Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Gould Erection of Home Linked with Novel Feature on WBAL iuilding Trades are Sponsors )f True-to-Life Sketch A UNIQUE program experiment — that of tying-in a feature with a local building project— is now being tried by WBAL, Baltimore, with considerable success. f Every Tuesday -night, at 9:15 i'clock, EST, the station broadcasts The House That Jack's Building," dramatic sketch of the true-toife experiences of Sally and Jack ioward, a modern young couple vho are building their own home, ncidentally, this model residence actually being constructed in Northwood, one of the Roland l^ark Company's suburban developnents. The sponsors represent the various phases of the home-building, ' ome furnishing and real estate rades. Although the weekly ketches keep uppermost the drama tself, the chief purpose is not lost ight of. As a result there has >een a decided stimulus noted at Baltimore in home-building, home nodernizing and in real estate ales generally. Reports show that rowds are flocking to Northwood especially to see "the house that L'ack's building." The idea of building a model "lome on the air was originated for ■VBAL by Purnell H. Gould, VBAL's commercial representaive. The account is handled diect by the WBAL commercial de>artment, of which Stanley W. 3arnett is manager. The coninuity is written by Broughton Tall, supervisor of WBAL's literiry research department and a ilaywright of considerable repuation, his four-act drama, "Mme. Bonaparte," produced in Baltimore ast season by the "Vagabonds," laving broken all previous box ofice records of that organization. The characters include: Sally, flayed by Elinor McCurley; Jack, Edward Waesche, Jr.; Salina, the paid, Mary Spotswood Warren; }wen, Sally's girl friend, Leonie -ledue; Chick, Gwen's husband, •Valter N. Linthicum, baritone anjiouncer, and Alex, Jack's wealthy out eccentric aunt who helps her lephew finance this hcme-building }lan, Elise Lee Cohen, who directed the WBAL Players in a broadast series over WBAL last winter md spring. The sponsors include the Roland Park Co.; The Maryland Title Guarantee Co.; The Consolidated 3tas Electric Light & Power Co.; Tilghman V. Morgan; The Baltimore Brick Co.; The Acme Tile Do.; The Fairfacts Co.; The Robertson Art Tile Co. of Trenton, N. I., and The Hilgartner Marble Co. At the conclusion of the present orograms a new series of broadcasts will be presented as a sequel ;o cover the furnishing. A house .varming which Sally and Jack are ilready tentatively planning for ;his fall, will conclude the feature. THE HOUSE THAT JACK'S BUILDING— This is the title of a unique program over WBAL, Baltimore, that ties in with the building of a model home in a suburb. Details of the radio tie-in are explained elsewhere on this page. Advertisers Urge Program Emphasis Pacific Clubs Discuss Radio At Vancouver Convention A GENERAL attitude of eagerness to serve the listening public by improving programs and discouraging excessive commercialism was evident in discussions at the radio departmentals held early in July in connection with the annual convention of the Pacific Advertising Clubs Association at Vancouver, B. C. Various talks were made, and much discussion enlivened the sessions under the direction of H. J. Quilliam, of KOMO, Seattle, Wash., and Roy Frothingham of NBC, San Francisco. Station managers and those directly connected with radio predominated. Advertising agency executives, advertising managers of retail and manufacturing establishments, and representatives of other media were in attendance. Speakers and Topics THE SPEAKERS and topics were: Carl Eastman, Pacific coast manager, N. W. Ayer & Son, San Francisco, "The Advertising Agency Job in Radio Advertising."; H. F. Anderson, sales manager, Pacific division, NBC, "Building Programs that Pay"; C. P. MacGregor, MacGregor & Solle, San Francisco, "Making and Selling Transcription Programs"; Ralph Brunton, manager of KJBS, San Francisco, "Local Programs for the Retail Merchant"; J. Howard Pyle, program manager, KTAR, Phoenix, "Station Management and Program Building," and F. L. Foster, representing Crossley, Inc., New York, "Co-operative Analysis of Radio Broadcasting." Provision was made for open discussion of the various subjects but limitations of time cut down the intended amount. Ex-tempore views were offered by Raymond Kelley of Syverson Kelley Agency; Wallace Boren of J. Walter Thompson Co.; H. J. Quilliam, KOMO, Seattle; Miss Frankie Coykendall of Bots ford Constantine & Gardner; D. J. Jansen of