Broadcasting (Jan-June 1933)

Ask Change in Disc Broadcast Order Commission Considers WBS Plea on Announcements ELIMINATION of the requirement that transcription programs be announced as such just before they are broadcast, as a means of encouraging the use of recorded proJudge Robinson grams by advertisers, was proposed to the Radio Commission May 23 by Judge Ira E. Robinson, former radio commissioner, as counsel for the World Broadcasting System. Presenting his arguments orally in executive session with the Commission, Judge Robinson was accompanied by Arthur F. Mullen, Omaha attorney and vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and E. B. Foote, vice president of WBS. The Commission, it was stated, will give prompt consideration to the request. To allow this would entail a revision of Rule 176 which specifies the manner in which electrical transcriptions and recorded programs shall be announced. Preparatory to final Commission consideration, the legal division has been asked to study it. Judge Robinson addressed a letter to the Commission on April 12, setting forth reasons for the request. At the conference he enlarged on these arguments informally, and declared that should the Commission find it undesirable to eliminate the transcription requirement entirely, that it permit the announcement following the program, rather than before. Text of Letter THE LETTER follows: Representing the World Broadcasting System, Inc., I have heretofore requested the Commission to change Kule 176 so that a transcription made expressly for broadcasting purposes need not be announced as such just before its broadcast. The operation of the rule as it now stands stigmatizes such transcriptions by putting them in the category of phonograph records, and piano player records, when in fact they have come to be a most useful and popular method of program transmission. If any announcement is to be made it should be made after the broadcast; though there seems to be no more use for that than an announcement that a program from one of the chain studios came to the station by wire. The change which I am asking will be beneficial to the public interest in that it will encourage the use of transcriptions by advertisers and stations not now using them because stigmatized in a class with mere ordinary phonograph records; advertisers being fearful that the public do not appreciate phonograph records and stations being fearful that their credit before the Commission is harmed by the use of anything but live talent. Yet the public now welcome the use of transcriptions made expressly for broadcasting, and they certainly offer local and regional stations the good talent not locally obtainable. Both of the great networks are now at times using transcriptions. May I not have action by the Commission on this subject within the next few days? I shall thank you to bring it up for decision at an early meeting. HAPPy DAYS JUST AHEAD Marked Upturn in National Radio Advertising Foreseen By Agencies, Nets, Transcription Companies NATIONAL radio advertising — transcription and other spot as well as network — is due for an appreciable upturn early this autumn and winter. Indeed, there are already signs of improvement, despite the fact that radio generally since the year began has suffered the severest decline in revenues of several years. These conclusions are based upon personal contacts by representatives of Broadcasting during the last few weeks with leading agency radio executives, network officials, transcription companies and station representatives in New York. Reports from stations are also quite encouraging. Optimistic expressions were heard on all sides. Agencies are working on new and renewal radio accounts that augur exceedingly good business for the months to come. For the most part, these accounts are still in the formative stage, and the agency heads decline to be quoted. But the apprehensions of last winter are conspicuous by their absence. Networks Out of Slump THE NETWORKS appear slowly but surely to be coming out of the severest slump in their history, with some accounts already being renewed and new accounts being signed for the fall and winter. With Chesterfield and Old Gold on CBS and Philip Morris on NBC, the prospects are even bright that Lucky Strike will soon be back on the air with as big a schedule as formerly. Transcription business appears to be at its lowest ebb at this writing, but World Broadcasting System and Scott Howe Bowen, while declining to divulge their pending new business, report that better days for spot business are inevitable. World has just renewed Mitzi Green's "Happy Landings" series for Ward Baking Co. for another 13 weeks, and Scott Howe Bowen expects shortly to extend its For"han "Count of Monte Cristo", which has had a remarkably successful test run on three stations, to practically a nation-wide group. Representatives like Scott Howe Bowen and Edward L. Petry & Co., personally interviewed, also agreed that radio business is on its way out of the doldrums. With network and spot business scarce this spring and summer, most stations have worked harder than ever on local accounts, and some of them have reported exceptionally satisfactory results. Brewery accounts are slowly but surely developing as the breweirs are beginning to gauge production to