Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

A Department Store Goes on the Air Nugents, of St. Louis, Pleased With KMOX Broadcasts; Newspaper Displays Call Attention to Programs BY HARRY MEYER Advertising Manager, B. Nugent & Bro. Dry Goods Co. WHEN NUGENTS decided to go on the air daily over KMOX, we were on the eve of an entire reorganization. We were making changes which would put one of St. Louis' largest department stores on a strictly cash basis. This was a drastic change — one which we believed would greatly benefit our customers, and which we wanted to publicize as much as possible. The new plan incorporated six points. We planned to run these six plan points in large-letter double-spread advertisements in all the papers, but newspaper advertising alone was not adequate, because few people will read explanations. But they will listen when those same explanations are part of an interesting radio fashion-beauty-and-shopping chat. You will notice that one of our six points is the discontinuance of special sales. We were convinced that a morning radio program would be the most effective medium for explaining that the lowest cash prices are in effect every day — not only for certain occasions. Combination Scheme WE THEREFORE decided upon a radio-and-newspaper campaign, the newspaper advertising to call attention to the radio program on KMOX. The primary function of this program was to be dramatization of the cash policy, explanation of its conditions and repetition of its benefits to our customers. On Sunday, July 17, the newspapers carried double-spreads announcing Nugents change to a strictly cash policy and explaining its salient advantages. These advertisements also called attention to a concert to be given that afternoon over KMOX. The concert served to make formal and impressive announcement of the new cash policy and of the program of Nugents Music Store News, which would thereafter be heard daily except Sundays on KMOX at 11 a. m. It is this 15-minute morning program which carries our message of high quality at lowest prices to thousands of women in St. Louis and the surrounding territory. The program is conducted by Miss Sally Walker, who gives chats on fashion, beauty hints and the consistently low cash prices at Nugents. The music is varied each day and includes a string ensemble, two pianos, the organ, soloists and a harmony trio. Miss Walker answers questions about the newest styles and the purchase of every kind of merchandise. The information about Nugents reorganization, the consistently low prices and the free delivery are woven into the continuity each day. Miss Walker receives a great many inquiries and orders for the articles she mentions, and many listeners ask in FOR SEVERAL years the department stores of St. Louis were in agreement not to engage in radio advertising, and then Nugents, one of the largest dry goods houses, decided to experiment with the new medium and withdrew from the anti-radio circle. After only eight weeks of broadcasting, officials of the store are highly enthusiastic over the drawing power and sales appeal of their KMOX program. In this article the sponsor's advertising manager explains this enthusiasm. formation on other shopping problems. KMOX has intense coverage within 200 miles, and we are very pleased with the indications of interest outside St. Louis, because many of these people come here to shop, and others send us their mail order business. On Aug. 25, Nugents ended their reorganization sale and officially inaugurated their new fall merchandise. As a means of bringing people into the store to see the new merchandise, we conducted two special half -hour programs. The first, on Thursday morning, announced Nugents' fall style show, at which Miss Gladys Baxter and Allan Jones, municipal opera stars, Al Lyons, master of ceremonies at the Fox Theatre, and Miss Sally Walker, Nugents radio shopper, would appear in person. This special program was to be broadcast by remote control from Nugents. Thursday and Friday we advertised in the newspapers and KMOX carried spot announcements inviting everyone to come into Nugents to see the fall style show and the special broadcast. During the broadcast, Nugents' second floor was crowded to capacity, and a great many letters and phone calls expressed appreciation of the program. Spots Double Sales THE REGULAR morning programs emphasize our cash policy and new merchandise more than they advertise any one department. However, there have been specific instances in which we could check up on the efficacy of department announcement. On the afternoon and day following a two-minute discussion of the beauty shop, the business of the department was doubled. Following a short dialogue on the fur repair department we received