KVI, Tacoma; F. B. McClatchy, KSL, Salt Lake City; W. E. Powell, CNRV, Vancouver; Lawrence Moore, KRE, Oakland; Earl Weller, Portland; W. C. Stannard, McConnell, Ferguson, Ltd., Vancouver; James Lightbody, B. C. Electric Co.; Joan Jack, Hudson Bay Co.; E. C. Stark, sales manager of the Pacific Milk Co., Vancouver; George Chandler, CJOR, Vancouver. Building a Radio Unit OUTSTANDING among the several talks and discussions was the story of how N. W. Ayer & Son has built its radio organization and accomplished its research regarding the coverage and relative popularity of hundreds of radio stations. In every market and territory the coverage and "pulling power" of each station is a known quantity. Mr. Eastman illustrated the findings of his company with colorful maps and charts. Mr. Anderson emphasized the growth in popularity of dramatic and mystery programs, the trend toward 15-minute strips, and the consequent opportunity for outstanding programs of one and twohour duration. The comparative value of "tailor made" and "ready made" programs for the advertiser was discussed with the conclusion that both are good when used right. Transcription programs were discussed from production and selling angles by Mr. MacGregor, with emphasis on their value to the advertiser who wants to high spot national markets or who wants to augment his network advertising with local transcription programs in selected places. Mr. MacGregor had experience in the phonograph industry before entering the transcription business. Local Retail Programs MR. BRUNTON, and Mr. Pyle each talked on "Local Programs for the Retail Merchant" with Mr. Brunton featuring the commercial phases of this problem and Mr. Pyle emphasizing the production of programs that please. Mr. Foster revealed the findings and conclusions of Crossley sur Radio Advertising Strong in Survey Newspapers Still Hold Lead By Virtue of Numbers NEWSPAPERS naturally continue to lead by a considerable margin in advertising appropriations, but radio makes a very substantial showing in the survey of 435 national advertisers whose results were announced July 20 by the American Newspaper Publishers Association. This group of firms represents national advertisers whose expenditures the bureau of advertising of the association was able to check and is not a complete record of newspaper or other advertisers. Considering the fact that there are nearly 2,000 daily newspapers in the United States and many thousand more weeklies — together with the fact that the amount of "space" in radio is limited — radio's showing was good. The 435 firms checked spent $143,365,000 for newspaper space in 1931. Of this group, 190 also used magazine space to the extent of $78,317,815, and 121 used radio to the amount of $21,223,862. High in Foodstuffs RADIO makes its best showing in the food products and tobacco divisions. Eighty-one food companies spent $20,395,000 in newspapers, $18,292,065 in magazines and $4,868,442 in radio. Fourteen tobacco companies spent $28,730,000 in newspapers, $5,029,790 in radio and $3,949,086 in magazines. The group of advertisers studied were shown to have allocated their appropriations in the following percentages: News Magapapers zines Radio Autos, trucks 64.6% 33.8% 1.6% Drug Sundries 78.4% 17.3% 4.3% Electric appliances ___51.8% 40.5% 7.7% Finance 67.7% 3.6% 28.7% Foods 46.8% 42.0% 11.2% Gasoline, oils 74.8% 18.4% 6.8% Radios, phonographs— 58.5% 26.5% 15.0% Railroads 88.0% 9.7% 2.3% Soft drinks 65.7% 21.9% 12.4% Steamships 78.8% 21.2% _— _ Tobacco 76.2% 10.5% 13.3% Clothing 79.9% 18.1% 2.0% Quotes Prices GENERAL ELECTRIC Company has followed the Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company's example in quoting prices during its NBC programs. The A. & P. features prices of selected commodities and G. E. quotes prices of electric refrigerators. These are the first concerns to take advantage of the network's recent ruling that prices of certain goods may be quoted during daytime periods. veys directed toward the program preferences and listening habits of the radio audience. Crossley service to national advertisers and national advertising agencies is well known by reputation, but this was the first tme a group of Pacific coast advertising men and women were made acquainted with the methods and results of Crossley surveys. The 1933 convention of the Pacific Advertising Clubs Association will be held in Sacremento, Cal., in July. Another P. A. C. A. radio departmental will be staged. August 1, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 15