demand. Many local merchants, trying out radio for the first time, are manifesting gratification at the pulling power of the medium. WOR Business Booming THE LEADING independent station, WOR, Newark, wrote more business for April than for the same period last year and feels there is every indication that the business of the summer months will exceed that of last year, reports A. A. Cormier, WOR director of sales. Mr. Cormier points with particular pride to the fact that WOR has sold more of its day time than any of the network key stations in the New York area. The King's Brewery account on WOR, using two half hours weekly, was the first of several such accounts that will be on the station before the summer is far advanced, said Mr. Cormier. "Another encouraging factor," he added, "lies in contract renewals. Only last week four companies extended their broadcasting to a combined total of 163 weeks, the shortest being 34 weeks. That WOR has been effective in the beauty preparations field can be seen in the signing of a 39-week contract by John H. Woodbury Co. and the Andrew Jergens Co., which reserves a Sunday night spot starting next September. "Electrical transcriptions are becoming increasingly popular with certain classes of national advertisers, as evidenced by the 26 weeks' booking of the Forhan Co., now on the air nightly except Saturdays and Sundays. Beechnut, with its now famous 'Chandu', is also planning to return to the air in the fall." Silver Dust Campaign GOLD DUST Corp., New York, is using an 11-station eastern CBS network, in addition to a special Jewish program over WMCA, New York, to introduce its new companion product to Gold Dust, which is called Silver Dust and which is a powdered soap for washing dishes and clothes. Extensive newspaper advertising and a house-to-house sampling campaign, with airplane loud speakers and a fleet of Austin cars carrying loud speakers, are included in the campaign. The Silver Dust "Around the Town" program started May 27 on CBS to be heard intermittently Fridays, 8 to 9 p.m., EDST, during the early summer months. Account is handled by Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, New York. Ward Renews WARD BAKING Co., New York (bread and cakes) during June renews its Mitzi Green in "Happy Landings" transcription series, produced by World Broadcasting System, over the 20 stations that have been carrying it. Renewal is for 13 weeks. Joseph Katz Co., New York, handles account. Net Revenues in April Set New Low Record With $2,462,970 Total NETWORK revenues from time sold in April fell to the lowest level in nearly a year, NBC and CBS reporting combined incomes of $2,462,970, which compares with $4,004,484 in April, 1932, according to National Advertising Records. For the first four months of this year, the NBC and CBS combined total was $10,899,334, which compares with $16,180,629 during the same period last year. In March the two major networks reported $3,013,565 in sales; February, $2,619,605 and January, $2,803,194. April income of NBC amounted to $1,690,177, compared with $2,649,892 in April, 1932. April income of CBS amounted to $772,793, compared with $1,354,592 in April, 1932. All but five of the 28 classifications showed declines under the same month of last year. House furniture and furnishings were up from $41,907 in April, 1932, to $43,079 in the same month this year. Lubricants and petroleum products were up from $167,854 to $280,612. Office equipment showed $5,577 as against nothing last year. Radios, phonographs and musical instruments were up from $30,959 to $35,600. Travel and hotels were up from $2,446 to $3,643. The biggest declines were : cigars, cigarettes and tobaccos, down from $692,235 to $239,278; clothing and dry goods, from $87,928 to $51,627; drugs and toilet goods, from $854,902 to $594,849; foods and food beverages, from $1,115,755 to $766,968; soaps and housekeepers' supplies, from $102,025 to $76,626; stationery and books, from $81,699 to $17,695. Beauty Test Account CRYSTAL Corp., New York (Outdoor Girl Beauty Preparations), on June 2 starts a one-half hour transcription test program over WOR, Newark, and WJSV, Washington, Fridays 9-9:30, EST, 13 weeks, featuring Omega Gamma Sorority Dance. Hanff-Metzger, New York, handles account. Store Lists Programs Dropped by Newspaper FIRST of the newspapers to drop radio news flashes and radio program listings as a result of the recent restrictions on news broadcasts imposed by the Associated Press and the resolution of the American Newspaper Publishers Association was the Nashville Banner, whose publisher, James G. Stahlman, was chairman of the A. N. P. A. radio committee. The news flashes were withdrawn from WSM. Immediately after the program listings were withdrawn, the Castner-Knott Co., local department store, began carrying them in its display advertising in the same newspaper. The only other newspaper to take drastic action since the New York meetings, thus far reported to Broadcasting, was the Indianapolis Star, which has discontinued its news bulletins on WFBM. THOUGH both stations have local newspaper tieups, Hal Totten's Teaberry Gum Sports Review on WMAQ (half owned by the Chicago Daily News) and Pat Flannagan's baseball broadcasts over WBBM are now being derived from Western Union tickers. Page 6 BROADCASTING • June 1, 1933