Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

on the air consecutively in a well-rounded ten-minute program; and three of the episodes could be strung together to create a full fifteen-minute presentation, with ample time remaining for opening, middle and closing commercials! In that idea, Mr. De Grouchy felt and rightly so, that he had a program plan that almost any size appropriation could handle. The next innovation was equally as new and unusual. Street & Smith offered Sonny Tabor at a flat price, regardless of size of town, station or sponsor! The syndicate transcription industry, whereby programs embodying expensive production, talent and script are made available to local merchants at a minimum of cost, is a comparatively new phase of radio. In the field there is room for an enormous amount of experimentation; room for program planning that is different. But as in all new ideas, the experiment must be supported by the logic of good merchandising. The Sonny Tabor program plan has the advantage of: 1. A ready-made audience; a character whose adventures are followed weekly by more than 350,000 people. 2. A flexibility that makes the program fit with equal ease into large, small and medium-sized radio budgets. 3. A standard price that will not affect your choice of stations (usually the price of a transcribed program is based upon the power of the station over which it will be presented; thus, the more powerful the station you select, the more the program costs). HOW YOU CAN USE IT Your choice of Sonny Tabor as a selling vehicle for your product or service depends entirelv upon how well you know your customer, jrour product, and vour store. It*s an all age group, action packed program with a masculine appeal. It has the romance and glamour of the old west that has made more men spend more dimes for reading matter than they have for nuis tat he wax. Always attuned to public waves ot interest, Hollywood is going badt to Westerns in a big Way; not the Indian tales ot long ago, but big tunc productions with millions invested in them are playing to big grosses all over the country. They know that Gene Autry, the cowboy star, receives more mail than Clark Gable; that the desire for adventure is strong in everyone ; radio can bring to each of them the vicarious thrills of the old west in a more dramatic and satisfying form than the printed page. Behind the program is a merchandising plan applicable to almost any product. First of all, Street & Smith offers sponsors mention on a special sponsor's page in Wild West Weekly. Secondly, because Wild West Weekly is on sale at newsstands in your city, you have an excellent opportunity of tieing in with display cards at the stands. Street & Smith has prepared a card that reads: "WILD WEST WEEKLY OUT TODAY! On Sale Here." On the lower half of the card there is space allowed for your imprint of a message that would read: "LISTEN TO THE ADVENTURES OF SONNY TABOR ON THE AIR. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY AT 8:00. STATION WWWW. BROUGHT TO YOU BY (Your Name & Product)". For your younger listeners, Street & Smith has arranged a series of popular premiums that include Sonny Tabor hats, badges, belts, etc. Backed with the proper promotion and if your aim is sure, Sonny Tabor can shoot his way to a lot of profits for you! AIR FAX: Number of Episodes Available: 39 five-minute shows; others in production ; to be broadcast on three-time or five-time a week basis in either five, ten or fifteenminute periods. Minimum Contract: 39 episodes. No music in series. Story is continuous with cliff-hanger at end of each episode. The programs are supplied eight to a double faced record. Conditions of Sal,: Use of broadcast is restricted to one store in a city. Standard price regardless of si/e ot town or power of station used. Sponsorship included mention on sponsor's page in Wild 11 est Weekly roi duration ot program. .lability: For information regarding availability, audition records or any other in formation, write directlj to Charles Michel sun. f>7 West 44th Street. New York City. 142 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP