and motorists. We want to institutionalize our theatres in the cities in which they are opened. We want to sell the theatregoing habit. We want to tell the public how pleasant our theatres are. "We have been able to do this type of advertising in the newspapers at commercial rates in a number of instances already, notably in Atlanta, St. Louis, Kansas City, Buffalo, Memphis, Knoxville, and Boston. "In Boston all the newspapers offered the business carried it at commercial rates except one. The Globe refused it declaring it was amusement advertising. The papers in which it ran were the Boston Herald-Traveler, the Boston American, and the Boston Post." Mr. Dillenbeck showed that the main theme of the New York copy, advertising the new Paramount Theatre, which was refused by all the dailies at "run-of-paper" rate, was almost entirely institutional in character and dealt with the comfort and luxury of the new house, which "holds 6,000 people within its doors." Listed inconspicuously in one corner of the advertisement were the week day, Saturday, Sunday and holiday prices. This advertisement, he explained, which was finally given only to The New York Times, Evening Journal and Daily News at the penalizing "amusement rate," was placed with them by Hanff-Metzger because these papers had the lowest differential; i. e., the least difference between their "amusement rate" and "run-of-paper" rate. Publicity Is Certain Regarding publicity, Mr. Dillenbeck made the following comment in the letter he sent out to New York publishers containing the rate proposal: "What abo.ut publicity?" "We wouldn't bring it up if you hadn't. And our stand is.. this : What you're doing is based on reac^^r service and news value. Your reviews just as apt to be unfavorable as favDuable. In fact, from reading some critics .one might easily get the idea that there weren't a handful of good pictures made jr year. But we welcome constructive criticism and we haven't anything to do with that part of the space you gfive anyway. "Of course, the press departments of all branches of the picture industry are going to keep on sending your editors what they hope you will see as news and much of it you will find is, and you will keep on deciding, editorially, for yourself whether it is or not, and if you print it on any other basis, we're both being kidded. "The way the news of Valentino's death pushed all other news off the front pages including that of the death of President Eliot of Harvard is one comment on reader interest, and one other pertinent fact is that more than half a million dollars a month is spent by the movie fans for magazines dealing exclusively with the subject of motion pictures. Here's the Ultimatums "But I am sure none of you would expect publicity to justify high rates, what with radio editors, reviewers, program sections, etc., automobile pages, photographs, maps, tours, show sections, — book reviews, book sections, real estate prognostications, photos, etc. "I never saw anything quite as extensive or as thorough from the readers' standpoint on motion pictures as some of the things just referred to— did you? "Now in thinking this over constructively, please consider that one of the biggest future developments of the picture business is along the lines of building larger and finer theatres and that means from our standpoint selling a wider audience than now exists for these new seats, and we certainly want your friendly assistance on that problem. Both of us will have to bust some traditions and create our own precedents — we're rarin' to go! "Speak your mind — I'm only nicely started on what's in mine."