Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Ban On Price-Quoting Is Lifted By Nets As Incentive To Sales Both NBC and CBS Allow Limited Mentions Effective At Once As Business Aid k Mr. Paley THE QUOTING of prices, prohibited in network radio programs since the inception of the chains, is now being permitted by both NBC and CBS, within limitations. Their decisions follow close upon the NBC ruling of several weeks ago to allow price quotations in daytime programs. As was the case when the daytime rule was relaxed, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., sponsoring the A. & P. Gypsies on NBC, was the first to carry prices in its night feature, offering a specialty with two price anouncements during its regular 30-minute period the evening of Sept. 12. NBC made no public announcement of its decision, but it was learned that it had decided, effective Sept. 12, to permit one price mention in any 15-minute period and two price mentions in any 30minute period sponsored by advertisers. NBC retained the right to approve or disapprove the manner in which the price announcements are made. Paley Announces Plan , WILLIAM S. PALEY, CBS president, announced publicly and ad , vised all advertisers and agencies that, effective Sept. 15, Columbia will allow not more than two price J mentions per 15-minute period, provided the total length of all sales talk shall not exceed one and one-half minutes; not more than three price mentions per 30-minute program, provided total sales talks shall not exceed three minutes, and not more than five price mentions per 60-minute program, provided sales talks shall not exceed six minutes. Prices mentioned, Mr. Paley said, must be of the "article or articles advertised and must be in no sense competitive or comparative." Mr. Paley further declared that advertisers, by mutual agreement, will avoid the conflict of successive commercial continuities so that sales talks at the end of one program will not be followed immediately by sales talks at the beginning of another. "At the new price levels," said Mr. Paley, "there are many bargains for the public. We in Columbia feel that the mention of these prices should provide an undoubted impetus to buying. Will Increase Sales "WE BELIEVE a conviction is current among advertisers that the past twelve months have demonstrated the effectiveness of radio as a direct selling weapon to a degree that was scarcely hoped for in the early days of broadcasting. We offer the foregoing program as a means of increasing still further the effectiveness of radio as a medium by (1) rendering a more complete and satisfactory service to the listening public, (2) clarifying and emphasizing the advertising message, and (3) reducing commensurately the length of the commercial continuity. "Our specific contribution toward this end is the permitting of price mention. The permanence of this policy must rest within the response which it meets among program builders and radio listeners. CBS reserves the right to revoke this policy without prior notice if, in its judgment, it fails to meet with satisfactory response on the part of either the former or the latter or fails of its purpose to elevate the standards of radio broadcasting." Columnist is Sponsored By Political Candidate A UNIQUE political campaign is being conducted over WMCA and WINS, New York, by Phelps Phelps, former assemblyman and candidate-at-large for the Republican nomination as representative-at-large. Friends of Mr. Phelps finance the radio campaign. John Chapman, New York Daily News columnist, takes 15 minutes each Thursday, 7:15 p. m., on WINS to chat about the doings of prominent New Yorkers and Broadwayites. In the middle of his broadcast he introduces Mr. Phelps, who talks for three minutes on current problems without once mentioning his candidacy. Announcers' NamesBack FINDING after a trial period of two months that "the radio audience is more interested in the announcer's identity than was supposed," WOR, Newark, this month resumed its customary signatures. Announcers' names were eliminated from all programs on the theory that the individual should be subordinated to the program and that, unless he had actually written or compiled the program, his name was unnecessary. The audience reaction, however, was preponderate^ unfavorable, WOR frankly admits, and hereafter WOR announcers will append their names to all programs. Georgia Political Net ON THE EVE of Georgia's Democratic primaries, Sept. 13, radio stations of the state, keyed by WSB, Atlanta, were employed in extensive hookups over which the various candidates spoke. The stations linked for the political broadcasts were WENC, Americus; WPFI, Athens; WRDW, Augusta; WRBL, Columbus; WMAZ, Macon; WFDV, Rome; WQDX, Thomasville, and