Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

~" ^ -^^— phone surveys are calls during the early hours of the morning. To date, most accurate checks T^Y^ OOT1 f\ f IHTTTl °* listening audience (6-9:00 A.M.) have [Jljri||l. fl I LI L come from other methods: premiums, mail 1 rlUUl U lliJ-l response, etc. Station WTMJ's "Gift Song" survey, in spite of its high expense, is worth considering. What it may lack in scientific accuracy, it makes up for in showmanship. c PUDDING Results from radio programs, based on sales, mails, surveys, the growth of the business itself. fuel (Others) TOP O' THE MORNING Since the first commercial program went on the air, sponsors have sought new, novel means of checking radio's prowess. Of interest is Milwaukee station WTMJ's approach to the problem. Each morning, at some unspecified spot on his program, genial master of ceremonies Bill Evans announced one number as the "Gift Song" of the day. As soon as the theme song signified the end of his program, Evans donned his hat and coat, left the studio, and went questioning housewives in Milwaukee, in neighboring and rural communities. What he asked people at every house was, "Did you catch the name of the 'Gift Song' on the Top O' The Morning program this morning?" If the person could name the song, a midget radio was presented on the spot. During four weeks of this type of checking, 10 Mihvaukee-ites got midget radios daily, and Bill Evans got these astonishing results: Exactly 40' ( of all radio sets in the Greater Milwaukee area were on between 6 and 8:45; of them, 84% were tuned to Top ()' The Morning I AIR FAX: The program gives the information that people usually want in the morning — the time, temperature-, we.ither reports; and in addition, there are friendly reminders, anniversary requests made all the more pleasing because of the personality of nimble-witted Hill Evans. Recorded music rounds out the proKr.im. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Saturday, 6:008:00 A.M. loll, m < d By: Man I Married (NBC dramatic serial). CompttitUmt Hrf.ikf.ist dub, iNlid Gospel Singer. SpomtOri I ml ,M«-rt h.uiiN of Milwaukee. (Others: I irst Wisconsin National H.ink. I <>\ Wisconsin Theaters. St huster's tiept. stor. Sl.n,.,n: WTMJ. MiU.ml .-.-. Wit /'<.«.r. ',,000 watU. Population: 578,249. COMMENT: Long taboo in coincidental tele 68 Groceries MEET THE MISSUS Brightest of radio's current success stories is Chicago's locallyproduced, Meet the Missus. (See Time! July 1, 1940.) Recently, Crossley made a special survey of 66,000 telephone calls and re-1 ported a rating of 7.4 OVER the rating of a national serial drama aired at the same time. A click in its first few months, "The Missus" opened more than 10,000 new outlets for sponsor's Automatic soap flakes. Premiums are offered in the show 85% ofl the time. Average life of one promotion: six! to ten weeks. Usual deal is ten cents and a label. Average mail pull: 500 a day. Premi— urns offered are such things as children's aprons, parlor games, Christmas cards, calling cards, etc. AIR FAX: Program is staged at the Chicago Home Arts Guild, a luncheon club supported by national advertisers. It's the usual interview program between the very unusual Tommy Bartlett and women visitors. Often interviews are recorded and then broadcast the following morning. Thus, an audience of housewives, eager to hear their own radio voices, is assured. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:45-9:00 A.M. Preceded By: Gospel Singers (CBS). Followed By: Pretty Kitty Kelly (CBS dramatic serial). Competition: Alice Blair (dramatic serial) ; News. Sponsor: Fitzpatrick Bros., manufacturers of soaps and cleaners. (Kitchen Klenzer, Automatic Soap Flakes, etc. ) Station: WBBM, Chicago. Power: 50,000. Population: 3,384,556 (1940). COMMENT: Re-broadcast feature applicable to any interview program and adds tremendous listener interest. Success, however, is dependent mi the ability of the announcer. TobaCCOS (Others) THE SPORTS EDITION Champ pro-ram on big Chicago station WIND is the fotm hour daily Sports Edition. Sinee it teetl off hark in Ma\. 1939, it has retained many of the sponsors who wen among its first pal ticipants. (Axton Fisher Tobacco Com pany, makers oi Twent) Grand cigarettes RADIO SHOWMANSHIP