Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT If you use spot announcements, you'll be interested in the news, reviews, and tips in this column. Received from a Jackson, Mich, restaurant owner is a letter that speaks for itself: "Ten years ago, when I opened the REGENT CAFE, I bought a series of spot announcements on station WIBM. The announcements have been on continuously ever since. In the past 10 years I have enlarged the restaurant three times, and today it is the largest dining place in Jackson. This increase in size and business I feel is due to my consistent use of air time." Angelo Johns President Regent Cafe Jackson, Mich. Announcement-buyer Johns is on the air daily with a 75-word plug for his good food and cordial atmosphere. Key to his success is consistency. Ten years is a long time, but if Johns had been typical of many spot buyers, he would have been off the air long ago. The first few months weren't anything worth writing about, but Johns stuck it out. many businessmen who are not using radio now, but did at one time, just would not give radio a chance. They were newspaper minded and judged radio by newspaper standards. In most cases, (there are exceptions) radio results do not happen overnight, but in the long run, well, look what happened taurant owner Johns I MORE ABOUT CONSISTENCY Madison, Wis. coal dealei Urban J. Meuei brings further proof of the value ot i ousts in s spot announcement campaign. Read j beginnin I >, Meuer mi i hanges his commen ial < op) . laj i them often. DEBATE? When you buy radio time, does the number of businesses competitive to yours on a station play any part in your selection of that station? There are two sides to this question. Some businessmen actually choose a station because it has so many successful competitive accounts. Others hesitate for the very same reason. In keeping with making this column an open forum about anything and everything having to do with spot announcements, what do you think? Send in your reactions to me in care of Radio Showmanship magazine (11th at Glenwood, Minneapolis.) There should be some strong arguments one way or the other. INTRODUCING New business fields to which radio is now extending its services . . . Auto Show . . . Los Angeles Auto Show, 50-word announcements (16). Station KFI, Los Angeles. Baths . . . Bitnini Baths, 50-word announcements (26). Station KECA, Los Angeles. Boxing . . . Golden Gate Arena (amateur bouts). Station WHN, New York. Chicken Feed . . . Oyster Shell Products Co. Station KOA, Denver. Concerts . . . Altrusa Club, 12 announcements (one week). Station KOA, Denver. Military Academy . . . Brown Military Academy, San Diego. 150-word announcements, three a week on Art Baker's Notebook, four a week on Bridge Club. Station KFI, Los Angeles. Motion Pictures . . . 20th Century Fox Film Corp., New York. One-minute announcements (nine in one week ) . Station KOA, Denver. Package Pick-ups, Deliveries . . . Railway Express Agency, Inc., New York. Announcements (36). Station KOA, Denver. Salt . . . International Salt Co., Inc., Scranton, Pa. 78 150-word announcements on Home Forum. Station KDKA, Pittsburgh. Tobasco Sauce . . . Mcllhenny, Avery Island. La. 100 afternoon announcements, Tuesday thru Friday. Station KPO, San Francisco. Wine . . . California Wine Co. 50-word announcements, four a week for 13 weeks, Monday thru Saturday. Station WIND, Chicago. HINTS TO SPOT BUYERS Last month's /;/';// suggested that position is more valuable than number of words <>n the announcement! you buy. Salisbury Bakbry, over WSTP (Salisbury. North Carolina) reports that they ire successfully sponsoring ord spot an nouncements ever) hour on the hour, IS times a dav and it pn\ I This month's hint: If you plan to buy — plan to stay! 156 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP