Broadcasting (Jan-June 1933)

The Other Fellow's Viewpoint . . . World Fair Tie-Up To the Editor of Broadcasting: Here's an idea we are putting into effect here, which gets us our card rates for seven half hour periods at night each week, at a late evening time which does not interfere with the time more easily sold. We shall not put it on the air until May 27, but I have found it so easily sold that I am passing along the idea to you, in the hope you can tell other broadcasters about it. May help to keep the bottom of the sock out of sight for some of them during slack summer weeks. We secured from a tour company eight trips to the World Fair, in exchange for the publicity the tours would get in this venture. Then we arranged with a local amusement park, with a swimming pool, to give the trips as prizes to bathing beauties, one a week. The winner is chosen by votes of those present in the ballroom of the park during the evening, with balloting each evening. Ballots for the vote are secured at the gate when admittance is purchased. If the patron simply buys admittance with no coupon of any kind, he secures but one vote. However, if he has made a purchase at the establishment of any of the sponsors, he secures two ballots, and, on two evenings a week, is admitted to everything, pool, ball room, etc., at half price. Thus, he is encouraged to patronize these sponsors' business places. And the bathing beauties, and all their friends, urge him to so patronize, so he will get two ballots. In addition, the park furnishes floor space for displays or fashion parades or anything the sponsor desires in that line. And, at 10:30 o'clock, we pick up the ball-room orchestra, and between numbers relate the standing of the contestants, give plugs for the sponsors, and suggest listeners come out and "Keep Kool with KOIL" at the coolest spot in the city, and urge them to patronize the stores which give the coupons giving double the number of ballots, and admitting, on two days of the week, at half price. A whale of a good advertising broadcast is possible, you can see. We furnish a man to handle the contest each night, prepare the advertising plugs on the air, and do the announcing. This chap we secure at part-time pay. As I say, sales have been very easy. Six sponsors, earning our card rate. Sponsors are a local department store, ice cream company, bottling works, bakery, oil company and clothing concern. John M. Henry, Manager, KOIL, Council Bluffs-Omaha. May 13, 1933. Hits the "Gyppo" To the Editor of Broadcasting: Can't something be done through a series of prominently displayed editorials in your excellent magazine educating the radio station executives to the utter folly of listening to the direct selling commission propositions with which every mail that reaches us is choked? If these propositions are coming to us, we know they are going to other stations, too. Some of them must be taking them on, else these manufacturers or their agents would not find that it pays. Naturally, if these people can persuade a station having a circulation worth-while to go into business in a retail way in competition with all legitimate dealers and manufacturers whose advertising he seeks, and if he gives to these products time on his station out of all proportion to any fair percentage of the sales, that station executive may produce sales in heavy volume. That pleases the "gyppo" concern supplying the article or cosmetic or whatever it is. But, that station executive is breaking down the very foundations upon which he seeks to build his permanent business. Perhaps the type of radio executive that is "falling" for these "deals" doesn't know that. Surely, if he did, he would not be abetting these curb-stone manufacturers and their agents by trying everything out that comes along to get in a few extra dollars. Perhaps you do not realize how this menace is growing? Every mail is bringing more and more such "propositions." * * * H. E. Studebaker, Manager, KUJ, Walla Walla, Wash. May 19, 1933. PROFESSIOI^AL DIRECTORY JANSKY and BAILEY Consulting Radio Engineers Commercial Coverage Surveys Allocation Engineering Station and Studio Installations Engineering Management National Press Bldg. Wash., D. C. T. A. M. CRAVEN Consulting Radio Engineer Allocation Engineering Commercial Coverage Surveys Antenna Installations Complete Engineering Surveys National Press Building, Washington, D. C. GLENN D. GILLETT Qonsulting ""Radio Engineer Synchronization Equipment Desisn. Field Sticngth and Station Location Surveys Antenna Dciisn Wire Line Problems National Press Bldg. Washington, D. C. N. Y. Office: Englewood, N. J. RADIO RESEARCH CO., Inc. Broadcast Station Engineering Instrument Design and Manufacture 9th and Kearny Sts., N. E. Washington, D. C. RCA Moves Offices EXECUTIVE offices of RCA, the parent organization, with their personnel of 160, will be moved June 2 to the RCA Building in Radio City. Old quarters at 570 Lexington Ave. will be occupied by General Electric Co., which took over the building there under the recent government consent decree. When the NBC will move to Radio City has not yet been decided, although the new quarters of the network there are being completed. Summer Radio Pays {Continued from page 5) grams has been in this respect, and, where the program has been one which people wanted to hear, the record has been satisfactory. Some advertisers change their programs during the summer months, but unless they have reliable guidance in selecting the new program they are apt to run into trouble. Radio is unlike other forms of promotion. Good programs get talked about, add listeners as time goes on. Listening becomes a habit. It is almost like having a fixed date every week or several times a week. Remove that entertainment and people ask our representatives what has happened to the program. They want to listen but the opportunity has been denied them. The answer is that they turn to something else. It may be a competing product, or a different type of product, which may take them out of the market for other products. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS Classified advertisements in Broadcasting cost 7c per word for each insertion. Casli must accompany order. Forms close 28th and 13th of month preceding issue. Situations Wanted Writer of humorous, up to date Radio SIcetches ready for broadcasting, seeks position or jobs. Write Box 96, Broadcasting^ Radio Development Engineer — technical graduate. Nine years experience including broadcasting, ultra short waves, and industrial applications. Radio telephone first license. Desires position with future. Finest references. Box 94, Broadcasting. Experienced licensed broadcasting operator needs work. Location and salary no objection. Will work at anything, announce, control room or station. Box 97, Broadcasting. Experienced radio engineer who also has sales ability desires change. Employed at a twenty-five hundred watt station. Over ten years in broadcasting business covering management, sales promotion, operating and construction. Box 98, Broadcasting. I took a license, a basket of parts 5 years ago. The station still pays expenses, have sold time, arranged programs building talent locally, managed station, worked all sporting events. Now employed but seeking larger field. Will furnish detailed record if interested. Box 95, Broadcasting. Business Opportunities PARTNERSHIP Construction engineer who has some capital and a 1 kw. station would like to get in touch with a commercial manager with small capital with the view of starting up a new station on partnership basis. Box 93, Broadcasting. Wave Meet July 10 {Continued from page 8) the American delegation on enlargement of the broadcast band below 550 kc, as proposed by the NAB through Mr. Baldwin, has not been decided definitely, and likely will await selection of additional delegates. While details of the preliminary negotiations have been kept confidential by injunction of the State Department, it is generally known that broadcasters and commercial maritime groups, supported by the Army and Navy, have been at loggerheads. The maritime and government representatives have insisted that there be no widening below 550 kc. but are willing to accept an extension above 1500 kc, perhaps to 1640 kc. Broadcasters, on the other hand, maintain that long waves should be opened to broadcasting because they are best adapted for such use, and because maritime and government services could relinquish title to such facilities without great inconvenience and with no loss of efficiency. This issue remains to be decided by the delegation. U. S. Reallocation Looms WHATEVER the conclusion reached by the American delegation, it is generally believed that the United States will relinquish some channels in the present broadcast range, possibly in exchange for others in the low or high frequencies or both. Moreover, in view of the recent Supreme Court decision in the WIBO quota case, which gives the Commission virtually autocratic powers in allocation matters, it is believed that the Commission will embark upon a large scale reallocation following the North American conference. In his letter to the Commission, which has tabled the proposal for the present, Mr. Baldwin declared it is highly desirable for the United States to be in the strongest possible position to negotiate with other North American countries. Continuation of the present policy whereby stations are given only six months' licenses, he said, cannot contribute strength to the American delegation. Six Benefits Cited ISSUANCE of licenses for threeyear periods, Mr. Baldwin declared, will: "1. Give strength to the American delegation in negotiating with the governments of Canada, Mexico and Cuba concerning the use of frequencies on the North American continent. "2. Furnish stability to the broadcast industry. "3. Give protection to American radio listeners. "4. Give proper protection to bona fide investments in American broadcast stations. "5. Make possible more constructive policies which have to do with the management and operation of stations. "6. Be due recognition to American broadcasters for their contribution, to the art of radio, to the commerce of the nation and to the enlightenment and entertainment of the American people." THE RADIO Commission has extended to Nov. 16, 1933, the required date for the completion of the new 50 kw. transmitter of WOR, Newark. Page 34 BROADCASTING • June 1, 1933 ii