WTOC, Savannah. Times Wide World Fl.otos New Automatic Tuning Device SAMUEL G. FRANTZ, of Princeton, N. J., has linked the clock with a radio set in such a way that the hands of the timepiece select the programs in accordance with adjustments made even twelve hours in advance of the broadcast. It turns the receiver on and off and regulates the volume; in fact, it makes the radio set automatic, operating in much the same way as an alarm clock. The clock can be regulated to preselect entertainment from six stations, and by building it large enough twenty stations could be scheduled. The radio tuner is a drum-like device that appears on the panel in the same style as the ordinary drum tuner-dial. A clock above it on the panel turns the drum in accordance with the time of day. There are forty-eight slots in the circular side of the drum. Each slot represents a quarter hour period over twelve hours. In each slot is a sliding button. The call letters of six favored stations are written on a scale alongside the drum. If the button in slot 2:15 is moved opposite WOR, the receiver automatically will tune in WOR at that time, although the button may have been so adjusted by the operator at 7 a. m. A set so equipped can also be tuned manually. When a tiny red lamp glows on the panel, it indicates that the automatic mechanism has control of the circuit. A maze of gears, levers and a small motor turn the wheels. The timeclock unit is compact, occupying a space only six inches square inside the cabinet. Klauber Seriously 111 DUE TO the strain of recent activities, including the protracted copyright negotiations, Edward Klauber, first vice president of CBS, has been confined to his home on physicians' orders following a heart attack. He must remain in bed for a month, and then must take a month of convalescence, the doctors have ordered. RADIO headliners of many New York stations, including the key outlets of the NBC and CBS, entertained at the charity supper, dance, and entertainment sponsored by the Newspaper Club of New York at Arrowhead Inn, New York, on Sept. 8. Sectional Hymn Tastes Revealed by Listeners In Seth Parker's Poll SECTIONAL tastes in hymns are revealed in the tabulation of replies to Seth Parker's (Phillips H. Lord) request for aid of listeners in picking America's ten favorite selections. The request was made over the NBC-WEAF network, and the results have just been announced. The favorite hymns in the order of choice follow: "The Old Rugged Cross," "Nearer My God to Thee," "Abide With Me," "Lead Kindly Light," "Rock of Ages," "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," "In the Garden," "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Church in the Wildwood" and "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning." A majority of the listeners in the east start their list of ten favorite hymns with "The Old Rugged Cross." Other favorites are "Onward Christian Soldiers," "He Leadeth Me," "Rock of Ages," "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "How Firm a Foundation," and "Lead Kindly Light." Missourians have shown a marked preference for "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me," "In the Garden," "I Need Thee Every Hour," "Blest Be The Tie That Binds," and "Let The Lower Lights Be Burning." Many Iowans have listed the same songs as are seemingly preferred by Missourians, but in addition have shown preference for "Jesus Calls Us," "Day Is Dying In The West," "Shall We Meet Beyond The River," and "Abide With Me." Wisconsin listeners enumerate "Old Time Religion," "Face to Face," "Just As I Am," and "Let The Lower Lights Be Burning," as their favorites. From Ohio scores of listeners suggest "I Love to Tell The Story," "He Lifted Me," "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus," "What a Friend We Have In Jesus," and "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder," among their ten favorites. Favorites of Oregon show a marked difference from those of listeners in the middle west and east. "Ring the Bells of Heaven," "0' That Will Be," "Sunlight In My Soul," "Jesus Is All The World to Me," and "Ninety and Nine," lead the list. Two New Broadcasters Okeyed by Commission NEW LOCAL stations for Hazleton, Pa., and Eureka, Cal., were authorized Sept. 13 by the Radio Commission. Herman G. Halstedr Hazleton, was granted authority for a station on 1420 kc, 100 w., to share with WILM, Wilmington, the latter station being authorized to reduce its hours from unlimited to specified — 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., EST. Harold H. Hanseth was authorized to build the Eureka station, to operate on 1210 kc. with 100 watts, during daylight hours and from 12 midnight to 2 a.m., under certain conditions. September 15, 1932 • BROAbCASTING Page 29