inquiries from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky. In our millinery department we made over a dozen sales within one hour after an individual hat was featured on the day's program. In our shoe department we doubled the amount of business in the first three weeks after the shoe broadcast was made as against the same three weeks during the previous year. A forty word description of a baby blanket brought many requests for the 'Sally Walker' cover. And so throughout the store. We have never devoted an entire program to one article or one department. At this writing, we are concluding our eighth week of broadcasting. We have had more than satisfactory publicity and increased sales, and we shall continue on the air over KMOX. NBC Branches Taking Spot and Disk Accounts For Network's Stations TO BOOK transcription and other spot programs for the 17 NBC owned or controlled stations, branch offices of the NBC in New York, Chicago and San Francisco now have special representatives on hand to arrange contracts with advertisers and agencies, Roy C. Witmer, vice president in charge of sales, announced Sept. 16. Although the service has been functioning several months, it is announced as "a new service to advertisers who wish to undertake intensive local or special campaigns, and to those whose distribution confines their advertising to local or sectional areas." Station time may be booked individually or in groups apart from regular network service. The representatives in charge of the service are J. V. McConnell, in New York; William S. Hedges, in Chicago, and Lindsey Spight, in San Francisco. The stations these "NBC Local Station Sales" representatives take accounts for are: WEAF and WJZ, New York; WBZ, Boston; WBZ A, Springfield; WGY, Schenectady; WRC, Washington; KDKA, Pittsburgh; WTAM, Cleveland; WMAQ and WENR, Chicago; KOA, Denver; KGO, KPO and KYA, San Francisco; KJR, Seattle; KEX, Portland, Ore., and KGA, Spokane. New Sports Reporters At Mike For Networks As World Series Opens THE WORLD SERIES, climax of the baseball season, has brought a change of regime in the ranks of those mike-men who report America's national pastime on the air. Graham McNamee's retirement as sports reporter, announced by the NBC following the SharkeySchmeling fight, became an actuality with the opening of the World Series this week in New York. McNamee is at the mike during the games, but he does not give the momentous play-by-play report. Instead, the job has been turned over to a Chicago man, Hal Totten, who is no novice in the field of microphones and ether waves. Totten began sports announcing over WMAQ, the Chicago Daily News station, in 1922, and has reported baseball via the microphone for the last eight seasons. Tom Manning, of WTAM, Cleveland, is assisting with play-by-play description and McNamee is painting word-pictures of crowd, sky and the players. The CBS Network is also scheduled for a change in sports announcers. Ted Husing, CBS ace sports reporter, was to be assisted at the mike by Pat Flannagan, WBBM (Chicago) announcer, and Bob Elson, of WGN, Chicago, who has a large baseball following in the mid-west. Flannagan has recovered from an illness which required his absence from radio work for a few weeks. The World Series broadcasts are unsponsored, by decree of Judge Kenesaw M. Landis, baseball's high commissioner. RCA Ready to Measure Frequencies in the West RCA COMMUNICATIONS, Inc., New York, which has been serving numerous broadcasting stations with a frequency measuring service, has installed a replica of its Riverhead, L. L, measuring laboratory at its trans-Pacific receiving station at Point Reyes, Cal. The Point Reyes station will serve far western broadcasters with reliable checks on their transmitters. Effective in September, RCA Communications, Inc., also instituted a new rate schedule for frequency measuring service, making it more flexible and in many cases cheaper, according to A. A. Isbell, manager of the commercial department. A booklet describing the service is obtainable on request from offices of the company at 66 Broad St., New York, or 28 Geary St., San Francisco. Wave Rule Amended UNDER an amendment to its rules and regulations adopted Sept. 15, stations receiving notice of off -frequency operation in violation of Rule 24, will be required to submit their replies direct to the Commission instead of through the radio supervisors in their districts. Stations are required to keep within 50 cycles, plus or minus, of their assigned frequencies. RADIO APPEALS along with local newspaper advertising and handbills dropped from airplanes were used last month by the City of Newark in a unique campaign to collect $26,000,000 in outstandingtaxes. October 1, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 9