Radio daily (Feb-Mar 1937)

VOL. 1. NO. 32 NEW YORK. THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1937 FIVE CENTS Three Stations Join NBC looking On t •■••AND LISTENING IN SPONSOR AID A" unusually fine spirit is being displayed by both the small stations, the big ones and the networks in cooperating with sponsors so that the maximum of value may be obtained from commercial programs. The extent of this supplementary aid on the part of the broadcasters, if developed a few steps further, will help greatly in eliminating various small irritations that now mar many a good air show. Such as unpropitious station breaks at a suspenseful point in a dramatic playlet, interruption for station identification just as a comedian is nearing the climax of a funny yarn, reading of unconvincing testimonials, the insipid theme songs, and a few other obvious annoyances. And speaking of songs, it would help musical programs considerably if announcers, masters of ceremonies and orchestra leaders dispensed with the long and sometimes supposedly smart introductions of the various numbers. Popular music can speak very well for itself. • SOUP JUMPS Reporting that sales of Campbell soup hit an all-time high in the first two months of this year. Advertising Manager Harry F. [ones of the Campbell Soup Co. said that soup consumption was "greater than expectations desipte the mild winter in the east." Our analysis is that, although the eastern weather may have fallen down in providing the seasonal amount of soupeating inspiration, the program of "Hollywood Hotel" more than made up for the deficiency by the better soup-selling entertainment programs it has been putting on the air for its sponsors. Not forgetting the Campbell's tomato juice sale promotion by Burns & Allen. Many Early Risers WQXR's experimental series of before-dawn broadcasts, which occur one week a month and are intended to test the effect of sunrise on the long distance transmission of its 1550 kilocycle wave, has produced one result that was not anticipated. Letters from listenersin have been swamping the station, proving there are numerous early risers in radio audiences. 217 CONTESTS-OFFERS USED ON CBS IN 1936 Fifty-two sponsors used 217 contests or offers on their CES radio programs in 1936, it is disclosed in a CBS summary of all contests and offers made over the network last year. Of the 217 total, 163 were offers and 54 contests. Remington Rand used the most inducements on CBS through its "March of Time" program with a total of 22; General Mills came second with 18; Pet Milk, 14, all offers; H. J. Heinz, 11, Colgate-Palmolive-Peet, 10. Offer requirements ranged from no proof of purchase to $38.75 for a \Cotitiitucd on Page 8) WLEU, Erie, and WRTD, Richmond, Go to Blue Network — KANS, Wichita, Will be Optional Outlet 6 New Commercials Are Signed by WNEW Six new commercials have been set by WNEW sales department so far this week. They are: Universal Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Sundays for 39 weeks beginning April 4, 15-minute musical program. Aetna Advertising Agency has the account. Hennafoam Corp., spot announce(Continued on Page 4) Father Coughlin Ends Mutual Series April 18 Father Charles E. Coughlin on April 18 will terminate his Mutual network program, Sundays, 3-4 p.m., with repeat 8-8:30 p.m., it was reliably reported yesterday. WMCA in addition to WOR broadcasts the {Continued on Page 5) Cavalcade on WCHS WCHS. Charleston, W. Va., will be added to the CBS-Du Pont Cavalcade of America program on March 31. Program is heard Wednesdays, 8-8:30 p.m. Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn Inc. placed the account. 82.6% OF NBC CLIENTS WERE REPEATERS IN '36 NBC's 1936 advertisers who had previously used time on NBC networks amounted to 82.6 per cent and accounted for 97.5 per cent of NBC's total revenue for the year, according to figures compiled by the NBC statistical department. Repeat advertisers last year numbered 144, with expenditures of $32,761,045, while new advertisers (Continued on Page 4) General Television Testing Cathode Ray Boston — Having rebuilt its station and equipment to conform with new standards. General Television Institute will shortly test its new apparatus, marking the first appearance in New England of the electronic (Continued on Page 5) CBS Stockholders Approve Two-for-One Share Split-Up 6 Stations Are Added For Jack Pearl Disks Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co., Louisville (Kool & Raleigh cigarettes) , have added six more stations to its list of southern outlets, using the RCA-Victor recordings of the Jack Pearl NBC-Blue network show, Fridays, 10-10:30 p.m. Inability of stations to clear time (Continued on Page 2) Stockholders of CBS, at the annual meeting yesterday afternoon, approved increase in the number of authorized shares from 1,500,000 shares of $5 par value to 3,000,000 shares of $2.50 par value and of exchanging each share of present outstanding capital stock for two shares of the new stock. At a meeting of the board of directors immediately following the annual meeting, Frank White was elect(Continued on Page 8) NBC station relations department, within the past week, signed contracts for three more stations to join the NBC networks. WLEU, Erie, and WRTD, Richmond, will join the Blue network, while KANS, Wichita, Kan., will join as an optional outlet for either the Red or Blue network. KANS, a 100-watter operating on 1210 kcs., and WLEU, 250 watts daytime, 100 night, on 1420 kcs., will both join NBC on April 1. WLEU, owned by Leo J. Omelian, will be an optional outlet to the basic NBCBlue network. KANS is owned by Charles C. Theis with studios in the Hotel Lassen. The Richmond outlet, WRTD, owned by the Richmond Times Dispatch, will give the NBC-Blue its first basic member station in Richmond. Heretofore NBC only had one affiliate in the city serving both the Red and Blue as a part of the totaled 25 and spent $852,588. This southeastern group. Station operates on 1500 kcs. with 100 watts and will officially join the Blue network on (Continued on Page 3) International Shoe "Bee" On NBC-Blue Coast Net San Francisco — International Shoe Co., St. Louis (Peter's shoe) , on April 6 will start Larry Keating in a question bee program on a split NBCBlue Pacific network of seven stations (KGO, KECA, KFSD, KERN, KWG, KMJ, KFBK), Tuesdays, 8:309 p.m. Program will be known as "Dr. Peter Puzzlewit" Series, signed for 52 weeks through Long Advertising Service here. New Horlirk Contest Chicago — Horlick's Malted Milk, through Lord & Thomas, have set plans for a new contest to be announced for the first time on their program Monday night, NBC-Blue net, 7:30-7:45 p.m. There will be chances for 50.000 people to share prizes valued at $30,000. Radio show, Lum and Abner, is aired '5 times weekly over NBC net.