U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

report on 41 Percent of Greater Detroit Households Can Receive Fm Aclivily oa all liii ironts (oiuiiiucs brisk as advertisers and stations probe, prod and explore the current and future possibilities ot this still developing meditim. Adding another dimension to its "Fm Radio Receivers Study" (see Report on Fm, November 1959) „ WLDM Detroit reports on its new "Fm Ownership Study," conducted by Independent Research Measurements, East Lansing, Mich. Covering the greater Detroit and surrounding "extended metropolitan" area, the study shows that 41.4 percent ol all households surveyed are able to receive fm radio. There is "no statistically significant difference" between urban and suburban areas in the rmmber of fm radio households, according to the study. The report shows that 39.6 percent in greater Detroit receive fm radio, and 44.4 percent in the extended metropolitan area. Based on a systematic sample of 1,452 telephone households, the study points to a number of areas in which there is little or no difference between the fm and non-fm household. Fm households and nonfm households have approximately the same number of members, according to the stirvey. For example, in households with three to tour members, 40.8 percent receive fm and 41.4 percent do not. In terms of automobile ownership, 59.4 percent of the fm households have one auto, and 60.5 percent non-fm households have a single auto. Two autos are owned by 25.3 percent of the fm households, and 23.2 percent of the non-fm families. Another area of similarity between the fm and non-fm family is the type of dwelling. The sinvey shows that 84 percent of the fm families live in private homes and 12.7 percent in multiple dwellings. In the non-fm group, 83.1 percent reside in homes, and 11.9 percent in multiple dwellings. Home ownership, the survey shows, breaks down as follows: 77.9 percent of fm families own their home, and 74.1 percent of non-fm families are home owners. In the extended metropolitan area, however, there is greater home ownership "to a statistically significant degree" among fm households (88.5 percent) than among non-fni households (81.7 percent.) Fm Activity K^'A-FM San Francisco has teamed ujj with its sister am station to provide "full-time, compatible stereophonic broadcasting." The new policy of broadcasting in stereo every record played that is released in stereo, according to Morton J. Wagner, KYA general manager, "means that the station increases its fm hours to the full broadcast day as well." Mr. Wagner says that the slogan for the innovation is "If it's made in stereo, it'll be played in stereo." Although the dual channel programming is currently being limited to nuisical selections, Mr. Wagner exjjlains that "commercials, jingles and games are next" to get the stereo ireatment. A cjuick cross-country hop reveals that WABC-FM New York is now f;ffering separate progrannning from 6 p.m. to midnight. In making tire announcement, Ben Hoberman, general manager, says the decision to switch over to separate programming is "the result of increased interest in fm by listeners in the New York area." Mr. Hoberman states that 56.5 percent of the homes in the metropolitan New York area have fm sets. An indication of the high level of advertiser interest in the WABC-FM move is seen in the report that more than 60 percent of the available time was sold before the separate fm operation went into effect. The majority of the advertisers, WABC-FM reports, bought programs rather than spots, with many of the clients signing up for 52-week runs. • • • 1 A D I Norfolk Newport News Portsmouth and Hampton. Virginia Represented Nationally by JOHN BLAIR & COMPANY U. S. RADIO February 1960 67