Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

broadcast over KQV, Pittsburgh, Pa. One of the pioneers of Pittsburgh radio, commentator Kauffnan aims his remarks not to the head but to the heart. Rather than give the news in the order of its importance, he is just as apt to make a lead story out of a friendly little yarn involving a dog or the weather. Evidence that human interest headlines represent a straight line to listeners' purse strings: on the first broadcast for the Hargrove Construction Co. he sold S450.00 worth of storm doors and windows. With reason, Hargrove Construction is well satisfied with its Monday through Friday, 9:00 A.M. news quarter-hour. Since sponsoring Kaufman, firm has had its best year in its history. To give credit where credit is due, Hargrove pins the laurel wreath on Kaufman for the many added sales. Equally pleased is the VV^m. H. Wise Co. To promote the sale of a Pictorial History, Wise wisely picked Kaufman's Monday through Friday quarter-hour newscast aired at 1:00 P.M. Comments Cecil C. Hoge, of Huber Hoge Sc Sons, New York City, advertising agency: "We have been offering for William H. Wise & Co., a Pictorial History set on this program. At the moment, KQV is by far the number one prodticing station in the United States, as far as the cost-per-order is concerned. Week after week, the Great Kaufman continues to pull an amazing amount of mail, taking in an average of 82.000 to $2,500 a week of direct, traceable orders." Eyebrow raising fact: to promote the sale of the book, Wm. H. \Vise, using other types of programs, bought time on several hundred stations throughout the United States. Evidence that Kaufman does as well on the long pull as for the short stretch: he worked for the same sponsor, the Max Azen Fur Co. for seven years. In every case, commercials are personalized, woven into the body of the show in a painlcss-to-lake dosage. of the featured commentator and the amount of friendliness he gets into each program. AIRFAX: Statiati: KQV, Pittsburgh, Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 1,895,3 3 3. Pa. Department Stores COMMENT: Siuccss here is due in the main lo ilu; ircmendous personal appeal RISE AND SHINE What AVestern Auto Supply, Los Angeles, Calif., undertakes, it doesn't do in half measure. With 86 stories in the metropolitan area, four of them department stores, the others selling lines other than auto supply merchandise. Western Auto Supply went all-out in a four-in-one over KHJ. Its schedule over KHJ: an hour a day, split into four quarter-hour programs. Monday through Saturday at 6:30, listeners Rise and Shine with Western Auto Supply. AV^hat audiences hear Mondav through Friday: Cecil Brown, 8:00-8:15 A.M.; The Frolics, 1:00-1:15 P.M., and So the Story Goes, 10:45-11:00 P.M. Rise and Shine, an hour-long show, is sponsored by Western Auto in the third quarter. It features Bob Bence, who reads poetry, plays records, does dialogue and indulges in ad-lib patter. The Frolics is a gay quarter-hour of comedy-styled records and nonsensical patter, starring Ruben Gaines and Bob Freed. Cecil Brown brings straight news, and the transcribed, syndicated feature, So the Story Goes, features Johnny Neblett. Programs started simultaneously under W^ESTERN Auto's sponsorship. All had previously been on the air, either under other sponsorship or as sustainers. Each of the four programs features a daily ladio special, usually an item of general use offered at a substantial saving. Straight selling copy is the order of the day, with 150 maximum word length. All commercials are prepared in close (o-operation with Western Auto's mer(handising manager who inventories stocks, checks store displays of radio specials. After two months of broadcasting, store traffic and volume showed a pronounced increase, with the radio special moving satisfactorily. More important. • 66 • RADIO SHOWMANSHIP